How to make my house smart without spending thousands of pesos?

Connected and smart televisions

If you are not looking to renew your 55-inch screen that is not smart within your budget, there are a couple of options that can help you. The first is to opt for a device that allows you to connect to streaming platforms and the Internet without having to resort to a smart television. On the market there are options such as the Fire TV Stick, Chromecast or even Roku that allow users to make their television ‘smart’ through an HDMI connection.

These devices cost less than 2,000 pesos and compared to a 55′ smart TV, which you can find from 7,000 pesos, they turn out to be a good alternative.

There are also converters on the market that are even cheaper and that you can find at Steren or other retailers. What these devices do is connect to HDMI and provide Android TV to users, making it easier to access streaming services. The experience can also be complemented with a smart plug, which can connect to voice assistants and is capable of turning off the TV with just a voice instruction.

voice assistants

One of the basic devices to have a smart home is the voice assistant, a market dominated mainly by two products: Alexa and Google Assistant. But, there are also options like Samsung’s Bixby or Apple’s Siri.

However, before December 2022, many devices were not compatible between one ecosystem and another, something that is no longer a challenge for users, because through the matter scheme, all products can now interact. This scheme allows any smart home product to connect with any ecosystem, that is, if you buy a new speaker, you can now connect it to Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant or Bixby.

Although Alexa has several options and product generations, in case you are just entering the world of home automation, it is possible to opt for a dot to start connecting devices. The same happens with Google Assistant who has its smallest version but no less powerful.

With this pair of assistants you will be able to connect speakers, smart plugs, televisions, vacuum cleaners and lights. Its configuration is also simple and, in case you have a coffee maker that is not smart but you are looking for it to turn itself on, all you have to do is keep a smart plug connected and give the instruction to turn it on. The same with exterior lights or with other devices.

Lights of all colors and prices

As with some smart TVs, the range of prices and options in the lighting market is very wide, so they don’t know how much to invest. Although many users use brands like Philips, there are also more competitive options that allow for good interaction with the home.

Companies like Lloyd’s have spotlights, light strips and a number of models that can be a good option for users. While brands like Goove allow you to have light in almost any space in your home without having to invest thousands of pesos.

In the case of exteriors, a good option is still lights that need solar energy to work, since the savings in electronic billing is a plus.

custom cameras

Another market that has grown in the smart home segment is security cameras, which is as diverse as lights and where many of the needs will have a direct impact on the price. If you’re just looking for a camera that lets you see who’s knocking on the door, there are a few options on the market like the Ring or the Nest Doorbell.

As for cameras, there are several packages and options that connect with Alexa and Google and that help to have visibility of what is happening in your home when you are not there.

Here, what is worth evaluating is how much storage capacity they have in the cloud and if it is necessary that they are recording what happens all the time, since the subscription for the storage service may be additional.

Xiaomi and TP Link have well-priced cameras that allow users to customize their experience.