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This is the BRAINS of my smart home! A lot of you have asked about my server rack. I use it for networking, my smart home hubs, security cameras, a home NAS, etc. Well I uploaded a video Saturday to the second channel doing a SIMPLE walkthrough. Watch it here:  https://youtu.be/J1x4FpFrOyo?si=MOcvI... 

OKAY I hear you loud and clear! On my new automations video, I had tons of comments asking how I set up everything in Home Assistant. So I wrote it all here:  https://smarthomesolver.com/reviews/10-new-automations-for-2024-how-to-setup/  

I normally share an article or second channel video showing the technical details, but I was in Seattle filming a smart home tour so things got pushed back!

Also, I'm thinking about doing another video JUST about the TV lights, since I've added a few conditions to make it even more perfect. If you're interested in that, comment below 👇👇 (and subscribe to my tutorial channel Reed's Smart Home) 

I'm furious! 🤬 MyQ broke integrations for Home Assistant and many other platforms. 

Instead of working with the smart home community, they gave us the middle finger. So I had to take matters into my own hands. 

Here’s how I fixed the problem:  https://youtu.be/I2HGxkyb2O4 

(Bonus, I replace the tennis ball in the garage with a laser) 

Which video should we make next? 

Whoops 😬 ...I corrected some things I missed about the Aqara FP2, and answered a lot of your questions about it in this follow up video. 

watch it here:  https://youtu.be/YnzxGfdHhR0 

Hey! I wanted to get your opinion. How would you feel if we cut back the outtros so they weren’t in EVERY single video? 

For years, we’ve done a “funny” outtro for every video. (some are funnier than others, we aren’t comedians) 

We know that a lot of people don’t care about them because they click off of the video right when it appears, which hurts the video’s performance with the YouTube algorithm. They are also a lot of work and take time we could be spending on other videos.

Share your honest thoughts in the poll or the comments. I really value what you all think and want our videos to keep improving, so THANK YOU for your support! 

Yikes... starting this week, any newly purchased Ring alarm systems will NOT be able to use basic features in the app without a monthly fee. That includes arming/disarming, notifications, Alexa control, and automations. 

I'm NOT happy and here are my full thoughts:  https://youtu.be/Fma45QBCWX8 

(The video is on the second channel because that style of video fits better over there.)

If you bought a Ring alarm before this week, you don't have to worry since it won't impact you. BUT you definitely want to think about the future, and I address that in the video. 

Hey everybody! I got a couple of questions today asking where Paul Hibbert’s channel is, since it doesn’t come up in YouTube search. 

Earlier this week, Paul’s channel was attacked by hackers, who ultimately gained access to his account. It’s temporarily down while things get sorted out. Paul will be back in full hip-thrusting glory soon!

It’s a crazy story that he can share with you all some time if he wants. I’d recommend following him on Twitter for updates: @hibberthometech

The past few days have certainly been stressful for Paul. If you want to pitch in to show support, head to his website for his merch, PayPal, and Patreon info:  https://www.paulhibbert.co.uk/ 

There’s been a LOT of talk about Eufy lately and their security issues. I was thinking about making a video on it, but Rob from The Hook Up just posted a video about it and did a great job covering everything. I agree with his take on the situation.

So I won’t be making a video, but definitely check out his here:  https://youtu.be/a_rAXF_btvE 

Yes, Eufy made major mistakes with marketing and some of the security design choices for sure. The VLC streaming is the most concerning part for me, and I'm keeping my eye on the updates.

Many people have asked if I'll still be recommending Eufy. My trust with Eufy is not as strong any more. BUT as of now, I don’t think any of these issues would stop me from buying an outdoor Eufy camera. Putting a Eufy camera inside my home is a different story, and I probably wouldn’t. 

The balance between security and convenience is one of those laws of the universe that cannot be broken. The higher the security, the less convenient the product will be. Or, the more convenience will reduce how secure it is. You CAN NOT have both. Eufy has always leaned more toward convenience because it’s designed to be easy to use. There are other great cameras out there that are more secure, but way less convenient.

What do you think, is this whole thing over blown? If you have any questions, drop them below and we can figure this out together. 

It's been a little quiet here on the channel lately because I’m taking some time to regroup. BUT... I am in the middle of planning lots of automation videos!

What types of automations do you want to see on this channel?

(or comment below with specific requests)