Smart Outdoor Holiday Lights

November 9, 2017November 9, 2017 Chris Johnson

“Smart” Outdoor Holiday Lights

**Feeling Festive?** This house was one of the winners on “The Great Christmas Light Fight” show on ABC.

‘Tis the Season for Lights

It’s that time of year. Halloween is over, and Thanksgiving is almost here but ‘lo and behold, the Christmas items are already out! It seems to get earlier and earlier every year when you start to see those holiday items begging for you to browse them while you are shopping. I’m terrible about decorating but I enjoy the outside lighting and decorations the most.

Holiday Lights, Why?

According to diyhomedesignideas.com, Christmas Lights help brighten up your yard by lighting up trees, roofs, walkway & porches. But where did it originate? Christmas lights are in preparation for Christmas and were first just used on trees (after replacing those dangerous candles). In the mid-20^th century, is when you could initially see lights on buildings and streets used for holiday decoration. Then in the 1960’s you started observing them on homes. (source: Wikipedia.com)

Outdoor Lighting to Extremes?

Have you seen the reality show on ABC that started airing the holiday season of 2013 titled “The Great Christmas Light Fight”? Those people take outdoor lighting to the limit! Abc.com says the show is about “Decorating their homes to the extreme for Christmas, families and neighborhoods across America compete to win a cash prize and a coveted Light Fight trophy”.

I Want Easy Lighting!

WiOn app to control your lighting devices from your Smart Phone or Tablet offers Smart Lighting for your Holiday Lights

I love the outside decorating! I HATE having to go outside in the cold and dark each night to turn them all off and on! So, I was super excited to see Pegasus Lighting offering the WiFi Smart Yard Stake. Why not take the smart home to the outside? Makes perfect sense to me! The Wion Outdoor WiFi Smart Yard Stake lets you control your holiday lights from anywhere with the use of your smart phone or tablet. Its free app installs easily onto your Apple system greater than IOS7 or Android devices greater than 4.0. This yard stake has 3 electrical outlets that are covered and has a 6-foot cord. Just plug in your yard stake and then plugin your electrical lights to the yard stake, download the Wion app, and start using! No more dashes out at night in the snow while in my slippers to unplug my lights. (Source: wionproducts.com)

Smart Lighting for your Holiday Lights with Wion Outdoor WiFi Smart Yard Stake:

Control outdoor electrical devices from anywhere – using your smartphone
Automates landscape security lights, holiday lights and yard decorations for convenience and energy savings
Affordable home automation – works with your existing WiFi router. No hub required and no monthly fees
Expand your WiOn system by simply adding up to 12 WiOn smart switches
Free app works with Apple (iOS 7 and higher) or Android (4.0 and higher) smart devices
Programming options include – multiple on/off settings, countdown, random vacation, and sunrise/sunset schedules
Ratings: 125-Volt / 60-Hertz, 1250-Watt, 10-Amp

Outdoor Lights Made Just A Bit Easier

Whether you start getting out your holiday lights right after Halloween or wait until one week before Christmas, make your life a little easier with the WiFi Smart Yard Stake. It’s convenient, easy to use, and it helps save energy! I can’t wait to drive by your yard to see your Christmas light display…. whether it’s to the extreme or not.

Maximize Your Outdoor Lighting for a Worry Free Vacation!

August 19, 2017August 19, 2017 Chris Johnson

August is the perfect time for a last-minute vacation before the busy school schedules begin. Vacations should be all about relaxing and not having a care in the world. So don’t let the worry about the safety of your home take that away from you. Lighting is an essential part of effective home security systems. Did you know that the most commonly mentioned intruder deterrent is a lack of hiding spots available on well-lit properties? Here are a few ideas to keep your home safe with exterior lighting.

Flood Lights

Outdoor floodlights are an easy way to light up the dark areas around a home or commercial building. Floodlight fixtures with motion sensors will turn lights on automatically when motion is detected, offering valuable safety and security lighting.

The best place to install motion sensor flood lights are on all sides of your home including entryways, corners, decks, porches, driveways, and backyards. Flood lights distribute a wide area of light making them ideal for illuminating large areas and discouraging thieves from targeting your home.

Outdoor Wall Lights

Mounting durable outdoor wall lighting fixtures not only provides safety and security around your home or business, but today’s modern exterior lanterns and sconces add curb appeal around your garage, front door or patio. Choose from rustic, traditional and contemporary LED outdoor wall light designs with features like integrated smart technology and energy-saving motion and dusk to dawn sensors. For a consistent look for your home, choose lights that will pair well with your existing outdoor light fixtures.

Smart Security Wall Lights

Now you can see who’s at your door from your phone whether you are home, work or relaxing on your vacation. Smart Security Wall Lights offer a security solution built into an outdoor lighting fixture you can access with the touch of your fingers. Many security lights feature a HD camera that detect movement at your door and sends an alert to your smartphone. It’s 2-way speaker and camera allow you to communicate with visitors from anywhere using an app on your phone. If it is an unwanted visitor simply sound the built-in alarm to scare them off.

Recessed Lighting

On covered porches, recessed lighting can be installed to provide direct overhead lighting, illuminating areas for excellent crime deterrent. As one of the most versatile sources of light for both residential and commercial buildings, outdoor recessed lighting fixtures, offer a layer of general lighting that seamlessly blends into any space. There many options of trims and housings, so you can customize the perfect lighting for your space.

Motion Sensory Path lights

Why pay an energy bill for your outdoor lighting when free energy shines down on your yard all day long? Path and post lights can be installed along your walkways and come in a variety of styles and finishes. Many have motion activated options that include a built-in photocell to ensure that the LEDs are only activated at night. So many options to keep your family and visitor’s safe.

Conclusion

So let’s get started on your outdoor DIY lighting projects so you can enjoy your vacation with peace of mind. One of the most commonly mentioned deterrents is a lack of hiding spots available on well-lit properties. Security lights are quick and easy to install and are proven to be a highly effective crime deterrent. You certainly earned your vacation, so enjoy your time away, worry-free.

Light with brain representing smart lighting

How Smart Lighting Technology is Changing Art

March 23, 2017August 22, 2017 Renee Carlson

The digital age of smart lighting technology and the Internet of Things has revolutionized the creative canvas with bold new ways to experience art. Today, art and technology are as intertwined as ever, resulting in new, interactive mediums and innovative solutions.

Smart Lighting Transforms Art

French impressionist Edgar Degas once observed, “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” In this mural by Milan-based art duo Carnovsky, red, green and blue (RGB) colored filters reveal each layer of the digitally created wallpaper.

RGB art display is one example of how smart lighting technology has changed how we experience art. — via Carnovsky.com

Smart Lighting Becomes Art

Another digital exhibit, Assemblance, is described by creator Umbrellium as “a fully immersive interactive augmented reality made ‘real’ by using light as a physical material …” The collaborative project explored the marriage of mind and body with three-dimensional laser light that people “sculpt” into structures with sweeping movements of their hands and body. Read More

A WiOn smart control outlet is used to control a coffee maker

Why I Was Wrong About Smart Home Controls

September 30, 2016November 1, 2016 Renee Carlson

It took me a while to fully embrace the smart home automation trend, but when we introduced several new smart controls to our product line last month, it made me reevaluate my position.

Was my reluctance towards the smart home trend shortsighted?

I’m rather ashamed to say that I used to see smart home automation products and wonder, “Why in the world would I want that? Seriously, can people not flip a switch anymore?”

As the parent of teenagers, perhaps I’ve developed a growing resentment towards anything that allows the millennial generation to stare at their phone for another second.

When we started carrying a new line of smart lighting controls, I discovered more about the technology and had a major Ah-ha! moment (12 of them which you’ll see below), where I realized these things do way more than just turn a light on and off when I’m too lazy, tired or preoccupied to get up and do it myself. Read More

CES 2015: Smart Lighting ‘Shines’ in Home Automation

January 9, 2015March 23, 2017 Renee Carlson 1 Comment

Updated March 23, 2017

Trends in lighting technology keep getting smarter. In fact, if the LED Light Bulb were a soccer mom, she’d have a bumper sticker that read “My Light Bulb is Smarter than Your Light Bulb.” Smart lighting systems are hot at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show, an annual event that showcases the most innovative gizmos of the year. But for all the hype, what exactly do they do? Without a smart bulb, am I less intelligent?

What Makes a Light Bulb Smart?

Like every good parent, smart light bulb manufacturers have different ideas about what makes their product smart. As the trend starts to explode, new variations of the smart bulb are cropping up everywhere in an attempt to out-perform their predecessors. Though each smart bulb has its own set of features, I’ve put together a list of some popular characteristics that seem to make a smart bulb so much “brighter” than its peers (sorry, couldn’t resist): Read More

What Is Smart Lighting?

August 14, 2014February 27, 2017 Tom Sowders

LED technology has been gaining a lot of steam over the past few years. In accordance, we have seen the prices of LED light fixtures and LED light bulbs decrease. Thrilling new projects involving OLEDs have tickled our fancies, and colossal displays of LED lighting – turning bridges into dragons, creating towers of kaleidoscopic light – have entertained us. But the most exciting developments in LED lighting fall within the realm of smart lighting.