Xref: utzoo comp.misc:1651 sci.electronics:1847
Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!mcnc!decvax!tektronix!reed!percival!bucket!rickb
From: rickb@bucket.UUCP (Rick Bensene)
Newsgroups: comp.misc,sci.electronics
Subject: Home Automation Interest?
Keywords: home automation, X-10, home-bus, integration
Message-ID: <676@bucket.UUCP>
Date: 14 Jan 88 03:07:06 GMT
Organization: Rick's Home-Grown UNIX; Portland, OR.
Lines: 51


I've noted a bit of discussion here and there regarding the
X-10 system for remote control of lights and appliances,
discussion of various infrared remote control boxes, as
well as occasional mention of other home automation subjects.
I have a keen interest in such topics, and am wondering if
there are many others out there with an interest in this topic?
The volume discussed thus far doesn't really seem to justify a newsgroup,
however, maybe if such a place existed people would get into
discussions and get the thing off the ground.  I do not know
the proper procedure to propose a new newsgroup, so maybe
people could just begin discussing it in comp.misc or
sci.electronics  (<<<PLEASE>>> If you followup to this
article - post your message to one or the other of the newsgroups,
not BOTH!), and if it really got rolling, we could campaign
to get a new newsgroup created.  Another possibility would be
a mailing list, which I'd be GLAD to head up, if someone would
take the time to explain to me how to set up a such a list.

It seems to me that it is simply a matter of time before home automation
becomes fairly commonplace - the price of the technology to implement
an intelligent home has come down drastically, and it is expected to continue
this trend.  So far, the home automation industry is in its fledgeling
state - with a few larger leaders, and a lot of smaller companies
all in the fray.  The big problem is that everyon has their own idea of
how the system(s) should work, and thus different systems are incompatible.
Also, no one seems to have effectively INTEGRATED many of the systems
together, combining security, environmental, communications, lighting,
appliance control, signal distribution, and communications into a complete
system.  There's work underway by some association of home builders to
come up with a 'home bus', serving as a bus over which audio, video, and
data can flow throughout a home - using wiring not much more complex
than wiring in today's houses.  This seems to me to be a pretty exciting
idea, however progress has been slow because of the many differing opinions
on how it should be done.  However, even though there are yet no 'standards',
many hardware/software tinkerers have implemented their own systems at home.
From simple X-10 only systems, to more sophisticated systems using dedicated
computers, lots of wire strung in the walls, and really fancy software.
I've got a lot of ideas regarding home automation, and have implemented
that which I can afford (and my wife will tolerate) in my own home, and
have learned a lot, and had a lot of fun in the process.  I'd like to hear
from others out there as to their experiences, viewpoints, and general
ideas with regards to home automation.

Regards,

Rick Bensene
-- 
Rick Bensene        Tektronix, Inc.  PO Box 500 39-124     Beaverton, OR  97077
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