18 April 2011
Regardless of how extensive a home automation system you decide to build, you’ll want to make sure that the basic infrastructure you start out with can be expanded to control more elements down the road. For most people, lighting control is the most logical place to start. From there, you can expand to controlling your HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning) system, home-theater components, garage door opener, security and video surveillance systems, irrigation system, and even large appliances .
Coming home to the ideal automated home would mean that the HVAC system would bring the interior of the home to the ideal temperature 15 minutes before you pull into the driveway. Opening the garage door would trigger the interior lights to come on, set the hi-fi system to playing your favorite music, deactivate the security system, and warm up the hot tub. And you’d be greeted at the door by your robotic butler carrying a tray with your favorite libation. Okay, we’re exaggerating a bit with the butler; but the rest of it can be accomplished if you have the cash.
In a high-end Home Automation system, you’d have a customised computer or central server control everything, and there would be touch panels mounted in the walls in key locations that you’d use to control component devices. But many people prefer to start out with something more basic-and considerably less expensive.
