The Technical Difficulties Podcast

Available Episodes

5 of 32

He Hacked a Kmart Lamp…Then Went Viral
Todays Guest: @TheStockPot-AU Support our Podcast and find the best deal on Zooz smart home Products:https://www.thesmartesthouse.com?sca_ref=6284708.sXoXFTZinuqYPete's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@DIYSmartHomeGuy1Brandon's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BrandonDoyleMNVince's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@DIYwithVinnyToday we’re joined by Dillan from The Stockpot, one of the fastest-growing DIY smart-home and maker channels on YouTube. If you’ve seen his viral videos—like “Kmart Lied to Me So I Hacked Their Lamp” or his insane robot lawn mower airlock—you already know he builds some of the most creative (and sometimes unhinged) projects on the platform.In this episode, we dive into:🛠️ How Dillan exploded onto YouTube in just six months🌡️ His DIY zoning system for heating/cooling with ESPHome🚪 The legendary mower airlock that confused the neighbors💡 Why 24-hour Australian Kmart is still a thing🎥 How he scripts, films, and edits his high-quality videos📦 What brands REALLY look for in creators🐶 The story of his dog trying (and failing) to attack the mower🎮 His next project: converting a mini-PC into a retro gaming console🏠 The challenges of building a smart home in Australia✨ And why sometimes you need to build things twice just to film themWhether you’re into Home Assistant, ESPHome, 3D printing, DIY automation, PCB design, robot mowers, WLED, or creator workflow, this episode is packed with insights, laughs, and genuinely clever ideas.🔗 Check Out Dillan’s WorkThe Stockpot YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheStockPotThe Saucepan (tutorial + long-form): https://www.youtube.com/@thesaucepanProject blog + kits: https://thestockpot.net
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54:26
#1 Smart Home YouTuber shares his secret home automation sauce
Todays Guest: @SmartHomeSolver Support our Podcast and find the best deal on Zooz smart home Products:https://www.thesmartesthouse.com?sca_ref=6284708.sXoXFTZinuqYPete's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@DIYSmartHomeGuy1Brandon's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BrandonDoyleMNVince's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@DIYwithVinnyJoin Pete, Brandon, and Vinny as we grill Reed from Smart Home Solver on the actual YouTube tactics behind his growth: how he plans titles and thumbnails before filming, why he sticks to quality over quantity, what saves a flopping video (and how fast to pivot), his one-week workflow, how he chooses products (and avoids junk), and the line between sponsorships and trust. We also dig into smart-home tours, analytics mindset (CTR, AVD, retention), second-channel experiments, family cameos, and a hilarious automation fail that blasted a critical alert at the worst time.If you’re into smart homes, Home Assistant, Matter, or you’re a creator chasing better click-through rate and watch time, this one’s packed with field-tested tactics.#SmartHome #YouTubeTips #CreatorEconomy #HomeAssistant #Automation #CTR #Thumbnails #Matter #TechnicalDifficultyPodcast
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1:10:50
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1:10:50
Smart Home Dos and Don't from Steve DOES
Todays Guest: @SteveDOES Support our Podcast and find the best deal on Zooz smart home Products:https://www.thesmartesthouse.com?sca_ref=6284708.sXoXFTZinuqYPete's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@DIYSmartHomeGuy1Brandon's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BrandonDoyleMNVince's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@DIYwithVinnyJoin Pete, Brandon, and Vince as we sit down with Steve from “Steve Does”—fresh off hitting 300,000+ subscribers—to talk smart home essentials, home networking that actually works, MoCA (Ethernet over coax), Alexa vs Google Home, brand deals without selling your soul, Amazon Influencer strategy, and yes… golf (including Steve’s Pro-Am story). If you’re into smart switches, motion sensors, Akara, Govee lighting, TP-Link, Chromecast, CES trends, or how creators keep videos fresh, this one’s loaded.What you’ll learnMoCA / Ethernet over coax: When it’s worth it, how to find your demarcation/splitter, and what speeds to expect.Home networking setup: Where to put your router, why wired beats wireless, and common placement mistakes.Smart home that sticks: Lighting, motion, smart locks/garage, and routines that don’t break.Alexa vs Google Home: Reliability, setup pain points, sunrise/sunset automations, displays & Ambient Mode.Creator playbook: Monetization, sponsors vs audience trust, thumbnails that revive a video, Amazon Influencer cuts.Gear & brands mentioned: Akara, Govee, Chromecast, TP-Link, MoCA 2.5, Brilliant/Wemo, Yarbo, Rode Streamer X.Hashtags: #SmartHome #HomeNetworking #MoCA #Alexa #GoogleHome #Govee #Akara #YouTubeCreator #CES #Podcast
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Mow Money, Mow Problems
We’re talking everything robot lawnmowers with robot mower expert Matt Granos from Midwest Turf Tech.Discover how robot mowers work, their pros and cons, and whether they’re worth the investment in this deep dive featuring the experts at Midwest Turf Tech. Whether you’re a homeowner, landscaper, or turf professional, you’ll learn:How robotic mower systems (boundary wires, GPS, sensors) operateCost breakdown: purchase, installation, maintenanceCommon challenges and troubleshooting tipsIdeal property types for robot mowersTips from Midwest Turf Tech on selecting the right modelSupport our Podcast and find the best deal on Zooz smart home Products:https://www.thesmartesthouse.com?sca_ref=6284708.sXoXFTZinuqY
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1:05:39
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1:05:39
Surviving a Christmas Eve Hack with Aaron from Make It Work
Season 4, Episode 4 — The Technical Difficulty Smart Home PodcastTodays Guest: Aaron from @MakeItWorkTech Support our Podcast and find the best deal on Zooz smart home Products:https://www.thesmartesthouse.com?sca_...Pete's Channel: / @diysmarthomeguy1 Brandon's Channel: / @brandondoylemn Vince's Channel: / @diywithvinny Today we dive into one of the MOST relatable smart home debates of all time:“Are our smart homes making our kids useless?” 😆Between robot vacuums, automated lawn care, chore dashboards, and voice assistants doing everything except raise our children, Pete wonders if his smart home is actually ruining his kids — and he has a plan involving UniFi networks, chore checklists, and cutting off the internet until the work gets done. (What could go wrong?)We’re also joined by Aaron from the Make It Work YouTube channel, who talks about:✅ His epic smart home setup✅ Parenting with automations✅ WLED, Home Assistant, UniFi, SmartWings, and more✅ AND the insane story of how his entire YouTube channel was HACKED on Christmas Eve 😱(it’s wild — you’ll want to hear this one)#SmartHome #HomeAssistant #UniFi #ParentingTech #Automation #WLED #SmartHomePodcast #ZWave #Zigbee #MakeItWork #TechnicalDifficultyPodcastZoozThank you to Zooz for supporting the podcast! The best Z-Wave smart home products--bar none!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
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