Shola's Home Gadgets

I've recently had to spend some time changing the configuration of my Misterhouse based home automation system since it had started behaving erratically.

The problem was with some of the hardware used in the system rather than the Misterhouse software itself which I have been running for about 3 years and have found to be very reliable.

The first hardware to fail was the wireless router that connected the Misterhouse Windows NT4 computer to the internet and the main home computer. This meant I could not remote connect to the Misterhouse computer and administer the system, though the system was still running albeit erratically, as I could not reset the state of some of the X10 hardware used in my home automation system.

The other item that failed was a TM13 X10 receiver which was switching off the unit connected to it at times when it was not supposed to. I haven't gotten to the root of that problem, so I've removed the electrical appliance connected to it for the time being.

Everything is back to normal now after decommissioning the NT4 computer and running the Misterhouse software on my XP computer.

I now have to budget for a new wireless router, and I would like to replace the NT4 computer with a new PC which would double as a media storage device for my DVDs and music CDs, but it looks like my home automation needs will have to take a back burner, as I'm going to be concentrating my efforts on my hang glidingfor the first half of this year.

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.

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!