In looking for a means to control one's A/V system, an oft overlooked question is hard button remote (a la dedicated universal remote control) or touch screen only device (like your iPhone, iPad, Android tablet, etc.). If you haven't been exposed to the advantages available, you may not have considered your options. The good news is, you do have a choice and a control interface can be provided that best suits your preferences.

Option one, the dedicated remote control can be an excellent choice for controlling your stack of audio/video components, TV and what not. The primary benefit that a well programmed universal remote control system offers is the hard buttons themselves. Once set up, you quickly "train" your hand to operate your equipment. The tactile feedback of an actual button press makes channel surfing and volume control simple and intuitive without having to take your eyes from the action on screen. Since our fingers easily find the correct button, there is no need to actually look down at the device itself. Common tasks are quite easily accomplished.

Further, a universal remote control, having a single job, to control your home theater or distributed audio system, is more difficult to misplace. Simply put, the remote's limited functionality helps it stay in place, where it's needed, when it's needed.

With all that said, there is great value to be had in putting your mobile device into multipurpose mode. Simply put, today's touch screen, mobile devices can do so much more. Whether your an Apple iOS or Android user, there are a number of apps, usually paired with a third party control system, well suited to putting you "in touch" with your AV gear or automation system. When tied to a well designed and properly implemented system, these apps allow you to control your home theater, arm/disarm your security system, adjust lighting and more with the same device that you read on, check your email, etc. Many of these apps also allow control and monitoring when you're away, so you can control aspects of your home from a beach in Hawaii or a coffee shop in Prague. Using an app based approach can often times save a great deal of money, as well. Since the economy of scale provides for super powerful touch screen devices at very low prices that the control only vendors simply cannot match. Lastly, because these smart phone and tablet apps control systems over a WiFi connection, they tend to roam through the home very well (provided the network itself is strong). This is particularly important in scenarios such as selecting what music to listen to as you sip coffee on the back porch or turn a wrench in the garage.

The nice thing about the rate of advancement in electronics is the increase in choice. The most important thing to remember is that whichever control route you select, up to and including the choice to use both, you should certainly select one. A well thought out control interface is the single most important factor in ensuring that you are happy with the systems that it controls.

Green automation ideas...

Some time back I attended the inaugural meeting of the 'Denver Metro Home Automation Meetup' group (the group has since evaporated) and we spent the bulk of the evening discussing ideas on how to use home automation to reduce our consumption and increase the sustainability of how we live in and interact with our homes. It was a super energized group and the ideas were flowing quite freely. While I pride myself on being on the supposed "cutting edge" of electronics assisted sustainability, I learned a great deal through how other people are using home automation to aid their "Green" efforts and I'm eager to share a few of my favorites with you...

One of the ideas that we discussed was the disconnect with reality that lighting control manufacturers seem to exhibit. Yes, automated lighting controls can be used to effect some energy savings by tracking occupancy and controlling lighting loads appropriately, dimming incandescent loads based on daylight harvesting or time of day or simplifying the "hibernation" of your home when, say, the security system is armed in away mode. I love lighting control and the benefits it can add to your lifestyle in increasing security, aesthetics and ease of operation but I have seen some arms of the industry actually promote lighting control systems as the killer application in energy reducing automation. I, and others at the meeting, believe that lighting controls are only a small part of a comprehensive approach to "Greening" via home automation. Far greater benefits can be realized through advanced controls of HVAC systems, irrigation controls, motorized window treatments and others.

With that in mind, there was considerable discussion on how we are gaining some benefits through different lighting control strategies. I, for one, have heavily invested in CFL bulbs in my own home. The quality of product and light has increased exponentially over the years and my family is happy with the results. By converting over half of our existing incandescent loads, we have lost the aesthetic advantages of dimming those same loads but, we have decreased the operation costs by nearly four KWh's per day. Larry, a member of the group has taken a different and very interesting approach to his home's system. He has retained the use of dimming capabilities by switching his lamps out with halogen bulbs that are set up to turn on at only fifty percent. By using halogen bulbs in his fixtures, he still gets a high lumen output but has reduced the overall energy consumed by, some calculations would show, nearly forty percent (there is a nonlinear relationship between dimming level and power usage). He still has the ability to raise the light level significantly (for cleaning, looking for lost keys, etc.) when needed but reaps the benefits of lighting controls on both his pocket book and carbon footprint. After some reflection, I have taken this idea and altered it to work for my family in our home. For those fixtures left in our house that still house incandescent bulbs, I have programmed the dimmers to light at only eighty percent when initially pressed and only climb to ninety percent on a second press. Using a combination of Lutron's Radio RA and HAI's UPB devices in my home, the programming was simple and, I hope to find, effective.

We also discussed, at length, the use of a home automation system to reduce the consumption of water used (a subject that is a major focus of mine) in our irrigation systems. Several of us have removed the standard timers used in our sprinkler systems and, instead, allow our vastly more advanced automation controllers to dictate when and if our sprinklers run. For example, if the system sees that certain parameters (such as wind speed, recent rainfall, temperature, etc.) have not been met or have been exceeded, it can then either run the zones at altered times, altered length of soak or not run at all. All of this happens automatically and doesn't require constant tinkering with a frustrating, boring sprinkler timer. Of all the discussion on the subject, the idea that stuck out for me was when we discussed when to water or lawns. The idea, so simple it never crossed my mind, that when soil, like most other materials, is cool, it contracts and when it's warm it expands. When it's contracted, bits and pieces recede from one another leaving space between them allowing for water to more easily penetrate and absorb. When it has expanded, those voids are compressed and there is less room left for water to soak into and, thus, excess water simply runs off the lawn and into our gutters. Cool. Like I said, so simple, it never crossed my mind. That means that we should get more effective, efficient use of our water if we were to water the sod at the coolest portion of the day which will generally mean early morning, prior to sunrise. Combine better timing with staggered run times and you allow the soil to absorb the absolute maximum of water with the lowest level of waste.

So, those were the two ideas that really stood out for me and make a great deal of sense. I believe firmly in the concept of "Green" efforts being aided through the use of smart implementation of electronics and I couldn't have been more pleased with the engaged, lively discussion shared at the meeting. I will invite the other members present to leave comments below on what may have given them new ideas to implement and I look forward to future meetings of the group...

control vs. automation...

The oft misunderstood phrase, "Home Automation" can have many different meanings to many different people. Most often linked with the idea of the "Smart Home", home automation systems have the capability of controlling or monitoring an incredibly diverse, disparate number of devices or systems. Examples include lighting, irrigation, HVAC, audio/visual, security, access control, central vacuum, RFID, pool/spa, weather stations and much more. The idea of placing these various systems under the management and control of a centralized system, that often provides a single interface to each individual appliance, is a general definition of home (or building) automation.

Where things often get confused, though, is when it comes to the different models that the centralized system typically offers. In other words, people often misunderstand the ideas of "Control" and "Automation". They are indeed two very different animals.

Control is a basic concept of an automation system and is essentially a given in any installed setup. The idea is that you offer input and the system reacts to it. This can mean that you press a button on a touch screen to turn the audio volume up. You may have a simple keypad installed that can control various devices and so, you can arm your alarm or set a thermostat's set point from it. In some cases you may have a hand held remote control or key fob that can perform many of the same duties, like turning off all of the home's lights from your bedside. The most basic way to put it is that if you physically tell the system to do something, it parses the input and routes the appropriate command to the appropriate device or appliance. It's also important to note that the input can actually perform many duties at once. This is most often thought of as a macro or routine. You can press a single button, for example, that in turn performs a macro turning off lights, setting back a thermostat, arming the alarm, locking doors and more.

Automation, by it's strictest definition, means that rather than having to react to a physical input, the centralized controller is able to monitor conditions, activity, the environment, etc. in order to make decisions autonomously. I call this a, "hands in the pocket" approach to control. Installations that are programmed as such can offer a higher degree of convenience to the end user. They also can offer considerable reductions in energy and resource consumption for those who are looking to use technology to live a "greener" lifestyle. I'll offer a couple of examples and a couple of personal cases.

One basic sample of automation is the popular option of using the motion sensors installed as part of a security system to provide data that the controller then uses to determine occupancy. Simple systems may use that data to simply turn on a light in a room IF it's just become occupied and IF the light is not already on and IF it is dark outside. You see, it's the "if's" that the controller is monitoring and using as conditional logic. It's actually a very simple arrangement but the convenience can be very compelling. You can use similar logic to raise a path of light if you get up to use the restroom in the middle of the night.

Another model that is growing in popularity is the use of RFID technology. RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification. It is in use all around us and is seen most often in commercial or industrial applications. It is used in the transponder that allows you to pass on toll roads without stopping or slowing down. It's used extensively in warehouse inventory management. If you use a key fob or credit card sized pass to gain access and enter doors at your workplace, you are already an RFID user. The technology is now beginning to make it's presence felt in residential applications as well. The absence or presence of an RFID tag can be monitored by an RFID receiver and then, in turn, used as a variable by the home automation controller. This allows the home to determine if a particular person is present and use that information to, say, turn on their favorite genre of music, invoke their particular favorite lighting scene and even allow the system to speak messages intended for that specific person. Another common use in automation is for the trash can's presence to be monitored and for the system to alert you IF it is trash day AND the trash is not curbside to get off your tail and get it out. Yet another example of a "hands in the pocket" approach. The user need not input commands or queries as the system is doing the heavy lifting for them.

Lastly, a couple of ideas that I have implemented for clients in order to save resources. In the west, where I live, water is a premium resource that must be conserved. We have limited amounts to work with and those that we have (groundwater, snowfall, etc.) can be impacted greatly by weather patterns and overuse. Couple that with extremely rigid water rights laws, many of which go back for generations, and we have a resource that is very, very valuable. I had one client that had a great need to know the status of his well and cistern in order to prioritize water usage. He had a slow well that filled cisterns and the cisterns (or holding tanks) then fed the home's plumbing. With an indoor pool, water features, irrigation and domestic use to provide for, the cisterns could easily be depleted. With a slow well on site, it could take a lot of time to replenish the cisterns. In other words, were he not diligent, he could fill his pool with the result being that he couldn't take a shower or flush toilets. Not good. So, taking an automated approach, I utilized ultrasonic metering to monitor the volume of water available in the holding tanks. I then programmed the automation controller to "keep an eye on things" and when certain levels were met to prioritize the water use. It automatically shut down water features, irrigation and even the pool's pumps when domestic water use was jeopardized. This ensured that the client could confidently flush or shower without risking going days without available water. The system also presented the results in real time allowing him to know at a glance where he stood.

One other example of how true automation can save money and resources is by monitoring occupancy and programming the system to "back off" devices that need not run full tilt when no one is around. Lighting and HVAC are both considerable electricity consumers. With the use of a centralized controller, the home (or building) can monitor occupancy and determine whether or not it is prudent to turn off unnecessary systems. If there is no one at home, the controller can set back heating and cooling set points for the HVAC system, turn off lights that have been left on, put the audio/visual equipment into a standby state and more. I use this in my own home to basically follow my small children around and shut down the numerous devices that they inevitably leave on and unattended.

In closing, I hope this helps clear up what may be, for many people new to automation, some confusing areas. I also hope that it excites you as much as it does me. The use of technology can be used to make your life much more convenient, entertaining and comfortable all while freeing you up to do more important things than wandering the home controlling every thing by hand.

Punk rock electronics...

Huh? What in the world would make me even consider a blog post such as this? Well, there's a lot to it, that's what and the growth of home grown electronics seems, in many ways, to echo the DIY ethos of the early punk rock scene.

In the world at large (and particularly on the Internet), I am witnessing a HUGE resurgence in the DIY, "maker" type electronics space. There is a great deal going on and it's fascinating to watch. All over the world, people are picking up their soldering irons, booting up their computers, assembling funny little bits of kit and tying it all together in wonderful new ways. Electrons are being manipulated and, for many, new connections are being made. Every day, people are introducing us to their projects and new fangled ways of interfacing both hardware and software on blogs, via Twitter and community forums. It's a big deal. Just look at the growth of such entities as Make Magazine, Instructables and more.

So what does this have to do with punk? I believe that, in large part, open source hardware and software has been a driving force behind the boost in popularity. Linux distributions, open software/hardware, "hacker spaces" and more, have fostered a sort of community of makers. Users helping users. Builders improving upon builders. Ordinary folks standing on the shoulders of giants and contributing in their own way. It's now hip to be a geek much the same way the community of early punks, from London to New York to Los Angeles, fed on one another's work in the 1970's and '80's and reinvigorated rock and roll.

There is also a vein of rebellious, anti-authoritarian individualism that runs through the DIY community of electronics and software hackers. Much like Sid Vicious got a new gig with the Sex Pistols when he was spotted wearing a home made "Pink Floyd Sucks" T-shirt, many of the most innovative electronics producers of today are eschewing the big corporate players, a la Microsoft. They're embracing open (or semi-open) platforms and excelling despite (or because of) that decision. Curiously, like the DIY record labels, fan 'zines, underground clubs and, hell yes, the bands themselves, that defined the early punk scene, some of the most successful players in the "maker" scene today are doing things their own way and redefining how business can be done. MakerBot Industries, Adafruit Industries, Sparkfun and, yes, even (to some extent) Google. The "gray hairs" are watching and they know that they're losing market share to, of all groups, their own past customers. That's right. We're moving into our garages, home offices and hacker spaces in order to set up our own labs to compete against the suppliers we once supported.

Examples, you ask? Well, I'd say just take a look at the phenomenal success of the Arduino project. This simple little MCU/IDE combo has blown up and folks who would have otherwise never considered tinkering with such gear are finding themselves enthralled. Myself included. The fact that Arduino has made all aspects of the project open, thus spawning imitators, has not hurt them in the least. Rather, they have benefited from it. As we all know, "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery".

Does this movement represent, like punk rock, a revolution? I think so. You may not have to create the electronics equivalent of "God Save The Queen" or "Blitzkrieg Bop" to enjoy this new paradigm but, you can sure as heck enjoy yourself banging out your own three chord masterpiece of LED's, buzzers, Ethernet and code...

The question? Is a well designed and implemented electronic lifestyle really that much different than the typical big box installation?

So, what is it that is so different? What makes the experience of working with an experienced, conscientious and/or service oriented electronic systems integrator better than choosing a hodge podge of black boxes and blinking lights from your local big box retailer? The answer isn't simple. Much like the analogy of driving different vehicles, both a Toyota and a Bentley will indeed accomplish the goal of getting from one place to another, the truly custom systems integrator and the acne riddled eighteen year old salesperson at, say, Bestbuy are both going to be able to provide a means of watching a television program or movie. They both have the ability to provide a display, surround sound and the cabling infrastructure to link the associated components. However, the experience is vastly different. Radically, vastly different.

First, the big box retailer is likely going to start by hard selling you on the products that his or her manager has instructed them to clear from back stock. They simply don't have the end user in mind when, instead of recommending the right product for the client, they push the lines that offer them a higher commission or are collecting dust in the warehouse. Generally, the salespeople are so inexperienced that they don't even know the difference between technologies let alone the reasons why one piece of gear may be a better choice for you than another. It's the difference between knowing what a piece of equipment does and why that piece may or may not be the correct one. It's the difference between a shopping list and a recipe.

Secondly, because the big box retailer is focused on a one time sale (ie: commission) rather than a relationship, they often times simply direct you to purchase parts instead of a system. A system, you ask? Well, parts are parts. Pack up a new television in the family car, drive it home and add it's remote to the growing pile on the coffee table. A remote for the TV. Another for the DVD player. There's one for the cable box and yet one more for the surround sound receiver. Ugh. Or, they sell you a package of five speakers and a subwoofer for surround sound while failing to even determine what your viewing habits are, what kind of space you have to place them in or what your expectations may be. A system is a vastly different animal than a collection of boxes that may or may not play nicely together. A system is an experience. A solution. A well designed system, whether it be a media room or a fully automated home, works simply, reliably and performs in such a manner as to inspire joy. For example, a well designed media room or dedicated theater offers the experience of sitting down in your favorite chair with your favorite people, picking up a single remote and pressing a single button. At the press of that button, the equipment springs to life. Your television or projector and audio gear power on. They then automagically switch to their correct inputs while the BluRay disc player awakens. As the system warms up, your lighting very slowly dims, elegantly setting the mood for some serious entertainment. As the popcorn is passed around, your movie begins to play. Immediately, the carefully selected pairing of audio processing and the correct loud speakers impress you with their capabilities. If you didn't know better, you would think that you were in the local cineplex, awed by the sights and sounds. Were it not for the noticeable lack of sticky floors and obnoxious teenagers, you would swear that you were at the premiere of Hollywood's latest blockbuster. Now that sounds better than fumbling with four remote controls, cursing as you try to recall which button to press and in what order, while vowing to seek revenge on the salesperson who oversold you on snake oil cables and undersold those tinny sounding, cardboard speakers.

Another benefit of working with a company dedicated to electronic lifestyle solutions is insight. We at reTHINK live, eat and breathe automation and audio/video. We live with the systems we offer. We know what they can do, what they can't do and why. What value does a well designed lighting control system bring to your home? Ask us, we know because we benefit from the rig installed in our own home and the many creative solutions we've implemented in our existing client's homes. Why do we believe so strongly in digital security systems that can email alerts and even dissuade potential intruders before they attempt to break in? Because our own families are protected by the very same gear we recommend and install. Does the ability to view cameras overlooking your home or business from afar really instill peace of mind? Ask us to pull our smart phone from our pocket and we can show you live images from digital surveillance systems installed in our very homes.

Lastly, we value you. We want to be your trusted advisor. We welcome the opportunity to find creative solutions to your most difficult requests. We have a desire to add value to your digital lifestyle. We are, frankly, nerds and we have a great deal of passion for what we do. It is our hope that we can share that passion with you. We respect your home or place of business. We strive to design and install gear in such a way as to blend with your aesthetics or disappear completely. We know how important it is to provide terrific systems, on time, meeting your budget and exceeding your every expectation.