Podcast #1139: Top Streaming Programs and Fun Automations

On this week's show we run down the top ten streaming shows of 2023 and give you ten cool automations for your home. We also read your email and take a look at the week's news.

News:

• Amazon Denies Report Saying Freevee Is Shutting Down
• Sports Big Influence in Viewers' Platform Choice
• Get Ready for Another Netflix Price Hike This Year, Analyst Says

Other:

• What REALLY Happens Backstage in Live Broadcasts - INSANE Adrenaline!

10 most streamed shows of 2023 According to Neilson

Here are the 10 most streamed shows of 2023, according to Neilson, along with how many minutes that it's been watched last year:

10) "Supernatural": 22.8 billion minutes

9) "Heartland": 22.8 billion minutes

8) "Friends": 25 billion minutes

7) "Gilmore Girls": 25.2 billion minutes

6) "The Big Bang Theory": 27.8 billion minutes

5) "Cocomelon": 36.3 billion minutes

4) "Grey's Anatomy": 38.6 billion minutes

3) "NCIS": 39.4 billion minutes

2) "Bluey": 43.9 billion minutes

1) "Suits": 57.7 billion minutes viewed

When it comes to original streaming shows, "Ted Lasso" topped the list with an impressive — but notably lesser — 16.9 billion minutes viewed. No other original streaming show cracked 15 billion minutes viewed last year.

When it comes to streaming movies, Disney's 2016 hit "Moana" topped viewership minutes with 11.6 billion minutes viewed. No other streaming movie topped 10 billion minutes viewed.

Combining the total viewership minutes of "Ted Lasso" and "Moana" brings you to 28.5 billion. That's less than half the total minutes viewed of "Suits," a show that ended nearly four years ago.

Ten Cool Home Automations

Home automation has come such a long way since the Insteon X10 systems of the 1980s and 1990s. Today there are numerous systems available and just about all of us have some form of automation that we use daily. We pulled together 10 cool automation routines that you may want to try yourself.

1. Have your lights slowly dim just before bedtime. I was a skeptic when I saw this as an option but when I go to bed I do some reading and having the lights dim as I do is a nice way to doze off. I started out with the dimming taking 10 minutes. I liked it so much I now start it a full 30 minutes before my "official" bedtime.
2. Set the lights to randomly flash to make it appear as if you're home when away. We all have lights that turn on automatically. This takes it to the next level. You could define a set of routines that only work when you set a "Vacation Mode" on your system. Set up different ones for each day of the week.
3. Flash your lights when your doorbell rings. This is handy if you are out in the garage, basement, or any other room where you can't hear the doorbell. Comes in handy if you are blasting music. For bonus points you can have your wireless speakers play Men at Work's Who Can it Be Now.
4. Create individual access codes for kids, guests, and extended family members. Then, get a phone notification when specific people arrive home.
5. Have a certain song play out your speakers when certain people arrive. Just like walk up music for baseball. It's fun and you know who just walked in or opened the garage.
6. Install a sensor on or inside your mailbox that alerts you when your mail has arrived/been picked up. I also set a virtual light switch that gets set to on when the sensor goes off. That way if I miss the actual notification I can see that the virtual light is on in my automation app. I clear it when I get the mail.
7. One button press turns on all lighting for a given room, floor or entire house. Great for when you are walking into a dark house or to scare away someone who should not be there.
8. At night, when motion is sensed, ramp lights to 15% (just enough light to see, not to be blinded).
9. Set your door to automatically lock after a set amount of time has passed. With most smart locks, you can pick intervals between 30 seconds and one hour long.
10. Dinner Bell. Set an automation tied to a button that plays a dinner bell through your wireless speakers that dinner is ready. Can also just send out a notification if people are outside.