What is possible-Home automation over internet

[rsarceno]

Tony, you be surprise that's there's a solution for this

I do like the idea of opening and closing the shades to help with passive solar heating and cooling. No one in my house turns lights/fans off so I had to install timers in both bathrooms for lights and overhead fans.

There's are several solution for this. Cost around $250 per window/door
http://www.smarthome.com/31461/BTX-...tor-and-Power-Supply-60-Pound-Capacity/p.aspx. To control the light, a stand alone system cost $20 - $100.

I especially like the unit that allows you to monitor how much electricity each device is using so that you could learn and make adjustments in use or purchases to reduce same.

Jim Lipsit develop a program the will calculate the uages and cost. I developed an add-on to his program that will create a graph. Both products are free. both program is design to operate with HAL.

I think when you see the cabinets tell you that the floor has weables, salt is low, you have no more canned veggies in inventory and refrigerator able to tell you that the milk is out of date and you only have 2 eggs left, there is an onion smell so bring home some backing soda then send you an email this thing will take off.

HAL has a solution, which is a grocery listing. Not exactly the way you envision it but when your low on an item then you can add it to the list. There are several ways to update the listing. 1) Voice activated via MIC 2) Voice Activated via cell phone, 3) Text message, 4) Web, 5) PC

Also integrate with home security.....how many times have you wanted to know who came and gone when you were out? which kid left the mess after school, which brother in law dropped by and had four shots of vodka. Not to mention this would be the thing to make me finally install a DVR unit to watch outside my house. Next time maria says you never take out the trash I will have the last 100 times recorded to play for her.

My HAI (not to be confuse with HAL) system can do all the above except the vodka. But I'm sure we can figure a solution for that. The HAI cost me $1K which is for both alarm and hvac combine. My house is prewired for alarm and it was easy to setup.

About the Vodka, you can put a wireless sensor on the cabinet door ($10) that works with HAI. If you don't like HAI, then you can use the same technology use for garage door ($50). When the sensor is activated, activate the camera and send you a text message.

With each device HVAC, DVR and such you may be able to buy an enabled controller but it adds a few hundred to few thousand dollars. When this stuff is all controlled by a home window server for example then everything else can be dumb terminal equivalents at rock bottom prices. Comfort and value will likely be the two biggest elements of demand.

It only cost me less than $1K not including (HAL) to control 8 TV's, two home theater. A lot of people have use my spec's http://www.sarceno.com/hal/project/video_equipment.gif I'm in the process of updating it for HDMI. This specs also includes TV modulation. For example, the Play station is connected to the kids room, but any TV in the house can switch to channel 74 and see the play station.

Home automation is fun. now a days, you can almost automate everything. Check this video of Jim's home automation. http://james.lipsit.com/home.htm

 

[seedubya]

sort of like natts for flour

natts and weables? WTF? Are they real?

Do you by any chance mean gnats and weevils?