Automated Home

RUVO MiniCap 7 - Tiny Fanless 1080P HDMI PC

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +0100

Back in September we brought you a review of the ASRock, an Atom powered NetTop PC running 1080P out to HDMI using XBMC. Now the LinITX guys are at it again, this time with an even smaller, silent fan-less design that does the same job, but at £210 costs even less...

New Z-Wave Smoke Detector and Siren

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:08:12 +0100

Like torturing yourself with more Z-Wave goodies you can't buy in the UK? Here's two interesting new products equipped with the wireless home automation system...

Crestron Integration by Custom Controls

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:23:03 +0100

Here's a set of three videos from Custom Controls showing recent integration projects for smart home lighting and security systems as well as the Spotify streaming music service. Watch the other two videos after the jump... FS2kPQuZQ_UUsing a Crestron touchpanel to select mood lighting scenes as part of a Crestron Greenlight system. Also shows how easy it is to create custom mood lighting scenes and instantly recall at the touch of a button.

New Apple Remote Review

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:00:00 +0100

Apple's diminutive infrared remote control was replaced a few weeks back (along with a raft of other new hardware). The new unit leaves the old white glossy plastic look behind and adopts the brushed aluminium finish of the rest of the modern Mac range...

MegaView61 HDMI Extender over CAT5 with Infrared Return

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:14:37 +0100

Marmitek have just added new wired video extender products. The range topping MegaView61 is an affordable £90 and sends 1080P HDMI signals over 2 CAT5 cables. It includes an IR return to control the source equipments too...

10 Smart Home Christmas Gift Ideas

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:38:22 +0100

It's not easy to buy something for the gadget lover who already seems to have everything - so here are 10 easy Christmas gift ideas - either to buy for your loved one or too leave a subtle hint for the clueless looking for something for you! Smart Home gifts from under £20 to over £700...

Just Add Power's HDMI Over IP Solution Explained

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:07:21 +0100

Just Add Power’s HDMI over IP solution is now available in the UK. This new game changing system converts a HiDef signals to packet data meaning it can be sent across a normal Ethernet LAN. Check out the video and the other photos after the jump...

LED Door Lock Status Indicator Hack

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:03:25 +0100

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to just glance at your doors and tell if they were locked or unlocked. This Automated Home reader has done just that and can tell the status of each door from the colour of the LED. Read on for the photos and the circuit details...

Apple TV v3.0 Update

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:23:18 +0100

The guys at TotalApps.net are quick off the mark with their review of last nights release of the Apple TV v3.0 Software. The free software upgrade features a redesigned main menu that makes navigating your favorite content simpler and faster, and makes enjoying the largest selection of on-demand HD movie rentals and purchases, HD TV shows, music and podcasts from the iTunes Store even better on your TV. gWIe7zT9iyg

Z-Wave Update

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:29:03 +0100

Our feelings for Z-Wave are pretty clear here at Automated Home. While we love the technology and feel its a worthy 21st Century replacement for X10, we hate the fact that despite the years and the promises, the UK still has a pitiful offering of hardware.Videos like this beautiful new one from Coco just remind us how poorly the UK market is served. Come on Z-Wave manufacturers - the UK is waiting. NgfRHMeJlBoCOCO- Controlled ComfortUpdate 1 - Is the COCO system Z-Wave power or another wireless technology? Leave a comment if you know. Update 2 - Looks like COCO is using system same / similar to the HomeEasy range

New Broadband Comparison Site

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:00:00 +0100

BroadbandSuppliers.co.uk is a one stop shop for all things broadband. Be it the latest news concerning the broadband sector, even-handed expert reviews or customer reviews, they have it all. But broadband comparison is their forte, almost all of the UK's ISPs are clearly compared by type (broadband packages, home, mobile, unlimited, business and broadband bundles) and by speed...

AlertMe Energy launches with Google and British Gas

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:53:48 +0100

Wow, what a coup for AlertMe. They've just announced a partnership with a little Internet company you may have heard of - Google! Their brand new Energy product is a combination of a clip-on meter reader, wireless hub and the online goodness of Google's PowerMeter. This will enabling users to monitor their energy consumption via their iGoogle homepage. Watch the video and read the full release after the jump...

DIY Windows Home Server Build - JukeBox MkII

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:00:00 +0100

It's hard to believe, but its four and a half years since we built our first proper rackmount media server for the Automated Home. Our tutorial for the MkI is still one of our most popular articles and it's easy to see why. It's something that people are doing every day as they realise they need to move all their digital media to a central server that can be accessed by the many IP devices we have now come to rely on. But nothing lasts forever and this week we've pulled the old girl out of the rack ready for a heart transplant...

Keene CAT5Blaster WallPate

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 01:00:00 +0100

Here's another reason to love all that CAT5 you sunk into your walls. The £90 set of CAT5Blaster Wallplates from Keene Electronics allow you to send two independent video channels (either 1 x S-Video or 2 x Composite) plus audio over CAT5 cable for up to 100 metres...

Sonos S5 ZonePlayer Hands-on Mini Review

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:23:00 +0100

We've just had a play with the new S5 Zoneplayer, thanks to Sonos' UK distributor. Watch the video after the jump and read on for the new social networking features coming in the new software version next week.....

ITU Approve New Standard for Smart Home Network

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:25:25 +0100

Could this be the X Smart Home Utopia we've been waiting for? The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has approved a new technical standard called 'G.hn' which could finally lead the way to a workable standard by providing a set of protocols and profiles to enable a diverse range of devices to communicate with each other around the home...

Pinnacle Audio launches RAID Equipped Folio Music Server

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:41:44 +0100

Aimed squarely at the audiophile, the new Folio music server from UK based Pinnacle Audio uses FLAC Lossless compression. Their built-in CD ripping engine also features RAID technology to make sure your music is automatically copied to two hard drives - sparing you the pain of ever having to re-rip your collection. The Sonos like control comes via the Nokia touchsreen tablet and some custom software. Watch the video after the jump...

Sonos Announce ZonePlayer S5

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:26:22 +0100

Sonos have just announced a new all-in-one zone player. The single box contains digital amps and 5 speakers and brings the the entry price of Sonos down to £349 / $399 if you already have an iPhone or iPod touch to control it. Watch the video after the jump...

Readers Touchscreen Controlled Home Automation Setup with Photos

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Automated Home reader Kevin Warner has been building a comprehensive home automation system based on a HomeSeer backend controlled from touch screens using Cinemars MainLobby system. Check out the photos of his beautiful installation along with his opinions on what works best and his thoughts on future additions...

Marmitek EasyTouch Panel10 - Inexpensive X-10 Touchscreen Control

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:05:40 +0100

Marmitek has recently launched the EasyTouch Panel10. The 10 inch touch screen can easily be wall mounted and as it runs on 2 X AA batteries there's no requirement to track walls or run cables. It wirelessly controls X10 modules around the home from its built in transmitter. Users can add their own background by creating a graphic, printing it out and slipping it under the glass front for a look that's personalised to their own home...