The automation system that was previously in the house has been substantially refitted this fall. This started when the front half of the house was renovated a year before and a color touch screen was integrated into the woodwork.

At that point, we had a color touch screen up front running one type of software and a black and white touch screen (the original one) in the kitchen running different software. Whiel the color one was nicer to use, the software it used was clunkier, less feature filled and less stable than the older black and white unit. But the black and white unit ran windows, crashed frequently and wasn't pretty (in comparison to the front room). Also, do to limitations in the underlying hardware, additional functions weren't easy to add (often impossible). Finally, there were two disparate server systems in the basement to control all of this. Yuck.

Finally, this fall, the kitchen touch screen gave up the ghost, forcing the issue. We replaced the kitchen touch screen with a color one using the same technology as the front rooms. Mark built a wonderful Arts & Crafts frame for it (it uses mortice and tenon joinery, thus giving us a reason at last to buy a stacked dado head blade for the table saw).

With the touch screens all looking nice, it was time to address the clunky color software. A completely new software base, from the server on up, was created in a few weeks that allows control over all the existing functions and nicely knits in the HVAC (heating and A/C), security, voice messageing, music, lightings, etc into a colorful, reasonably easy to use panel. Best of all, the platform is based on alows a lot of future growth. I was able to banish Windows from any of the automation system/servers, retire two PCs that ran Windows in the basement and did server duty.

Touch screen at the front of the house, near the front coat closet and front door.

Touch Screen in the kitchen (idle - just sitting there)

Touch screen showing light controls for the Living Room

Touch screen playing back music

Touch Screen reviewing albums to play (the Juke Box)

The touch screen voice mail interface. Voice messages are related to each screen, can be played and managed at each screen. Eventually, email will be tied in here too.

Touch screen Heating/Cooling (HVAC) control screens including current settings, usage indicators, statistics, etc

Showing the standard week day, weekend and vacation setpoint adjustments screen

Security System status and controls. Note the Lockdown button which arms the house and locks the tocuh screens (puts up a keypad that must hav ethe correct PIN entered to disarm.

This screen manages general items for each touch screen including master volume, doorbel volume and controls, background controls, blanking controls (touch screens can go dark when not used, can display photos like a picture frame or just be on all the time).

Last updated November 25, 2002