Re: Home automation newbie questions

["B Fuhrmann" <b-fuhrmann-usenet@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"GS" wrote ...
> We've recently moved our teenage son to a bedroom in the basement. This
> means he is now 2 stories below our bedroom. Being a typical teenage boy
> he doesnt alway turn the lights out and computer/tv/stereo off when he is
> supposed to, I already have internet access restrictions via my router,
> but I want to be able to turn off the power to certain outlets at a set
> time (or whenever I want) without going to the junction box and shutting
> off the basement breaker (which would also shut off my freezers). At this
> point I don't care if I can do it with a pc or not. Ideally it would be
> timed for something like 10pm, but manually would be fine too.

Not sure of how secure you want this to be.  ie:  do you care if your son
turns everything back on after you have turned it off?

It would be easy for him to go to RadioShack and buy a cheap remote that
will also control the outlets.

If you just want to shut things off that are accidentaly left on or want to
give him a hint by shutting things off at the set time, then this would work
well.

For simple timing, you don't even need to connect a computer.  There are
timers that can do that without the computer being in the equation.
www.smarthome.com/1100x.html
www.x10.com/automation/x10_mt10a.htm
http://www.smarthome.com/1090.html

> Should I start replacing all my plugs/switches etc with x-10 enabled ones?

As someone else has already said, I would do a couple and see if you like
it.


--
Bill Fuhrmann