Here is a run down of what home automation does in my house.

1. Provide audible reminders for tasks that need to be done, this includes the children having their bath at the right time, leaving home for school on time and me leaving for work on time.

2. Audible notification of emails to the accounts of my wife and I.

3. Switch off electrical appliances in living room when home is un-occupied or we go to bed.

4. Automatically turn on lights in the hallways at night on detection of motion.

5. Provide audible weather reports in the morning before I leave for work.

6. Allow me arm chair remote control of the living room, study, hallway lights.

The following are features that I would like to add when I get the time and money.

1. Connect the heating system to my home automation.

2. Automate the lights in the kitchen.

3. Install an alarm system that also allows some control of my lights via X10, will also have telephone interface so I can be notified of events as well as use phone to control security and home appliances.

4. Interface phone to TV, so I can display caller ID on screen.

5. Install CCTV system with remote web access as well as automatic motion recording both locally and to a remote location.

6. Smart phone access to home automation and security system via GPRS network.

7. Connect home automation system to HTPC when I get one.

If you had read my accounts of home automation in my previous posts Home Automation and Home Automation II, you could be forgiven if you thought I was day dreaming, those accounts were true events that actually take place in my home, the only fictional part was the names used, which were changed to protect the identity of my family.

I currently have a X10 based home automation system controlled by a windows PC running MisterHouse.

X10 is a cheap system to implement, but more importantly it is very easy to retro fit to a house, so removes the need for expensive home redecoration or rewiring.
I chose MisterHouse home automation software because I'm a geek, and it can control almost anything with the right interface, is open source and has a large developer base which means if anything is missing, it is not long before someone will add it once a request has been made.

Home Automation is not as complex or expensive as you think, X10 and Misterhouse make it very affordable.

In my first post about home automation, I started sharing my thoughts about what images the word automating a house conjured in my mind.

In this post, I will conclude sharing those thoughts, and look at home automation in my home.

It is 12:00 noon at home, my wife who works from home is busy in the house somewhere, a voice is heard in the study and the hallway 'Grace you have 3 new email messages', the voice then goes on to read the addresses that have sent the email messages. My wife can use the information to decide if there are any urgent emails she needs to check even if she is not on the computer.

A few hours have passed, that voice again 'Grace you have 15 minutes to pick up Tina from school'.

Its 6:00pm, I'm just leaving work, back at home, that voice announces to my wife the latest emails she has in her in box.

At 7:00pm, I open the front door, as it is winter, it is already dark, I enter the hallway, the hallway light automatically comes on, with the light on the landing at the top of the stairs also coming on. I put down my briefcase, take off my shoes and crash on the couch in the leaving room.

2 minutes after I had opened the door, the lights on the landing automatically switch off, followed 3 minutes later by the hallway light.

At 8:00pm my older daughter gets a verbal reminder by that voice to have her bath before going to bed, while I ask my younger daughter to go put her pyjamas on and I take her to bed. By 9:00pm my wife and I have the house to ourselves.

At 10:40pm the voice announces 'Misterhouse is going to bed, goodnight', we decide we are having an early night too so walk up the flight of stairs but forget to switch off the study light. One hour 26 minutes after we went upstairs, a voice announces on the study PC 'all systems will go off in 4 minutes', 4 minutes later, all power is cut to the entertainment cabinet and the light we forgot to turn off goes of too.

This is home automation at its best with control by Misterhouse software.

In my last post I gave my views on the Home Theatre PC. In this post, I will continue with a few solutions for those who want to buy off the shelf, some pointers for those who would like to go the 'Do it yourself' route, and discuss my current plans for my HTPC.

In the UK there are numerous companies that provide off the shelf HTPC solutions, a google search will provide you a list from which you should be able to find one that will be able to supply a PC that should suit your taste and budget. While most off the shelf solutions will be able to supply PCs in different cases, and specifications they usually supply Windows Media Centre as the operating system/software for HTPC operations.

There is nothing wrong with Windows Media Centre, and for the majority of people it is more than enough for their needs. There are two flaws with MCE as far as I'm concerned, it is limited when it comes to customising it to one's individual use, and currently it only supports 2 TV cards and these have to the same platform (i.e. 2 digital or 2 analogue), you can not thus combine Freeview TV with your SKY digibox. If you are interested in using an alternative software solution check with the supplier, as some do install alternative media software, with a least one offering Linux as the operating system.

If you want to go down the DIY route, visit Quiet PC for articles and components that would help reduce computer noise as you want your HTPC to not only be pleasing to the eye but also silent and non distracting in the living room.
There are many barebones PC manufacturers to choose from, Shuttle, ASUS, with the remaining components available from the normal PC component outlets. For operating systems, the usual choice is between Linux and Windows XP, both having proved to be very stable. For a list of HTPC components including software, click here.

For my system I have decided to use a Pundit-R barebones PC, operating system will be Windows XP and my software of choice is Media Portal.



I'm currently evaluating this on my home PC, and will give my impressions in a future post, you can also look forward to some posts when I start my HTPC build.

I'm thinking of getting a Home Theatre PC to replace my home entertainment equipment in the living room. A few years ago if you mentioned having a PC in the living room, you would not only be called a geek, but you would be asking for trouble from your spouse. A lot of things have changed, and now even though not very common it is becoming acceptable to have PCs in the living room.

So why use a HTPC to replace the normal entertainment equipment in the living room. With the advent of the digital revolution, it now makes sense to have everything in one place Music, DVD, TV, Pictures, Internet News, Weather Info, the list could go on. If enough storage is built into the system, you could get rid of those disgusting CD/DVD racks and have arm chair access to your whole Music/Film collection, flick easily between live TV and the internet checking the latest travel info or watch a slideshow of photos from your last holiday while listening to some cool jazz.

There are two main requirements for a HTPC.

The first being suitable hardware that wouldn't look out of place in the living room.
The second is a robust operating system running the necessary software to emulate all the devices that it would be replacing.

For non-technical end users, the easiest approach is usually to buy an off the shelf HTPC, these are available for a high premium, and can be tailored to your own specifications.

If however you are computer savvy and don't mind getting your hands dirty, then you can buy all the parts individually and build a system totally tailored to your specifications and at a much more modest price.

In my next post, I'll talk about some hardware/software solutions and what I'm planning to build for my system.

What images do the words Home Automation conjure in your mind? A home filled with robots and talking computers or even something more sinister?

For me it looks like this:

I'm in bed enjoying a snooze and hear a female voice in the corridor announce 'Good Morning people, rise and shine this is the day the lord has made', I roll out of bed, glance at the bedside radio clock the time is 07:45am exactly. I walk down a flight of stairs wake up my children who always ignore the wake up call. As my children walk down the second flight of stairs, they hear a click in the living room as power automatically is switched on to the entertainment cabinet by misterhouse, another click in the dinning area confirms the TV and Video in that area are switched having been off through out the night (why waste electricity powering those appliances in standby mode while we sleep?).

I have a shower (we do that in the morning right?), get dressed and go down to the dining room where I make sure the kids finish off their breakfast and get ready for school.

I grab a breakfast bar or toast and some juice and make my packed sandwiches for lunch, an automated voice in the entrance hall announces 'Please standby for the weather report', the voice then continues to read the weather, no need for a coat today, its going to be 28 degrees Celsius and dry, I glance at the clock on the wall in the kitchen, it's 08:30am.

I check on my younger daughter who I have to take to school, get her dressed, meanwhile in the hall that voice again 'Angela time to leave for school' that is the first warning for my older daughter who goes to school by herself to finish off whatever she is doing and leave for school, my wrist watch shows the time as 08:45.

Tina my younger daughter walks down the stairs, I'm putting my lunch box in my briefcase, 'Attention Please', Angela zooms past me, the front door slams shut, 'Angela leave for school now!, Tina you have to go to school too come on!', Tina was miming the last words as I grab her hand say good bye to my wife and walk out the front door, the time is 08:50 am.

Home Automation 2 coming soon!

In my Flat Panel TV post I mentioned SKY's HD service, well it seems that the BBC is teaming up with SKY to provide a HD service according to an article in The Times newspaper.

The article goes on to suggest SKY is gearing up for a major marketing campaign to promote this service and increase its share of the UK Digital TV market.

Well as I said in my earlier post, a point re-iterated by The Times article there will be a limited HD program content initially, but more importantly not all those who have already bought a Flat Panel TV will be able to benefit from the service, so when those Adverts start rolling, think twice before you commit yourself to a high definition service that you can't fully enjoy or don't have enough programmes on.

I mentioned in my samsung DVD player that I'm thinking of getting a Flat Panel TV to which I intend connecting a Home Theatre PC.

So while I save my 50 cent up for the purchase, I thought I'd share my thoughts about what technology I'm going for. If you want to make your own decision or want to see the LCD vs Plasma debate, then there is plenty of information on the internet.

I'm going for a LCD Flat Panel TV for the following reasons:

LCD uses much less electricity and runs cooler (we should take care of our planet).

LCD TVs are lighter and thus easier to handle and less fragile.

LCD technology has virtually caught up with Plasma in terms of picture quality, and while Plasma provides a much smoother picture for fast moving action (eg sports), LCD technology is not far behind and products from some of the major brands are very good.

The screen size I require is only available for Flat Panel LCD TVs.

Having said that, all I now need is the money, and a 32" LCD TV will be replacing my old 28" widescreen CRT TV.

I haven't got an exact model in mind yet (specifications change frequently), and by the time I'm ready, there might be something better or more affordable on the market.

What do I expect from a LCD TV?

It has to be HD capable, so screen resolution of 1366 x 768 or better.

Have both VGA and DVI connectors. HDMI, is not important for me (at this moment), as I don't intend lining SKY's pocket with my money for their HD service.

It must support RGB over Scart for best picture quality from my SKY digibox.

More Reading
AVForums

Have you ever thought how dependent we are on technology at home? Recently our DECT phone became faulty, and we had to plug in a corded phone to receive and make calls. Quite a few calls went un-answered because we were either too lazy to pickup the phone or we did not want to be tied down to the phone point as the ability to roam and talk was not available on the corded phone, something we never had to worry about with our DECT phone.

In digital cameras, I mentioned the fact that almost all home technology is now digital, and the humble telephone has not escaped either. Gone are the days when it took over a minute for a call to be made (remember those phones with the dials, the clicking on the line as the analogue relays on the phone exchanges switched the call?), now with a press of a button, a couple of tones and the phone is ringing at the other end, all thanks to the DECT phone.

So why get a DECT phone?

Quality of calls are excellent, just as good as a corded phone.

Digital technology used on DECT phones means your calls are secure and can not be intercepted by the local radio enthusiast as used to be the case with the analogue cordless phones.

The ability to use multiple handsets means you can transfer calls between DECT handsets as well as make internal calls between handsets, very useful if you live in a multi-level house as you can answer the phone, find out the call is not for you, put the caller on hold and transfer to your teenage daughter's room or call your spouse in the kitchen from the study and whisper sweet nothings into her ear while your son chats to his friend next door using the external line.

Most DECT phones on the current market have LCD displays and thus can display Caller ID if enabled on your line by your phone provider, allowing you to check who is calling before answering and if appropriate you can greet them with 'Hello Dave'.

Note: From 1st July 2005 CallerID is free to BT customers who make at least one call a month through them if you join the BT Privacy program. If you currently pay for CallerID as a BT customer, call them up and change over, as they don't switch you automatically.

Links
Something to do with a DECT phone.

Apple revolutionised the portable MP3 player industry with the introduction of the Ipod, and today the majority of the people I see listening to music while on the London Underground are using an MP3 player of some sort, with the Ipod being in the majority.

While most mp3 players are probably used to listen to music, a trend that seems to be gaining momentum on the internet at the moment is Podcasting. Due to the large storage capacity of a MP3 player, this could be a very useful tool in distance learning, where lectures can be podcast, and the subscriber downloads them as they become available and listens to them in their own time. The most popular use of podcasts at the moment seems to be audio blogs and individual radio shows,has even been a podcast from space.

I currently don't have a MP3 player as I don't like the thought of isolating myself while travelling on public transport, something I've never been comfortable with long before the London Bombings, however if I do get one, it would probably be used as a portable mass storage device rather than a music player.

If you are thinking of get a MP3 player, then do shop around, and also remember Apple iPods are not the only MP3 player around, other consumer electronic manufactures have their own gadgets as well.

One point that also needs to be noted is that you need a PC to download music to your MP3, so if you are buying it as present, make sure the recipient has a PC or access to one.

Links

Dixons one of the UK's largest retailers of home consumer products/gadgets today announced they will no longer stock 35mm cameras as they now wanted to concentrate on Digital Cameras only.

This further shows that the Digital gadgets revolution has almost conquered the average UK home.

First it was the CD, now it includes the DVD and MP3 player, Digital camera, camcorder, TV and Radio and the humble telephone. While Dixons have already stopped selling VCRs, it will still be a few years before they totally disappear from the scene, and the same can be said for the 35mm camera, as it still has its own advocates who still swear by celluloid or film.


The end of an era for film cameras? 35mm and APS cameras, digital gadgets reign!

The Hitachi Digital HD Camcorder

Samsung DVD Player

My first and current DVD player is the Samsung 709 DVD Player.

I've had this player since January 2000, not long after it was introduced into the UK market, marking the beginning of affordable DVD players for the consumer. If I can remember right, it was one of the cheapest samsung DVD players on the market at the time, but had features that rivaled the likes of Sony, Toshiba and other leading brands.

One of the reasons for the popularity of this samsung DVD player in the UK was the ease with which it could be made multi-region using an AIWA remote, so popular was this player that a website totally dedicated to it was born. More info about this player can be found at

http://www.709online.com/709faq.htm

This DVD player is now getting old, and seems to be having problems coping with the latest generation (2005) DVD discs out on the market, so a replacement is due. I have however not made up my mind as to whether I should get a new samsung DVD Player or build a HTPC. The main issue being I don't have a LCD or Plasma TV yet!

I think I will keep my Samsung 709 DVD player for the moment, probably as a second player, it might turn out to be a collector's item in the future.

Gadgets Blogs Listings and Links

Here are some links to other gadgets blogs, if you know of any that should be added, please let me know by adding a comment.

Engadget Technology Blog
liewcf.com Tech Gadgets Blog
CNET's Technology Blog

My Gadgets Blog

My name is Shola, and this gadgets blog is just a place for me to talk about home electronics or technology.

I'm not a gadget geek contrary to my blog title, in fact I'm usually a late technology adopter, and don't buy a product or gadget just because it is cool and is the latest craze, but because it is useful to me.

My intention is to try to look at devices or technology and talk about how it is useful or improves one's comfort level at home.

I studied electronics, but currently work with computers.

I hope you find the articles or post of use, and feedback via the comments section is always welcome, and now lets go and look for some devices to review for this gadgets blog, Shola.