The Home Automation Forum
The Place for Home Automation Enthusiasts

The message board has been changed to something a bit more modern, I think you'll like it much better! I've again not been updating things often, but well at least I've got that done. I may revisit my garage monstrosity again (that means fix it!).

I've got a comparison of online music services on my other site, TechoLiO if you're interested. Somewhat home automation related since maybe you're automating your music collection! Well maybe.

Well I'll be danged, X10 is not raking in the dough as much as we may have thought! It's easy to make all those ads if you haven't paid for them. And they have apparently been hit hard by losing a law suit against the company that came up with the pop under ad (that we all love so much). Read the details on cnet right here .

If they go belly up let's hope a decent company buys the techology and keeps it up. It may be old, but the x10 stuff is pretty good bang for the buck for most of us!

Creative labs has a new music device similar to the audiotron reviewed here a while ago. The snappily-named "Wireless Music" has rca and digital outputs, and uses 802.11b to serve up music from your computer to a stereo system. The unique feature with this one is that the remote is radio controlled and has a text display for the control. No TV needed, or squinting at a display far away (an audiotron shortcoming). However, I did not see any mention of a web interface, or other computer control, nor internet streaming. So in terms of automation, it's unclear if you can really control it automatically.

Home Automation Links	240 links, last updated 5-Oct-2005
Audio And Video [37] Reference, retailers and products. Hardware [40] Home automation related hardware manufacturers. Reference [57] Home automation information, projects, user sites, educational links. Retailers [59] Home automation product vendors. Security [22] Reference, retailers and products. Software [36] Home automation software manufacturers, scripts, reference. Telephones And Communications [10] Telephone, wireless, intercoms etc reference, retailers and products.
Link to us...	New Links | Cool Links | Top Rated | Search | Add a Link

Smarthome.com, the excellent vendor of all things home automation, has a new service. It's called Smarthome Live, and is software to let you control your house, and view cams via the internet. You can check it out at www.smarthome.com/smarthomelive.html. However, it's not outright software, it's a monthly billed service (9.99 or 7.99), along with optional hardware bundles. I can't say I grasp why the service is unique as opposed to running your own software with web server like homeseer or others, a bit of a mystery there!

Another program for controlling x10 is PowerHome, and a new version has just been released. It does a ton, and has a nice interface. Some new features added are more controllers (MR26A too), a web interface that can now do sendKeys directly (and via email). I've really got to review this one, it's a bargain, only 19.95 to register, go check it out... (and maybe review it for us!)

Well X10 has something lots of people have been waiting for, a pan and tilt control! A new remote with directional controls moves it, along with four positional presets. From what the site says, I can't tell for sure if it's controlled via RF or X10. Sounds like X10 since they say their software will soon be able to control it. The price is at $99.99 right now, an introductory offer. But that also means no vouchers! When they get vouchers allowed, I'll pick one up and review it.

Want to play your mp3 collection on a good audio system? Check out the review of the Turtle Beach AudioTron in reviews. It's a networked stereo component that plays any mp3 stored on your computer. Start ripping those CD's!