by Mike Connelly
The third-generation Apple TV 4K ships with Apple’s A15 Bionic chip, the same processor found in the iPhone 13 lineup, at a lower price than its predecessor. Our seven-unit household deployment showcases the 2022 model’s real-world performance across video codecs, audio formats, networking, and tvOS software. Continue reading Review: Apple TV 4K (3d gen, 2022)
Apple’s second-generation Apple TV 4K shipped in May 2021 with an A12 Bionic chip, the same processor found in 2018 iPhones. Up for examination: the hardware upgrades, the limitations of its HDMI 2.1 implementation, and whether the redesigned Siri remote justifies the purchase. Continue reading Review: Apple TV 4K (2d gen, 2021)
Building a fully integrated smart home spans at least seven distinct technology categories, each with its own ecosystem and trade-offs. This installment recaps the full smart home series: managed UniFi networking, Lutron Caséta lighting, Synology NAS storage, UniFi Protect cameras, NextGen TV tuners, and a multi-room AV setup built around LG OLEDs, Sonos, and Apple TV 4K. Continue reading How To: Home Network 5.0 with Ubiquiti WiFi 6 Long Range & Protect G4 Review & Calibration
We are now on our fourth-generation home network build-out, including Ubiquiti’s UniFi Dream Machine Pro, a 48-port PoE switch, managed Flex Mini switches, and Protect camera system. Ubiquiti’s UDM Pro consolidates a network firewall, IDS/IPS, controller, and security camera NVR into a single rack-mounted appliance. Also covered are two smaller additions: the Flex Mini and Smart Power Plug, which handle edge cases like last-drop switching and WAN recovery. Continue reading How To: Home Network 4.0 with Ubiquiti Unifi Dream Machine Pro, Switch Pro, Flex Mini, Smart Power Plug & UPS Review & Calibration
In our home, seven Apple TV 4K set top boxes handle everything from live TV and gaming to security cameras and music streaming. But, all of it runs on hardware Apple has not refreshed in two years. Here, we present what we would include in the next Apple TV version: 120 Hz output, better audio codec support, a faster chip, and critical tvOS fixes.
Continue reading My Wish List for the Next Apple TV & tvOS
Lutron’s Caséta sits at the entry point of a residential lighting control lineup that segments by device count, coverage area, and whether installation is DIY or professional. Based on our home deployment, we explain switch selection, installation, and integration with Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant. We also present an honest look at where the system’s device and range limits matter in practice. Continue reading How To: Lutron Caséta Lighting Control System Review
Ubiquiti’s UniFi platform offers granular control over wireless settings that consumer routers never expose. This article walks through a tested configuration for a gigabit home network, covering channel planning, VLAN segmentation, IoT isolation, and per-AP radio tuning. We also cover getting Sonos and Belkin Wemo devices to coexist reliably with the rest of the network.
Continue reading How To: Deploying a Ubiquiti UniFi Home Network including Multiple WiFi Access Points (Part 2)
Ubiquiti’s UniFi is a modular, software-defined networking platform designed for prosumer and small-business use, built from separate components for routing, switching, and wireless access. We walk through replacing a piecemeal consumer router setup with a full UniFi deployment across a home wired with Gigabit Ethernet and more than 100 connected devices. The installation required coordinating a Security Gateway, managed switches, multiple access points, and a Cloud Key controller. Continue reading How To: Deploying a Ubiquiti UniFi Home Network including Multiple WiFi Access Points (Part 1)
SonosNet 2.0 operates on a dedicated 2.4 GHz mesh network, entirely separate from your home WiFi, and multicasts audio to every speaker simultaneously rather than streaming individual unicast signals to each one. This article explains how Boost mode works, when a dedicated BOOST hardware device makes sense over an Ethernet-connected speaker, and how to configure up to three BOOST devices for a large installation. Continue reading How To: Advanced Sonos Wireless Network Configuration Using Sonos BOOST
Anova built its reputation on laboratory instruments before entering the consumer kitchen market. We test the WiFi-enabled Precision Cooker, examining its hardware specs, mobile and voice-assistant setup, and step-by-step use for sous vide cooking. Central to our experience is the Anova mobile app, which served as the primary interface for pairing, configuration, and monitoring a cook remotely. Continue reading Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker with WiFi Review
The Fujifilm X100F uses the same 24.3MP X-Trans CMOS III sensor as Fuji’s flagship interchangeable lens cameras, X-Pro2 and X-T2, with a processor that Fuji rates four times faster than the X100T’s. This review covers the upgrades to sensor, autofocus, viewfinder, and controls. Focus points expand from 49 to 325, which may finally resolve the X100T’s persistent target-acquisition failures. Continue reading Fujifilm X100F Camera: Review & Comparison to the Fuji X100T
I upgraded to the Nikon D500, which carries the D5’s 153-point Multi-CAM 20K autofocus system in an APS-C body at roughly 30 percent of the flagship’s price. This review covers image quality, burst speed, video capabilities, and comparisons to the D7100, D7200, and D5. The resolution-versus-high-ISO trade-off relative to the D7200 is where the D500 either earns its cost premium or doesn’t. Continue reading Nikon D500 Camera: Review & Comparison to the Nikon D5, D7500, D7200 & D7100
The Fujifilm X100T replaces the X100S’s traditional optical viewfinder with a hybrid unit that overlays electronic exposure data onto a real optical view, useful for street shooting where peripheral awareness matters. This review covers the silent electronic shutter, incremental autofocus improvements, and Classic Chrome. The central question is whether that viewfinder refinement justifies the step up for X100S shooters. Continue reading Fujifilm X100T Camera: Review & Comparison to the Fuji X100S