In the mid 1980s, every futurist worth his or her propeller beanie was
talking about smart houses, computer-controlled dwellings that could
anticipate your every need for lighting, music, heat, security, etc. Many of
the homes built during that time ended up as the subject of lawsuits
when their owners realized that a Radio Shack Color Computer and a
bundle of wires do not a smart house make.
Today's home automation technology is still far from "smart" and it still doesn't anticipate anything. You need to program your needs into the system and control it either from your PC or a remote control. While state-of-the-art smart house technology can only be found in places like Bill Gates' multi-gazillion dollar home, there are some pretty impressive consumer products on the market that are surprisingly affordable and easy to install.
The most common home automation standard is called X-10. It is a system that works with a home PC and ingeniously uses your house's electrical wiring as its network connection between components. You simply attach a control module to an electrical outlet and then plug it into your computer via a cable. Additional X-10 modules are then plugged into each electrical outlet where you want to control lights, appliances, stereo equipment, security sensors, etc. The devices to be controlled are then plugged into the X-10 modules. Once the network is connected, you use the X-10 software on your computer to program when each modules turns on and off. The beauty of this technology is that you can expand the system as your needs expand and upgrade it as new X-10 technology is introduced.
One of the more popular wireless home automation companies is also called X10. They sell X-10 systems that start as low as $5.90 shipping for a "free" beginner's kit. This is a great way to see if this type of home automation technology appeals to you. From there, you can add individual expansion modules or specialized kits that can do everything from wirelessly broadcast MP3 music and DVD video from your PC to your home entertainment center, to email you images of movement outside your house while you're away on vacation.
If you're going to be investing in home automation, you'll want to stay abreast of the industry. Popular Home Automation is a bi-monthly print magazine and Web site that offers industry news, product reviews and step-by-step how-to articles. They cover not only home automation technology, but also state-of-the-art security systems, home entertainment, high-tech appliances and more.
One of the smart house technologies in Mr. Bill's house that got a lot of press was his digital picture frames that change at the dwellers' whims. For $250, you can have a junior version of this same technology. The Ceiva digital picture frame stores up to ten digital images and displays them on its 5" x 7" LCD screen. You can change images at the touch of a button. The most amazing thing about the Ceiva is that it connects to the Web via a built-in 56.6 modem. For $36 a year, you get a folder on the Ceiva site where friends and relatives can upload pictures into your frame. How cool is that?
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