Guest Interviews

Paul thinks Home Assistant is “Better Than Fixing Cars”

Published 1 day ago
Recorded June 21, 2025
Duration 01:04:32
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Join us as Paul Riley, an engineer with a background in rocket fuel systems, shares his journey into smart home automation. Discover how he leverages Home Assistant to tackle practical "little things" like a demisting mirror and even automate his boat. Paul also discusses his passion for ESPHome, exploring local AI applications, and fostering the next generation of tinkerers in electronics.
Chapters
00:00:04 Introduction and Sponsors
00:00:14 Guest Introduction: Paul
00:01:39 Paul’s Background in Electronics
00:06:05 Career Highlights
00:08:41 Home Automation and Rockets
00:13:57 Current Work and Tech Advancements
00:18:35 Paul’s Personal Home Automation Projects
00:27:21 Introduction to Smart Gadgets
00:28:32 Home Automation Innovations
00:31:00 Gadget Enthusiast’s Collection
00:39:00 AI in Daily Life
00:41:33 AI and Automation
00:47:36 Smart Home Automations
00:52:05 Challenges of Automation on a Boat
00:53:15 Voltage Converter Setup
00:53:46 Pros and Cons of Thermostats
00:55:41 Voice Control Devices
00:57:05 Cloud Systems and Security
00:59:06 Getting Started: Electronics & Home Assistant

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Hosted By

Phil Hawthorne

Phil is a Melbourne based web developer who lives and breathes technology. When he's not at his day job, he’s in his home office attempting to simplify his life through complicated tech.

Website Smart Home Products Buy a Coffee

Rohan Karamandi

Rohan from Toronto, Canada works in the Technology sector as an architect designing network and datacenter solutions for his customers. His passion for technology stems from there and extends to IoT and home automation

Website Smart Home Products Buy a Coffee


Special Appearances By

Paul Riley

As a kid, I spent hours taking things apart just to see what made them tick. That curiosity led me from old radios, a 150-in-1 electronics kit to programming a Sinclair ZX80, BBC Micro and backwards to IBM PC's. What really grabbed me was making things move with software. I wasn’t interested in insternal software computing - I wanted to control the real world.

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Spotlight

 

Special episodes focused on various aspects of Home Assistant and Home Automation.