Need help with home automation...

DeVore

I'm trying to plan out some nice toys for an apartment. Everything from internet accessed power controls to voice comms for the tv and media server.

Is this sort of thing something you roll-your-own or are there specialist suppliers for this kind of tech already??

Basically, if you were moving into your own first time apartment, what would you put in it?

DeV.

KoolKid

You could tie in Security, Home automation & access using the SigNET 220. .
It can control upto 128 X10 devices for automation via Calander, Clock and/or cause & effect.
For more on X10 devices see here.
The SigNET also gives full control via built in web server.
For a more specialised all in one audio /visual solution for check out Instacom .

watty

It's all avaibable off the shelf. With GSM or Internet remote control or both.

Security and reliability are serious issues with most of the products.

Research well before doing anything.

I have designed professional Industrial Control gear since 1980s, and many other automated and remote controlled (SMS and Web) since.

It's a rich person's toy.
I have a mechanical time switch on my heating, my cooker (built in) my pond and my immersion.

A pair of plug socket time switches are €3.50


Home automation is a hobby for knowledgeable people (in Electronics, machine safety and embedded SW). Not recommended at present unless you are having a professionally installed HVAC as would be in factories and office blocks.

I have automated scripts and servers for data. Even might use automated TV recording, but if its really important I manually press the red button myself.

I could entirely automate everything in my house (inc my coffee) and control via secure VPN + web interface or SMS with passwords. Just from stock HW parts in my workshop and SW libraries I already have. We discussed voice control the other night here. (Two of my sons are Computer Engineering SW/HW gurus). We can actually run that on the attic server and easily wire each room with microphone.

The consensus was we didn't want a creepy invisible "butler" automatically offering to dim or brighten the lights based on "listening" to our conversation, or the slightly easier "Andromeda! <pause> dim the lights <pause> thanks"

For simple and safe voice control you want a prefix and post fix word and list of predefined commands with a minimum and maxium validation pause.

If you really want "impressive" geek factor home automation then add voice control. Once everything is controlled by a server API over IP it's easy to add. You only really need one PC line input for several rooms if only an apartment. Add a cheap mixing desk for all the mics and a home automation interface so the server knows which room the audio is in.

TCP/IP

Devore it really depends what you want to spend take a look at the following

http://www.crestron.com/
http://www.lutron.com/Pages/Default.aspx
http://www.avforums.com/forums/home-automation-lighting-security-climate-control/

The X10 stuff is nasty cheap rubbish but can work in a cheap and cheerful setup.
I have looked over some Crestron and its the business oh and if you want a video server check this out
http://www.kaleidescape.com/

watty

Security?

http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~stankovic/psfiles/UbiComp192-srinivasan-1-1.pdf