Listen "Korg opsix, Smart Homes & Matter Explained | Christmas Tech Catch-Up"
Episode Synopsis
It's our Christmas Eve episode of The Digital Lifestyle Show, and Gary joins me for a relaxed end-of-year tech catch-up covering music tech, smart homes, and the latest gadgets we've both been experimenting with. I kick things off with a look at the Korg opsix module, exploring modern FM synthesis, how it compares to classic DX-era synths, and why it's such a powerful sound design tool. We talk sequencing, programming, and how it fits into a modern studio setup. Gary then takes us deep into the world of smart home automation, sharing real-world experiences with Matter, Thread, Zigbee, and Home Assistant. We cover presence detection that actually works, humidity-based bathroom automation, infrared heating panels, smart displays, air quality sensors, and the challenges of building a system that's reliable for the whole household. We also chat about festive smart lighting, sound-reactive LEDs, Twinkly Christmas lights, Raspberry Pi projects, EV charging updates, and why Matter is finally starting to feel usable. A great end-of-year episode packed with practical insights, honest experiences, and ideas to take into the new year. Episode Chapters 00:00 Christmas Eve intro 01:05 Why we squeezed in a festive episode 01:42 Korg opsix module overview 02:50 FM synthesis explained (DX vs modern FM) 04:09 Programming & sequencing on opsix 05:55 Smart home projects update 06:16 Presence & proximity sensors 08:26 Smart heating with infrared panels 10:55 Humidity-based automation 13:10 Home Assistant on wall panels 15:28 Air quality & CO₂ monitoring 17:54 Matter, Thread & Zigbee explained 21:31 Centralised smart home control 27:12 Smart lighting & presence detection 30:51 Twinkly Christmas lights 33:00 Raspberry Pi & display projects 38:03 Festive smart lighting hacks 40:44 EV charging network updates 45:07 Fairlight CMI interview recap 46:12 Upcoming videos & synth challenge 47:19 Outro & Christmas wishes
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