I saw a unique product at www.dbell.ca – a very unique product of its kind – Wi-Fi Digital Doorbell. It is a wireless Digital Video doorbell. What is unique about it is- you do not need to run any new wires! You can remove your typical doorbell, use the same wire to power up the new Wi-Fi Video Doorbell.

Visitor presses call button and your smartphone rings. You can answer the doorbell from your  iOS smartphone or Android devices. It also rings the chimes at your home just like a typical doorbell. Bonus feature you have is, you can choose from 16 different melody ring tone to ring inside your home. It has some pretty cool nice ring tones! If you are away from home, you can use the doorbell as your surveillance camera. You can remotely connect to your camera and see the surroundings. Camera has built in Night-vision and motion sensor. If someone is walking on your drive way, you will get an instant notification in your smartphone. If you decide, you can view who is walking at the driveway. Not only that, you can take a snapshot too.

Imagine, you are already in the bed or enjoying your favourite movies upstairs, doorbell rings. You don’t need to come downstairs to answer the door. Use your phone to see who is at the door!Freedom at your fingertips!

Wi-Fi video doorbell

You want to know who is coming in your house? This doorbell is perfect solution for you without breaking your banks.

The other feature doorbell has-

• Wide-Angle Lens camera
• Compatible with free iOS and Android APP
• Supports IEEE 802.11b/g/n wireless connection
• Supports WEP, WPA and WPA2 encryption
• Supports 12~24VAC(12VDC optional)
• Supports two-way audio
• Supports Motion Detection Alarm
• P2P feature for easy remote access
• H.264 video compression
• Upload alarm snapshot to FTP

Data Rate is IEEE802.11b: 11Mbps(Max.), IEEE802.11g: 54Mbps(Max.), IEEE802.11n: 150Mbps(Max.)

Doorbell’s Operating Temperature is  -20° ~ 50°C  (-4°F ~ 122°F), the Operating Humidity is  20% ~ 85% non-condensing. Also the doorbell is Waterproof  IP66 and the user Accounts has two levels user role.

Doorbell uses H.264 Image Compression, Image Frame Rate is 25fps maximum, downward adjustable. The Resolution is 1280 x 720(720P), 640 x 480(VGA), 320 x 240(QVGA), Single Stream.
Doorbell features Image Adjustment like brightness, contrast, saturation, chroma, they are all adjustable.

The doorbell is available at a online store, http://www.dbell.ca

Home Automation systems are a great way to integrate all the various facilities within a home into one cohesive system for convenience, control and comfort.

Home security systems which include Burglar alarm systems, indoor and outdoor cameras and also fire alarm systems which have always been installed as stand alone systems are now frequently being integrated into the home automation systems. Is this a good idea ?

Most security system installers feel that by installing a security system independent of the home automation system makes it secure and immune to problems within the automation system.

This might have been true in earlier systems where all the various sub systems were integrated into one control panel, so that if any component of any part of the system failed, the entire system would breakdown so that, a minor problem in lets say, the HVAC control could have the entire system including the security system down, until it was rectified.

This is not a problem in todays systems.

Even though various sub systems are still integrated into a common control system, todays technology allows the integrator to design the overall system in such a way that  even if a component in any sub system fails, that particular component / assembly will be   isolated from the rest of the system which will still continue functioning normally.

However, the biggest advantage in integrating the security system into home automation comes in case of alarm events such as break ins or fire.

For example, in case of a fire alarm, the system can be programmed such that the HVAC is shut off immediately, alarm alerts can be sent to pre programmed numbers or contacts, hallway lights can be programmed to come on so that they will light the way for family members to proceed to safer locations, electronic door locks can be programmed to open, electrical devices can be turned off etc.

In case of a break in, for example, specific cameras can be programmed to start recording continuously, alerts can be sent to pre programmed individuals or numbers, sirens and voice announcements can be triggered, lights both indoor and outdoor can be made to come on etc. compelling the intruders to leave.

All these features not only add to the safety and security of the family members, but brings a sense of comfort and control and minimises losses due to damage.

Further, automation systems today are designed to work with diverse systems with universally accepted communication standards, so that the inclusion of security systems within an automation system not only makes design sense but also ensures that the system integrator can use the most appropriate components in building the entire system including the security to have a complete automation system that meets all the present and future needs of the home owner.

You’ve probably heard people say. “I’m not going to waste my money on home automation. I hear there’s new products being developed and I’m going to wait for them to come out before I buy. Why should I buy technology that’s going to be out of date soon?”

They probably think they’re being smart consumers, but there are a lot of reasons this is the wrong choice. It might be true if you were buying some of the earliest, cheapest kinds of home automation (like the ones that use the wiring in your house to carry the signal). But when you look at a true whole home automation system from one of the top manufacturers, there has never been a better time to buy.Here are some of the reasons you should be making the move right now:

Prices have already come down

Because of competition in the industry and the huge growth in the number of customers, home automation has never been so affordable. The price of a whole home system has come down dramatically in only the last few years. But it has hit a plateau that manufacturers can’t go below without compromising on quality. You can be confident that the price you pay now will be the same price you would pay in a couple of years.

Home Automation has caught up with your technology

Do you have a refrigerator that writes your grocery list, or fully motorized kitchen drawers? Probably not, and you probably have no plans to get them for many years. The current generation of home automation is perfectly suited to the life you are living right now – controlling security, adjusting climate control, giving you smart phone control of your house from off site, controlling all aspects of home entertainment. This is the real world that you live in, and home automation is ready to safely reliably and affordably control everything you use now and everything you will be using in the near future.

Quality home automation products are incredibly Future Friendly

Today’s home automation products are not like the old fashioned on-off switches of the first generation controllers. What you are purchasing is a system that is driven by highly sophisticated software and firmware. The same way you upgrade the operating system in your pad, laptop or smartphone, your home automation system is ready to be upgraded for whatever the future will bring. Top companies like Crestron and AMX produce technology that is unmatched in its ability to adapt to new devices and new uses. There are ten year old Crestron Series 2 controllers operating devices that didn’t even exist when Crestron built the controller. That’s what future forward technology does for you, It makes your home automation system a long-term investment, not an expense.

Money has never been so cheap

Many home owners take the option of financing their home automation system, often on a home equity line of credit. We are enjoying some of the lowest interest rates in history. Wise consumers know this is a great opportunity to make a purchase that will enhance their lifestyle for years to come and to pay for it as they use it with almost no interest.

There is never a wrong time to help the environment

We are all conscious of the environmental cost of generating electricity and heating our homes. Home automation is environmentally responsible. It is not just “greenwashing.” You will use less electricity and less fuel when your home is automated. That’s a fact. Why would you wait to show that kind of positive example to your children?

What price do you put on your family’s safety?

Most people now know the enhanced benefits to security that home automation provides. The ability to automatically alert the authorities, whether you’re home or not: Automated lighting that gives all your family members more comfort: State of the art glass break and motion sensing alarms that protect you 24/7. Do you want to wait until the security of your home has been violated, or do you want to be proactive and use all the technology available to make sure your possessions, and more important, your loved ones. are as safe as they can be?

If you wait for the latest model, you’ll never own anything

If people waited until technology was perfect, no-one would have ever bought a car or a television. Technology doesn’t need to be perfect to be good value. Instead, you should ask these questions. Is the technology proven? Is it at a fair price? Will I get years of service from it? If technology changes, will this change and adapt along with it? Home automation technology passes all these tests with flying colours. There has never been a better time to give yourself the electronic lifestyle you’ve dreamed of.

The next step is to chose the right partner to make your wish list into a check list. The experts at OneTouch Automation are ready to help. Let us design and install a whole home system that perfectly suits your needs and your budget. Call us today.

Last week we had a look at a room that is often neglected when it comes to home automation, the kitchen. This week, we’re going to move on to a different space that doesn’t always get the automation it deserves – the bedroom.

Home automation exists to enhance different parts of your lifestyle – security, convenience, entertainment, assisted living, safety, energy efficiency, and lets not forget, fun.

There is an opportunity to take advantage of all of these in an automated bedroom. Let’s take a look at few ways that a modern well-designed system can make your life better.

 Privacy and Security

These are two of the most obvious. Motorized window coverings should now be considered standard equipment in the bedroom of any quality home. When you choose a top of the line product like Crestron, you can order double shades. The daytime shade will preserve your privacy while allowing a view of the outside. Put down the blackout blind and night, and you will have total privacy and no street lights or passing headlights to disturb your sleep.

You will also want to make the bedroom part of your housewide security system. Prowlers come around when you’re asleep. A bedroom, especially a ground floor bedroom, should be protected with window break alarms, and lights with motion detectors outside the windows. Make sure one of your security cameras captures the area outside the bedroom too.

 Lighting

In our stressful world, the bedroom should be an oasis of calm. Indirect dimmable LED lights are not only energy efficient, they also enhance the décor of any bedroom. By adding the lights to your home automation system, you can use the touch of a button at your bedside to turn on the lights anywhere in the house. This is especially good if you have to check on a crying baby or find out what that noise is downstairs.

 Music

Music in the bedroom is overlooked, but should be a part of the system. Whether you use the bedroom as a computer room, a refuge to read in or a place to relax and have a nap, your choice of background music can help. Or, you can hear the latest weather report in the morning as you get ready for your busy day. All the music selections can be easily controlled from your bedside touch panel or from an I-device.

 Entertainment

Another item that has become standard equipment in most bedrooms is a flat screen TV. You could just have a cable signal, but why stop there? In a fully automated home, you can have access to the internet, Netflix, cable and satellite. Why not add a wireless keyboard and surf the internet from your bed on the giant screen? Use your bedside touch screen and you can call up any film that is on your media server. Start watching a movie in the living room and finish watching it in bed. Access all your favourite sports channels. The sky is the limit. You can even put the TV sound through the ceiling speakers for a theatre experience in your own bed.

 Fun

The home automation business is always coming up with new devices. There are many that make for fun additions to a bedroom system. How about a robot vacuum cleaner that is programmed to come out every morning after you leave for work and clean the floor? How about using the touch panel to turn on in-floor heaters in the en-suite bathroom before you get there? You’ll never feel cold tiles on your feet again. What about window coverings that react automatically to sunlight, so that even if you aren’t there they will still close and protect your valuable furniture and floors from sun damage. What about a skylight over your bed with a motorized blackout shade? Sleep under the stars when you want, or keep it closed for perfect privacy.

The possibilities are endless and are limited only by your imagination and the skill and knowledge of your home automation integrator. At OneTouch Automation, our designers and programmers carry the highest level of certification in the industry. Offering only the best products from companies like Crestron, AMX, Pakedge, Tannoy and Kaleidescape, our mission is to provide you with systems that are ahead of the curve and ready to provide years of trouble-free system. Our designs are flexible, adaptable and future-friendly.

Call OneTouch Automation today for a no-charge consultation with one of our Home Automation experts.

Home automation has grown very quickly in popularity. From something only the wealthiest could afford to a regular part of millions of homes, automated control has now arrived in a big way. But many homeowners still think this technology is only for their primary residence.As prices become more and more competitive, wireless technology increases and vacation homes become better equipped, it’s time to consider automating your cottage, chalet or lakeside retreat. Of course, the automation needs of a vacation property aren’t exactly the same as those of a full-time residence. It is unlikely that you will install a 7- speaker home theatre in a cottage. There are, however, many things that home automation brings to the table that you may find appealing for a vacation property. Here are a few of them:

Security

This is the number one concern of vacation property owners. Many cottage owners have experienced the disturbing surprise that comes from finding that someone has broken into their property in the off-season. It is a bad emotional experience, but it can also be expensive. Vandalism and doors or windows left open to the elements can cause thousands of dollars in property damage. There’s no need for this to happen. If you have access to phone lines, the internet or satellite capability, it’s possible to keep an eye on the property all year. Window-break sensors and motion detectors can alert you at once to any intruder, human or animal. The very same security systems can protect you from intruders when you’re there. That can be an added comfort if you’re in an isolated area far from the authorities.

Lighting is also a safety factor. Wouldn’t you rather drive up an illuminated driveway to find a fully lit cottage? No problem. Just send the command with your iphone before you arrive.

If you rent your cottage, you may want to install a programmable number pad in place of the lock. No more keys to deliver or return when the place is rented, and you can change the code so no-one can copy your keys and use them later.

Protect your property

Intruders aren’t the only source of damage to vacation homes. Frozen water pipes, flooding in the spring, fire and many other hazards can damage your property. A home automation system can detect any of these problems and immediately alert you allowing you to contact local authorities or trades to deal with the emergency. With automated door locks, you can let them in when they arrive, all without going to the property. A lot of this can be done even in areas without internet access. Products like the Sensaphone 400 will perform many of these monitoring functions on a simple analog telephone line.

Irrigation control is also a good feature to consider. If you can’t get to the property for a few weeks, you may still want to water the lawn and irrigate the flowerbeds. Your cottage automation system can easily do it, either on a regular schedule or by a remote command.

Comfort

On a chilly night, who wouldn’t prefer to arrive at a chalet that has already been preheated before you get there? Your automated comfort control can keep the property at a temperature that protects it from ice damage. When you’re on your way, send the command to warm the building up and arrive to a warm cozy welcome.

While you’re there, make sure you take advantage of controlling the many devices you now use at your vacation property. Satellite TV, DVD players and video games are all regular parts of the summer lifestyle. Why not add a radio frequency gateway to the system and wirelessly control all these devices? You may want to add control of the temperature and the lights in the hot tub too.

And don’t forget zoned audio. Whether it’s background music or the latest marine weather report, it’s easy to have the sound you want in any room. Add an iserver and you can easily access your favourite summer songs on your ipod.

At OneTouch automation, we believe that easy control of your home or cottage is not a silly luxury. It is simply the logical way of using and living with today’s home technology. We want to show you how convenient and affordable it is to put all this safety, comfort and convenience at your fingertips. Call the experts at OneTouch for a no-charge consultation. We know you will get excited about how different your new automated lifestyle is, whether you’re in the city or the country.

A question that comes up again and again in home automation is “Do I have to hire a professional company to automate my home or can I do it myself using my own computer to drive the system?” That should be a straightforward “Yes/No” kind of question, but it’s actually a lot more complicated than that. The answer is “Yes, it’s possible,” but the answer may also be “No, you don’t want to try and do it yourself.” Let’s have a look at some of the benefits and pitfalls of attempting to do this as a home handyman project.
For starters, you are talking about using a home computer to run the system. Sales of PC’s are way down, because most people are moving into a tablet or laptop system. But you can’t run this type of technology on a computer you take with you. If this is going to run your house, it has to be on all day every day, when you’re on holidays, when you’re at work, when you’re asleep. That means the first thing you’ll need is a very sturdy computer to become the 24/7 server that operates your house.
Then you’ll need software. Here’s where it starts to get tricky. There are many different ways of controlling devices in a home. The big companies like Crestron and AMX have their own protocols, languages and methods that take years to master. You don’t have the time or money to learn these systems, so you have to look at something simpler.
Software like Home Director of Homeseer is often based on the assumption that you are going to use “X10” devices. There are many devices made for X10 control, including lights, thermostats and TV remotes. X10’s main trick is that it sends signals through the power lines that are already inside the walls of your house. That eliminates the need to run new wire, but it is also a system that can drop messages or misinterpret cable noise as a command (for example, turn on a light when you don’t want it on) The signal can also bleed into your neighbour’s wiring. A system called Insteon was devised to address these problems, but they can still happen.
If this is making you nervous, you could look at a system based on UPB (Universal Powerline Bus) which is a bit more reliable, but there just aren’t as many devices available for it. Maybe the answer is to go wireless.

Still with me? If you choose to do your own wireless system, you can look at open-source technologies like Zigbee. You still have to be careful, because even though all Zigbee is supposed to be the same, the truth is it isn’t. A better bet might be to try Z-Wave. It’s controlled by one company so there are fewer compatibility issues. What does it take to make a device work? Let’s imagine for a moment you are using Homeseer on a PC and you want to control a light wirelessly on Z-Wave. Here are the instructions for setting it up, as described by Zack Stern in PC World:

Let’s say you want to configure a hallway lamp. Attach a lamp module to your outlet. You’ll use a Z-Wave remote to connect the lamp module to your Z-Wave network: Position the Z-Stick Series 2 (or a similar computer adapter) next to the lamp module. Push the button on the USB adapter, and then push the main button on the lamp module. The two will pair, and the USB adapter will store this information for the PC.
Turn your lamp on, and connect it to the Z-Wave module. (The lamp should stay dark.)
Connect the USB adapter to your PC. Install any driver software if needed, and import the lamp details into the HS2 software. You configure the software in a Web browser (which is great for accessing the HomeSeer PC from a networked computer of any OS). Click through to the Interface tab to attach the Z-Wave USB adapter.
Most important, be sure to configure the correct COM Port. With the USB adapter attached, open Device Manager and pick Ports. Check the port number of the USB stick, and enter that back in the HS2 configuration page; if you have the wrong COM Port, the software won’t show the adapter, and it won’t reveal a clear error either. When you’ve configured the software properly, you can import the details about the Z-Wave lamp module. You can now control the lamp from your PC, turning it on, shutting it off, and setting the brightness.
Once it’s installed, you might want to control it from offsite with software like GoToMyPC.

Did you feel comfortable with those instructions? That project is described as an “easy” one. I know there are some of you who will read that and say “No problem.” If so, you are probably the best candidates to take on automating your home as a hobby. But whether you think you’re ready to do it or not, be prepared for a system that still isn’t up to Crestron standards. When you use the real thing, you get leading edge technology that will do so much more than turn lights on and off. When you use a professional home automation company, you will be getting an experienced designer to develop the perfect system for you based on your needs. You will be getting a free-standing system that doesn’t depend on your PC or the internet to run. And you will be getting the technical support of someone with a career commitment to this technology. A simple system as a weekend hobby could be fun, but when it comes to true whole home automation, some things are just worth paying for.

The experts at OneTouch Automation are here to help. We are dedicated to selling you no more and no less than exactly what you need to give you the electronic lifestyle you want. Contact us today for a consultation.

When you work in an industry like ours, it’s sometimes easy to make the assumption that everyone knows the value of what we do. I was at a business breakfast last month and one of the guests at my table honestly said, “I’ve been living in my house for twenty years and it seems to work fine. Why should I spend a lot of money on something I’ve never had and I don’t think I need?”
We can’t think that everyone knows how great an automated home is. We need to face the fact that when any new technology comes along, it usually replaces something that is already there and usually working pretty well. Electric lights replaced gas lamps, cars replaced the horse and buggy. But those old technologies never stopped working, and you can go to parts of Pennsylvania where gas lamps and horses and buggies are still in use every day. If we want people to experience all the benefits of home automation, we have to be able to tell them in a few words why they should part with their hard-earned money for something they never had before and aren’t sure they need. Let’s see if we can state our case:

Convenience
It’s always best to lead with the strongest reason. You may have never had this technology before, but there is a lot of other technology already in your house that you never had before, and home automation is the way you get it under control. Unless you want to join the Amish in Pennsylvania, you will be dealing with a houseful of new gadgets with new ones appearing every year. High efficiency furnaces, LCD screens, blu-rays, satellite television, streaming audio, streaming video, your kids’ video games, energy efficient dimmable lighting – there’s always something new coming. Do you really want to spend your leisure time becoming an expert in how to integrate and control all of this? Wouldn’t you rather live in a home where all these things respond simply and easily to your needs, not theirs? Push one button to close all the shades or all the lights. Uses simple convenient controls for the rapidly growing selection of home entertainment.
You didn’t have home automation twenty years ago, but you also didn’t have six or seven remote controls you don’t understand on the coffee table in the family room. New technology has amazing benefits, but only if you can control it. We make that easy.

Environmental Responsibility
We have become painfully aware that we have been making a mess of the earth and leaving it for our kids to clean up. We are also aware that it isn’t right. But we have an opportunity to go in a different direction. With well-designed home automation, you can add the new technology you want to your home, and actually use less resources than you’re using now. Sophisticated thermosat control that minimizes the use of heat and air conditioning is just the start. High efficiency lights that dim when their not needed and shut off if the room isn’t used: Appliances that can be programmed to respond to variable electrical rates, so your dishwasher goes on when the rates are low, saving peak time load on the electrical grid (and also saving you money): Motorized shades that react to the season and the time of day to give you the best home comfort with the least energy. Home automation is one way you can show that you are prepared to do your part to help the planet.

Security
We’ve talked about the obvious aspects of security before. Things like alarms and video door phones are becoming common. But we can do even better. How about an alarm system that not only sets off an alarm if it detects and intruder, but also turns on every light in the house and even makes the lights outside your house flash on and off? How about a fire alarm system that not only sounds an alarm, but also automatically shuts off the heating or air conditioning to help stop the fire from spreading, then lights an exit path out of the house? How about a doorbell that takes a picture or video of every person who comes to your door and e-mails it to a secure place in the cloud? How about a system that sends you an e-mail if your latch-key kid hasn’t checked in at home after school? How about a system that warns you if an elderly relative forgets to turn off the stove or lets the bath overflow? Everyone wants to live in a safer home. Home automation is one way to make it happen.

At OneTouch Automation, our passion is to work with you and make sure that total control of your home will enhance your convenience, improve your safety and make your home “greener.” We can tell you the why’s and how’s of this exciting technology, and you can tell us when you want to start experiencing your home in a whole new way.

This is the week we get out our crystal ball and have a look at what homes will be like in the future. We’re not talking about the world of the Jetsons. We’re talking about how home will change in the next five to ten years. Your home is the largest investment you will ever make, and you need to be prepared for coming trends. There are a lot of factors at work that will create huge changes in our homes, and home automation will be a big part of it.
We will be building smaller more compact living environments, but they will be packed with punch. It is no surprise that fast-changing technology is the leading factor driving home design and home automation. With IPhones and touch pads now common place, intuitive user interfaces and touch controls will be used to control HVAC systems, lighting, sound, video and security in our home environments. Enhanced safety features and controls for its occupants will be an important consideration as the internet and social media outlets continue to connect us more and more.

So, what will the home of the near-future be like? The following are some of the ideas the industry is considering.

First and foremost is quality of life. There was a time when home size was a status symbol and people tried to buy the biggest place with the largest yard. Now, with more and more buyers wanting a short commute and a city lifestyle and with less and less serviced land, it isn’t about size. It’s about your day to day experience in the home. The new homes may be smaller, but they will be higher quality in all aspects. Home automation is a big part of that. The enhanced electronic lifestyle, convenience features and improved security are all major parts of a smaller but better home. High quality automated appliances will also be a part of this. The products that we choose will be more intuitive and use advanced technologies as well. Kohler’s Numi™ toilet, DTV Prompt™ digital showering system, and Crevasse® prep sink with Cynchronus™ rinsing technology are just a few of the newest products to offer more convenience for the user and enhanced functionality.

The monster homes we see now will go because of the many drawbacks to owning them. One problem with the old-fashioned “McMansion” is that they tended to be fuel and energy guzzlers. Utility prices continue to climb fast than the rate of inflation. The future home will have to be energy efficient. Home automation can help in many ways, with intelligent window coverings, thermostat control and better and more efficient ways to use and control lighting. A green home is an automated home. There will also be people who will want to leave the power grid and produce their own energy. A basic 230 watt solar panel is now very affordable. However, managing the output from that kind of system efficiently will still be something best left to a home automation system. The touch screen of the future will tell you how many watts your home is generating, what you’re using and how much you have stored, and will be able to switch the entire house to “eco” mode when required.

As real estate hits peak values, the “resale for a profit” mentality will go. Instead, people will look to “buy and hold” in a home that is tailored to their lifestyle. That means more and more “design/build” where the buyer, the designer, the builder and technology provider are all part of the same team from day one. Automating the home exactly the way you want it is a key part of personalizing your living space.
Some designers are now thinking beyond the single family home and looking at the multi-generation “family compound.” This used to be something only the rich could do, but the single family home may soon be a luxury we can’t afford. The compound home is like a mini-resort, with common areas like kitchens, pools, saunas and dining rooms. Home automation will manage the different areas so they are easily reserved by family members. The use of automated moving partitions will allow spaces to be combined or divided to make them more versatile. Automated walls will also allow us to open the home to the outside, bringing in more fresh air and improving our health. An automated modular home is ready to become a living space, a work space or a space to entertain.

Finally, there is the effect of our ageing population. One of the biggest changes that we will see residentially in the next 5-10 years is the permanent implementation of accessible design. As the Baby Boomers age, we will experience a “Senior Tsunami”, and the way we have designed homes in the past will not work for this ageing generation. The independent Boomer generation wants and expects to “age in place”, and the only way they will be able to do that is with new construction or extensive remodelling to make their homes accessible. Home automation will be a huge part of allowing seniors to stay in their homes. Part of this will be the emergence of Universal Design. This is a new set of standards that benefit all users, but especially those with disabilities. If you live long enough, you will develop a disability. With life spans getting longer, designs that assists a variety of disabilities will become standard construction. The changes that we will see will include wider hallways and doors, entrances on grade or ramps incorporated into the landscaping and facade, faucets and door handles controlled by push buttons or touch screens. Stairs will be minimized in new construction, and automated chair lifts, stair lifts, and elevators will be retrofitted in existing homes. Home theatre systems will be equipped with wireless hearing-assist systems for older family members.
Home automation will help make the house more accessible for those confined to wheelchairs. Walk in showers with the water controlled from a touch pad will grow in popularity, and roll in tubs with automated doors will become more commonplace. Kitchen cabinets can be motorized with automated mechanisms that allow them to be lowered to the correct height. Furniture and appliances will continue focusing on ergonomics i.e. washers and dryers will be front loading, and oven doors will hinge from the side, and easy to use touch-screens will become standard in almost every home.  A flashing light will be installed throughout the house to help alert a resident with a hearing impairment to the phone or doorbell ringing. Lighting and lighting control will change as eyes age and require more light.

You may think of these ideas as being something we will see far down the road, but it is amazing how fast things change. Where we are (in the Greater Toronto area), the size of the average condo is dropping at the rate of 1% a year. As construction of old fashioned suburban homes declines in Toronto, a hundred new tall condominiums are under construction. Many of these changes we have been looking at are already here.
At OneTouch Automation, we believe you need to anticipate these trends. Don’t invest your money in a home automation system that isn’t ready for what’s about to happen. Talk to us about the versatile, adaptable future friendly systems we supply. OneTouch is there to make your life style better, now and in the future.

There was a time when home automation was considered a “grown-up toy.” But now more and more home owners are adding automated systems.  Even young families with new homes have this technology and people are now asking what this means for their children. Is it safe? Is it too complicated for them to understand? Is it giving them access to information or appliances that they shouldn’t be using?
These are all good questions. So let’s look at home automation as it relates to our kids.

Will they be able to control the system?
The answer is overwhelmingly “yes.” In fact, kids are often more technically comfortable than their parents. This generation has grown up with internet access, banking machines, touch screen computers at school, video games and smart phones. They are eager to use new technology and are not intimidated by it. Because home automation is generally driven by touch screens with large buttons, there is very little danger of activating the wrong item. Because the screens can be customized, even kids too young to read can see a picture of a light bulb and know that it turns the lights on.

Will they use it as a toy?
This is a legitimate concern. A remote control for an automated home theatre system is very durable, but it should not abused. With a replacement cost in the thousands of dollars and a warranty that is voided by misuse, it pays to be careful. When designing the system, the age of the children in the house should definitely be taken into account. You may want to keep the hand-held remotes away from very small children, and only allow them access to wall mounted touch panels.
Another great feature of home automation is the ability to password-protect the system. There may be some parts of the system you want to allow, like turning TV and video games on and off, while passwording other parts of the system like the furnace controls. This is easily done on any quality system.

What parts of home automation do kids really like?
Start with the lights. Kids love to be able to control the lights in their bedroom without getting out of bed. It might even save a trip to their bedroom in the middle of the night if your child has lighting control at their bedside.
Kids love controlling home entertainment. That’s another place passwording comes into play. You can put a special button on the panel for “kids video” that will make sure they can only access the content that is appropriate to their age. Even very young children will be able to push a button that plays their favourite video or turns on their game console.
An advantage for parents can be the ability to limit the amount of time the kids spend watching television. The parents put in the password, and the timer starts, then shuts off the TV when the chosen time is up. The same technology can be used to make sure the nanny isn’t using too much TV as a babysitter.

Keeping kids safe
While we tend to worry most about our kids when they are away, the truth is that homes are the second most dangerous place our kids can be. Home automation offers a variety of ways to protect our young ones.
Very young children are naturally curious. You may want to consider alarms that go off when someone opens the doors to the cleaning products or the medicine cabinet. We have all heard stories of small children tragically getting tangled in the cables from window blinds. Power shades don’t have ropes or cables, and are safely wired with low voltage power at the top of the window.

Off site monitoring is becoming more and more popular with parents of latch-key kids. Simply install a camera at the front door, and have the kids push a button on the touch pad to call in when they get home. You can see them and talk to them from your smartphone, ipad or computer.

Some parents feel greater security by being able to check in with the nanny a few times a day. A few internet cameras and the right programming, and this can be easily accomplished.
Another great comfort feature for kids is the video door phone. We always tell our children not to open the door to strangers. Now they can see who is outside the door before they open it even a bit. The video door phone can also take pictures or videos of suspicious visitors.
Panic buttons are another option. People think of panic buttons as being for seniors living alone, but for kids that are home alone it’s also something you may want to consider. You can set up a single button on every touch screen that will send an e-mail, call 911 or call a parent – whatever you want.

As you can tell from this brief blog, home automation can do a lot more for your family than turn the lights on and off. Working with a professional designer, you will find many ways you can make your childrens’ lives safer and more fun. The home automation professionals are OneTouch Automation are ready to help. Call us today for a no-obligation consultation on all your Smarthouse needs.

We looked at home automation in condominiums last October, but we felt it would be a good idea to revisit the subject this week. The time for home automation in condominiums is now, but we keep hearing people make the same mistakes about whether it is possible.
Many people want the enhanced lifestyle that comes from a home automation system. They think of it as a “nice to have,” but something that is not realistic. They say things like “I live in a small condo downtown. I don’t have enough space or equipment. I can’t afford it, I don’t need a security system and besides, I’m only going to be here a few years. Why would I install a lot of gear that I can’t take with me?”
There are a lot of mistakes in that sentence, and those mistakes are keeping condo owners from enjoying the convenience, security and just plain fun that comes from the automated lifestyle. Today, we are going to look only at the objections condo owners raise, and why those objections don’t apply any more.

Here are the objections we hear every day:

“My condo isn’t big enough for this.”
Do you have lights? A TV? Do you like music? Do you have your own thermostat? In fact, you probably have all the things that can be controlled by home automation.
You may not need eight zones of audio, but even a one-bedroom can have separate music in the living/dining room, kitchen, bedroom and ensuite. Even a small condo will have a dozen light switches to control. Why not do it conveniently?
Having a smaller space can actually be an advantage It gives you the ability to use all-in-one boxes that include control, amplification, video and audio switching, scaling and much more. Economical to buy and easy to program, they are the perfect solution for the smaller home.

“The building already has security.”

Condo owners often have active lifestyles away from home. Why not make it so you can keep an eye on your home when you’re out? Ever manage to sneak past security at a condo? Exactly. Imagine if a bad guy did that. That’s why you need the extra security.

“I don’t have enough equipment.”

Count your remote controls, I-devices and other technology. If it comes to more than five, you have enough equipment.

“I can’t afford it”

The price of an average condo in the Toronto area where we are located is $389,000. That’s a good sized investment. If you are spending that kind of money, and maybe more, don’t you want to have the home you always wanted? So how much do you need to spend? Basic expandable systems can start from as little as $10,000 installed. The system can then grow with your family’s needs.

“I can’t take it with me”

The beauty of modern automation equipment is that that there are almost no wires. Most of the equipment is wireless or connected by small cables that can even run along baseboards without making a single hole in the wall. Speakers can be surface mounted. Light switches simply replace the original switches. If you love your control system but you’re moving to a bigger space, bring it along and expand it. Or why not leave it and use it as selling point for the condo? The condominium resale market is tough. This just might be the thing that helps you sell the place and meet your price.
OneTouch Automation has real-world experience with the needs of condominium owners. We can design, install, program and service. Reliability, simplicity, personalization and service second to none. That’s what we’re all about. Whether it’s pre-construction, a new finished unit or retrofit of an older suite, get our expertise and customer care on your side. You’ll be glad you did.