Powerline adapters have been around for a while. They provide a great way to add an Ethernet socket to locations where running a network cable would be impractical. Now UK tech start-up company, Power Ethernet, has launched the ‘PE Socket, the first product to integrate Powerline networking technology directly into an electrical outlet. Check out the video after the jump...
We love a good hardware hack and here's a great one from Automated Home reader Martin Howell. A Velleman IR kit plus a makeup mirror and some Arduino jiggery-pokery allows Martin's home to let him know when there's something in his mail box on the gatepost...
Our American readers will soon be able to enjoy AlertMe's wireless home automation technology after they just announced a strategic partnership with the huge American retailer - Lowe's. The home improvement company's new 'Iris' service will be based on the AlertMe hub and give users to monitor and control their thermostats, smart plugs, lighting, door locks, motion and contact sensors from their smartphones...
Almost 4 years ago we ran an article on the news that 220v Insteon was coming to the UK and Europe. For one reason or another this didn't happen but today we're delighted to be the first blog to be given the exclusive news direct from Joe Dada that "The long wait is near its end." We can confirm European spec Insteon units are already in use on trials and they will ship in 2012....
One of the most common questions we've heard over the years on Automated Home is how can I control my heating when I'm away from my house or holiday home. Well here's a really interesting new product that offers a solution at a price that's more more affordable than the systems we've looked at in the past. We talked to the guys at VVS Technologies about their new heating to cellular interface hardware called 'HeatSlave'...
Here's an interesting little box from Keene Electronics. The AU-11CA HDMI Audio Embedder will inject an external audio signal into your HDMI cable. Some systems don't include digial audio over HDMI, as any owner of a Sky+ box knows. So using this device you can free up a digital audio input on your AV amp by injecting the audio right into the HDMI...
The Apple Mac mini continues to provide server duties for many homes, and now OSX Lion Server is even easier than ever to install and use. Here's a neat 1U hight rackmount enclosure for either one or two minis side-by-side...
Here's a neat little mount that has moved from a Kickstart project to become a real world product. The $30 patent-pending TotalMount Apple TV Bracket provides 3 different mounting options for hiding your Apple TV 2 behind your flat screen telly. Check out the video after the jump...
Many home automators have legacy systems linking to external control hardware via RS232. As times and (OS's) have moved on many if us that ran multiple PCs have consolidated then into a single unit to ease management and running costs (as electricity prices have soared). Virtualisation is another hot topic and moving to USB eases the pain with the move considerably. Best of all the USB 2.0 to 4 x RS-232 ports is currently under £25 with the Dual channel version around £15...
Crestron has announced the release of its stylish new docking stations for both the iPad and the new, slimmer, iPad 2. The new docking stations turn the popular mobile tablets into either a tabletop or wall-mounted Crestron touch screen, incorporating Crestron’s mobile app for simple, intuitive control of the home, office and classroom....
Back in April ThinkFlood announced the RedEye Pro, their new 1U rackmount, Linux powered whole house IP / IR remote solution. Now Volutone have put together this video tour of the unit in operation. The system works with iOS devices, Android, PCs etc converting IP to IR and RS232 allowing you to control your home's AV, lighting music etc...
AMX have announced new Enova DGX 16 and 32 digital matrix switchers together with a new range of DXLink HDMI transmitters and receivers. AMX say they've “solved the HDCP nightmare for installers”, and the systems will transmit HDMI with HDCP signals, plus control, Ethernet and power up to 100 metres over one twisted pair cable. Check out the viceo after the jump...
Here's a quick video tour from a Savant powered custom smart home. The Apple Mac based systems on show include iPad gesture control, automated electric blinds and shades, powered TV lifts and lighting control. There's even a morning wake up routine that includes all of the above with music and the news headlines read to you in the bathroom!
We've brought you lots of different wall mount options for the iPad from cool motorised systems costing many hundreds of pounds to last months 'Pad Bracket' at under £25. Now here's an interesting if a little low-tech approach that will allow you to wall mount you iPad or Android tablet etc on the wall. The Hedgie iPad & Universal Tablet PC Mounting Solution is available now for around £8. Check out the video below...
Here's a new video tour of a 4,000 square foot, Control4 powered smart home at a golf resort near Dallas. Amongst the goodies on show are fireplaces, ceiling fans and thermostats all remotely controlled from touchscreens, keypads and iPads. There are multiple zones of audio and multiple TVs with DVRs for each family member. The front door bell pauses your movie and shows you a view from its cctv camera. A bedside keypad includes a 'Midnight' button to bring the lights up to a gentle 20% to guide you to the fridge for snack. As the owner arrives home a wave of his RFID fob immediately puts the home into his personal setting, lighting chosen rooms at certain levels, turning the TVs to the sports channel, and the audio to his favourite music...
Crestron have announced their third generation digital AV network technology. The system will distribute any mix of digital and analogue AV signals over a single cable. That means uncompressed 1080p HD video, 3D video, and high-definition computer signals, plus HD digital audio, control, data, and Ethernet and even 4K video in the future...
Our friends at 'Brilliant' were recently invited to participate in the Multiflight / JCT600 event at Multiflight's HQ at Leeds / Bradford Airport. Rising to the challenge they built a state-of-the-art 8 seater home cinema on site in just 48 hours. Fast cars, Executive Jets, Helicopters and Home Cinema all under one roof - now that's our kind of event! Read on for the details and link to the rest of the photos...
Whether you're an off the grid environmentalist or just want to retro-fit electric blinds where there's no power outlet, then this new system from BTX may be for you. Described as the first ever solar powered roller blind system, the makers say it only requires around 2 hours per day of 'average sunlight' to trickle charge its batteries and keep it working. If you have lower light you can move the solar panel to a different position or link multiple panels too, Check out the video of the patent pending system below...
For whatever reason many manufactures don't seem to think people put even a 32" HD TV in their bedrooms these days. We've seen many flat-screens with a huge range of inputs but missing a vital headphone socket. Many insomniacs rely on their wireless headphones to maintain marital bliss in the bedroom and so this can be quite a problem. After being called in to look at just this situation for a family member it turns out there's a simple, effective and inexpensive solution...
Karen Flear, a property developer from Manchester, has recently completed her own stunning three bedroom detached home on the site of an on old coach house in a leafy location a couple of miles south of the City Centre. Recently featured on ITV’s May the Best House Win, this architect designed property has been meticulously finished by Karen and her builders Cateaton Ltd, in conjunction with Smart Home technology specialists Morban Ltd, to create a bright, energy efficient, contemporary living experience that is enhanced by a Philips Dynalite lighting control system that ensures the mood is always right, a central, Opus Technologies entertainments hub that distributes TV and audiophile quality sounds around the home, and a custom installed Morban Duet heating interface that helps to keep energy consumption under control whilst keeping the place cosy and comfortable...
We all know how great an iPad looks mounted on a wall and it's a peach of a home automation touchscreen controller. We've covered plenty of wall mounting systems already but most have brought groans of pain when we reached the price part of the PR. He's a new solution, that may not be the prettiest or the highest of tech, but it's refreshingly inexpensive. Check out the video after the jump...
This one definitely appeals to our gadget lust, even though we're not quite sure what it's for. The motorised kitchen island is raised into place using a hydraulic scissor lift that's triggered from an iPhone app controlling an Insteon switch. Here's the video of it in action...
Automated Home readers have long followed (and installed) the Clipsal C-Bus system. Here's an interesting video tour around the home of Kevin O'Connor (CIO at Paddy Power bookmakers), showing the £200K C-Bus based system he installed as part of a recent £1M renovation project...
A very cool video tour of of the Savant Experience Centre in New York City with CEO and founder of Savant, Bob Madonna. Savant has constructed this 8000 square foot living space to showcase their Apple based home automation system. The video includes demo's of lighting and AV control from the iPad and iPhone as well as touchscreen TVs and back projection screen. There's even talk of 50 mac minis powering one installation! Watch and drool...
This months "My Automated Home" feature is from Keyvan Rahimian who shows us around his DIY IPad based home automation set-up. The system uses an impressively professional looking visual interface in conjunction with with a hardware Ethernet to IR gateway from Global Cache to control his AV and Sonos whole house audio systems...
Home owner Julian Stone chats about the extensive refurbishment of his waterfront property that has been extended twice in previous centuries. He talks about how he came to choose the WebBrick smart home system and how it integrates the various control systems in his home, as well as how it fits into family life.
Vogel are an innovative company making quality designed and manufactured products, indeed we use one of the Vogel Mounts in the Automated Home to hang our projector from the ceiling. Their latest creation is a clever iPad case with accessories like the 'WallMount' that allow the Apple tablet to be, you guessed it, wall mounted in your house, yet easily removed and attachment in your car instead with the 'CarMount'. The 'Mount & Cover' system offers a third attachment - "TableStand' for landscape and portrait free-standing use. The system should be available later this month, for now check out the rest of the videos and photo below...
The guys over at CyberSelect sent us some info on this beautiful wall mount dock for the Apple iPad. The powered unit charges the Cupertino tablet and creates an in-wall touch panel to rival the top home automation systems. The motorised slot tilts forward by 20° to allow you to remove the iPad too. Several additions to the range are due before the end of this year including one with a composite output and another in landscape format. Read on for the details and specs...
Wi-Fi network coverage is rapidly moving towards becoming a human right, rather than just a nice thing to have. In the custom installer world that means multiple wireless access points, that must be neatly installed and provide a good coverage. At last weeks CEDIA show Pakedge revealed a new in-ceiling WAP design that claims many firsts...
This months 'My Automated Home' comes from Delmar Fadden, a man that's no stranger to electronics. As a retired avionics and flight deck engineer he's spent a lifetime at the sharp end of control systems. Now with a passion for home automation, he takes us on a tour of his Seattle smart home system which runs on ECS...
We've just learnt that Cytech are doing a special deal on training. For a limited time, if you buy the Comfort Evaluation Kit they will provide their excellent two-day training course free of charge (excluding accommodation). The next course is scheduled on 21st and 22nd September 2010 at the Touchbase Meetng Centre at the Premier Inn Heathrow. The Evaluation Kit comprises of a Comfort panel plus KP04, RC01, DP03, RGR04, UCM, SCS/Esprit, and the Comfigurator software. Read on for all the details...
In the latest of our 'My Automated Home' series, Martyn Wendon shows us round the four Nodes of his smart home set-up. Covering a decade of his retro-fitted tech, the sub systems are plentiful and include lighting, heating, AV, CCTV, utility monitoring, xAP, xPL, 1Wire, HomeEasy, RFXCom, X10, Z-Wave and more!. So grab a coffee, sit back and geek out..
Savant are building a reputation with their ROSIE system which offers control, automation and entertainment around the home. A company building home automation products on the Apple platform, it's no big surprise they (like many others) have already lept on the iPad to utilise its smart home potential. They've just released two new iPad docks, one a desktop unit, the other for mounting the tablet on the wall. Full details in the PR after the jump...
Here's a useful little device for your smart home set-up. An Ethernet bridge that allows you to connect your USB devices at any remote location on your LAN. The interface has 2 x USB 2.0 ports and a gigabit Ethernet socket. It's compatible with Windows and Mac and allows you to connect up to 15 devices (using a hub) and can be managed and configured using its browser interface. Its perfect if you are using USB based I/O interface or sensors and would be especially useful if you are running your home automation server on a virtual machine. the Silex SX-3000GB is around £100, checkout the video after the jump...
In the second of our new "My Automated Home" series, Richard Farthing takes us on a tour of his Green Open Source House. On a budget of less than £600 the Linux setup looks after property whilst keeping an eye on the carbon footprint too. Read on for the free software recommendations, the Joggler photos, tips, the what he'd do differently next time and the what's coming next...
Taptile is a new touch based wireless lighting system for bathrooms, kitchens and wet rooms. Its makers say it's 100% waterproof and safe to use throughout wet environments (it can even be used in a shower). Taptile allows control of up to 3 lighting circuits on several programmable preset 'buttons'. You touch an area of your tiles beside your bath, for example, to initiate a relaxing mood lighting scene. Prices start around £65, watch the video after the jump...
A few days ago we had a 27 minute power outage during a lightning storm near the Automated Home. Not an unusual occurrence in itself - but this one was to be more significant. After a few days of wailing and nashing of teeth here are the lessons learnt and why we now have an in-expensive but effective UPS on our server...
The new RS 485 RTS transmitter brings wireless control of Somfy powered blinds, curtains, screens and lifts to your home automation set-up. With drivers already available to interface to Crestron, AMX and Control 4 smart home systems, the unit is capable of managing up to 16 groups or individual blinds. Read on for the full PR...
Want to make that $500 iPad look more like a $5,000 AMX touch screen Home Automation controller? Take a look at the new wall mounting 'iBracket' from Gravity Switch. Available in a range of 14 colours (including polished anodized aluminum) the standard unit costs $349. The 'Gallery' model pictured comes with 4 built in speakers and is $399...
Here's a handy little fella - the PB-PSR Power Sensor Relay from Polar Bear Solutions (the people that brought us the in-wall dock for the Pronto TSU9600). The 110v / 230v module has a multitude of applications with many installers using it for resetting Sky boxes, as well as managing power saving by controlling the equipment in your AV rack for example...
Automated Home reader and contributor Ant Skelton takes us on a tale of intrigue, mystery love and automation as he installs a microchip controlled pet access system. Read on for the CCTV hilarity as the local feral population's attempts to break and enter are foiled once and for all...
AlertMe started life as a security company, offering their on-line wireless alarm system. Now it's clear from the very front page of their website that they are focussing their future on Energy monitoring. They've employed their Zigbee technology, already refined in their security product, to create their latest offering - AlertMe Energy - a £49 hardware package along with a subscription to a monitoring service. So, does it live up to the promise and can you really save money using the system....?
Plex + Indigo + Harmony Remote = Home Automation Bliss Why do it? About a year ago, I decided to take the home automation plunge and sought out ways to automate my home's lighting, entertainment and HVAC systems. After doing a good deal of research, I concluded that the most cost-effective and flexible solution would be to utilitze Perceptive Automationís Indigo software and Smarthome's Insteon modules for the lighting and HVAC.
Once I installed all the Insteon devices (which also included a garage door opener), I installed the Indigo software on an iMac in my study, connected the iMac to the Insteon adapter which plugs into the wall and my home automation dreams were off and running...
The UBL-MMR from Mk1 Studio is a 19 inch rackMount Shelf for your Mac mini server. Automated Home reader Ben McCormack reviews the hardware and shows us more photos of his home automation rack project...
We just spotted this video taken late last year on the Home Depot Smart Home, a live-in research laboratory operated by Duke's Pratt School of Engineering.
There's been lots of interest in the e-Home Automation smart house we featured from from last weeks Gadget Show. We asked e-Home to give us some details of the systems employed in the project and they've kindly submitted a case study of their install. Read on for all the behind the scenes info and photos on this £25,000 system...
Brilliant Living is one of the UKs premier Integrators and we've featured them before on Automated Home (from the SmartHome Shows of 2007 and 2008). Run by husband and wife team - Iain and Melanie Shaw - Brilliant Living has just been featured in Business Link Yorkshire and because of that we get a chance to see around the high end headquarters of their custom installation business, complete with AMX touchscreen setup...
Here's one Automated Home readers account of how he powers various systems around his home from special UPS supplied sockets. This allows him to keep not only his PCs up during power outages, but also his Home Cinema System, TVs, Phones etc...
Here's a set of three videos from Custom Controls showing recent integration projects for smart home lighting and security systems as well as the Spotify streaming music service. Watch the other two videos after the jump...
Using a Crestron touchpanel to select mood lighting scenes as part of a Crestron Greenlight system. Also shows how easy it is to create custom mood lighting scenes and instantly recall at the touch of a button.
