If you are using the raspberrypi4-homeassistant Docker images you might have noticed that no newer versions are added anymore. Here is why that is happening and how you can easily still upgrade to the latest version. Docker image sources for Home Assistant There are a couple of different ways to Read more…
I have run the awesome MagicMirror² software on a Pi Zero W in the past. While this works ok the small Pi is not powerful enough for more complex widgets. Here is how the Pi 4 compares and how I set it up to run my magic mirror. Setting up Read more…
In the age of digital photography we all amass a lot of pictures. The question is how to store them? Photoprism is a great self-hosted alternative to cloud tools like Google photos. I recently added it to my own server. Here is how to do that. Managing photo libraries Today, Read more…
The Raspberry Pis are very popular mini computers with a (usually) cheap price and small form factor and power consumption used for many tasks. Is the Pi 4 good enough as a smart home server for Home Assistant? I have been using it for more than a year now and Read more…
Is AI overhyped? Pretty sure! Can it do amazing things anyways? Yes! Can you use it for your smart home? Definitely! Here I will describe how I use ChatGPT for my DIY smart home and how it might be used in the future. I am living under a stone or: Read more…
Despite the numerous smart lighting options out there, I was still on the lookout for the perfect one to light up larger background areas. The Aris Tint LED panel turned out to be a great choice, with its somewhat slim and understated design that easily merges with the wall. Its Read more…
Efficiency and organization are crucial to me, especially when it comes to work. That’s why I have been using a reliable document management system to sort through my digital files for some time. For a while, I used Teedy, a self-hosted DMS, to manage my personal documents. While Teedy was Read more…
Firefox Sync is a powerful tool that allows you to synchronize your bookmarks, browsing history, and other data across multiple devices. While the default option is to use Mozilla’s own servers to store this information, self-hosting gives you greater control over your data and privacy, while still offering a seamless Read more…
If you want to display a huge number, lets say 6 digits or more, showing the full number does not look very good and takes too much space. Here is a quick tip on how to show these bigger numbers in a more concise format. Single stat panel with a Read more…
The T1 (in wall) Switch Module is another well-made Zigbee device from Aqara that is part of the same product line as others that I have tested (thermostat, smart plug, switch, mini switch). The device works with both ZHA and Zigbee2mqtt although not all of the functionality from the official Read more…