As my children have gotten older and become more “connected device” savvy, I have been on the hunt for something which makes it easier to manage the amount of time they spend online as well as what they can see and do while surfing. The Circle with Disney Parental Controls & Internet Filtering network management device, despite its odd name, […]
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ABC’s new show Deception looked impressive from its trailer, with a seemingly high production value and a decent–if not overdone–premise. Add a pinch of The Mentalist, infuse it with Castle, bake in some magic, and you have a decent idea of what this new show is about. The question is whether the combination will work to draw in audiences every […]
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Adding keyless entry to your home is a great way to enable access without requiring anyone to carry around a physical key. Whether that is a dog walker, your kids, or when you step out for a run. Having the option to provide a PIN code also makes it much easier to manage distribution and removes the risk of a […]
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SVS unveiled the SB-4000, PB-4000, and PC-4000 4000 series subwoofers back in November. These reference quality subs replace their popular 13-Ultra series, with a level of change which is quite dramatic from the previous generation. Alterations were made to the cabinet and 13.5” driver, but the electronics received the most benefit with the introduction of a 50MHz Analog Devices Audio […]
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With a quick glance, it is obvious that the $200 RHA T20i look the part of a premium in-ear headphone. Whether it’s the injection molded stainless steel driver housings, or the fit and finish of the other key touch points, we see fastidious attention to detail. Innovative design does not stop with the appearance either, including high-quality materials and RHA’s […]
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SiliconDust recently upgraded their HDHomeRun (HDHR) CONNECT line of over-the-air (OTA) network tuners to include a $149 MSRP four-stream Quatro (HDHR5-4US) companion for the $99 MSRP two-stream Duo (HDHR5-2US) model. Both models feature 100Mb Ethernet, all new internals, and an attractive form factor. Updated silicon components should bring power savings, so if SiliconDust can also maintain the stability of the […]
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If you use an ISP provided, low-end, or older Wi-Fi router, the options for network management are often quite limited. There is simply no way to find out who is connected to your network or control which devices have access when. Devices which add this capability have recently started popping up on the market; each with a different set […]
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The first time I went crazy with Z-Wave at my house, I had to build my own garage door controller. It was not hard, involving a Z-Wave switch, some components from Radio Shack and a door sensor – all tied together with a couple scenes. As I am sure you all know, time has been very kind to the home […]
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I have an older home. One thing about older houses is pull chain lights, many, many pull chains. Anyone who has walked around a basement in the dark or near dark fishing for a light pull chain can attest that it is a massive pain. After one stubbed toe too many, I turned to home automation as a lower cost […]
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I’ve been debating about whether I wanted to put the time into doing a proper review of our Neato Robotics Botvac D80 Robot Vacuum. Afterall, it kind of is a smart home device, and it’s really nice to not have to vacuum the house during the week… But on the other hand, it’s a vacuum cleaner. This will not be […]
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