Home Automation For Dummies

Ready to control you house with your smartphone or tablet? Spivey shows you how to control thermostats, home security systems, and much more! Best of all, with these plain-English instructions, you can do it yourself!

The easy way to control your home appliances Do you want to control common household appliances and amenities from your smartphone or tablet, wherever you happen to be? Home Automation For Dummies guides you through installing and setting up app-controlled devices in your home, such as heating and air conditioning, lighting, multimedia systems, game consoles, and security and monitoring devices—and even suggests popular products to consider. The saturation of the mobile market with smart devices has led to an upsurge in domestic devices, such as thermostats, refrigerators, smoke detectors, security systems, among others, that can be controlled by those devices. Both Google and Apple offer fully-integrated solutions for connecting mobile devices to home theater and audio systems, and now Google has branched out into smart thermostats and smoke detectors. If you've caught the bug and want to get your feet wet in this cool new phenomenon, Home Automation For Dummies gives you plain-English, step-by-step instructions for tech-ifying your home without breaking a sweat. Provides clear instructions on remotely controlling your home appliances Shows you how to set preferences to automatically adjust lighting or temperature Explores digital "life hacks" that explain how non-app-ready appliances can be controlled via smart phones using third-party go-betweens Covers an emerging segment of the industry that was one of the primary focuses of this year's Consumer Electronic Show If you're looking to find new ways to simplify and better control your home environment using app-driven devices, your phone, or tablet, Home Automation For Dummies makes it easier.

Do you long to listen to your favorite CD from anywhere in your house? To set up a wireless network so you can access the Internet in any room? To install an iron-clad security system? To fire up the coffee pot while you’re still asleep and wake up with automated lighting? Smart home technology can help you do just that! Smart Homes For Dummies, Third Edition, shows you how easy it can be to create and live in a cutting-edge, fully connected home—without breaking your bank account. With this user-friendly guide, you’ll discover all the latest trends and gadgets in home networking, automation, and control that will help you make life more enjoyable and comfortable for your entire family. We help you plan for things such as flat-screen TVs, intercom systems, whole-home audio systems, gaming consoles, and satellite systems. We talk about your wiring (and wireless) options and introduce you to the latest technologies, such as VoIP and Bluetooth. You’ll see how to: Build your home network on a budget Turn your home into an entertainment center Access the Internet from any room Get VoIP on your phone network Boost in-home wireless and cell phone signals Connect your computer to your TV Secure your home and property Increase your home’s resale value Avoid common networking pitfalls And much, much more Complete with a resource list for more information and neat toys of the future, Smart Homes For Dummies is your plain-English, twenty-first century guide to a fully wired home!

A Linux smart home is about controlling and monitoring devices and information around your home using a standard personal computer, Linux, and its vast array of open source tools. You don’t have to be a master programmer to create one. If you like to tinker with Linux, Linux Smart Homes For Dummies will guide you through cool home automation projects that are as much fun to work on as they are to use. Home automation used to be limited to turning on lights and appliances, and maybe controlling your thermostat and lawn sprinkler, from your computer. While you still might not be able to create all the Jetsons’ toys, today you can also Build a wireless network Create and set up a weather station Automate your TV and sound system Spy on your pets when you’re not home Set up an answering system that knows what to do with calls Increase your home’s security If you know how to use Linux and a few basic development tools — Perl, the BASH shell, development libraries, and the GNU C compiler—Linux Smart Homes For Dummies will help you do all these tricks and more. For example, you can Discover the best sources for Linux-based home automation devices Set up a wireless network, create a wireless access point, build a bridge between wired and wireless networks, and route your own network traffic Build a personal video recorder with MythTV that will record to DVD, or set up a wireless streaming music system Create a smart phone system that takes messages and forwards them to your fax, modem, or answering machine Build a weather station that notifies you of severe weather alerts Control and secure your home automation network, and even check on your house when you’re away The bonus CD-ROM includes all kinds of cool open source software for your home automation projects. Linux Smart Homes For Dummies even includes lists of cool gadgets to check out and great ways to automate those boring household chores. A smart home’s a happy home!

Absolutely no experience needed! Make your home smarter, safer, and more fun—and save money, too! Home automation is finally practical, useful, and easy! Now, you can control your home exactly the way you want to, without paying monthly fees. This book shows how to do it all yourself, with today’s simpler, more reliable, less expensive technologies. Dennis C. Brewer first makes sure you’re comfortable with wiring basics and safety, and then guides you through installing, setting up, and using today’s best home automation software. Next, he walks you through several great DIY projects you can complete in just hours. Before you know it, you’ll be controlling appliances, lighting, devices, home security, energy consumption, heating/cooling, and even your home entertainment center. Brewer covers phone interfaces, opportunities to expand, and even offerings from your phone and Internet service providers. When it comes to home automation, the future is here—and it works! · Pick the right products and services, without overspending · Control your home from anywhere, with Android, iPhone, iPad, or your computer · Go green, save energy, all year long · Make your home safer, more secure, and more comfortable · Overcome personal mobility challenges · Get more fun out of your TV and music system

Beef up your home's wiring infrastructure and control systems to accommodate the latest digital home products. Upgrade wiring in your existing home room-by-room, system-by-system or wire the home you're building. Learn wiring for the latest digital home technologies -- whole home audio, outdoor audio, VoIP, PA systems, security systems with Web cams, home theater, home networking, alarms, back-up systems, and more. Perfect whether you do your own electrical work or want to talk intelligently to an electrical contractor.

Home automation creates the ability to control everyday home systems through one electronic source. The home of the 21st-century will be fully automated. This book sets out to give builders and contractors the information they need to plan and install new systems, and repair existing ones.