Automated Home

Logitech have announced two new universla remotes.  The Logitech Harmony Ultimate is a £229 touchscreen and hard buttoned offering and the Logitech Harmony Smart Control at £109 provides a smartphone interface to your home cinema and other equipment   Both units employ the new Harmony Hub.  Check out the videos below… Today, Logitech announced the expansion of its Harmony [...]

Control4 have announced a new Lithium-Polymer rechargeable battery and recharging cradle for their SR-150 and SR-250 System Remote Controls.  The ‘Remote Recharging Station’ will be available in April 2013 for $130 from Control4 dealers.  Check out the video and PR below… Control4, a leading innovator in IP-based residential and light commercial automation systems, announced today a new Recharging [...]

Los Angeles startup Tetherboard created lots of interest at CES last month with their new remote control device.  Tethercell adopts the form factor of an AA battery and contains Bluetooth 4.0 powered electronics that allow it to make any battery powered device remote controllable. Enough space is left over to insert a AAA battery to replace power [...]

This new video from the guys at OpenRemote demonstrates an integrated home automation scenario controlled by their open source software. They’ve created and integrated four different application areas: lighting, climate, entertainment and a security tab dubbed ‘peace of mind’.  Check out the video below The lighting application is based on Z-wave switches and allows lights control based [...]

Logitech have launched their the new Harmony Touch universal remote control.  Check out the video below where Ian Crowe, senior manager of the Harmony portfolio, introduces the newest member of the Logitech Harmony line of remote controls, showing the colour  touch screen and gesture based controls.  The Harmony Touch is on sale now for around £150 Advanced [...]

Loxone have launched a new IR Extension device that sits in the consumer unit, like its Miniserver, which talks to up to 8 infra-red modules, that can be distributed throughout your home automation system. The IR-module and 1 pair of transmitters as a set are €199 and then further modules (up to 8 per extension) [...]

Crestron’s new UFO-WPR-3ER waterproof wireless LCD remote has landed. This floating wonder is just the job for controlling your entire home automation system while relaxing in your infinity pool or hot tub. “Outdoor entertainment is making a splash with the introduction of the Crestron UFO Waterproof Remote Control. Relaxing in the hot tub or taking [...]

Here’s a new device that will be a boon to custom installers and DIY home automators alike.  The Keene Eye Routing Commander (or KERC for short) is a device that allows multiple Sky tuners in the same location – perhaps a cabinet or 19″ rack – to be controlled individually. “KERC – Achieve independent control [...]

Here’s a two-part video demo showing an OpenRemote setup controlling a Z-Wave home automation system – “In this video, Marcus Redeker shows OpenRemote controller with an iPhone user interface controlling Z-Wave enabled hardware — door sensor, light and dimmer and a motion sensor.  The Z-Wave hardware is controlled via an IP-to-ZWave gateway from HomeScenario.  OpenRemote [...]

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 [...]