mySmart Home: FAQ

FAQ - Frequently asked questions

01. What is Home Automation?
02. What is an Integrator?
03. What can I integrate in my house?
04. Is Automation limited to the house?
05. Is Home Automation expensive?
06. Can I control my house over the internet?
07. Can I control my house via the telephone?
08. Is a PC required to operate the home?
09. Can I upgrade my house as finances permit?
10. I want to retrofit my house, Is it possible?

What is Home Automation?

A well designed Home Automation system does not have to be operated by the home owner. A well designed home automation system simply revolves around the home owner and makes intelligent decisions based on the home owners day to day living.

You may have read articles or seen television shows that even today make out home automation systems to be for the rich and famous alone. A Home Automation system in the past was made up of many proprietary components that required complicated wiring and sophisticated purpose built electronics to make all the components of the house interconnect with each other.

In the past it may have been the case however nowadays nothing could be further from the truth.

A major feature about home automation is that the system can change and grow as your family and lifestyle changes, as children grow older lights and alarms can be altered to suit their needs all without the need of expensive rewiring, expensive add on parts and major re-configuration.

Most people would perceive home automation to be something like what used to be seen on the Jetson's cartoon. No doubt it will eventually reach to this point, however today's home automation is basically linking or "integrating" all the existing systems that are installed into the home so that they can operate as both a single intelligent entity and also as their individual respective system.

Because Home Automation is so dynamic and even two houses with exactly the same equipment when compared to each other would most likely operate in a completely different manor due the home owner's requirements.

What is an Integrator?

At mySmart Home we class ourselves as an Integrator. Basically an Integrator designs and implements a house automation system so that all of the various components in the house operate both individually and together with the rest of the house. This provides for maximum reliability and ease of use.

You may also call us a project manager of the electrical and electronic components of your home.

What can I integrate in my house?

Your imagination and the budget are the only limiting factors. Basically anything is possible. To give you and idea however the following is a list of the most common integrated systems in the home:

Security	Lighting	Telephone	Pool	Spa
Towel Rails	Access Control	Cameras	Garden Watering	Pumps
Air Conditioning	Heating	Electric Blinds	Electric Louvers	Gates and Doors

Is Automation limited to the house?

No. We have installed the same system components in Boats, Commercial buildings, Schools, Shopping Centers, Retail Stores, Offices, Warehouses, Home Units and Farms.

Typically automation in commercial environments provides the main benefit of Energy Management and conservation rather than straight out automation convenience.

Is Home Automation expensive?

It depends on the system selected and the requirements of the home. As mentioned before you are only limited by your imagination and budget. There are many system available that are expensive and have lots of features (many will never be used) and there are others that are very inexpensive and have all the features needed for a normal home.

An automation system obviously will add to the cost of your home but it will also add to the value. The benefits of feature and comfort that will be gained from the system will far outweigh the costs.

Can I control my house over the internet?

Yes. There are a number of add-ons to a home automation system that will allow for control of certain systems in the house either locally (intranet) or anywhere in the world (Internet). There is also the ability to be able to view cameras located around the home via the internet as well. Perfect for holiday houses etc. To be able to utilities control via the internet there are a number of considerations. Firstly a PC must be connected to the home automation system and turned on. A connection from the PC to the internet needs to be maintained. This can be maintained quite easily now with the cost effectiveness of a cable modem.

Can I control my house via the telephone?

Yes. The system works very similar to what you're used to with Phone Banking or Voicemail on your mobile phone. Basically the system gives you prompt and you respond via pressing keys on your phone. Any devices in the home can be controlled. The system can also call you if there is a problem in the home or if a certain event occurs.

Is a PC required to operate the home?

In most cases no. But again it depends on what control you require from the home. Most electronics that are required to integrate the home are programmed via PC then the PC is not required to be connected until changes to the system are required, once the changes are implemented.

Can I upgrade my house as finances permit?

Yes. Although we would recommend that additional cables are installed initially to "future proof" the installation.

I want to retrofit my house, Is it possible?

Yes. Ease of access would be the most limiting factor. There are also some creative solutions for areas where access is not available or gaining access would initiate unwanted damage or repairs.