We sit down with Mark Watt from Mark Watt Tech — the high-fiving hero of Home Assistant tutorials — to chat all things smart home, AI, and turning 3D printing into a side hustle.
We dive into how AI is reshaping home automation, the evolution of the Home Assistant project, and Mark’s creative journey from software tinkerer to YouTuber… to running a 3D printing business with his wife! Whether you're deep into ESPHome or just wondering why your Tuya plug still needs the internet, there's something here for every smart home enthusiast.
Watch the full episode on YouTube
Chapters
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:13 Meet our Guest - Mark Watt Tech
00:01:43 Creator Calls
00:02:41 Getting Started with YouTube
00:06:02 Home Automation Journey
00:08:18 Home Assistant and Technology
00:11:02 Opinions on Matter
00:17:24 Favorite Home Automation Setups
00:26:50 Piracy and Services
00:28:18 Voice Models and Annoyance
00:29:20 Self-hosting AI
00:30:32 Voice Automation Challenges
00:35:52 YouTube Channel and Personal Projects
00:40:22 Home Automation Advice
00:43:15 Innovative Home Automation Hacks
00:45:21 Creating Content on YouTube
00:47:00 Music Assistant and Voice Assistants
00:51:50 Upcoming Plans and Projects
00:53:38 Introduction and Jealousy
00:53:52 Smart Home Creation
00:54:09 YouTube Break and 3D Printing
00:54:17 3D Printing Business
00:54:44 New YouTube Channel Plans
00:55:11 Waiting for New Printer
00:55:34 Video Content Ideation
00:57:01 Security and AI in Video Feeds
00:58:02 OpenAI Image Processing
00:58:53 YAML Integration Plans
00:59:31 Conclusion and Thanks
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This episode was made possible thanks to our sponsors
Home Assistant Cloud by Nabu Casa
Easily connect to Google and Amazon voice assistants for a small monthly fee that also supports the Home Assistant project. Configuration is via the User Interface so no fiddling with router settings, dynamic DNS, or YAML.
If you're looking to upgrade your smart home - you can’t go past Zooz! Zooz offers a range of affordable and innovative devices, including water leak sensors, water valve controllers, smart plugs and scene controllers.
So for the best prices on all Zooz products, head over to thesmartesthouse.com
Hosts
Phil Hawthorne
Twitter: @philhawthorne
Bluesky: @philhawthorne.com
Rohan Karamandi
Twitter: @rohank9
Advertising Inquiries: htt
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