Smart Home Projects, Development Insights, and Stoic Reflections

Using architectural floor plans and ChatGPT to troubleshoot outdoor Zigbee sensor placement.

How to install and integrate the Aqara Smart Valve Controller with Home Assistant using Matter, HomeKit, and MQTT for leak detection and water damage prevention.

How I use Papercut SMTP in both Point of Sale development and my home lab to test email delivery safely—without worrying about accidentally emailing customers or setting up real SMTP servers.

After testing the new Aqara M3 Hub, here's how it fits into my Home Assistant setup, what works well, and how I'm using its new features—including Thread, Matter, and automations.

Weeks 3 and 4 of my C and Assembly learning journey focused on pointers, continued practice with C fundamentals, and finding new project-based learning resources.

My experience installing the Aqara U100 smart lock, connecting it to Apple HomeKit and Home Assistant with Matter, setting up automations, and testing third-party NFC tags.

Week 2 of my C and Assembly journey, where I dove into C syntax with K.N. King's book and practiced hands-on exercises to sharpen foundational skills.

Week 1 of my C and Assembly learning journey. I completed beginner-level C courses, watched tutorials, and reflected on how much C# and Delphi have kept C syntax familiar.

After 34 years, I'm finally learning C and Assembly—the languages I set out to explore as a kid. Join me as I revisit low-level programming with weekly updates, hands-on projects, and lessons from ...

How I use SwitchBot, Airthings, Ecobee, and Aqara sensors to monitor and automate air quality in my home, without relying on the cloud.