Smart Home Blog

Company Intamac has launched its broadband home monitoring products and services with WoonVeilig in The Netherlands. The BT Home Monitor VP1000 is easy to install DIY wireless security alarm and monitoring system. First of all it’s a security system. So, VP1000 includes a security panel and various wireless sensors: motion, smoke and flood detectors. The security panel offers a few pre-defined mode for the home security and possibility to connect to the broadband Internet to have access from everywhere. Additionally wireless D-Link IP cameras can be connected to the system to allow monitor you home.

The price of BT Home Monitor VP1000 including Main Control Panel, 2 Wireless Movement Detectors, Wireless Door Contact and Remote Keyfob is £115.99. Additionally consumer should pay £5 per month for the access to his online account and includes the cost of all outbound voice call, sms text message and e-mail notifications from our monitoring service. Additionally £2.5 should be paid for monitoring 4 IP cameras.

The new Intamac security system looks very similar to AlertMe but offers more useful features then it. However, AlertMe is based on standard home automation protocol ZigBee which is much better that using some proprietary unique one (I couldn’t find any information aboutVP1000 protocol). In any case, those two systems show a new tendency in the DIY home security and monitoring systems.

[via HomeToys News]

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German company düwi recently announced its new Z-Wave based home automation system. It’s gonna be showed on the IFA 2008 in Berlin from 29.08 till 03.09. The company offers a wide range of various Z-Wave devices - switches, dimmers, appliance modules, sensors, adapted to European standards. Which is very good news for all home automation folks lived outside US.

Another cool feature offered by düwi system is a native iPhone/iPod Touch interface. It turns your Apple device into “smart” control panel allowed manage all devices in your home.

As I understand düwi wireless home automation system is oriented to DIY installation (thanks to “smart” wireless technology). So, consumers don’t need spend a lot of money and time to bring the system up.

There is no information about price and availability of the düwi smarthome system. If you live in Berlin or near don’t miss IFA 2008 and you’ll have a chance to get more details about that system. Will be very appreciated for your opinion in comments.

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HDTV becomes a standard de-facto in home entertainment area. Technology of wireless transmitting data is also very popular (who likes those annoying wires!). So, it’s time to develop a comprehensive new industry standard for multi-room audio, video and control connectivity” utilizing the aforementioned Wireless Home Digital Interface technology. Currently a special interest group includes AMIMON (WHDI creator), Motorola, Samsung, Sony and Sharp. New standard will be based on WHDI - Wireless Home Digital Interface, the key ingredient of which is a revolutionary video-modem that operates in the 5GHz unlicensed band to enable robust wireless delivery of uncompressed HD video (including 1080p).

Hope that new standard will make life of producers, installers and consumers easier.

[via Engadget]

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Threshold recently released its new wireless home automation system. The interesting feature of that system is “ConfigSpot” technology. It offers an easy and efficient way to configure devices added to the system.

The heart of the Threshold’s automation system is a Standalone Home System Master Controller. It combines WiFi broadband router, home controller and access point for Threshold’s wireless devices. Thanks to ConfigSpot feature adding and configuring new devices can be done just by pressing blue button on the device. ConfigSpot automatically and wirelessly programs the new device with network addresses, security keys, passwords, device names and other necessary configuration information.

Threshold offers a wide range of devices supported different home automation protocols: X10, Z-Wave and ZigBee. You can find security cameras, motion detectors, thermostats, outlet modules and much more. All outlet and power control modules includes energy measurement module. That module will help to consumer monitor and reduce energy consumption to save the money and environment.

Watch the demo video of new Threshold’s home automation system after jump.
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Recently I found an interesting wireless lighting control system which doesn’t need a separated controller. Its name is JetStream. It uses reliable mesh network ZigBee to communicate between devices. Here is a few main features of the system:

• Up to 100 scenes
• Up to 50 timed events (requires RS-232 or Ethernet Bridge)
• 512 dimming levels
  • Preset dimming levels for each load
  • Every load is capable of dimming
  • Soft On/Off: 0 - 800 seconds each control
• Simple installation and configuration
• Intuitive PC configuration software accessible (requires USB Bridge)
• Configuration is stored in each device. A backup file is also created on the PC during configuration.

The system includes two 3-button dimmers, three 1-button dimmers, one car remote and has four pre-programmed scenes Welcome, All on, Goodnight and Entertain. All of that is $700. Additionally tabletop 8-button keypads, lamp modules, IR receivers and USB/RS232/Ethernet bridge can be added. Also the JetStream can be easily integrated with JetPak security and HVAC control system.

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