automate my home

I combined bluetooth, pulseaudio, and of course linux and its awesome music player Amarok to make the music follow me around the house.

http://acidzebra.blogspot.com/2009/03/upgrades-and-on-fly-network-audio.html

Zeroconf/Avahi rules!

I’ve bought a Roomba robot vacuum a while ago which is certainly a step in the right direction. I’ve got a home-built MythTV PVR system with frontends in nearly every room, which features an integrated smart security camera system to boot . My home is aware of when I arrive and leave, thanks to a tag-team of GPS on my phone and bluetooth

Hell, my freaking thermostat has a web-server.

I just need some time to dive into X10 signaling for light/curtain controls and when that is in place this goal is done with a vengeance.

Seems silly to automate a home you dont own, so this will be waiting till after my “move to seattle” and “buy a home” goals are met.

But still, really want to do this.

In such a small space, you wouldn’t think I’d be in need of home automation. Still, I covet keyless entry, a way to automatically raise the blinds in the morning, being able to alter the thermostat settings when I’m not even home, etc. Sadly, this is more of a long-term goal than an immediate one for me.

I’ve recently started automating my home, mostly using X10 devices and Homeseer’s automation software.

Check out the homeseer messageboards for a good deal of info on home automation in general. There are also some pretty decent books on the subject to get your feet wet. Check out Smart Home Hacks and Home Hacking Projects for Geeks.

As far as “homebrew” systems. MisterHouse is an open source HA program, but I haven’t used it personally.

For alternative devices, Zensys’ Z-wave devices are gaining popularity. But, there aren’t as many Z-wave devices yet. Some problems with X10 include some lag, unreliability and signal interference. But, the last two can be helped with signal repeaters and interference filters.

It takes quite a bit of research, but it is fun when a project comes together.

I want to automate my house. I want to press a keychain to engage the house alarm. I want to install entry point sensors to know if there’s an intruder. I want to be able to program and monitor my lights. I want to log utility usage (electricy, water, phone, etc.) I want the house to be self-aware and intelligent enough to decide minor (and obvious) things. E.g. if it’s dark then the house will open the outdoor lights, if it’s warm/cold then the air conditioning will adjust the temperature, etc. I would like to log the data from the sensors in my computer to generate reports on utility usage, foot traffic on different areas of the house, temperature readings, etc. etc.

I heard of Zingbee but don’t know enough to figure it out. I don’t mind homebrew but I don’t know where to start.

I’ve read that X10 is rather limited in what it can do, but it seems to be the most common technology used in home automation. What else could be out there?

It would be good if I could find a “homebrew” system—so long as I don’t electrocute myself in the process.