Going Solar Part 2 – Costs, Incentives & Payback Time
Last month we Installed a 4kW Solar Array at the Automated Home. The first thing everyone asks is how much it cost and what the payback time is….
Reviews
Devolo Home Control Review Part 4 – Smart Home Heating
Welcome to the fourth part in our Devolo Home Control system. In this instalment we are going to review the heating control components, a TRV…
Going Solar Part 1 – Installing a 4kW PV Array at the Automated Home
Having watched the price of photovoltaic solar panels steadily fall over the last few years and seeing a drop in incentives looming on the horizon,…
Devolo Home Control Review Part 3 – Safety & Security
Welcome to the third instalment of our review of the Devolo Home Control range. So far we have the starter pack up running with some additional…
Husqvarna Automower Review Part 8 – A Tesla for Your Garden
After several months with the Automower it’s time to look back and take stock. But first here are a couple of things we’ve not covered yet. Running…
Video: The Best Universal Remote You Can Buy
Last week Dan from The Verge proclaimed “a really good universal remote can really make your life a lot easier”, and who doesn’t want that…
Review: UK Ring Video Doorbell
The Ring Video Doorbell has been available direct from the USA for a while now but last month saw its official launch in the UK. The smart…
Husqvarna Automower Review Part 7 – I Messed Up
We’re getting close to the end of our Husqvarna Automower Review series. Here the latest update from the last two weeks. Secondary Area The Secondary Area…
My Belfast Test Drive in a Tesla Model S P90D Ludicrous
If you’re a regular Automated Home reader you’ll have noticed a few electric car stories creeping in over the last couple of years along with…
Husqvarna Automower Review Part 6 – Stolen?
So far living with the Husqvarna Automower has been an overwhelmingly positive experience as I think you’ll agree if you’ve watched all the previous videos. However one…
Husqvarna Automower Review Part 5 – Rain or Shine
Normal service has been resumed at the Automated Home in terms of summer weather. After a couple of fine weeks in May, June ended cold…
Mini Review: Oculus Rift – Game Changing Hardware That Takes Me To The Track
I’m writing this the night after my first real experience of VR and my mind is blown. I’ve done the whole Google Cardboard and Gear…
Husqvarna Automower Review Part 4 – Connect Control
Automower ‘Connect’ is Husqvarna’s name for their smartphone interface to the mower. The hardware is fitted as standard on the range topping 450X, but it’s an…
Devolo Home Control Review Part 2 – Motion Detection and Switching
Building on the Starter pack it is natural to extend the scope of the system by adding some additional devices and Devolo have provided a…
Husqvarna Automower Review Part 3 – Perfect Timing
So after Installing the Automower followed by a Few Weeks of Intensive Cutting it was time to throttle back and let Elon take it a little bit…
Devolo Home Control Review Part 1 – Starter Pack
Interested in having a ‘smart home’? Want to do more than just switch a few lights on and off? Want to save energy and cut…
Husqvarna Automower Review Part 2 –The First Cut is the Deepest
Last time we left the mower driving off its charging dock to calibrate itself then set about its first cut (if you haven’t already, then check…
Efergy Engage Hub Monitors Home Energy Consumption & PV Solar Generation Online
We all know the story, you need to be able to measure something before you can set about implementing changes. It’s no different for your home’s power…
Husqvarna Automower Review Part 1 – The Robots are Coming
Earlier this year Husqvarna launched a campaign looking for 100 bloggers to test out their Automower robotic lawnmower range. Now who doesn’t want their own little R2D2 running…
Sky Q Review: An Installation Story & Real World Impressions
Right from its launch we reckoned the new Sky Q system sounded like just what we needed at the Automated Home so we placed our order the first…