Total Home Automation

Picking an automation system

In wanting to achieve total home control, a big challenge emerges in what system to pick.  The early adopter in me wants to use the newest and coolest ip based open standards systems.  The practical guy in me wants something as reliable as a conventional telephone.  There is nothing worse than having the blue screen of death when your wife wants to watch "Desperate House wives".

My general desire was to pick technologies that were standards based - i.e. TCP/IP, web, X-10, etc.  I also wanted to use companies that had been around for a while (5+ years), or companies serving standards that had some age.  I had used a lot of X-10 like systems in past home control attempts but often had signal and reliability problems, though there have been big improvements in this technology.  I liked the scope and stability of companies like AMX and Crestron, though they carry the negative aspect of being fairly closed standards.

As an early adopter I have a history of buying first and asking questions later.  I will buy something simply to try it long enough to understand how to build a better product.  I however can not justify that behavior when it involves mission critical things in the home.

What we installed

Whenever I hear about a home that has been automated, the first thing I want to know is what they put in.  So here is my list of products used for total home control.

Primary Rack in Basement

• Crestron Pro-2 System Controller/Processor
• Crestron BIPAD-8 Audio Processor (Qty 2)
• Crestron CNAMPXX-16x60 Power Amp (Qty 2)
• Crestron PVID8x4 Video Matrix
• Crestron PVID8x3 Video Matrix
• Crestron CNX-RMCLV Room Solution Box (Qty 4)
• Crestron ST-Tune AM/FM/TV Weatherband Tuner
• Crestron CNX-PBVR4 Cat 5 to Video Converter
• Crestron C2ENET-2
• Crestron CNPWS-75 Power Supply (Qty 6)
• Dell PowerEdge 2650 Server
• Sony DVD Changer
• Marantz SR-8300 Dolby Digital / DTS Receiver
• Video Request
• Audio Request Fusion 120
• Sony SAT-T60 DSS/Tivo
• Hughes HDTV/SAT Tuner
• RCA DSS Receiver
• Roku-Labs PhotoBridge HD
• Vantage Controls C-Box
• Integral Technologies DVXI DVR (For Security Cameras)
• Monster HTS2600 Surge suppressor/line conditioner (Qty 2)
• Mid Atlantic Rack System
• Monster Audio/Video Interconnects

Master Bedroom

• Crestron TPS-5000 ISYS 12' Touch Panel
• Pioneer 50" Plasma
• HDTIVO
• DVD

Master Bath

• Speaker Craft AIM In-Ceiling Speakers
• Zenith L15V36 4x3 HD ready LCD TV

Master Dressing Room

• SpeakerCraft AIM In-Ceiling Speakers

Master Office

• Pioneer 50" 505HD Plasma
• STX-1700C

Gym

• SpeakerCraft AIM In-Ceiling Speakers
• Crestron TPS-3000L Touchpanel
• Sony 27" Wall Mounted TV

Dinning Room

• SA-2 Invisible In-Wall Speakers
• Vantage 8 button control station

Living Room

• SA-2 Invisible In-Wall Speakers
• Vantage 6 button control station

Map Room Hall

• Crestron TPS-3000 Touch Panel
• Crestron CHV-THSTAT Thermostat

Upper Porch

• SpeakerCraft WS-720 Outdoor Speakers

Kitchen

• Crestron TPI Touch panel interface
• ELO touch panel
• SpeakerCraft AIM In-Ceiling Speakers

Lower Level Bar

• Crestron TPS-5000L Touchpanel
• SpeakerCraft AIM In-Ceiling Speakers
• Zenith L23W36 16x9 HD Ready LCD TV

Lower Level Theater

• Mitsubishi WS73909 73" HDTV
• SpeakerCraft AIM8
• SpeakerCraft BassX-2 in ceiling subwoofer system
• Crestron STX-1700C 2-Way 5.7" wireless touch panel
• Crestron STRFGWX RF Gateway

Wireless Internet

• Proxim AP-2000 (Qty 2)
• Proxim AP-600 (Qty 2)

Surveillance Cameras (I won't tell you where they are)

• Panasonic WV-CW864A (Qty 3)
• Panasonic WV-CW474AS (Qty 2)
• Nuvico NVCC-SVD4N-AI-L

Security System

• Bosch/Radionics G Series D9412G
• Smoke Detectors (more than 30)
• PIR Motion (more than 40)
• Glass break (10+)
• Various other detectors

Lighting

• Various X-10 Modules

The Home

Our home is located in St. Louis Missouri. It was originally built in 1966, the year I was born. The house is modeled after the Governor's mansion in Virginia. The house is approximately 15K square feet, which includes 6 fireplaces, 7 bedrooms, several common areas and a pool. There are 5 air handlers each with a 5-five ton air conditioner. So it's a big house.  

When  we moved in the house had no intercom system, a limited 16 zone alarm system, no security cameras, traditional lighting systems, cable TV, etc - all fairly conventional systems. If you have ever lived in a house like this, it is actually a little scary. You are never sure if the doors are all locked. Turning lights off at night means going through the house to find anyone of the many lights that may have been turned on. If the front door bell rings, it actually takes a several minute to get there. When I was out of town my wife was terrified to be in the house.

So in addition to my long-term interest in automating a home, I was faced with the practical challenge of simply managing the complexity of the house given its size.

But there was more. The HVAC system was near the end of its useful life. Since the house was built in 1966 the wiring was mostly aluminum and the electrical outlets were not properly rated for aluminum. The breaker panels (there are 5) were "Stab-Locs" which have been a source of fires in some homes. So before I could start the automation process I had to tend to these critical items. My wish list was growing and the expected time to completion was extending.

Total Home Automation

When I was about 17 years old my physics professor, Russ Hansen, gave me a copy of IEEE Spetrum that covered the subject of home automation.  I was always interested in electronics so the story intrigued me and my imagination.  That was around 1983.

Since that time I got my engineering degree, worked in aerospace, got my MBA, managed a bunch of R&D, started a venture capital group, and retired early.  So, now 20+ years later I finally have time to think about home automation.

I have sort of a big house and imagination, so I set forth with automating the whole thing (what ever that means).  In the process I discovered the home automation business is not as organized as the aerospace engineering business.  There are a lot of folks working on automation, but its hard to discern what works, what doesn't, people that can do a quality job, and in the end is it worth it.

This Blog chronicles the lessons I have learned (and am learning) in the process of total home automation.  Whether you want to automate your home yourself, or use a contractor, I hope this site helps you avoid the mistakes I made.  Because in the end, home automation should be about making your life easier.