A Beginners Guide to Smart Home Technology
Getting started with home automation can sound like a daunting task, but smart home devices like those made by BAZZ make automation a breeze, without breaking the bank.
With so many different smart home products available, how can you possibly know where to start? Our BAZZ tech experts have you covered with these helpful tips to kickstart your smart home automation.
What is a Smart Home?
If you've landed on this page, chances are you already know a bit about what a smart home is, but you may not understand the full scope of what exactly it can entail.
According to the Department of Trade and Industry [1], a smart home is "a dwelling incorporating a communications network that connects the key electrical appliances and services, and allows them to be remotely controlled, monitored or accessed."
For a home to be smart, it must have an internal network, intelligent control, and deliver quality home automation. A smart home connected through your WiFi network allows you to manage everything in real-time, via your smartphone or voice-controlled smart speaker.
How do Smart Home Devices Work?
Broadband is the core of any connected home. Smart devices use your existing WiFi network to connect with each other, and you control the devices through the mobile app!
Getting your Smart Home to Communicate
Traditionally, smart home hubs were required to allow all of your different smart home devices to communicate, but modern smart home brands like BAZZ need no hub to function.
While no hub is required, BAZZ devices are compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, allowing you to control them with your voice! Find out which BAZZ devices are compatible with home assistance hubs on our product pages.
Building your Smart Home
Now that you know the basics, it's time to start building your smart home. The best way to tackle the task is to pick a device that would make your life easier.
Are you always forgetting to turn off your lights?
Do you have a new puppy at home you want to keep an eye on while you're at work?
Would you love to replace all your remote controls with your smartphone?
All of these things can be addressed with a smart home device! Here are just a few of the most popular categories available today.
Smart Home Light Bulbs
Investing in smart light bulbs is a common first step in creating a smart home.
With smart lighting, your regular bulbs are swapped out for smart bulbs, which fit into the existing sockets. It’s a seamless way to control your home and can make for some very cool routines!
Typically, a smart hub would be needed to connect the bulbs, but with BAZZ Smart Home products, you need no hub and can control the lighting from your phone or tablet!
There's so much you can do with smart lights besides turning them on or off. Automate lighting schedules to get a wake-up call in the morning or lights out for the kids at 9 p.m. You can also set the mood by dimming or changing the lighting colour.
All smart bulbs are LED, which means they last longer and draw less energy to function, saving you money on your electricity bill!
Recessed Lighting Bulb
Recessed lights (also known as pot lights, can lights, or downlights) are a lighting choice that can modernize any living space, shelving unit, or hallway.
With smart recessed lighting, you can turn lights on and off, adjust brightness, choose from millions of different colours, and create dynamic light routines. At Bazz Smart Home, our smart recessed lighting is available in 4” and 6” models and can either RGB or white.
BR30 vs A19 Light Bulb
A19 and BR30 are the two most popular bulb shapes, but both operate very differently.
The A19 disperses light evenly across the surrounding environment, rather than focusing on a particular area. When you require more directional lighting, the BR30 has a reflective coating and flat shape that directs light straight ahead.
As such, the two bulbs are found in different areas of the household. The A19’s dispersed light is excellent for floor lamps and hanging ceiling fixtures. Conversely, BR30 bulbs are ideal for the in recessed fixtures.
How to Turn Traditional Recessed Light to LED
If your household already has traditional recessed lighting, but you want to convert it to LED, use the BAZZ LED Conversion Kit. The kit breathes new life into your home’s lighting, all while using your existing light fixtures. Converting to modern LEDs has never been easier!
Smart Home Switches And Plugs
A smart plug is the easiest pathway to a smart home. Smart plugs connect to your existing home appliances and allow you to control them from anywhere!
What makes smart plugs so innovative is their ability to transform your appliances into smart devices. Whether it be turning on your coffee pot from bed or switching off hair straighteners from your car, once attached to a socket, you can remotely control the plugged device.
Smart Home Security Cameras
More than three in five Americans claim security is the top benefit of owning a smart home, and rightly so! Home security cameras allow you to keep your eye on what matters most.
Depending on the type of camera, you can see and speak to visitors at your door, track activity in real-time or from stored clips, receive alerts of any movement within your home, and communicate with your family while you're away.
BAZZ Smart Home monitoring gives families an option that was once only attainable by costly security companies. With our smart home WiFi products, there are no expensive set-up fees or monthly system costs.
1) Smart Outdoor Camera
Smart outdoor cameras are your home’s first line of defence, stopping crime before it starts. Fully equipped with everything needed to capture video when you need it (HD recording, night vision, waterproof, motion sensor), smart outdoor cameras give you around the clock protection.
Through your smartphone, you can watch and record live video footage, communicate with two-way audio, and siren a smart alarm to alert neighbours.
2) Smart Indoor camera
Smart indoor cameras allow you to check-in on family and pets, whether you’re upstairs in bed or in a different continent. The BAZZ Smart 1080p Motorized Camera captures all of your home’s happenings in the greatest detail and has a wide viewing angle and night vision to ensure no incidents are missed.
Smart Home Alarms
Smart home sensors will help you stay alert when emergency strikes. Not only are sensors prepared to warn you when there is movement in your home, but they also give you immediate alerts on your phone when flooding or fire strikes. When armed, smart home sensors will deter intruders through alarms and flashing lights.
With our line of smart sensors, you will always receive a push notification through the BAZZ Smart Home App when issues arise.
Other Smart Home Devices You can Buy
Appliances, thermostats, doorbells, garage door controller, water shutter valve, smoke detectors, etc.
Smart Home Privacy Concerns
According to PC Magazine, 40% of smart home users are concerned that their devices are always watching or listening to what you're doing and saying. It's true - you are sharing data regarding your routine, with companies big or small.
It's a pretty straightforward deal: in return for access to this information, you save time or money, get a convenient way to control your gadgets, and much more.
What the companies do with any data they collect very much depends on their policy on keeping your information anonymous, and their business model. For example, Amazon and Google make a profit from selling and advertising things, whereas Apple makes money by selling hardware.
Smart Home Glossary
2.4 GHz
Wireless band commonly used by wireless communication technologies such as WiFi, Bluetooth. It is a shorter frequency, but much faster and secure. Most smart home products need to be on a 2.4GHz band to function.
Connected device
A device that can communicate with others via an InternYeah t connection.
Home automation
Connects both hardware and software to control and manage devices, or electronic elements in the home or workspace to maximize convenience and productivity.
Hub
A device that can interact and send commands to smart devices. Luckily, with BAZZ Smart Home products, you don't need one to automate your home as all of our tech is hub-free.
Mobile app
A program designed to meet a set of specific needs. In the case of home automation, the mobile app gives you the power to control devices from your smartphone or tablet, no matter where you are.
Network
A set of devices like smart switches or plugs that connect to your WiFi so that they can transfer or distribute information.
Smart device
Any object that can interact with other devices over an Internet connection.
Smart home
Any device that can interact with others over an Internet connection.
Routine
A set of custom actions that can be executed automatically or at a given time by smart devices.
Scene
A set of actions performed by smart devices at a given time.
WiFi
WiFi generally refers to two things. It's used to wirelessly connect to the Internet and allows for communication between smart devices.
Wireless Connection
Wireless access to the Internet.
