Home Networking

Microsoft is looking to unify electrical appliances within the home and establish itself in the burgeoning “smart home” market with the development of HomeOS. Essentially a lightweight “smart home” operating system that aims to make it easy for users to manage their home networks and ease the creation of applications by third party developers, HomeOS is designed to provide a central hub through which various household devices can be controlled.  Read More

Honda has unveiled a demonstration house in Saitama, Japan, to showcase and test its new Honda Smart Home System (HSHS). Featuring a line-up of innovative energy production, management and conservation solutions, the company hopes HSHS will free homeowners from the constraints of on-grid living somewhat, give them a leg up on self-sufficiency when disaster strikes and help reduce carbon dioxide emissions both at home and on the road by networking electric vehicles into the mix.  Read More

Much has been written about the “internet of things.” Right now, not every human being has an IP but in the very near future, low cost smart chips will be added to every device to give it an IP address and everything in one’s life will become part of your private secure network to be monitored and controlled (and hence become smart) via a smartphone, tablet or PC. Earlier this week, Dutch-based NXP Semiconductors announced its GreenChip, which for the cost of about US$1.00, enables every light bulb to have its own wireless IP address. NXP has subsequently announced it is to make its JenNet-IP, ultra-low-power, IEEE 802.15.4-based, wireless network layer software available under an Open Source license in Q4, 2011. This development is very significant as it reduces the cost and greatly simplifies adding “smart” connectivity and two-way communication into a wide range of devices, and might well establish a cross-application standard for wireless connectivity in both residential and industrial environments.  Read More

Netgear has announced its 3DHD Wireless Home Theater Networking Kit, a set of high-performance 802.11n wireless adapters designed to transmit HD and 3D HD video throughout your home. The 3DHD kit, which received a CES 2011 Innovations Award, delivers multiple jitter-free 1080p high-definition video streams without additional wiring or cabling. Each 3DHD adapter can be connected to a home theater device with a network port, and features four transmitters and four receivers for 4x4 MIMO connectivity.  Read More

There's been a good bundle of componentry pass through the TweakTown labs this week including QNAP's new 4-bay NAS, Gateway's ZX4800-06 all-in-one desktop and NETGEAR's Powerline AV 200 XAVB2001 home networking solution. The TweakTown team also gives us the low-down on the Cooler Master CM 690 II Advanced mid-tower chassis and Sony's Bravia 3D LCD TV.  Read More

Metz demonstrated its new home automation management system at IFA in Berlin this week and there are some highly enticing aspects to its mecaHome+ methodology, most notably that it uses the Xcomfort wireless system from electrical engineering specialist Moeller (hence no wires) and it allows control of the home’s electrical functions to be managed centrally by a Metz television.  Read More

January 28, 2009 Crestron has released a new range of occupancy sensors to enhance the functionality of its Green Light™ environmental controls, further reducing energy usage. The sensors have built-in microprocessors and photocells which continually analyze and adjust to changing conditions to significantly reduce on-time for lights. Climate and device control can also be integrated. A combination of both ultrasonic and passive infrared sensing is used to detect motion while minimizing false triggers, such as electrical noise, air currents, and temperature changes. A built-in photocell can override the occupancy sensor if ambient light levels are above a set threshold, preventing lights from turning on when there is sufficient daylight in the room.  Read More

July 25, 2008 AMIMON, Hitachi, Motorola, Samsung, Sharp and Sony have formed an interest group to develop a standard for multi-room connectivity using AMIMON's Wireless Home Digital Interface (WHDI) technology.  Read More

February 29, 2008 When it comes to home safety, you can never be too cautious, and every second counts in the event of an emergency. The ONELink Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detector with Voice from First Alert not only provides a wireless way to network your smoke detectors, it actually tells you what you’re dealing with. Identifying both the location and type of danger in the home, the voiceover alerts those in the house to give them the best chance of escape without harm.  Read More