Smart House

Moore Family
of Arizona

Smart House... Well Eventually Anyway...

I like the idea of a "smart house", an automated/intelligent house if you like. I remember kicking the idea around with a colleague on a long flight back from Israel in 1987 - at that time I thought it was a great new business opportunity - I still think it is an emerging idea - and a lot has changed since 1987! Safe to say it really wasn't ready for 'prime time' back then.

Unfortunately (or fortunately) as much as technology has improved - the kinds of integrated automation/intelligence I was thinking about then are still not even close to common in homes today. However some other things I didn't really envisage have become common (like WiFi networking, home theater, personal media players...)

We by no means have a "Smart House" yet by my definition but we do have some of the component parts. I still consider this a possible business opportunity area for the future.

So what do we actually have:

Computers & Network:

We have had an evolving home office/computer set up since 1986 when we first got a DEC/VAX terminal and modem at home - this was way way back and the modem was just 300baud! - yes really! Only later did this evolve into an actual PC system and true networking.

Today we have a computer office set-up with 3 corner workstations and we have another computer set up in the Kitchen with a bluetooth wireless keyboard and flat panel wall mount display.

Our office area also houses our network hardware which includes a Cisco DSL router and several network hubs to handle all the hardwired network wiring. We also have 2 printers; one dedicated color Photo printer & a double sided general purpose color multi-function inkjet device connected via an embedded network print server. We can print to this from any network machine and wirelessly (directly to the printer or via the wireless access point) and also can copy, scan & fax from it either manually from the sheet feeder or to/from any workstation.

We have a Buffalo 2GB TeraStation Network Attached Storage device (NAS) which runs in Raid5 configuration (mirrored disks). I use this as a consolidated storage location for all all the audio (mp3), photo & video media stored across our machines - to avoid duplication, provide immediate implicit backup and consistent organization & easier location of music & photo's - works well.

This is also used as a 1st level online storage backup location for each of the workstations - these are automatically incrementally backed up once per day to this machine and also to the cloud. It also has the ability to be used as an external FTP file server - although we're not using it in this mode today.

All the workstations have individual sound systems, all have CD-RW/DVD drives, two have a DVD writer, two have graphics tablets and one has a SCSI-2 photo scanner. We do routinely upgrade/ replace/ waterfall these machines as needed - which recently hasn't been too often.

We have 4 desktop machines: 2 traditional PC's, an 'all in one' PC and a Mac Mini in the kitchen that also work as a media center connected to the family room TV/Audio systems.

We also have a netbook, three notebook PC's, two Macbooks, an iPad, a nook and an iPhone each. I guess we are pretty well equipped

Of course unfortunately I am the default SysAdmin!

The Kitchen machine is hidden in a ventilated base cabinet with a wall mounted LCD screen and Bluetooth wireless keyboard and mouse. The video & sound outputs can be routed to the family room's flat panel TV and Home Theatre sound system, and the keyboard & mouse can be used from anywhere in the family room.

All these machines are on a 100Mbps wired network that also extends to the family room, formal room and master bedroom. The Kitchen (which is at the center of the house) also has a wireless access point (802.11bg) that allows us to use notebook/netbook/tablet/phones on WiFi anywhere in the house (and on the back patio & by the pool) and for the kids to use their Sony PSP and Apple iTouch systems wirelessly also.

In the Family room we have a HD TiVo DVR (1080i capable) with an expanded (external SATA) hard drive as part of the home theater system. This is connected to the wired network and is set up for network access for the program guide, video content download, streaming video & remote programming as well as to allow access to Photos & Music on any of the PCs (see below).

This is also configured to allow TiVo2Go functionality - downloading pre-recorded shows from the Tivos to watch on my notebook PC - I really like this feature for long distance travel.

Another feature of our actual usage is that we use Skype for internet based phone communications when I'm away traveling on business. I have a portable USB camera for my notebook which has built in speakers & microphone (but I can also use my phone's bluetooth headset). At home we have 2 machines set up with a microphone & USB Cam. So while I'm away we can video-conference for free as long as I have an internet connection available (true for most places now). This works remarkably well even from across the world e.g. we have seen great performance between Phoenix, Arizona & Beijing, China.

Audio/Video Systems:

Family Room:

We have a 52" Sony Bravia XBR4 flat screen LCD TV in the family room.

Options are the TiVo HD, Roku, Playstation3 and SD/HD video source options of a Sony DVD player, and a Panasonic combo VHS/DVD player/recorder.

Audio only sources are a DVD-Audio(2), 5 CD changer, terrestrial HD-TV audio, Streaming and AM/FM tuner

Family room audio is via a Sony Home Theatre Receiver system and Bose Acoustimass sub-woofer, Pyle 6.5" in-wall front speakers (L/C/R) and Bose model 100 rear channel speakers..

All Audio is switched through the Home Theatre receiver - including TV audio. However the HD TiVo connects direct to the TV via HDMI and the TV audio out feeds the Receiver - I have done the same with Games systems & Blue-Ray from the Sony Playstation 3.

Our TV channel reception is HD terrestrial only & streaming internet only - we have no cable/satellite, but we do have a big amplified antenna inside the roof and a splitter system to feed several rooms. In the family room all the RF tuners (TV/TivoHD/VHS-DVD and Tuner) receiver a separately split direct antenna signal.

Wherever possible optical digital cables are used for the Audio connections

The Tivo is set-up to have network access to all the photo's, music & video available on any of the home computers and these can be played via Tivo on any of the A/V equipment throughout house.

We do this via Component Video/Digital Audio and Remote Control modulated over a dedicated pair of Cat5e cable links from the primary family room system to the secondary Audio/Video system. These connections are for the primary audio out (as switched by the family room receiver) as well as a separate independent feed from the TiVo HD audio & component video out. We also have a unidirectional IR distribution with IR target receivers in the Master Bedroom and Formal Room and IR repeaters inside the cabinet for all secondary gear and to the HD TiVo in the family room.

We also have streaming set up from a MacMini in the kitchen connected to the AV system via HDMI as well as analog audio for sound only. the Mac mini can play from browser based players like the BBC iPlayer & ITV player as well as from PLEX.

To remotely control all the primary equipment we have a Sony AV3000 remote control - consolidating the major controls for all AV gear - as well as many more remotes of course... including a Sony BD (bluetooth) remote that can remote control the MacMini as a sort of virtual mouse system using Remote Buddy as an interface.

Formal Room & Master Bedroom:

The secondary home AV system is located in a bookcase unit in the formal room and provides audio only for that room using in wall speakers. It also provides a through the wall connection for audio & video in the master bedroom, also with in wall speakers. Audio options are either of the feeds from the Family room, a separate dedicated DVD player, Tuner, Turntable (yes really!) or SD TV reception. The master bedroom has wall mounted Sony Trinitron 13" TV and remote control of the equipment in the adjacent formal room via the IR receiver/repeater. Video options in the master bedroom are broadcast TV, Tivo (remotely controlled in the family room - via IR repeater) or DVD. Both Formal room and master bedroom have excellent quality in-wall Pyle speakers (both rooms are individually switchable on/off). This will need to be updated to an HD ready system soon.

To remotely control all this secondary equipment we have a Sony AV2200 remote control - consolidating all the major controls for all AV gear.

Patio:

We have 2 speaker channels on the patio with a wall mounted remote volume control - the content is sources from the family room, although there are wiring provisions for (as yet unimplemented) composite video on the patio (e.g. a projector for movies).

Game Systems:

After holding out for a long time... Alex & Daniel do both now have personal gaming systems - Sony PSP's with wireless networking and they also share both a Sony Play-Station 2 & Play-Station3 (they bought both jointly) that feed the HDTV via Composite/HDMI with Audio looped back to the home theater system in the family room. Both have wired connections to the internet.

HVAC:

Our HVAC system is not computer automated - but is fitted with dual smart programmable zone timeslot/temperature controllers and the equipment has been converted to high efficiency units and a continuous but variable speed fan system.

Security Lighting/Landscape:

We have front entry security lighting that automatically comes on and off via a timer as well as garage front lighting that only turns on at dusk via a photo-sensor & off with the timer. At the side of the house we also have proximity detection system lighting for the side door.

We have typical rolling code remote garage door openers (2) but in my car I do have a customized transmitter to enable 1 press 5 second hands free opener transmission.

Rear Landscape lighting (low voltage) is controlled by a programmable timer. We have a rear mister system for cooling that is remotely controlled by an X10 handheld remote unit and the same unit controls the swimming pool light (with dimming).

Inside the house all of the X10 controlled lighting fixtures can be automated via an X10 programmable timer for security lighting.

Feature Lighting:

2 separate programmable scene lighting systems control formal room and kitchen lighting zone fixtures. In each case an 8 button scene controller can call up scenes involving multiple other lighting controls for convenience. In the formal room the scene lighting controller controls 8 light circuits and in the kitchen it control 4 circuits. All these individual controllers & scenes are managed via a computer interface in the kitchen computer and those can also be automated from there, as can the remote outdoor Zone (misters & pool)

Security System:

We have a whole house monitored alarm system with door & window contacts, internal motion detectors and smoke detector monitoring. This system is controlled by 3 keypads in the bedroom and entry areas but is not otherwise integrated to the house computer system.

Telephones:

Our telephone system is not very elaborate. We have a combination DSL line shared for Phone & Internet. The DSL line connects to the Cisco DSL router and also to a computer modem line as backup and for FAX'ing.

The combination line is our primary home number (although we also have 3 cellular phones) and connects to a Panasonic 4 phone cordless answering and intercom system (Kitchen, Office, Bedroom and Utility room) one of which has a digital answering machine. We also have one fixed phone (one that works during power outage) and one conference speaker-phone with headset & switch. We also do have phone jacks wired in every room.