Aaron returns to share how his Home Assistant setup evolved from endless tinkering to a rock‑solid system that runs his family life. We cover Z‑Wave provisioning, ESPHome vs off‑the‑shelf reliability, RATGDO for garage doors, HA Green/Yellow, voice‑first routines, and the rise of AI‑powered helpers. Watch this episode on YouTube Show notes for this episode are available at https://homeassistant.fm/HA218 Support the Podcast Get early-access to episodes and an ad-free feed by supporting our Patreo...
Jan 20, 2026•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 218
By day Artem works for JetBrains, developing coding IDEs for software professionals. But today we want to learn about his smart home, and how he is using Home Assistant to make it more energy efficient Watch this episode on YouTube Show notes for this episode are available at https://homeassistant.fm/HA217 Support the Podcast Get early-access to episodes and an ad-free feed by supporting our Patreon. https://homeassistant.fm/patreon Share your story We wouldn't be able to do this podcast without...
Jan 13, 2026•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 217
Rohan and Phil are here to break down the 2026.1 release. We’re talking Home Dashboard improvements, a new multi-room audio protocol from Music Assistant, and of course some Zigbee quirks thrown into the mix Watch this episode on YouTube Show notes for this episode are available at https://homeassistant.fm/HA216 Support the Podcast Get early-access to episodes and an ad-free feed by supporting our Patreon. https://homeassistant.fm/patreon Share your story We wouldn't be able to do this podcast w...
Jan 06, 2026•43 min•Ep. 216
Josh from Josh’s Smart Home joins Phil and Rohan to unpack a 300-device Home Assistant setup running on Home Assistant Green. We dive into the move from SmartThings, building a reliable Zigbee mesh, energy automations with Tesla Powerwall and a smart pool pump and theatre room presence. Watch this episode on YouTube Show notes for this episode are available at https://homeassistant.fm/HA215 Support the Podcast Get early-access to episodes and an ad-free feed by supporting our Patreon. https://ho...
Dec 16, 2025•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 215
YouTuber NetworkChuck joins Phil and Rohan to break down his real-world Home Assistant setup: migrating off Alexa, building a Home Assistant voice assistant (with a Terry Crews voice clone!), wiring Frigate to Reolink cameras, and using UniFi + AI to debug Wi‑Fi chaos. We also compare Node‑RED vs n8n, talk Plex vs Jellyfin and NAS headaches, inventory with Grocy, mmWave presence, ESP32 room presence, and how local AI stacks up against GPT/Claude for home automations. Watch this episode on YouTub...
Dec 09, 2025•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 214
We’re closing out the final Home Assistant release for 2025 with Frenck and a massive Home Assistant 2025.12. Home Assistant Labs, purpose‑specific triggers and conditions, a smarter automation UI, real‑time power flows in Energy, Android Auto/Widgets improvements, tons of new integrations, and more. Plus hardware talk: ZBT2, Zigbee 4, and Matter.js joining the Open Home Foundation. Watch this episode on YouTube https://homeassistant.fm/HA213 Support the Podcast Get early-access to episodes and ...
Dec 02, 2025•1 hr 43 min•Ep. 213
We’re revisiting Courtenay, who was last spoke to on Episode 45 six years ago. She’s here to share six years of Home Assistant progress: moving from Raspberry Pi to Home Assistant Blue, mastering the Energy Dashboard with MQTT, surviving cloud outages on Tuya, and restoring from backups in minutes. Watch this episode on YouTube https://homeassistant.fm/ha212 Support the Podcast Get early-access to episodes and an ad-free feed by supporting our Patreon. https://homeassistant.fm/patreon Share your...
Nov 25, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 212
Go inside the Open Home Foundation with Darren, the web developer behind Home Assistant’s sites. From keeping the various Open Home Project websites online to automating his own home, we cover a lot in this one. Watch this episode on YouTube https://homeassistant.fm/ha211 Support the Podcast Get early-access to episodes and an ad-free feed by supporting our Patreon. Support Rohan and Phil on Patreon Share your story We wouldn't be able to do this podcast without community members and home automa...
Nov 18, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 211
Greg joins Phil and Rohan to share how he built a brewery control system with ESPHome and Home Assistant: Modbus PID retrofits, ESP32-based temperature control with one-wire probes and 24V valves, Bluetooth gravity sensors via proxies, pressure management, and full on-site HA installs with PoE satellites. Watch this episode on YouTube https://homeassistant.fm/ha210 Support the Podcast Get early-access to episodes and an ad-free feed by supporting our Patreon. Support Rohan and Phil on Patreon Sh...
Nov 11, 2025•59 min•Ep. 210
In this episode Phil and Rohan break down Home Assistant 2025.11. We cover the revamped Automation UI with the new target picker, naming options on dashboards, the new Energy pie chart, update progress indicators, and an upgraded Home dashboard. Watch this episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha209 Support the Podcast Get early-access to episodes and an ad-free feed by supporting our Patreon. Support Rohan and Phil on Patreon Share your story We wouldn't be able to do this podcast without c...
Nov 04, 2025•57 min•Ep. 209
Podcaster Dave Slusher joins Phil and Rohan to share hard-won smart home lessons: building a reliable mesh, solving a 100m mailbox sensor with Z-Wave Long Range and the ZWA2, and retiring MyQ with RATGDO + ESPHome. We also cover using an e‑ink terminal as a Home Assistant dashboard. Watch this episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha208 Support the Podcast Get early-access to episodes and an ad-free feed by supporting our Patreon. Support Rohan and Phil on Patreon Share your story We wouldn'...
Oct 30, 2025•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 208
Chris joins Phil and Rohan to share a brutally honest smart home journey: starting with Philips Hue, hitting limits with multiple bridges, battling MyQ and RatGDO, and landing real energy savings with Home Assistant. Watch this episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha207 Support the Podcast Get early-access to episodes and an ad-free feed by supporting our Patreon. Support Rohan and Phil on Patreon Share your story We wouldn't be able to do this podcast without community members and home aut...
Oct 23, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 207
Discover the origins of AirGradient, which began as a volunteer project in Northern Thailand during the harsh "burning season" of 2019. Learn how this effort evolved into a company focused on providing open source air quality hardware, measuring critical metrics like PM 2.5 and CO2 to safeguard classrooms Watch this episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha206 Support the Podcast Get early-access to episodes and an ad-free feed by supporting our Patreon. Support Rohan and Phil on Patreon Shar...
Oct 14, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 206
We're joined by psychologist Josh Burg, who shares his unique journey from Google Home to a fully local Home Assistant setup. We get to see how he’s using some of the new Philips Hue zone capabilities to make his home smarter Watch this episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha205 Support the Podcast Get early-access to episodes and an ad-free feed by supporting our Patreon. Support Rohan and Phil on Patreon Share your story We wouldn't be able to do this podcast without community members and...
Oct 07, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 205
Rohan and Phil are breaking down the 2025.10 release, which includes bilingual support for assistants. Meanwhile Sonos finds a new partner, and we answer some listener questions Watch this episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha204 Support the Podcast Get early-access to episodes and an ad-free feed by supporting our Patreon. Support Rohan and Phil on Patreon Share your story We wouldn't be able to do this podcast without community members and home automation enthusiasts sharing their stori...
Sep 30, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 204
Phil and Rohan talk to Gimmy Chu, CEO of Nanoleaf, about the Nanoleaf smart lighting ecosystem, their open API vision, and how Nanoleaf got its start in the world of innovative lighting technology. Watch the full episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha203 Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:27 Home Assistant and IoT 00:06:43 AI and IoT Integration 00:11:31 Challenges in IoT Development 00:17:54 Open Source and Future of Nanoleaf 00:22:42 Nanoleaf Origin Story 00:27:35 Introduction of Nanol...
Sep 23, 2025•1 hr 3 min
Phil and Rohan chat with Thomas about his journey building an accessible smart home with Home Assistant. From experimenting with bulbs and voice assistants to creating cutting-edge automations like occupancy sensors and even a ChatGPT-powered smart mirror, Thomas shares how he tailors his setup to support his lifestyle and family. Watch the full episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha202 Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:08 Introduction of Thomas 00:01:22 Thomas' Journey into Smart Homes...
Sep 16, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 202
Join us for a fascinating conversation with Tsvi Mostovicz, the visionary behind Home Assistant's Jewish calendar component, which he developed to enable crucial Sabbath-compliant automations. Discover his pragmatic approach to smart home harmony, seamlessly integrating Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Wi-Fi devices for everything from privacy-focused voice control to automated synagogue lighting. Watch the full episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha201 Special thanks to today's guest Tsvi Tsvi's Githu...
Sep 09, 2025•53 min•Ep. 201
Home Assistant has launched their own Z-wave radio. 2025.9 lands with a new experimental home screen. Meanwhile Rohan and Phil discuss LLM Vision and some of its use cases Watch the full episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha200 Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:14 Home Assistant Connect ZWA2 00:03:01 Z-Wave Network Challenges and Migration 00:16:45 Rainbird Integration and Irrigation Setup 00:23:25 New Features in Home Assistant 2025.9 00:30:13 Introduction to Smart Home Automation 00:...
Sep 02, 2025•57 min•Ep. 200
Curious about Shelly? COO Doug Roberson explains their local control philosophy, versatile products, and commitment to empowering your Home Assistant experience Watch the full episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha199 Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:54 Intro to Doug from Shelly 00:03:04 Shelly's Product Offerings 00:03:41 Privacy and Local Control 00:08:56 Shelly's Certification and Community 00:14:32 Automation and Use Cases 00:25:46 Applications in Professional Spaces 00:27:25 Intro...
Aug 26, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 199
Join us as we talk with Scott, a licensed Electrician with a deep IT background who's been bouncing between code and conduit for years. Discover how this empty-nester crafts ingenious automations, from power monitoring with custom solutions to integrating nine pinball machines Watch the full episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha198 Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:53 Guest Introduction: Scott the Sparky 00:01:08 Scott's Home Automation Journey 00:04:25 Challenges with DIY and PLCs 00:...
Aug 19, 2025•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 198
Phil and Rohan sit down with Jürgen, co-founder of Nuki - a smart lock provider from Europe who has just joined the Works with Home Assistant program. Jürgen shares insights into Nuki's vision, emphasizing their commitment to user-friendly solutions that integrate seamlessly with Home Assistant. Watch the full episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha197 Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:04 Professional vs. DIY Automation 00:03:19 Home Automation Tools 00:04:42 Automation in TJ's Home 00:0...
Aug 12, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 197
Home Assistant AI Tasks can now help you name and tag your automations, meanwhile the cloud strikes again thanks to Belkin and FutureHome Watch the full episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha196 Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:38 Episode Overview and Topics 00:01:21 Belkin Wemo Disruption 00:06:00 FutureHome Bankruptcy 00:07:59 Home Assistant Isometric Animated Picture Card 00:10:54 Viewer Feedback and Streaming Issues 00:21:37 AI Integration in Home Assistant 00:29:10 Introduction to...
Aug 06, 2025•50 min•Ep. 196
Phil and Rohan sit down with Jürgen, co-founder of Nuki - a smart lock provider from Europe who has just joined the Works with Home Assistant program. Jürgen shares insights into Nuki's vision, emphasizing their commitment to user-friendly solutions that integrate seamlessly with Home Assistant. Watch the full episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha195 Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:00 Jürgen's Background and Nuki’s Vision 00:02:06 The Inception of Nuki and Product Development 00:04:3...
Jul 22, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 195
Join us as Paul Riley, an engineer with a background in rocket fuel systems, shares his journey into smart home automation. Discover how he leverages Home Assistant to tackle practical "little things" like a demisting mirror and even automate his boat. Paul also discusses his passion for ESPHome, exploring local AI applications, and fostering the next generation of tinkerers in electronics. Watch the full episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha194 Chapters 00:00:14 Guest Introduction: Paul ...
Jul 15, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 194
We sit down with Mark Watt from Mark Watt Tech — the high-fiving hero of Home Assistant tutorials — to chat all things smart home, AI, and turning 3D printing into a side hustle. We dive into how AI is reshaping home automation, the evolution of the Home Assistant project, and Mark’s creative journey from software tinkerer to YouTuber… to running a 3D printing business with his wife! Whether you're deep into ESPHome or just wondering why your Tuya plug still needs the internet, there's something...
Jul 08, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 193
Home Assistant 2025.7 is here, with a much-requested feature, the ability for Voice PE to ask you questions. Rohan and Phil discuss the possibilities and break down some other new features that have been packed into this release Watch the full episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha192 Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:08 Home Assistant Voice Chapter 10 00:04:25 Community Feedback 00:05:56 Smoke Detector Options 00:11:21 Home Assistant 2025.7 Updates 00:21:29 Integration Subentities 00:2...
Jul 01, 2025•47 min•Ep. 192
Justin and Trevor from Apollo Automation stop by to share their journey of turning a hobby project into a thriving customer-focussed home automation manufacturer Watch the full episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha191 Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:02 Apollo Automation's Origin 00:02:02 Company Growth and Operations 00:02:23 In-house Manufacturing and Distribution 00:02:55 Community-driven Development 00:03:11 Unique Product Insights and Development 00:04:03 Branding and Logo Evolut...
Jun 24, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 191
Rohan and Phil chat with Andrej, a passionate Home Assistant user with some truly creative automations—from a relationship point system to a cat doorbell! He’s also developing PokyPow, an ESP-based device that lets you control your PC with Home Assistant. Watch the full episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha190 Chapters 00:00:35 Guest Introduction: Andrej 00:00:47 Andrej's Journey with Home Assistant 00:01:34 Introducing PokyPow 00:02:27 Building and Challenges of PokyPow 00:03:18 Prototyp...
Jun 17, 2025•56 min•Ep. 190
Pete Borchers is one-third of the Technical Difficulties Podcast, host of the DIY Smart Home Guy YouTube channel, and he doesn’t think Home Assistant is the bees-knees. Rohan and Phil try to see Pete’s point-of-view and to point him towards to right path Watch the full episode on YouTube https://hasspodcast.io/ha189 Chapters 00:01:02 Guest Introduction: Pete 00:02:10 Discussion on Smart Home Devices 00:04:12 Content Creation and YouTube Journey 00:07:25 Smart Locks Discussion 00:16:19 Home Assis...
Jun 10, 2025•59 min•Ep. 172
