Home Automation

Recently, the noise from the multiple servers running in the garage, the enormous energy bills, and my general sense of “I should do more to save the planet” outweighed my procrastination and led me to take action and reduce my energy consumption.My first step was buying an Energy Monitor. After…

In this article I will show you how you can use Twitter API to Shutdown/Restart/Logoff your PC remotely using VB.net. Introduction I have a very slow internet connection at home and most of the time Downloads takes hours to complete. I decided to write an application which will help me Shutdown my…

Author: Rob Miles: www.robmiles.com Download: Download Software: Visual Studio 2008 Express Edition or better, .NET Micro Framework 3.0 Hardware: Digi Connect-ME GHI Electronics Embedded Master Devices Solutions Tahoe II Time Required: 3 hours Cost: 30 dollars for lights plus…

At this year's CEDIA EXPO, the show put on by the trade association of home theater companies, Lifeware launched a brand-new, all-in-one, Lifemedia Server (LMS). This new server combines Windows Media Center with a 5.1 surround-sound amplifier and ZigBee control technology all within a single box.…

  Stall Status is a Silverlight-based Vista Sidebar Gadget that uses the Z-Wave wireless protocol and door sensors to notify you of the occupied/available state of the bathroom stalls. Jerry Brunning Clarity Consulting, Inc Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 1-3 hours Cost:…

Typically we think of robots as machines from science fiction or as industrial robots such as those that build and paint cars. In the world of Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio, anything that has sensors and/or actuators can be considered a robot. In this article, we look at an automated…

For home automation enthusiasts, comes a plugin for Windows Home Server called "Embedded Automation's mControl for Windows Home Server." With this WHS plugin, you can configure and control everything in your home from lighting to AC to thermostats to security cameras from directly within…

One of the most impressive displays at CES 2008 wasn't on the show floor. Instead of a traditional plasma-screens-and-pamphlets CES booth life|ware chose to build three fully functional homes out front of the Las Vegas Convention Center to show off the various home…

Life|ware is a home automation system whose goal is to merge control of your home with access to all of your digital entertainment. You can integrate Life|ware into Windows Media Center and, from there, you can manage your music, your photos, your videos, watch DVDs, and you can even schedule and…

Superna Systems is a company that is making use of Vista's SideShow technology in their home automation systems. With their ControlWare software for Vista, you can control your home's security system, lights, climate, music, and televsions. All of these can be controlled through your computer…