I was getting tired of playing with the software side of home automation so I picked an item from my wish list that would let me play with some hardware. Time to control the garage door. Besides having the ability to open the door with my phone, I figured I could use the automation part of the system to notify me when the door opens and closes as well as change the color of my LED strip as a visual…
I had seen Adafruit’s Neopixels in many designs over the years but I never had an application that inspired me to buy some. Then the rope lights I use for ambient lighting in the living room died during post Christmas cleanup. They have been gone for some time now and instead of doing something simple like buying new rope lights I thought it would be cool to use Neopixels since they provide so many more options than just on and off. Adafruit’s…
Many years ago I bought some X10 equipment to provide a way of controlling switches from a remote location. I also bought the computer module and had a single automation running to turn the porch light on at dusk and off at 2 am. While this was cool and useful, it wasn’t a smart home. Once I moved, the switches moved with me but the automation was never restored. Since then I have contemplated making my house smarter but I…