Preface:
I didn't see a general thread for electronic home type of stuff, figured it might as well go in the "Gadgets" sub-forum since there's a lot of neat little smarthome gadgets floating around. There's always new stuff coming out & stuff I haven't seen before related to home tech, so it'd be nice to have a general thread to browse through. I am now adding new links to the Table of Contents below.
Introduction:
Home Automation (HA) & "Smarthome" technology is a growing field that can give you a variety of benefits such as energy savings, convenience, and enhanced functionality. You can get into it on a DIY level with products like INSTEON, a service level with systems like ADT Pulse, or a turnkey commercial system with systems like Crestron. It all depends on your budget & your willingness to tinker. If you can think it up, chances are someone has already made it, and if they haven't, you can probably build it yourself using a variety of cool tools like Arduino. Have fun reading!
Table of Contents:1. News & Resources
2. Commercial Systems
3. Services
4. DIY Smarthome Systems
5. DIY Software
6. DIY Commercial Gadgets
7. Lighting
8. HVAC
9. Doors
10. Windows
11. Music, Home Theater, and Voice Control
12. Camera, Alarm, and Security Systems
13. Robotic Cleaning & Maintenance
14. Power Systems
15. Standalone electronic gadgets
16. Non-electronic gadgets
17. Projects
18. Kickstarter
19. Information for research
20. Articles
1. News & Resources:
AVSforum's Home Automation section
Automated Home Blog
CEDIA Home Technology Association (famous for their expos)
CEPro
CNET Smart Home
Connected Crib
Electronic House (magazine & website)
Hack-a-Day
Hometoys
Houzz Smarthome section and Houzz Home Automation section
Instructables
Internet of Things
Lifehacker's Home Automation articles
MAKE
Smarthome.com Blog
Smart Homes Digest
Forums
Cocoontech forums
MiCasaVerde forums
Smarthome.com forums
2. Commercial Systems:
AMX
Bitwise Controls
Control4
Crestron
Elan
RTI
Savant
TaHomA
URC
3. Services:
ADT Pulse home automation/security
AT&T Digital Life
Comcast XFINITY home control & security
Cox Homelife
Frontpoint wireless home security
LifeShield wireless home security
Oplink Connected
Time Warner Cable Intelligent Home
Viper Home
Vivent home automation/security/solar
4. DIY Systems:
Almond+ Zigbee & Zwave home automation router
Nexia Home Intelligence (Zwave-compatible)
Revolv unified connected home (integrates commercial products, i.e for stuff like INSTEON, Philips Hue, etc.)
Vera Control (home of VeraLite)
Belkin WeMo
Lowes Iris home control system
HAL (Home Automated Living)
Ubiquiti mFi
GE Home Automation
Neurio Home Intelligence
Embedded Automation mHome (home of mControl; forum)
LightwaveRF smartphone controls
Aviosys IP control hardware
iAutomate RFID systems
CommandFusion
Wink Hub
2gig
inControl (Zwave, Clipsal, Foscam, Wemo, etc.)
X10 equipment
X10
Marmitek
WGL & Associates
INSTEON equipment
INSTEON
Smarthome.com
Z-wave equipment
Zwave
FortrezZ
Aeotec by Aeon Labs
Fibaro
NorthQ power reader kits
Everspring
TKB Home (home of the plug-in energy meter)
Relays
National Control Devices web relays
Global Cache network relays (contact closure, network to IR, network to Serial)
SainSmart Arduino-compatible relays (iOS & Android-compatible)
Micro-controller boards
Arduino
Raspberry Pi
Spark Core
Subtopic: Standalone sensors
Proteus Sensor (wifi motion, door, water, temperature & humidity, and motion/picture alert sensors)
5. DIY Software:
Indigo (Mac)
HomeSeer (Windows)
HouseLinc (free for Windows - INSTEON-baseD)
MisterHouse (free for Win/Linux/Mac)
HouseBot
PowerHome2 for Windows
Premise (discontinued by Motorola in 2005, but is available free with a good SDK & active community)
Open Source Automation
LinuxMCE
gnhast for NetBSD (only those with neckbeards need apply)
Haiku for iOS
CastleOS
CQC
OpenHAB (ridiculous amount of binding support, everything from Asterisk to Philips Hue)
Freedomotic
The Thing System
Other useful software
Macro Express Windows macro programming
AutoIT Windows scripting
Tasker Total automation for Android
FreeNAS (turn an old computer into a file server)
VMware ESXi (virtualization OS for hosting different OS's on a single computer)
MacOS Automation resource site (covers AppleScript, Services, and Automator)
Keyboard Maestro OSX macro software for Mac
6. DIY Commercial Gadgets:
Quirky Smart Products (dashboard, smart egg tray, spotter, porkfolio, etc.)
HP Slate 21 (21" Android tablet, VESA-mountable, touchscreen with keyboard/mouse included, great for the kitchen/entry-way, etc. for recipes/calendars/Pandora/etc.)
7. Lighting:
Lutron
Vantage
Philips Hue variable-color Wifi-controlled LED light bulbs
LIFX variable-color Wifi-controlled LED light bulbs
Lumen Bulb variable-color Bluetooth-controlled LED light bulbs
Luxera LED smartphone control for their LED light bulbs
Ube smartphone light control
8. HVAC:
Nest Thermostat
Honeywell Smart Thermostat
Honeywell Lyric smart thermostat (Nest competitor + proximity sensor + smartphone GPS triggers + maintenance reminders)
Mitsubishi Mr. Slim (per-room heating & cooling system, even more specific than zoned HVAC!)
Dyson Bladeless fans (new ones include built-in heaters; vertical models also available)
Ecobee smart thermostat
Aprilaire network thermostats
Escea indoor & outdoor remote-controlled fireplace (ex. turn on with an iPhone) video
9. Doors:
Lockitron Wifi deadbolt locker
Doorbot Wifi doorbell with camera
Skybell Wifi doorbell with camera
Goji smart lock
August smart lock
Kwikset Kevo Bluetooth door lock
Yale Real Living Zigbee/Zwave touchscreen deadbolt
Schlage locks
Chamberlain MyQ Wifi garage door opener
Okidokey smart keys
10. Windows:
Somfy Systems (motorized awnings/shutters/shades/blinds/projection screens) * Now with a solar power option
Hunter-Douglas hardwired motorized blinds
Blinds.com motorized shades (very budget-friendly! simple remote control, easy to retrofit existing windows with)
Lutron automated window systems (roller shades, Venetian blinds, drapery tracks, vertical drapery, tensioned shades, horizontal sheer blinds, pleated shades, honeycomb shades, Roman shades with CERUS cordless uptake system; wireless control available)
Crestron Shades Rigorously-tested motors, 400+ fabrics, variety of options
Pella Insynctive between-the-glass, inside-mount, and out-side mount blinds & shades
11. Music, Home Theater, and Voice Control:
Sonos wireless whole-house audio system
Apple Airport Express wireless music audio receiver
Airfoil for Mac & Windows (setup computers as Airplay receivers)
Logitech Bluetooth wireless speaker adapter
Home Theater Direct Lync whole-house audio & intercom system
Logitech Harmony computer-programmable TV remote controls (pulls from an online list of vendors & codes = super easy)
Remote Buddy (iOS universal remote control software)
Hunter Fan Concert Breeze ceiling fans with built-in speakers
Niles Audio whole-house audio system
Plex (Media Server + Client Player)
Extron multimedia controls
Monoprice equipment (cheap cables, among other things)
Aether voice-activated streaming cone
Voice Control
(project) Whole-house microphones for voice commands in every room
Amazon Echo
Ivee
Nucleus
Ubi
12. Camera, Alarm, and Security Systems
Zmodo Security Camera DVR
Swann Security Camera DVR
Defender Security Camera DVR (includes wireless camera options)
EvoCam software for Mac
Security Spy software for Mac
Dropcam (easy wireless security camera with cloud storage)
SimpliCam (nice alternative to Dropcam)
Canary home security device
Piper home security & automation device
Nest Protect (smart smoke/CO2 detector)
Foscam individual IP cameras (great for baby cams)
SimpliSafe wireless security system
Protect America security system
Logitech Alert security cameras
QNAP Survellience NAS (compatible with a large variety of cameras)
13. Robotic Cleaning & Maintenance:
Roomba robotic vacuum
Scooba robotic washer
Braava robotic floor mopper
Looj robotic gutter cleaner
Mirra robotic pool cleaner
Lawnbott robotic lawnmower & Probotics accessories * Check out Kwik Kerb for mower-friendly curbs around your house, perimeter, and shrubs to create a 100% enclosed yard
RainMachine forecast lawn sprinkler controller (for water conservation)
HydroFLASH Irrigation Control (Wifi-controlled lawn sprinkler controller)
Ladybug Steam Cleaning system (expensive but awesome)
14. Power Systems:
Solar City resident solar panels & batteries
Generac whole-house automatic-switchover generators
Whole-House Surge Protectors (Home Depot listing)
Kill-a-Watt Power Monitoring (new versions include surge strips, wireless monitoring, and motion sensor detection)
Efergy Whole-House Power Monitors
NewerTech Power2U USB + A/C wall outlets (2 A/C jacks & 2 USB charging ports)
Smart Power Strip (currently on Kickstarter; I have a MonoStrip from Visible Energy but would definitely like something better!)
Legrand Adorne Modular under-counter lighting & fancy lightswitches (touch, tap, etc.)
Milbank Synap6 ATS Intelligent transfer switch for up to 6 power inputs (grid, battery, wind, solar, etc.)
15. Standalone electronic gadgets:
iStorm touchless hand dryer
CleanCUT Paper Towel Dispenser (touchless paper towel dispenser that can cut to any size to reduce waste)
Eye-Vac EVPRO touchless dustpan vacuum
Simple Human Touchless Trash Cans
Leviton Occupancy Sensors (for automatic lights etc.)
Gojo Soap Dispenser ($13 electronic foaming soap/moisturizer dispenser; $45-ish for a 2-pack of refills @ 2,000 doses each)
Lysol No-Touch Kitchen System (automatic liquid dish soap dispenser; I like using Dobie foam scrubbers)
Dyson Airblade Tap water faucet with air dryer (wash & dry your hands at the sink)
Mailbox alert (chimes when snailmail is delivered)
Light-o-Rama (build crazy-awesome holiday light shows with music, watch the videos!)
ChannelBrite & TrimLight permanent holiday lights
Warmly Yours heated towel racks
Cook-n-Dine stainless steel cooktops (including round & outdoor models!)
Rubbermaid Reveal spray mop kit (like the awesome Swiffer WetJet, but the sponge is washable & you can make the cleaner yourself to save a ton of cash!)
Legrand wire management (including the pop-out Adorne outlet; home of Wiremold)
TurboChef ovens
Blendtec blenders
Automatic door opener
Build your own CNC (then use it to build other stuff for your house!)
Water Gadgets
Island Sky Corporation Skywater machines (dehumidifier with filter to turn into drinking water = endless "free" water!)
Moen ioDigital Shower Controller
Delta touch & touchless faucets (touch sensors & motion sensors)
Tankless drinking water cooler (hot & cold like a Poland Springs drinking water dispenser)
Leakfrog water leak alarm
Point-of-use flood stop systems (ex. washing machines & sinks)
Flo-N-Stop remote control watermain shutoff system (automatically closes upon power loss)
Droplet Cloud-connected plant sprinkler
FloodMaster leak detection & automatic shutoff
Wally Home smart leak sensor (works with Nest)
BriskHeat self-regulating indoor/outdoor heating cable (dedicated site available with accessory bundles - system is designed to prevent pipes from freezing)
16. Non-electronic gadgets: (smart"er" stuff)
Kleenex Cool-Touch Moisturizing Tissues (never get nose rash again when you get a cold!)
Ziploc Slider Bags (various plastic bags with a zipper instead of the stupid press-to-seal lining)
TV dinner trays (make your own TV dinners! bulk pack, microwave/dishwasher/freezer-safe; 3-compartment models also available, as well as oven-safe models)
Cascade Action Pacs (dishwasher pellets with dishwasher detergent & rinse aid; bulk bins available on Amazon)
Add-a-trap (put an end to clogged sinks forever!)
Plug1 gas shutoff switch
Floodchek no-burst washing machine hose
DryerBox (recessed dryer exhaust hose box to prevent hose squish)
Smart Vent (flood vent)
Thermocrete chimney system
Quakehold picture hooks & SnagToggle high-performance anchors
Sugru self-setting rubber (too many applications to list, just browse their website)
DrainNet floor drain strainers
Gutter Edge vinyl exterior gutter stain guard
SharkBite PEX fittings (easiest plumbing method...ever)
Platinum Tools EZ Ethernet crimper (connectors & strain relief pack)
American Plumber Whole-House water filtration system
Residential fire sprinkler system (good articles here and here & at Bob Vila's site; average whole-house cost is $6k; HFS Coalition & FEMA resources)
DripTite (water-catch pans for washing machines, kitchen sinks, bathroom sinks)
Bauco access panels
17. Projects:
Voice-controlled Home Automation with Android
iPhone Garage Door Opener with Arduino
Physical mailbox delivery notifier with iPhone & Arduino
Raspberry Pi & Arduino Smarthome Project on a Raspberry Pi & Arduino smarthome project)
18. Kickstarter:
Ninja Sphere home controller
myLifter iPhone-controlled garage winch for ceiling storage
Sprav shower energy & water meter
Garagio Smartphone garage door opener
Mr. Postman
Curuba Home Automation Open Project
AngelBlocks
19. Information for research:
Universal Powerline Bus (UPB)
X10 Industry Standard & X10 Wireless Technology (vendor)
INSTEON & Smarthome.com
1-Wire
ZigBee & XBee
Home Automation
20. Articles:
Digital Trends: Your home is dumb, but making it smart is cheaper than you think
Lifehacker: Transform Your Digs into a Home of the Future, DIY-Style
Search tags for Google: (since I'm not aware of any directory on the net quite like this one) smarthome, smart home, home automation, electronic home, electronic house, list, master list, list of smarthome parts, vendors, suppliers, HA, smarthome big list
