The Nank Runner Pro 2 (formerly known as Naenka) are a set of bone conduction headphones that feature IPX68 certification, built-in storage into a lightweight package targeting those who want to keep listening to their music on the go or even in the pool.

Are the Nank Runner Pro 2 the pinnacle of bone conduction technology? Dive into my comprehensive review to find out.

Nank Runner Pro2 Specifications and Features

What’s in the Box

• Nank Runner Pro2 bone conduction headphones
• Magnetic charging cable
• Adjustable silicone cord
• Instruction manual

Design & Features

The headphones have a lightweight plastic build with a matte finish, providing both durability and a sleek look that effectively hides fingerprints. That lightness makes them feel flimsy, but it contributes to a comfortable experience, making it easy to forget you’re wearing them.

A small set of buttons on the side lets you skip of tracks, adjustment volume and switch to the 32GB of onboard storage.

On thing you notice immediately is the lack of a speaker grill, replaced by a vibrating pad that transfers audio via bone conduction. This gives the headphones their weather resistance, letting you use them even in the pool (though you’ll be limited to the onboard storage underwater.

Charging is simple, with the magnetic charging cable satisfyingly snapping into place. This cable is also how you copy music files onto the onboard storage, with the headphones appearing as removable storage when plugged into a PC. While the headphones support common audio formats such as MP3 and FLAC files, it’s worth noting that high-resolution 24-bit FLACs had playback issues.

Setup & Usage

The headphones connect wirelessly through Bluetooth 5.3, automatically entering pairing mode when I first turned them on. There’s audio prompts to guide you but the sound quality of those spoken prompts is poor – detracting from the overall polish of the headphones.

The connection was stable during my testing, with no dropouts and getting a range of 10 meters without any barriers. Adding walls into the equation saw this range drop.

One annoying thing I discovered is that the headphones are connected for calls – despite not having a microphone. This meant that I had a few incoming calls directed to the headset without being able to respond until I turned off the feature in my phone’s Bluetooth settings. What a pain.

Getting the headphones fitted is simple, thanks to ear hooks that guide the pads in place. An included strap can be used to tighten the fit, although attaching it might feel a bit awkward. Interestingly, the strap’s purpose isn’t explicitly mentioned in the manual, so I was confused until I emailed Nank for clarification.

Whilst putting the headphones on is easy, it does take a bit of fiddling to find the optimal position for the best audio quality. However, once on, the headphones are comfortable, with a secure fit that I felt confident in whilst exercising.

Nank quotes around 6 hours of battery life, which is in line with what I saw during my testing.

Audio Performance

When using bone conduction headphones over traditional headphones, there’s a clear trade-off between sound quality and the freedom of keeping your ears open.

It’s also important to note that audio quality is affected by how well the headphones fit so I recommend taking some time to get them in the right position.

Despite the inevitable loss in audio clarity bone conduction provides, I was impressed at just how listenable the Runner Pro2s were, with good clarity and respectable soundstage.

Particularly challenging genres such as death metal sounded decent and acoustic tracks really shined. They won’t replace my traditional headphones but for exercising, the compromise is worth it to have the extra safety provided by having my ears open to the environment. Of course, the fact that you can even swim with these headphones makes them worth the price of admission alone if you love the water.

I did notice that intricate tracks became somewhat muddy, underscoring a limitation inherent to the technology rather than any fault of the headphones themselves. Furthermore, bass-heavy tracks introduce a lot of vibration, which I found uncomfortable at higher volumes. This was particularly noticeable with rap music, so I tended to avoid it or turn the volume down.

Verdict: Should You Buy the Nank Runner Pro2?

The Nank Runner Pro 2 stands out as a solid choice for bone conduction headphones. They have respectable sound quality and a comfortable fit—perfect for those wanting exercise whilst listening to music whilst staying aware of their surroundings. Notably, their waterproofness and onboard storage which lets you use them while swimming adds a layer of impressive versatility for those situations when you can’t have your phone on you.

Whilst there are some wrinkles, such as the slightly awkward adjustment cable and poor-quality voice prompts, the overall package is solid. These nuances do not overshadow the positive attributes of the Nank Runner Pro 2. I’ll be keeping these as my go to headphones when I’m exercising.

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Nank Runner Pro2

Pros

Rugged design

Very bright

Handy hook

Cons

No memory feature

USB charger is useless

No warm white option

7.2

GET IT HERE

Nank

The post Nank Runner Pro2 Review appeared first on Home Theatre Life.

Hokolite is a lighting brand that I haven’t heard of before but when they reached out asking me to look at some of their camping lanterns, I was keen.

Hokolite have sent me 3 of their lanterns to check out:

• 360° COB Rechargeable Camping Lantern
• Rechargeable LED Vintage Lantern (Read the Review)
• 4000 Lumens Rechargeable Collapsible Lantern (Read the Review)

In this review, I’ll look at the 3000 Lumen 360° COB rechargeable camping lantern.

Hokolite 3000 Lumen 360° COB Rechargeable Camping Lantern Specifications and Features

What’s in the Box

• 1 x Camping Lantern
• 1 x USB Cable
• 1 x Manual

Design & Features

I found it odd that the package didn’t have any branding – there wasn’t even a manual inside which was just odd. That said, the listing mentions that it should come with a manual so it may have just been an issue with mine.

The Hokolite 360-degree lantern is a standard-looking rugged lantern. It’s got a plastic construction which feels high quality, with rubber bumpers to add that all-important drop protection. That said, there’s quite a bit of the LED exposed, making it vulnerable should it be dropped on a rock or something.

There’s a simple power button which lets you toggle through the various lighting modes and a 4 LED battery indicator.

Around the top, there’s the USB Type C charging port (nice) as well as a full-size Type A port allowing you to charge your smartphone or other devices from the lantern’s built-in 4400mAh battery (more on that later).

There’s also a split hook which can easily fit over branches as well as double as a handle. That said, the lantern is heavy at 630g so I wouldn’t hang it on my tent, but it was perfect for hanging on a tree branch or gazebo.

Setup & Usage

The lantern is charged via the USB Type-C port hidden under a rubber flap for weather protection, with a full charge taking around 3-5 hours. Given how commonplace USB Type C has become, I never had an issue finding a place to charge it up.

Pressing the power button turns on the light at full brightness which is intensely bright. Unfortunately, I don’t have the equipment to verify the lumens output but it’s impressively bright.

Pressing on the power button will cycle through the modes:

• High (3000 lumens) – 3-4 hours
• Medium (1500 lumens) – 5-7 hours
• Low (900 lumens) – 10+ hours
• Red – 7-8 hours
• Red Strobe – 10+ hours

The large LED chips provide good light coverage but the reinforcement on the sides results in two dark spots around the lantern – it’s not a deal breaker but you need to pay attention to the lantern’s orientation.

After waiting a few seconds, pressing the power button again will turn the lantern off. Unfortunately, there’s no memory (despite what the product page says) so it’ll always go back to full brightness next time you turn it back on which is disappointing so I wouldn’t recommend using it anywhere people are sleeping.

There’s also no warm white/orange light which is proven to help reduce bugs (and I personally prefer). Technically, you can use the red light but it’s not exactly pleasant.

The built-in USB charger wasn’t great. Whilst it did charge my devices, it was incredibly slow with a peak charging current of 0.5a. One of my Samsung phones was only charging at 0.2a which would have taken nearly 10 hours to get a full charge so I wouldn’t rely on this feature at all. I did notice that all my USB testers would flicker until I plugged in a load which was odd.

Verdict: Should You Buy the Hokolite 360° COB Rechargeable Camping Lantern?

I found Hokolite’s 360-degree rechargeable lantern average. It’s bright which is great as a love a well-lit campsite, and I comfortable that it’d handle a few knocks without issue. However, the lack of a memory function really impacted its usability and the lack of any warm white LEDs means that I put this in the practical lighting category rather than a lantern that I’d take to relax with.

Hokolite 360° COB Rechargeable Camping Lantern

Pros

Rugged design

Very bright

Handy hook

Cons

No memory feature

USB charger is useless

No warm white option

6.2

GET IT HERE

Hokolite

The post Hokolite 360° COB Rechargeable Camping Lantern Review appeared first on Home Theatre Life.

Hokolite is a lighting brand that I haven’t heard of before but when they reached out asking me to look at some of their camping lanterns, I was keen.

Hokolite have sent me 3 of their lanterns to check out:

• 360° COB Rechargeable Camping Lantern (Read the Review)
• Rechargeable LED Vintage Lantern (Read the Review)
• 4000 Lumens Rechargeable Collapsible Lantern

In this review, I’ll take a look at the Hokolite 4000 Lumens Rechargeable Collapsible Lantern.

Hokolite 4000 Lumens Rechargeable Collapsible Lantern Specification and Features

What’s in the Box

• 1 x Camping Lantern
• 1 x USB Cable
• 1 x Manual

Design & Features

The Hokolite Collapsible Lantern is quite unique, with a solid, rubberized plastic base topped off with a collapsible silicone diffuser which can expand quite a bit.

The front of the unit houses a single power/mode button whilst around the back is a USB A port (for charging your phone), USB Type C port (for charging the lantern) and a small charging indicator LED.

Unfortunately, there’s no battery indicator so you’ll need to make sure you keep the internal 6000mAh battery charged regularly or you could be caught out – this seems like an oversight for a camping lantern.

Underneath is a plastic hook with a spring-loaded “catch” to keep it closed that’s ideal as a handle when using it as a lantern or attaching it to a gazebo/tree. You could also attach it to a tent but at 550g, it’s a little on the heavy side. It’s also a tad annoying to get out if you don’t have nails – the finger cut-out should be much deeper.

One last thing I want to mention is size and weight. Despite being collapsible, at 550g and nearly 20cm in diameter, this lantern is on the chunky side, so I’d only recommend it for car or caravan camping. Hikers should look at far more compact, lightweight solutions.

Setup & Usage

The lantern’s charged via the USB Type-C port hidden under a rubber flap for weather protection, with a full charge taking around 3-4 hours. Like Hokolite’s other lanterns, having USB Type C is a big plus as it was easy to find a charger when I needed one.

The power button doubles as a mode switch, cycling through lantern’s 4 lighting modes:

• High (4000 lumens) – 4-5 hours
• Medium (2000 lumens) – 6-7 hours
• Low (1200 lumens) – 8-9 hours
• Warm Light (120 lumens)

Unfortunately, there’s no memory function so the lantern will start at full brightness on cool white every time so I wouldn’t recommend turning it on when someone is sleeping as this thing is seriously bright.

The pull-out diffuser, the lantern’s main gimmick, is excellent. It’s big enough to nicely diffuse the light whilst striking a nice balance of rigidity whilst being easy to pack down when you need to pack up. It’s even stable enough to hold the weight of the lantern itself if you want a more downward-facing light.

There’s even a nice 120 lumen warm white mode for when you just want to relax (and which doesn’t attract as many bugs) – though it’s a pain that you need to cycle through all the other modes to get to it.

The built-in USB charger works well but caps out at 1a so charging a modern smartphone will take a while. Of course, it’s fine in a pinch, but I’d recommend taking a high quality power bank like this one from Anker with you as well.

Verdict: Should You Buy the Hokolite Collapsible Lantern?

Whilst Hokolite’s 4000 lumen collapsible lantern isn’t perfect, I must admit I’m a bit of a fan.

It’s super bright, offers a good area light and even offers a nice warm white mode for when you’re wanting to unwind after a day in the wilderness. I would have loved a battery indicator, so I know when to charge but for my style of camping, it wasn’t a massive issue.

Overall, I’m happy with it and will add it to my car camping kit.

Hokolite Rechargeable Collapsible Lantern

Pros

Warm white lighting!

Really bright

Type C charging

Cons

No tactile stop when changing modes

Only 1a USB charging

0

GET IT HERE

Hokolite

The post Hokolite Collapsible Lantern Review appeared first on Home Theatre Life.

Hokolite is a lighting brand that I haven’t heard of before but when they reached out asking me to look at some of their camping lanterns, I was keen.

Hokolite have sent me 3 of their lanterns to check out:

• 360° COB Rechargeable Camping Lantern (Read the Review)
• Rechargeable LED Vintage Lantern
• 4000 Lumens Rechargeable Collapsible Lantern (Read the Review)

In this review, I’ll take a look at the Hokolite Rechargeable LED Vintage Lantern.

Hokolite Rechargeable LED Vintage Lantern Specification and Features

What’s in the Box

• 1 x Camping Lantern
• 1 x USB Cable
• 1 x Manual

Design & Features

The Hokolite Rechargeable LED Vintage Lantern is one of the nicest camping lanterns I’ve seen. With its Edison-style LED layout combined with metal frame and plastic top, it really nails the vintage look. Everything feels high quality, but I wouldn’t want to drop it as I can see the plastic top snapping with enough of an impact. That said, it looks fantastic as a general-purpose lantern or for sitting on a table to provide a pleasant reading light.

There’s a dial at the top that acts as both the power switch, mode toggle and dimmer as well as a 4 LED battery indicator. There’s also a USB Type C charging port (nice) as well as a full-size Type A port allowing you to charge your smartphone or other devices from the lantern’s built-in 2000mAh battery.

The metal handle is spacious, allowing for a comfortable grip as well as hang on branches, etc but there’s no split so attaching it to your tent would require a hook/carabiner.

Setup & Usage

The lantern is charged via the USB Type-C port hidden under a rubber flap for weather protection, with a full charge taking around 3-4 hours. Having USB Type C is excellent as I could always find somewhere to charge it up.

Everything is controlled by turning the top dial which adjusts the brightness and cycling through the 3 lighting modes:

• Warm White
• Cool White
• Mixed

Unfortunately, despite there being a nice click when turning on the lantern, there’s nothing tactile as you move between modes so it’s easy to overshoot and end up in the wrong mode. That said, the lantern always starts at the dimmest setting, so you don’t have to worry about being blinded by light if you accidentally go too far.

The 360-degree design offers good lighting coverage, with the metal frame adding some height too, which is a plus. You will end up with shadows but that’s part of the vintage aesthetic.

I also love the fact that the light starts in warm white (which doesn’t attract as many bugs and I personally prefer) as I used this 99% of the time when camping as it’s the perfect light to relax and read a book by. I really liked having the cool white available when I needed a bit more brightness or I needed neutral light when cooking.

The built-in USB charger works well but isn’t particularly fast, capping out at 1a. Whilst this is fine in an emergency, I would make sure you take a high-quality power bank like this one from Anker with you instead.

Verdict: Should You Buy the Hokolite Rechargeable LED Vintage Lantern?

I LOVED Hokolite’s Rechargeable LED Vintage Lantern. So many camping lanterns focus on being ultra-bright at the cost of a pleasant lighting experience. In fact, before Hokolite approached me, I had only seen a couple of vintage-style rechargeable lanterns with most being rugged cool white configs that, whilst practical, don’t lend themselves to a cosy camping atmosphere.

The fact that it combines great aesthetics, good lighting options and USB charging makes this a massive winner and a regular part of my car camping kit.

Hokolite Rechargeable LED Vintage Lantern

Pros

Warm white lighting!

Really bright

Type C charging

Cons

No tactile stop when changing modes

Only 1a USB charging

8.2

GET IT HERE

Hokolite

The post Hokolite Rechargeable LED Vintage Lantern Review appeared first on Home Theatre Life.

Gadget maker UGREEN has entered the market with the UGREEN HiTune, a set of TWS headphones that boast a 9-hour runtime, Bluetooth 5.0 and aptX support for an affordable price. Are they any good? Keep reading to find out.

UGREEN HiTune Specifications and Features

Some of the UGREEN HiTune’s best features include:

• Completely wireless headphones – no wires to get tangled anywhere
• A 9-hour runtime on a single charge for all-day listening
• Can be used in either stereo or mono modes for ultimate flexibility

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UGREEN HiTune Video Review

What’s in the Box?

Inside the box, you get:

• HiTunes TWS Earphones
• USB-C Charging Case
• USB-C Charging Cable
• 3x Silicone Ear Tips (S/M/L)
• User Manual

UGREEN HiTune Review: Design & Features

The first impression of the UGREEN HiTune truly wireless earphones is positive, with a solid feeling case with a strong magnetic grip. The magnets keep the lid shut – even with my aggressive shaking. You can rest knowing that that your headphones will be where you left them – even if the case is rattling around inside your bag.

The charging case is bulkier compared to other TWS headphones such as the Haylou GT1. I wouldn’t say that it’s uncomfortable, but I did notice the extra bulk in my front pockets.

Charging the case is handled via the USB-C port on the back which is great to see as USB Type-C offers a much nicer experience.

There’s a nice 3 LED power indicator on the front of the unit. It turns on automatically when lid is opened showing you the case’s remaining charge. The other two LEDs will also light up to tell you which earphones are charging – a nice touch.

The earbuds are held in place with the same strong connection as the case. They automatically align and snap into place to start charging automatically. That said, I occasionally had the earphones attach the lid’s magnet, so I had to make sure I guided the earphones into their slot.

The earbuds themselves offer a comfortable, moulded design. Their matte plastic body, subtle gloss trim and minimal branding make for a stylish look.

It’s good to see multiple ear tips are included inside the package to get a good fit. I found that the pre-installed ones felt right in my ears, so I didn’t need to swap out to any others. The overall fit was good too, with the headphones sitting securely in my ears. They didn’t move when running or shaking my head. Coupled with being IPX5 sweatproof and waterproof, this makes the HiTune TWS headphones an excellent gym partner (COVID-permitting).

UGREEN HiTune Review: Setup & Usage

Pairing the HiTunes earphones with my Samsung Galaxy S10 was simple – just like pairing any other Bluetooth headphones. I didn’t need to worry about pairing the left and right earphones to each other as they’re automatically paired out of the box.

Inserting into earphones into the case disconnects them from your phone and taking them out reconnects them – all automatically. It only takes a second to be listening to music again.

For those that only want to use a single earbud, you can use the left and right units in mono mode – perfect if you need to keep an ear free. I was impressed that you can use either the left or right earbud, with the right unit able to be paired separately. This is different to most TWS headphones which only support using the “main” headset in mono mode (if at all).

Hidden on earbud are a set of touch-based controls. The button is nicely indented making it easy to know exactly where to tap which was a complaint I had when I reviewed the Haylou GT1.

There’re a few functions available:

• Tap: Play/Pause or Answer/End a Call
  • Double Tap: Next Track
  • Triple Tap: Previous Track
  • Hold for 2 Seconds: Reject Call/Activate virtual assistant

The touch-sensitive controls work well but I did accidentally pause my music a few times when adjusting the earbuds but this was the exception rather than the rule.

My biggest criticism is probably the fact that UGREEN opted to use tones instead of spoken prompts on the headphones. This meant that sometimes I wasn’t sure if I’d turned off the headphones or put them in pairing mode. This ambiguity is frustrating and voice prompts would have offered a better user experience.

Being a Bluetooth connection, your experience is only as good as the connection itself and I’m happy to say that the HiTune’s connection seems stable. I didn’t have any dropouts or issues. Whilst UGREEN quote a range of 10m between your phone and the headphones, I was able to get to around 13m with 2-3 walls between before hearing the music break up. This was great as I could leave my phone on my desk and move around the house without any issues.

UGREEN HiTune Review: Battery Life

The battery lift is often where TWS headphones suffer, as their small form-factors translates to small batteries and poor battery life. However, battery life has been excellent.

Despite multi-hour listening sessions, I get approximately 9 hours (more when using lower volumes) which is plenty for a full day of listening. Of course, you can use the charging case for top-ups during the day which UGREEN says you can get to a total of 27 hours which is a solid figure.

The earbuds charge quickly too, with 15 minutes of charging adding around 2 hours of listening time. The case itself can be charged in around 2 hours. Just be aware that if you’re wanting to have mammoth listening sessions, these are not the headphones for you as you’ll need to take breaks to top up the earphones charge. You’re far better off opting for a good set of wired headphones to avoid the limitations of batteries.

UGREEN HiTune Review: Sound Quality

Playback

A pair of headphones are only as good as their sound quality. I’m a metalhead which often proves to be one of the harder genres for headphones to handle. An over-emphasis in highs means the music becomes shrill and painful to listen to. Too much bass and your vocals and instruments get drowned out.

Thankfully, the HiTunes sound great, offering balanced audio – I really appreciated the well-defined mids and highs which allows detailed tracks to shine. Bass-lovers may find bass lacking but I prefer the more balanced approach as it lends the headphones to a wider variety of uses. That’s not to say bass is non-existent with there being plenty of lows when listening to heavier tracks or movie trailers.

Just be aware that as these are earbuds, sound quality is dependent on getting a good fit and seal so make sure that you select the right sized earbud and ensure that the earbuds are securely in your ear. Otherwise, you’ll lose lows and music will tend to sound harsh (as with all in-ear headphones).

Most tracks I listened to showed good vocal separation and acoustic tracks showed excellent detail:

• King 810 – Devil Don’t Cry: I tested my 24-bit lossless track for this one. There was excellent clarity and instrument separation making it easy to hear texture in the singer’s voice.
• Hotel California – The Eagles: Subtle notes were crystal clear resulting in a sound super clean. Instrument separation is excellent.
• Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen:  Piano sounds great whilst harmonies were clear.
• Seven Nation Army – The White Stripes: Clean bass lines, with a satisfying punch
• Insomnium – Mortal Share:  This track has a muddy mix that makes it difficult to hear the lyrics on bass-heavy headphones but the HiTunes did a decent job.

I also watched a few movie trailers and the HiTune earphones coped well extra bass that trailers typically use for dramatic effect.

Microphone

The included microphone can be used for hands-free calling and seemed to do a good job. In quiet environments, the other party couldn’t tell I was using headphones. In noisier surrounds, I was still able to be heard clearly but the other party mentioned that they could hear the background noise as well.

Verdict: Should You Buy the UGREEN HiTune TWS Earphones?

I was genuinely impressed by the UGREEN HiTune truly wireless headphones. Whilst I wasn’t a fan of the beeping audio cues, the sound quality and battery life make this a solid addition to my audio collection. I loved the more balanced sound, though bass-heads may find the lows lacking the punch of some units.

For under $50, the UGREEN HiTune earbuds are excellent value and definitely worth picking up if you’re wanting a pair of TWS headphones.

I’d recommend the UGREEN HiTune TWS Earphones if you’re looking for the following features:

• Balanced sound signature
• Long battery life
• Budget-friendly price tag

To find out more about UGREEN HiTune TWS Earphones and its capabilities, click here.

Get almost 42% off the UGREEN HiTune

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UGREEN HiTune TWS Earphones

For under $50, the UGREEN HiTune earbuds are excellent value and definitely worth picking up if you’re wanting a pair of TWS headphones.

Design

8

Features

8

Performance

9

Usability

8

Value

9

Pros

Excellent balanced audio quality

Good battery life for TWS headphones

Can be used in either Stereo or Mono modes

Cons

Charging case is a little bulky

Hard to get a precise read on the charging case’s battery

Beeps instead of voice prompts for notifications is ambiguous

8.4

The post UGREEN HiTune TWS Headphones Review appeared first on Home Theatre Life.

If you’re looking for the best Android TV apps for your new streaming device, you’ve come to the right place!

There’s nothing worse than getting a brand new gadget, opening it up and getting stuck on where to start.

When you get your shiny new Android TV box, you’ll want to install the best Android TV box apps around so you can hit the ground running and get the most out of your investment.

I’ve pulled together a few of my “must have” Android apps for your TV box. These apps span everything from media players to gaming, offering you hours of entertainment.

Let’s get into it.

Kodi

Kodi, everyone’s favorite media center app, is a must have on any Android TV box so it’s a no surprise that it’s made my “Best Android TV Box Apps” list.

Kodi handles almost everything related to multimedia. Whether it’s playing movies or providing an attractive interface for browsing your music collection, Kodi has you covered.

There’s also an impressive array of add-ons that cover everything from gaming to media library management to streaming.

Kodi should be the first thing you download on your Android TV box.

If you’re wanting a step-by-step guide to getting Kodi up and running, check out my extensive Kodi setup guide.

View on Google Play

Netflix

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few years, you should know about Netflix.

Widely considered the leading video streaming service, Netflix offers a wealth of movies and TV shows that can be streamed with the press of a button.

The standard Android app works well though I’d recommend picking up an air mouse to make navigating the touch-centric user interface easier.

Netflix offers a free 30 day trial to get a feel for the service, so it’s definitely worth checking out.

I’ve been a long time subscriber and use it far more than I probably should!

Unfortunately, many Android TV boxes no longer support installing Netflix from the Google Play store so you’ll need to sideload the app instead. You can read my complete guide to installing Netflix on your Android TV box here.

View on Google Play

Prime Video

Prime Video is the online retailer’s media streaming service that comes free with an Amazon Prime subscription.

Offering a variety of movies and TV shows for on-demand streaming, including a number of exclusives, Prime Video is incredibly popular.

This is no doubt in part due to the exceptional perks that come with Amazon Prime such as free 2-day shipping, Prime Music streaming, unlimited photo storage and more.

Amazon offer a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime so you can get a taste of what’s on offer. It’s definitely worth a look, particularly if you regularly buy from the retail giant.

View on Google Play

Retroarch

If you love retro gaming, you can’t go past Retroarch.

Retroarch packages a number of number of emulators (called “cores”) for popular consoles such as the PlayStation and Super Nintendo into an attractive user interface.

You’ll need to bring your own games along (don’t ask where to get them from) but once it’s all up and running, hook up a Bluetooth controller like the Gamesir G4S and enjoy some of that sweet retro gaming!

View on Google Play

Plex for Android

Much like Kodi, Plex holds a special place in the hearts of media enthusiasts hearts.

Originally starting as a fork of Kodi, Plex has become a beast of its own. The app offers a comprehensive media player in addition to tight integration with Plex Media Server, DLNA media software that handles everything from Library scraping to video transcoding.

View on Google Play

Minecraft Pocket Edition

There’s no denying that Minecraft has become a phenomenon so it’s not surprising that I’ve included Minecraft Pocket Edition on my “best Android TV box apps” list. It’s hard to go anywhere without coming across Minecraft in one form or another.

Minecraft is a great way to lose a few hours. Everything from building your own house to fighting off creepers makes for an entertaining experience – though some will be put off the opened ended nature of the gameplay.

The mobile-optimized version for Android doesn’t have quite as many features as the PC version, though the gap shrinks with every new release.

View on Google Play

Avast Mobile Security & Antivirus

The internet is a dangerous place and with the growing importance of mobile devices in our lives, it’s no surprise that Android has become a target for malware and viruses.

Avast’s mobile security software offers a comprehensive set of tools to keep your data safe.

From a virus scanner to a vulnerability scanner to identify possible weaknesses, Avast will keep you safe.

View on Google Play

Amaze File Manager

File management is an important part of any PC and the open-source Amaze File Manager comes with an impressive range of features for free without some of the bloat found in the now-removed EStrongs’ ES File Explorer.

Amaze File Manager packages a powerful file manager with whole host of other useful features such as an FTP server for easily transferring files to your Android box and an App Manager to allow you to back up your installed apps.

Whilst it does lack some of the fancier features of its competitors, it’s free and as useful as ever and is one of my must-have Android TV box apps.

View on Google Play

Are there any apps that should have made my best Android TV box apps list? Let me know in the comments!

The post Best Android TV Box Apps 2020: Our Top Picks appeared first on Home Theatre Life.

Media is the cornerstone of every good home theatre setup so making sure you’ve got the best DLNA media server at your disposal is important.

Over the years, you’ve probably amassed a collection of DVDs, movie files, photos and music. The next logical step is to start streaming media throughout your network and share it across your devices such as your HTPC, Android TV Box, or Smartphone.

To do that, you’ll need to get a DLNA media server. There’s a number of home media servers available which will do this either free or economically.

However, with all the options out there, it can be a challenge to find the best DLNA server software that meets your needs. We’ve pulled together a handy list of our favorites.

If you’re just wanting a quick solution, our pick for the best DLNA media server software of 2020 for most users is PlayOn.

Not only does PlayOn allow you to stream media using to DLNA-compatible devices, it’s also the only DLNA media server software to offer strong integration with streaming services like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu and more. You can find more about PlayOn over at their official site.

What Is DLNA? What does DLNA mean?

The Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) is the name of a non-profit organisation that controls the DLNA certification standard. The DLNA standard establishes how enables networked media devices to share data. This means that using DLNA-compliant devices means that you can easily share media. For example, you can stream music from your PC to your TV.

DLNA is often used interchangeably with Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) protocols. However, this is not accurate as DLNA enhanced the UPnP protocol with a focus on media.

Why Do I Need DLNA Media Server Software?

So now that you know about DLNA, you’re probably wondering why you need DLNA media server software. Basically, a media server lets you to share your movies, music and photos via the DLNA protocol.

This means that DLNA-compliant devices such as TVs, game consoles and media players can readily playback your media from your home media server over the network easily.

DLNA media servers often add additional functionality too, such as scraping metadata like movie covers and transcoding your video files to ensure playback on a wider variety of devices.

A Note about DLNA Compatibility

In the early days of DLNA, DLNA compatibility was hit and miss despite the standard being clearly defined. Certain DLNA clients such as Samsung TVs and game consoles didn’t follow the DLNA protocol and as a result, had issues playing back media from certain servers.

Thankfully, DLNA compatibility has improved significantly over time and you’ll rarely have any issues streaming from the below servers.

That said, if you have any issues streaming via the DLNA protocol, you may need to adjust some settings on your server to account for the problematic client.

Best DLNA Media Server Software 2020

So what’s the best home media server software out there? Luckily, we’ve pulled together a handy overview to help you pick the right DLNA server for you.

1. PlayOn (Windows)

PlayOn is easily the most feature-rich DLNA media server available and that’s why it’s made our Best DLNA Media Server Software list.

Aside from being able to stream your movies, music and photos from your PC to DLNA-compatible devices, PlayOn’s home media server software can also record from various sources, skip ads from recordings and more.

It’s also one of the few media servers that offers support for online streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu.

Those wanting to access their media on the go can either use the built-in web interface or PlayOn’s dedicated mobile apps on iOS and Android.

Check Out PlayOn

2. Jellyfin ( Windows/Mac/Linux)

Jellyfin is the youngest media server on this list but its multiplatform nature and comprehensive feature set have seen this media center solution rapidly grow in popularity.

Jellyfin aims to be a completely free alternative to popular media servers Plex and Emby. This makes it an attractive option for those frustrated with the increasingly commercial direction some of these platforms have taken.

It’s got native Jellyfin clients for a wide range of platforms including Android TV, Apple TV and Chrome with more under development so there’s a good chance your platform of choice is either already supported or will be supported soon.

Check Out Jellyfin

3. Plex (Windows/Mac/Linux)

Plex is well-known in the HTPC circles for its cross-platform compatibility, wide range of supported devices and ease-of setup. Plex is actually based on our favorite frontend Kodi/XBMC but has added a number of additional features such as a separate client/server setup, transcoding and metadata processing. Its comprehensive set of features has made it one of the most popular media servers out there.

Best of all, its free to share media on your local network, with Plex offering a paid Plex Pass to enable additional features such as cloud streaming and media syncing.

Check Out Plex

4. Serviio (Windows/Mac/Linux)

Serviio is a Java-based DLNA media server. Like the other home media servers in this list, Serviio lets you to stream your media files to DLNA-compliant devices on your home network.

There is also a paid Pro edition which enables additional features such as a web-based media player, support for the ServiiGo Android app for streaming media and more.

Check Out Serviio

5. Emby Server (Windows/Mac/Linux/NAS)

Emby Server is a relatively new DLNA media server that’s rapidly growing in popularity.

With an impressively comprehensive set of features including Live TV support, media management, and cloud sync, it’s not hard to see why Emby made my best home media center list.

However, like Plex, some of these features are locked behind a paid Emby Premiere licence that may put off some.

Some users have complained about buggy releases though an active community is seeing this improving with each release.

Check Out Emby

6. Universal Media Server (Windows/Mac/Linux)

Originally based on PS3 Media Server, Universal Media Server is a DLNA media server that has evolved into a project focusing on stability and file compatibility. This focus on stability and compatibility makes Universal Media Server the best open source media server available.

For those wanting an open-source option, Universal Media Server offers a number of remarkable features such as a web interface and subtitle integration.

Check Out Universal Media Server

7. PS3 Media Server (Windows/Mac/Linux)

Originally written for the PlayStation 3, PS3 Media Server expanded to support a range of other DLNA-compliant media devices such as TVs and smartphones.

However, as it hasn’t been updated in years, I wouldn’t recommend it unless any of the other recommended media servers didn’t work for you.

Check Out PS3 Media Server

How to Choose the Best Media Center Software

Choosing media server is like choosing any other gadget or software. The best media center software is heavily dependent on what features you’re after.

When choosing which is the best media center software for you, ask yourself three things:

• What type of media will you be using the most (e.g. videos or music)?
• What devices will you be using for streaming media?
• How complicated do you want it to be?

Whilst some home media servers are built for specific types of media, most users will want a media server that handles videos, music and photos for maximum flexibility.

Similarly, it’s important to be aware what devices you’ll be streaming media to as not all media servers offer high compatibility.

Lastly, you’ll need to decide how much fiddling are you willing to do. Do you want media server software that’s set and forget or do you want something to tinker with?

Things to Consider when Looking for the Best Media Server Software

Wide Compatibility/DLNA compliance

The best DLNA media servers follow the DLNA protocol carefully for maximum compatibility.

This means it should offer excellent compatibility with a wide range of DLNA-compatible devices including game consoles, Bluray players and Android TV boxes.

Wide Format Support

Whilst most video files are provided in a handful of popular formats like MP4, you’ll always come across at least one video encoded in a weird format.

When looking for media server software, you’ll want to ensure it offers support for a wide range of video formats to ensure it’ll handle everything you throw at it.

Furthermore, you’ll want the media server to be able to stream not only video, but also music and photos for maximum flexibility.

Transcoding

Sometimes you’ll end up in situations where your device doesn’t support the video format that you’re wanting to stream. This is where transcoding steps in, re-encoding your media files on-the-fly into a compatible format your streaming media player can play.

Real-time transcoding is a relatively demanding task so you’ll want to ensure the NAS or PC you’re using to host your media server has enough grunt to handle it.

Some media servers also offer ahead-of-time transcoding, allowing you to pre-prepare compatible videos and reduce the demands on your system.

Metadata Scraping

You know when you fire up Kodi and it displays things like movie posters, plot summaries and more?

That’s metadata – bits of information about the media files that some media servers will store to enhance your experience.

Some media servers like PlayOn and Plex offer built-in metadata collection (known as scraping) so you’ll get an enhanced multimedia experience when using compatible apps.

Media Recording

Some media servers like PlayOn will allow you to stream live TV or connect to streaming services and allow you to record them so you can watch them later.

Web Interface and/or Dedicated Apps

Home media server software has long outgrown being simple software that just lets you stream movies and music using DLNA devices.

When deciding on home media software, if you don’t have a dedicated DLNA media player like an Android TV box, take note of DLNA servers that offer a web interface or dedicated mobile apps like PlayOn Media Server which can make accessing your media so much easier.

Best DLNA Media Server Software 2019: Conclusion

We’ve listed 7 great DLNA media servers that are ideal for streaming media around your home. However, finding the best DLNA server software for your needs really depends on the functionality you’re after.

PlayOn offers an impressive set of features, even allowing you to stream premium content from the likes of Netflix around your house. However, those on a tight budget or who only have local features could opt for some of the other DLNA media servers listed.

Time to get streaming!

Have a favorite? Got a suggestion that I’ve missed? Let me know in the comments below!

The post Best DLNA Media Server Software for Streaming Media in 2020 appeared first on Home Theatre Life.

Security is an important aspect of any modern home and cameras are an increasingly common element of a modern security system. However, most people don’t have the ability to run ethernet cables to everywhere they want cameras installed.

Enter the Soliom S70 wireless solar camera. Comprising of a wire-free camera with large solar panels results in a wireless camera system that can be mounted almost anywhere without the need of a dedicated hub. Is it any good? Let’s find out.

Soliom S70 Specifications and Features

Some of the Soliom S70 best features include:

• Wire-free installation for ultimate flexibility
• Free cloud storage for video recordings
• Solar panels automatically recharge the in-built battery, which means you won’t have to take it down as often to recharge it.

View Full Specifications

What’s in the Box?

Inside the box, there’s not much included:

• Soliom S70 Wire-free Solar Camera
• USB charging cable
• Outdoor mounting bracket
• English User Manual
• Security stickers
• Magnetic screwdriver
• Replacement screws
• Anchoring kit

I was impressed that Soliom included everything you need inside the box. Netgear’s Arlo sells the outdoor mount as a (pricy) addition despite being designed for outdoor installation.

Soliom S70 Review: Design & Features

The Soliom S70 is an interesting looking camera – at least out of the box. The large solar panels come out of the camera’s body like wings – giving it a “plane”-like appearance. This does make the camera significantly more obvious which could be a pro or con depending on your view.

The camera feels like its well-made, with an all-plastic construction.

The solar panels on the device are removeable using the included screwdriver if you don’t want to take advantage of the solar charging features.

Underneath the camera is a standard tripod mount and power button as well as a protective rubber flap. This hides the micro SD card slot and a reset button.

The fact that the power button is so accessible does feel like a design flaw. Whilst the camera should capture movement if someone approaches the camera, it wouldn’t be hard for someone to turn off afterwards the camera and miss anything else that happens.

As the camera uses wifi, it doesn’t need any hub to connect to your home network. This results in a simpler installation. However, you’ll need to make sure that the camera is within range of your wifi network. That being said, I found the reception is fine in my large single storey house.

Soliom S70 Review: Installation and Setup

The setup process of the Soliom S70 is straightforward as expected.

Simply turn on the camera and install the Soliom app from the app store. The Soliom app will guide you through the setup process which involves scanning the camera’s QR code and connecting to your wifi network.

To connecting the camera to your Wi-Fi network:

1. Download the Soliom app onto your smartphone. It’s available for iOS and Android
2. Place the smart bulb into pairing mode. It should do this automatically out of the box. Alternatively, this can be done pressing the reset button underneath the camera
3. Tap the “Add a device” button in the app and follow the Wizard which will walk you through selecting your wifi network and naming the camera.

You’ll need to set a password up for accessing your camera. This is probably the strangest thing about the Soliom camera as most wifi-enabled devices rely on you having an account with the company. However, Soliom only needs the camera’s ID from the QR code and a password to access it.

The app does seem to show you how many people are viewing the camera at once so you should be able to see if anyone unexpected is accessing it simultaneously.

It appears that only 2.4GHz Wi-Fi is supported, but there weren’t any issues with my mixed network.

Unfortunately, there’s no integration with digital assistants such as Alexa or Google Assistant but this is an issue with most security cameras.

Similarly, there’s no ONVIF support so you’ll need to use the camera’s app for everything rather than integrating it into your existing security system’s NVR.

Mounting the camera is straightforward. Simply attach the mount using the included mounting kit and thread on the camera to the tripod. You can use the locking ring to tighten the camera to the base.

Soliom S70 Review: Software/App

The Soliom S70 is controlled via its dedicated app. The app itself is functional but there’s quite a few quirks that result in a less-than-ideal user experience.

Here’s a few things you can do:

• Manage your Soliom Cameras: Add/remove Soliom cameras or share them with other users
• View the Live Camera Feed: Connect to the camera anywhere in the world and watch a live feed
• Play back and Manage Recordings: Recordings from the micro SD card or cloud storage can be viewed and managed.
• Update Firmware: The app notifies you if new firmware updates are available. There’s already been 2 firmware updates whilst I’ve been reviewing the camera.
• Adjust Settings: Adjust various camera settings including rotation, backlight compensation, status LED  and more.
• Capture photo and videos: Capture photos and videos from the camera

Viewing the camera is a straightforward experience. Tapping on the camera in the app will trigger the camera to connect. There’s a delay of around 10 seconds when accessing the camera via the app which is an annoyance but not a deal breaker. Here you can listen in or speak using the built-in speaker (with surprisingly clear audio).

Interestingly, I noticed that I had smoother video when not connected to the same wifi network which was unexpected as its usually the opposite case with other cameras I’ve tested such as the Yi Home Camera.

What I did find odd is that the app shows buttons for features not supported by the camera such as a patrol mode. This leads to a frustrating experience. I’d much prefer unsupported features be hidden like on Reolink’s excellent security camera app.

This odd experience extends to watching back events. When using Soliom’s free cloud storage, you can access a list of 8 second clips that were captured and uploaded to the cloud. Each is timestamped and you can view these events by date and download or delete them as needed.

However, if you’re wanting to keep things local by recording to the micro SD card, you can only view your recordings by scrolling through the timeline. This means that there’s no easy way of viewing events or downloading the clips to your phone aside from capturing the video as its being played back. This makes the micro SD card relatively useless as I had no way of easily getting the footage onto my phone before someone could take the unit along with the videos saved on the micro SD card. That said, the videos are saved as MP4s so I didn’t have any problems playing them back on VLC using my PC’s SD card reader.

The firmware update experience was a mixed bag. Whilst the app notified me that new firmware was available for the camera, it didn’t always download, and I had to reboot my phone to get it to start. Another time, I got a notification that the firmware update failed but logging into the camera shows it had been applied.

Soliom S70 Review: Performance and Image Quality

The Soliom S70 wireless camera generally did a good job during my testing. Whilst there’s a slight delay between detecting motion and starting recording, I didn’t have any issues with it dramatically missing the event – unlike I’ve experienced with Arlo’s cameras.

The IR motion detector is sensitive enough that I was able to capture movement easily (including the occasional false positive – though sensitivity can be tweaked in the app).

Image quality is ok for 1080p video but it is heavily compressed so you may have issues identifying faces in some situations depending on the lighting conditions. Night vision is impressive, offering plenty of illumination for a clear view.

Battery life has been impressive so far with only an initial charge required in a couple of months with regular daylight. The solar panels seem to be quite sensitive, with the app showing the camera charging even when under indirect light.

Soliom S70 Review: Smart Home Integrations

Unfortunately, there’s no way of integrating the Soliom S70 camera into your smart home setup as everything must be via their own app.

Verdict: Should You Buy the Soliom S70 Wirefree Security Camera?

The Soliom S70 wireless solar camera offers an interesting mix of features for a reasonable price and the fact that it can be recharged using solar power solves one of my biggest complaints with other wire-free setups such as Arlo.

That said, the solid hardware is let down by a poor software with an unintuitive app that offers plenty of functionality but is full of usability issues that make getting the most out of the camera much harder than it should be.

I’d recommend the Soliom S70 wireless solar camera if you’re looking for the following features:

• Wire-free 1080p camera with solar charging
• Simple installation

To find out more about Soliom S70 wireless solar camera and its capabilities, click here.

Soliom S70 Solar-Powered Security Camera

The Soliom S70 Solar-Powered Security Camera offers solid hardware that's let down by its software.

Design

7

Features

8

Performance

7

Usability

6

Value

7

Pros

No hub required

Solar panel means less frequent charging

Much cheaper than other wire-free options such as Arlo

Cons

App needs work

Delay when viewing cameras is frustrating

No idea how secure cloud storage is

7

The post Soliom S70 Solar-Powered Security Camera Review appeared first on Home Theatre Life.

Everyone loves the Amazon Fire TV and Fire Stick and it’s not hard to see why – there’s plenty of reasons to get one.

However, whilst the included Alexa voice remote covers 90% of your remote control needs, there’s times when you’ll want to hook up a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse to your Fire TV.

Adding an Amazon Fire TV Bluetooth keyboard is a great way to enhance your Fire TV experience, offering you improved control, faster text entry and more – particularly if you’re wanting to browse the web on your Firestick from the comfort of the couch or sideload apps not optimized for the Fire TV.

In this guide, I’ll show you how to pair Bluetooth Keyboard or Air mouse with your Fire TV or Fire Stick.

I’ll be using a Firestick and the Rii i8+ Mini Bluetooth keyboard and mouse combo as they make a great combination but you should be able to use most Bluetooth keyboards. You can check Amazon’s compatibility list for more info.

Best Bluetooth Keyboard for the Fire TV and Fire Stick: Rii i8+ Mini Bluetooth Keyboard and Mouse Combo

If you’re looking for a Amazon Fire TV Bluetooth keyboard/mouse combo, the Rii i8+ Mini is tan excellent choice and it’s my personal favorite for the Fire TV and Fire Stick.

It’s packed with features that make it an excellent companion for your Fire TV devices including:

• Bluetooth-compatible: The Fire Stick doesn’t come with a USB port, so you’re limited to using a Bluetooth keyboard remote. The Rii i8+ is one of the only Bluetooth-based keyboard remotes on the market.
• Compact design: The keyboard remote’s compact frame is only slightly bigger than a standard remote, making it easy to keep within reach.
• Full QWERTY Keyboard: Makes text input easy if you’re browsing the web or entering login information
• Multimedia Keys: Have simple media playback control at your fingertips with dedicated multimedia keys including play/pause and volume.
• Backlight: The built-in backlight makes it easy to use the keyboard in any light – perfect for the dim home theatre environment

Check Price at Amazon

How to Pair Bluetooth Keyboard with Fire TV or Firestick

Before We Start: Check Your Fire OS version

If you’re using a Firestick, you’ll need to ensure you’re running Fire OS 5 or later as this firmware update added support for Bluetooth devices such as headphones, remotes, keyboards and mice.

How to pair a Bluetooth Keyboard/Mouse with an Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick

• Go to the Settings tab on your Fire TV or Stick and select Controllers and Bluetooth Devices
• Click on Other Bluetooth Devices
• Click on Add Bluetooth Devices. Your Amazon Fire TV or Fire TV stick will scan for Bluetooth devices, showing a list of those that it finds.
• Put your Bluetooth keyboard or mouse into pairing mode to make it visible to your Fire TV or Firestick. This process differs depending on your Bluetooth device so I’d recommend reading your Bluetooth keyboard’s instruction manual. If you’re using our recommended Fire TV keyboard, the Rii i8+ Mini, you can press the dedicated Bluetooth pairing button to enter pairing mode.
• Select your Bluetooth device from the list to pair the Bluetooth keyboard to your Fire Stick. If you’re using the i8+ Mini, it’ll appear as “Input Device”. You might be asked to enter a code to complete the pairing process

You’ve now successfully paired your Bluetooth keyboard with your Fire TV or Firestick. Make sure that you test that your buttons work on the keyboard or mouse and get browsing!

How to Unpair a Fire Stick Remote or Other Bluetooth Accessory

If you’re wanting to unpair your Fire Stick remote, keyboard or other Bluetooth accessory, follow the below steps:

1. Turn off your Bluetooth keyboard or device
2. Go to the Settings tab on your Fire TV or Stick and select Controllers and Bluetooth Devices
3. Click on Other Bluetooth Devices
4. Highlight the device you’re wanting to disconnect and press the Menu button on your remote. Click Confirm to unpair the Bluetooth device from your Fire TV

Troubleshooting Bluetooth Devices on Fire TV

If you’re having trouble pairing your Bluetooth keyboard or mouse with your Fire TV or Fire Stick, there’s a few things you can do to troubleshoot:

• Check your Bluetooth device is compatible: Not all Bluetooth devices are compatible with Fire TV devices. Amazon publishes a basic compatibility list so this should be the first thing you check
• Make sure your Bluetooth device isn’t paired with other devices: Bluetooth devices can (usually) only be paired with one device at a time. Make sure your Bluetooth device is not currently paired with another device.
• Unpair Unused Bluetooth devices: Each Fire TV can be only be paired with 7 devices (including Alexa remotes) at a time. Whilst this should be plenty for most users, if you’ve hit this limit, your Fire TV device won’t pair with any other Bluetooth devices. If that’s the case, simply unpair any unused Bluetooth devices and follow the above steps to pair your keyboard or mouse.

How to Pair A Bluetooth Keyboard with A Fire TV or Fire Stick: Conclusion

Pairing up a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse with your Fire TV or Fire Stick is an excellent way to enhance your remote experience. It unlocks so many possibilities, including easier text entry when browsing the web or installing apps not optimized for TV use.

How was your experience pairing a Bluetooth keyboard with your Fire TV? What’s your favorite Bluetooth keyboard/mouse combo? Let me know in the comments!

The post How to Pair A Bluetooth Keyboard with A Fire TV or Fire Stick appeared first on Home Theatre Life.

There’s no doubt that smart home fever is rapidly taking over. From the convenience of being able to control your lights using just your voice to asking Google to read you the weather, smart home products are revolutionising how we live our lives.

The Zemismart smart downlight is a new Wi-Fi-controlled RGBW smart bulb that can be controlled via the Tuya app or your favourite digital assistant – whether you’re at home or away. Is it any good? Let’s find out.

Zemismart Smart Downlight Specifications and Features

Some of the Zemismart Smart Downlights best features includes:

• No hub required
• Dimmable light output
• Dedicated RGB and White LEDs
• Google Home/Alexa/IFTTT integration
• Australian Safety Certifications
• Controlled via the Tuya smartphone app

View Full Specifications

What’s in the Box?

Inside the box, there’s not much included:

• Zemismart Wi-Fi Downlight
• English User Manual

Zemismart Downlight Review: Design & Features

The Zemismart smart downlight looks like any other standard plug-in downlight. That’s a positive, as it blends in with your other non-smart bulbs for a consistent look.

The unit feels well made, with a plastic casing and strong metal retaining clips to keep the light in place when installed into your ceiling.

A translucent diffuser hides the LEDs, providing nice diffused light without obvious hotspots (at least on full brightness).

As a Wi-Fi-enabled bulb, the Zemismart downlight doesn’t need a hub to connect to your network. Everything is self-contained for a simpler install (though I won’t get into the Wi-Fi vs hub-based discussion here).

I’ve got the Australian model but Zemismart also sell versions for other countries.

One really important thing I need to call out for fellow Aussies is that the Zemismart smart Wi-Fi downlight appears to have appropriate safety approvals for legal use in Australia.

Australia has strict limits on what products we can use when it comes to plug in appliances, so this is a big deal.

Zemismart Downlight Review: Installation and Setup

Setting up the Zemismart Smart Downlight is straightforward.

If you’ve already got a plug-in downlight installed, it’s just a matter of removing the old downlight and plugging the new one into a standard power socket. If you’ve got hardwired downlights, you’ll need to get them replaced with a socket instead.

Zemismart recommends a 100mm cut out. However, a standard 90mm cut out should work fine as the rear of the unit is only 85mm in diameter.

Connecting the bulb to your Wi-Fi network is just as easy:

1. Download the Tuya app onto your smartphone. It’s available for iOS and Android
2. Create a Tuya account
3. Place the smart bulb into pairing mode. This can be done by turning it on and off 3 times until the light starts flashing.
4. Tap the “+” button in the top right and select Lighting>Lighting (Wi-Fi) and follow the set-up wizard

The whole process only takes about 2 minutes and I was ready to control the bulb through the app.

Just be aware that only 2.4GHz Wi-Fi is supported, though I didn’t have any issues on my mixed network but your mileage may vary.

Connecting the bulb up to Google Home/Alexa/IFTTT is just a matter of connecting your Tuya account to your digital assistant and you’ll be able to turn on the bulbs, change colours and more with just your voice.

However, Apple users are left out with no HomeKit support available out of the box.

Zemismart Downlight Review: Tuya App

You can’t really have a smart bulb without an app and the Zemismart bulb is no different. Everything is handled via the Tuya or Smart Life Apps.

I really liked that Zemismart didn’t bother rebadge the Tuya app like other companies as it means fewer apps to manage my smart home.

The Tuya app is comprehensive and I’ve covered most of its functionality in my Brilliant Smart Plug review.

However, here’s a few things you can do:

• Lighting Control: Switch between colour and white modes. Adjust brightness and saturation. Changing the state of lights is essentially instant.
• Scheduling: Set custom schedules for your lights to turn off at certain times and days of the week
• Automation: Set complex automations including turning lights on at sunset or triggering other Tuya devices when you turn on your smart bulb
• Animations: Set up to 8 animations, with control over colours, peed and more.
• Grouping: You can group multiple bulbs together and control them together, setting things such as brightness and colours simultaneously.

Control of the white LEDs is the weakest part. Here you have two sliders: brightness and colour temperature. However, Colour temperature is unintuitively controlled via percentage. I much prefer the explicit Kelvin approach used by LIFX.

Zemismart Downlight Review: Smart Home Integrations

As mentioned before, if you who use digital assistants, the Zemismart downlight can be connected to Alexa or Google Home by linking your Tuya account. This means you can change colours, set the brightness and more using your voice.

IFTTT is also supported via the Smart Life applet but there’s a pretty significant delay when triggered devices so I didn’t really use it.

For those of you who use the excellent Home Assistant (like me!), the Zemismart bulb will appear once you add the Tuya integration. Just be aware that at the time of writing, the Tuya integration only works when the bulb is in white mode.

Zemismart Downlight Review: Performance

Of course, the light output is the most important aspect of a lightbulb and it’s here the Zemismart smart downlight does a solid job.

The bulb is an RGBW downlight, so it features dedicated colour and white LEDs for improved light output (as some RGB lights use the RGB LEDs to produce white resulting in blueish whites).

In white mode, you get the ability to select the colour temperature (how “yellow” the light appears) from 2700-6500K as well as brightness.

Light output is good at around 800 lumens, which is the equivalent of around 60 watts.  However, I found that the “warm white” is a little too cool, with is lacking the warm yellow tones of my other warm white bulbs.

The RGB mode is easily the Zemismart downlight’s strongest feature, with vibrant colours that provide some dramatic effects. It’s also impressively bright compared to other Tuya colour bulbs I own which tend to offer good white brightness but have significantly dimmer colour output.

Verdict: Should You Buy the Zemismart Smart Downlight?

The Zemismart downlight is an impressive smart light and one that I’m glad to have in my smart home. The bulb offers excellent brightness across both colours and whites, though it is a shame that the warm white isn’t warmer.

At around $25 USD with Australian safety approvals, the Zemismart Smart downlight is an excellent option for those wanting a smart downlight that doesn’t break the bank like pricier alternatives such as LIFX.

I’d recommend the Zemismart smart downlight for those wanting:

• Comprehensive integration options
• RGB and White lighting
• Google Home/Alexa/IFTTT integration

To find out more about Zemismart smart downlight and its features, click here.

Zemismart Downlight

At around $25 USD with Australian safety approvals, the Zemismart Smart downlight is an excellent option for those wanting a smart downlight that doesn’t break the bank like pricier alternatives such as LIFX.

Design

8

Features

8

Performance

8

Usability

9

Value

8.5

Pros

No hub required

Google Home/Alexa/IFTTT integration

Australian certifications

Cons

Warm White is too cool

No HomeKit support

Tuya integrations are via cloud which causes delays

8.3

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