Home Automation with iPhone - Suggestions and Examples?

[Ahheck01]

Hey ladies and gents, we're in the process of building a home, and my imagination has run wild with the possibilities of iPhone home control.

Here's what I would love to be able to do from anywhere with my iPhone:
- Check status of the security system and get alerts (haven't chosen a system yet)
- Turn main lights in all the main rooms on and off
- Control TV (on/off, change channels, control dvd player, etc)
- View security camera footage in real-time
- Open/Close the garage door (or check to see if it's open)
- Lock Front and Back doors and unlock them (and see if they're locked)
- Possibly even control certain curtains... maybe.

Which of these is possible? Which of these can be done at a reasonable cost? Has anyone here done stuff like this, beyond the X10 light dimming thing?

-Evan

 

[Rooftop voter]

If those things that you want have an Internet connection, then there would probably be a way. I haven't heard of most of that stuff being able to do that though, but I've never looked into it.

 

[Caraj]

Yes it is all possible. I have been controlling the following in my home with both iPad and iPhone.

Security system:
setting modes andviewing zone status
I use the hai omni pro II system and the weblink home server. You can also download the new snap link and do most of the the same control

Lighting
Lutron home works wireless. You can also use leviton vizia rf wireless both integrate real well

Security cameras
I have 12 cameras and I can not only see them live but also control the ptz and view recorded events.

Garage doors
I not only control my garage doors opning and closing but also get a text message if they are opened when they are not supposed to be

Door Locks
I unlock my front door

Shades
I have powered shades that I installed but never used them. My system can control many different kinds of shades /curtains.

Hvac
Full control and monitor of all heating and cooling zones

Full av home control
I also have full control of everything above and audio/video control of every individual room and full house scene control with my amx system. Tp control makes an app that turns our iPads and iPhones into a touch panel if you have an amx system

I can see the status of each rooms lighting and what they are watching on tv. I can turn rooms off. I can send music from my rhapsody server to any room.

Video server/ av stuff
I can control my kaleidascape movie server from iPhone/ iPads. I can send any movie to any room or all rooms if I want and it will turn on the TV and av receivers and control volume. Same thing with all other video and audio devices in my home. I have all devices in my basement racks. Rooms only have a tv

There is also an app for the kaleidascape although I do it all from my amx system.

The only thing I can't do with the iPhone/ipadbis intercom. Although I can use my other touch panels for that

I'm sure I missed things but yes it is easy to do and there are apps for that work great. Or just browse to your home automation server like I do with hai

Hey ladies and gents, we're in the process of building a home, and my imagination has run wild with the possibilities of iPhone home control.

Here's what I would love to be able to do from anywhere with my iPhone:
- Check status of the security system and get alerts (haven't chosen a system yet)
- Turn main lights in all the main rooms on and off
- Control TV (on/off, change channels, control dvd player, etc)
- View security camera footage in real-time
- Open/Close the garage door (or check to see if it's open)
- Lock Front and Back doors and unlock them (and see if they're locked)
- Possibly even control certain curtains... maybe.

Which of these is possible? Which of these can be done at a reasonable cost? Has anyone here done stuff like this, beyond the X10 light dimming thing?

-Evan

 

[Ahheck01]

Yes it is all possible. I have been controlling the following in my home with both iPad and iPhone.

That's incredible stuff Thanks for posting! Would you mind at all posting how you've put that together? Was most of it DIY? What were the costs and resorces necessary to make it happen?

Thanks again!

-Evan

 

[gsrbob]

There's quite a few options nowadays. If you have the dough the skys the limit. Savant has some cool lookin stuff you could check into.