Home Automation Made Easy: Do It Yourself Know How Using UPB, INSTEON, X10, and Z-Wave

Home Automation Made Easy: Do It Yourself Know How Using UPB, INSTEON, X10, and Z-Wave

Released November 2013
Publisher(s): Que
ISBN: 9780133408478

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Book description

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

Table of contents

  1. About This eBook
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Contents at a Glance
  5. Table of Contents
  6. About the Author
  7. Dedication
  8. Acknowledgments
  9. We Want to Hear from You!
  10. Reader Services
  11. Introduction
    1. Value Proposition of a Central Home Automation Platform
    2. How This Book Brings Automation to Your Home
    3. Free HAL Software Download
  12. Chapter 1. Home Wiring and Electrical Fundamentals
    1. Safety Tips
    2. Terms to Know and Understand
    3. Inverters
    4. Converters
    5. Definitive Information Source—NEC
    6. Schematic Diagrams
  13. Chapter 2. Using a Windows Computer as Your Home Automation Platform
    1. Details and Choices
    2. First Choice: Shared, Dedicated, or Networked?
    3. Second Choice: Buy Preconfigured or Build Your Own
    4. Most Important Characteristics for Your Home Automation Platform
    5. Planning the Computer’s Installation Location
    6. Book Prototype Computer
    7. Setting up Your Computer
  14. Chapter 3. Introduction to Control Protocols and Automation Process
    1. Control Methods
    2. Automation Processes are Trigged by an Event
  15. Chapter 4. Project 1, Installing HALbasic Software on Your PC
    1. Starting Point
    2. Security Software
    3. Beginning the HALbasic Install
  16. Chapter 5. Project 2, Controlling Appliances, Lights, and Devices
    1. Connecting the Hardware
    2. Configuring Control Modules Identities in HALbasic
  17. Chapter 6. Project 3, Controlling Lighting: Indoors and Outdoors
    1. Switching for Indoor and Outdoor Lighting Circuits
    2. Existing Multilocation Switching
  18. Chapter 7 Project 4, Linking Video to Your Security System
    1. Linking in HAL Video Capture Features
    2. Deciding How Many Cameras Are Needed
    3. Installing and Locating the Cameras
    4. Setting Up Camera Security Actions with HALultra
  19. Chapter 8 Project 5, Upgrading the Home Automation Platform to HALultra
    1. Upgrading to HALultra
  20. Chapter 9. Project 6, Installing a Home Automation Voice Portal Modem in Your Computer
    1. Installing the Voice Portal Modem
    2. Connecting the Voice Portal in the Operating System
    3. Voice Portal Installation with the HAL Setup Wizard
  21. Chapter 10. Project 7, Getting Green and Managing Your Home’s Climate
    1. Getting Green
    2. Managing Temperature and Energy Consumption
    3. Heating and Cooling System Links
    4. Installing a HALultra-Compatible Thermostat
    5. Installing an In-line Fan/Light Control
    6. Setting up the Interface in HALultra
  22. Chapter 11. Project 8, Adding New Controllers and Interfaces: Z-Wave, INSTEON, and More
    1. Additional Interfaces for HALultra
    2. Setting up a Z-Wave Network
  23. Chapter 12. Project 9, Automating the Home Entertainment Center’s Music Management
    1. The Changing Landscape of Home Electronics
  24. Chapter 13. Project 10, Connecting and Using the Home Automation Platform over the Internet
    1. Preparing the Internet/Intranet Connection for HALultra
  25. Chapter 14. Controlling Your Home with iOS and Android
    1. Interactive Device Server Applications
    2. Using Smart Phones and Tablets to Control HAL
  26. Chapter 15. Evaluating Broadband and Telecom Home Automation Offerings
    1. Selection Criteria for Monitoring and Managed Service Providers
    2. Expected Future Offerings
    3. Mainstream Companies with HA and Monitoring Systems or Services
  27. Chapter 16. Adding Future Self-Designed Home Automation Projects
    1. Design Steps
    2. Popular Home Automation System Add-ons
    3. Setup Correlations
    4. Summation
  28. Index

Product information

  • Title: Home Automation Made Easy: Do It Yourself Know How Using UPB, INSTEON, X10, and Z-Wave
  • Author(s):
  • Release date: November 2013
  • Publisher(s): Que
  • ISBN: 9780133408478