Calibrating your TV or projector to boost home cinema quality
It’s understood that most projectors and TVs won’t perform at optimum straight from the box. This means that unless you employ a [...]
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It’s understood that most projectors and TVs won’t perform at optimum straight from the box. This means that unless you employ a [...]
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Having a strong Wi-Fi signal is key to getting the most from home technology. From seamless streaming of your favourite TV shows and [...]
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When you built your home theatre system, among the first equipment you purchased was probably some speakers for high-quality audio. However, when you’re [...]
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Lee Curran, a lecturer in criminal justice and the Deputy Head at University Centre St Helens, Merseyside, recently offered homeowners expert advice on how to [...]
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Whether you are a CCTV and security alarm installer or an expert at setting up network cabling and satellite broadband, any professional tradesperson with [...]
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Energy provider Scottish Power has become the first firm in its field to provide smart home solutions to households wherever they are based.
The forward-thinking firm is [...]
Installing an outdoor TV aerial is more work than fitting one indoors or in your loft, but the results are well worth the trouble. Read on for some useful tips on [...]
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Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras are an invaluable option for property owners keen to beef up their security. However, with [...]
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Smart lighting involves long-lasting LED bulbs that can be customised and controlled remotely via smart technology, including [...]
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When buying replacement light bulbs, it can still be tempting to opt for the cheaper classic incandescent bulbs, but unfortunately these bulbs are massively inefficient. There is no doubt that energy-efficient LED bulbs save you money on your bulbs, so don’t be put off by their higher price.
On top of these, you can now opt for smart bulbs – the next era of the smart home which can help even more with cost savings. However, as these bulbs never turn off as they need to be on in some form to recognise voice commands, do they actually save you money?
What is a Smart Bulb – In simple terms, it is an LED bulb that has technology built in which enables it to connect to your network or WiFi which allows you to control it remotely. This is usually done via voice command using an Alexa device or Google Assist. Always check the specifications to ensure compatibility with your chosen device.
Do they waste money when they are off – smart bulbs are in a class of devices called vampire devices, meaning electricity is still being used when they are off. This is because even when the bulb is off, it still needs to be connected to your WiFi or network to enable to operate with voice commands. It is reported that each smart bulb when off uses a lot less than a penny which when you have a couple, you will hardly notice. Multiply this by 30-40 across your home, it will make some difference.
Do Smart Bulbs save me money – yes they do but they also don’t – confusing? They absolutely save you money compared to the traditional incandescent bulbs due to their efficiency, but when compared to replacing your old bulbs for straight forward LED bulbs, they aren’t as efficient – simply because they cost more upfront in comparison to LED bulbs and that they remain in standby so therefore constantly using energy.
Tip – those other ‘vampire’ appliances that you have around the home which are easy to overlook that they are in standby are:-
Don’t overlook them, if easy to turn them off rather than leave in standby, do so as this will save you energy usage.
