Author Archives: James Babin

IP Camera: Email (SMTP) Using Office 365

Configure Dahua and other brands to send emails using Office 365.

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Future Proof Pre-Wire for Residential AV Systems

Instead of installing Cat 7 or Cat 8 to future proof your network drops, I [...]

Lutron RadioRA3 – Compatibility with RadioRA2 Devices

  Radio RA3 is now in stock: Upgrade to RA3 today! Lutron RadioRA3 devices will [...]

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Business Security Cameras – 5 Criteria

This is the first part of a series on setting up business security camera systems. [...]

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Outdoor Speaker Buying Guide

We will be focusing on how to select the best outdoor speakers for your pool [...]

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$35 Wireless Light Switch – 5 Minutes to Install

A wireless light switch can be mounted on the wall to operate fan lights, pull [...]

In Floor Subwoofer Installation – Hidden Subwoofer

An in floor subwoofer is a great way to provide serious bass levels to your [...]

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Home Automation Ideas for Smart Homes – List of Automatic Events

A true smart home will invoke events both manually and automatically. Manually invoked events are [...]

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New HR10 Remote by Elan Home Systems

Elan has newly released the HR10 remote control and will be releasing the HR30 later [...]

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Low Voltage Wiring – Structured Cabling Enclosure Termination

As your needs or the underlying technology changes, wires that were once unneccasry become needed. [...]

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Structured Cabling Wiring Guide – Low Voltage Wiring for Smart Home

This is a guide on how to prewire a house for smart home systems including [...]

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Low Voltage Wiring – Ethernet Network Jacks & Smart Home Devices

This is the third post in a series on low voltage wiring and structure cabling, [...]

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Low Voltage Wiring – Whole Home Audio and Surround Sound

This is the second post in a comprehensive series on low voltage wiring and structured [...]

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Low Voltage Wiring – Structured Cabling for TV Displays

This is the first post in a comprehensive series on low voltage wiring and structured [...]

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Garage Door Control App – VeraEdge

Ever get halfway down the block just to question if you’ve closed the garage door? [...]

Elan Home Systems Audio Video Control Interface Detailed

The Elan Home Systems media control interface is expansive, but we’ll try to do it [...]

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Elan Home Systems Climate Control Integration Detail

From our general walk through of Elan Home Systems we see this main climate screen [...]

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Elan Home Systems Security System Integration Detail

As part of our Elan Home Systems overview, we’ll take a deeper dive into the [...]

Elan G Home Automation – Elan Home Systems Review

This post has been replaced by an updated version for 2020 and the 8.4 core [...]

Designer Lighting – Purpose, Nuances, Control

This post is the first of a series offering commentary and recommendation on implementing designer [...]

MX HomePro Universal Remote Control

With a staggeringly low entry price of $299, MX HomePro packs a powerful punch. MX [...]

Elan g1 Remote & System Controller for Elan g!

The Elan g1 was released as an economical entry point into the Elan g! home [...]

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Elan g! Live Home Automation System Demo

I have setup a live Elan g! system in my office for the purpose of [...]

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HDMI 2.0 Over Fiber Optic Extender – 4K HDR, 18GB/s Uncompressed, Long Range

It was a great weekend for me at the CEDIA Expo in Dallas, TX this [...]

Niles Auriel DIY Whole Home Audio & Automation

The Niles Auriel, Niles Audio MRC-6430, is a whole home audio controller that integrates with [...]

Elan g! Home Automation Overview

Simple • Reliable • ScalableWe value repeatable, predictable results regardless of system size or complexity. [...]

Elan gHR200 Remote Control Features & Demonstration

The Elan gHR200 remote control by Elan Home Systems is the only handheld user interface in [...]

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Improving Wifi Signal Coverage and Reliability

In my experience as a system designer, I’ve learned that there’s no barometer of success [...]