First snow for autumn of 2024 in Cincinnati, OH
RichC | November 21, 2024
The first autumn snow of the year marks the beginning of winter in my book, but since I still would like to rake up the rest of the leaves and get a final grass cutting, it would be nice to have one more warm-up and dry sunny day. For now though, here’s the dusting of […]
Our regular Red Fox is looking much healther on the Fox Cam
RichC | September 12, 2024
Back in July, the Red Fox who regularly is spotted on my Wyze Cams was looking unhealthy. I did some research and diagnosed that the fox likely needed to be treated for mange. The treatment was to inject a small amount of ivermectin into meatballs and see if I could get him or her to […]
Wyze Cam filler: I’m failing in my helping our mangy red foxes
RichC | August 13, 2024
Since today’s post was a personal family updated, here’s a lunchtime Wyze Cam filler regarding trying to treat a couple of our Red Fox regulars with mange. So far I’ve fed ivermectin to a black cat, a opossum, possibly a squirrel and two evil raccoons from a couple of cam locations. (see post). It’s a […]
Disappointed with Wyze as a company lately. Could be a fluke?
RichC | August 3, 2024
As a provider of fair priced gadgets for the last decade, the company Wyze has impressed me … that is until recently. As their product mix expanded, their quality control and hodgepodge marketing has started to slip a bit. After the “socket cam” on a garage lamp failed in June, I called to check on […]
This weeks leftovers: Laundry Room Update, Lift Pump Switch, Congressional Baseball Game and WyzeCam Pet detected
RichC | June 15, 2024
While clearing a few photos off my iPhone 7 Plus due to limited storage space this week, I decided it might be nice to archive a few photos … so “leftovers” from the week sounded like a good idea for this post. First, Brenda wanted a few new hooks for mops and things in the […]
Surprisingly bold Red Fox lounging in our front yard last week
RichC | June 8, 2024
As rural turns to even more suburban, the bolder some of our wildlife is getting. Last week a slender fox appeared on our security Wyze Cam and instead of just passing by as usual, opted to lounge for a few moments ‘midday’ in the front yard. Very strange behavior for the coyotes and foxes that […]
A Cardinal keeps triggering the Wyze Cam and Panera Inflation
RichC | May 25, 2024
No matter how I set the trigger, our friendly cardinal regularly triggers a warning on our Wyze Cam. He is enjoyable to watch and so I really don’t mind it. On the other hand, I DO MIND the price increases hitting Americans at the gas pump, grocery store and restaurants … not to mention nearly […]
Semi happy with Wyze Cam Plus but now $2 more/month
RichC | April 10, 2024
We have been using the economical Wyze Cams to monitor things around home for a few years now, along with leftover Canary Cams … and our old school original wired security system. I do like the way these inexpensive cameras have held up and are improving, but the speed and notification tweaking of their Wyze […]
Our backyard Fox scampering by triggers daily Wyze Cam alerts
RichC | December 5, 2023
Tech Friday: The Wyze Cam struggles with person-detection
RichC | August 25, 2023
Our Wyze security cam detection continues to struggle with determining if birds are people. One would think that with artificial intelligence improving that software would be much better at detecting the difference between birds and people? But for years now (one, two, three), our friendly and curious cardinal regularly enjoys getting his photo uploaded to […]
Tech Friday: Bits and piece to the Wyze Cam 2
RichC | April 7, 2023
Last year one of my earlier Wyze Cams failed to update and wasn’t connecting to our mesh wifi (continued to disconnect). Thankfully Wyze politely discounted a newer version to which I happily upgraded. The old one has been sitting on my workbench and before tossing it in the trash, decided to peek under the hood. I […]
Wyze Cam Smoke Alarm notifications and spring has sprung
RichC | March 30, 2023
It may not be pretty with the old mulch, leaves and dirty sidewalks … but spring has sprung in 2023. The old-ish bulbs are up and the buds are on the magnolias and lilacs. On another subject, I’ve contacted Wyze about one of my newer cams triggering a RED “Smoke Alarm” message which definitely caught […]
The MB 300d Turbodiesel was out for the first time in 2023
RichC | March 26, 2023
After a quick charge of the battery, the 1982 Mercedes Benz 300d Turbodiesel woke from its winter slumber and headed to the grocery store. I had forgotten how much different the old headlight are in comparison to modern lights … or perhaps it is just my aging night vision? Anyway, the driveway Wyze cams caught […]
Tech Friday: Installed Wyze Doorbell and temp probe grilling
RichC | January 6, 2023
It is hard to resist loving gadget gifts and this past year for Christmas I was excited to receive a Wyze Doorbell from Drew (and Katelyn – Thx!) Although the previous year in 2021, I will admit that I was intimidated … and still am … by the fancy double temperature Bluetooth and WiFi Weber […]
Tech Friday: Wyze Cams satisfy my gadget addiction
RichC | November 18, 2022
My older Canary Cams are still working but will eventually be retired as lower priced and higher quality Wyze Cams and Wyze Cam3s have become the “go to” products to fill my gadget addiction. On Wednesday a male cardinal trigger one of my cams and it reminded me to check on my subscription, re-read the […]
Repairs: Contemplating an electric pool pump motor rebuild
RichC | September 16, 2022
Besides noticing that a new school bus driver has decided to use our driveway as a turn around spot (should not be “the norm”) … I took apart the old 2017 pool pump motor. Last week I replaced the old motor with a new one (again) suspecting the shortened life (in my opinion) is due […]
Music Monday: Radio Margaritaville and Jimmy Buffett singing “Slack Tide” from “Life on the Flip Side” while mowing
RichC | June 27, 2022
It is officially summer … and what’s better in warm weather and sunshine than songs from Jimmy Buffett on Music Monday? So here’s “Slack Tide” off Life on the Flip Side album (as heard on Radio Margaritaville). I just happened to be listening to it streaming on the SiriusXM app on my new noise-cancelling Wyze […]
Tech Friday: Replaced my old MPOW Bluetooth headphones with discounted Wyze Noise-Cancelling headphones
RichC | June 17, 2022
When it comes to a headset/headphones, I wear them all the time and am pretty much an Aftershokz guy. I find that I rarely take them off during the day, ever since getting my first “bone conduction” Bluetooth headset. I love nearly everything about the current Aeropex model even as the company updates with newer […]
Replaced LED security light with Wyze Cam Floodlight
RichC | April 27, 2022
Earlier this year after an HOA meeting, I added myself to the waitlist for a new Wyze Cam product called the Wyze Cam Floodlight. The neighborhood has been looking for a better way to monitor the pool without the high cost of a commercial security camera. I mentioned this economical motion floodlight with cam and […]
Tech Friday: Apple Event and our WyzeCam3 picks up a fox
RichC | March 11, 2022
Here are a couple of technology highlights to mention on a Tech Friday from earlier this week. First, the new driveway Wyze Cam3 set-up (moved it) picked up an evening fox whizzing by and the second, an event on Tuesday from Apple announcing new products. Personally, I’m not sure what kind of surprise was expected […]
Defective, but quickly replaced Wyze Socket Cam3
RichC | February 22, 2022
For years now we have been satisfied with the bulky (and older) Canary Cams for added security at home. The first Canary continues to work flawlessly “inside” our house and thankfully just perches quietly in our great room and is suppose to trigger when motion is detected “when we are not home.” The plan was […]
Tech Friday: On the waitlist for some new tech from Wyze
RichC | January 14, 2022
This past Christmas, my daughter Katelyn gave Drew a new Wyze Watch and, as always with all Wyze products, I was impressed with their reasonably low price for excellent products (although I’m still super happy with my Fitbit Versa – thank you K and D). The Wyze gift reminder had me revisit one of their […]
The Wyze cam sound detector picked up a strong thunderstorm
RichC | July 13, 2021
The downside of having self-monitored smarthome security cams, sound sensors, door triggers and motion detection at the Florida condo in Delray Beach is that one never knows what will set it off. Usually it has been a flash of light or in a couple cases a slightly weakened battery on a sensor. Yesterday though, even […]
Tech Friday: Look what arrived this week – the Wyze Cam 3
RichC | January 22, 2021
It was back in November when everyone was Black Friday shopping for gifts or ording Cyber Monday items … that is when the inexpensive security camera company Wyze, sent me an email about their new camera and motion detection subscription. At the time I was struggling with way too many notifications after the company lost […]
It feels like winter, but those pesky Stink Bugs are still here?
RichC | December 8, 2020
One of the irritations in using motion sensing security cameras (ani gif from previous post) at our house is that no matter how much I tweak the settings, they still detect motion and even declare “person detected” when it comes to movement. The biggest offender is slightly older Canary cam that I have set up […]
Tech Friday: i-Device Wallpapers .. the Bompa edition
RichC | May 29, 2020
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The flag halyard fails again and Old Glory comes flopping down
RichC | February 29, 2020
We have had a problem with our Amazon purchased halyard on our flag pole instead of the rapid flag degrading as usual – as can be seen on our WyzeCam security mp4 video (below). This is the second flag halyard we have had fail in the last couple of years; next time I’m going to […]
Winter weather, driving and fun babysitting Annalyn
RichC | February 8, 2020
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Testing Amazon Prime deliveries using Key for Garage #video
RichC | January 15, 2020
A year or so ago, I “was” planning to give the Amazon Key service a try by having shipments delivered to the condo in Florida when we are not there. So I purchase a smart lock and then realized that Amazon didn’t offer Key delivery services in Delray Beach. I sent it back as I […]
“Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow” … but not like this! #video
RichC | December 21, 2019
I love these motion-sensing Wyze Cams … Now what if someone happened to be coming to the front door? Yikes … although more than likely it would just be funny.
Tech Friday: Growing pains with “person detection” AI at Wyze
RichC | November 29, 2019
With the advent of decent quality inexpensive home security products and cameras, it has never be easier to keep an eye on “motion” that happens around a business or home. The key for most of us is to find the least expensive quality “small” product … in our case the Wyze cams have beat out […]
Amazon delivery may be taking a page from Santa Claus?
RichC | July 3, 2019
Our front door security camera picks up the strangest visitors #deer.
Set up the Wyze Cam Pan temporarily but have motion issues
RichC | October 8, 2018
The new low cost Wyze Cam Pan that I bought to put in the Delray Beach Condo arrived this past weekend and so opted to set it up temporarily at home. So far so good with the image and impressive panning control with even motion tracking (less impressive though). The reason I chose the Wyze […]
Tech Friday: The inexpensive Wyze Cam now supports Alexa
RichC | July 20, 2018
I’ve been using the Wyze Cam to keep an eye on our Florida condo for a couple of months now … and besides an issue with a low-cost router overheating, it has been excellent. I’ve been thinking about adding a second one with the adjustable viewing angle, but it is not on the high priority […]
Thoughts on remotely resetting or rebooting network hardware
RichC | June 16, 2018
Frustration in tech land! Power out – now the cable modem or router won’t reboot properly! If you haven’t following along with my updating the progress on the Florida condo, I’ve been adding bits and pieces to “home automation” besides the normal “construction updates” to the kitchen (and eventually bathroom). Most of it has been […]
Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee
- lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
- digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.