W.W._I_D ? - Part 2 :: The Quest Continues !

So I have been continuing my research into the "Utlimate" DIY, low-cost Home-Automation and Media Centre configuration. As you may recall, I am a little envious of my friend's installation, but do not have anywhere near the budget he had. So I have scoured the web, and I think I have come up with my solution.

You will further recall that I tend to swing towards the Open-Source side of the software world, and am keen to do as much as possible for myself. But, I also want commercial-level support where possible. Trust me, the ability to call up a 1-800 number and ask "OK, what did I mess up THIS time ?" is of great value to me. Further, I would think any reader of this post would also be appreciative ! ;-)

On the Audio/Visual (A/V) side, I am quickly settling into a free (open-source at its best !) software package for Mac OSX called Plex. It provides an overlay to ALL of your digital content, including iTunes, NetFlix, etc and creates its own master index & streaming capabilities. So from the one gorgeous interface, I can play back HD Video, Music & Photos. Finally, content can be streamed to remote TV devices, using Apple's new AppleTV.

But then I also have some other interests... I am keenly interested in Home Automation. In being able to control ambient lighting, and to set "scenes" - automatic pre-sets for watching a movie, or hosting a party, or being away on vacation.  Also the ability to control climate - like setting the thermostat remotely - would be most valuable.

For this, I have settled on another Mac OSX application called Indigo. It is another native Mac application which can interface with either X10 or Insteon control devices. It understands the concepts of security and event-triggering. Imagine a guest has entered your driveway. The system could turn on the porch light, ring a chime & flash a video image onto a monitor - perhaps even the TV itself !

Especially interesting is that these two solutions are compatible with each other ! This means you can control BOTH applications from within one interface. Both applications take advantage of the Apple App Store to publish remote-control applications for iPad/iPhone/iPod. Amazingly, the same Apps allow you to stream the A/V content to both the iPad and the iPod/iPhone platforms !

The next component I am settling onto is the new Apple Mac Mini. It can run OSX-Server, meaning it can also serve as the house E-Mail, DNS, and Web-Server. It can interface with a TimeCapsule and turn it into an industrial-strength firewall, securing us from the Internet. But I would be sure to buy the non-server version - it comes with a DVD built in, meaning you can play DVDs on your system as well - and purchase OSX-Server separately. It is a nice-to-have for me, but not required for this project.

It will also serve as the Media Centre, being directly attached to the main TV via HDMI. Using a product called eyeTV-HD from elgato, you can watch live TV from their video capture device. It sits between the Set-top cable Box and the Mac Mini. Then the content is delivered by the afore-mentioned HDMI cable. Since it stands in between the Cable box and the Mac Mini, the Mac Mini can become a Digital Video recorder, allowing you to record any broadcasts for later viewing - kind of like a TiVO, but without the monthly subscription, and supporting High-Definition video in Canada.

So the one media centre can centrally manage & store content for the entire house. Further, it becomes the nerve centre for the Home Automation project. My first estimate is that the whole project will cost ~ $3500 CDN, which includes all of the Insteon/X10 modules ! An order of magnitude less expensive than my friend's system, and all running on Apple equipment. Muy bueno !

The opinions expressed are purely those of the author. Opinions are like noses - everyone has one, and they are entitled to it !

WW_I_D ? (What would I do ?) :: Home automation & media streaming...

Lately, I have been turning my attentions towards new diversions. While I am still keenly interested in alternative energy sources, and how we could better commoditize their implementations, I am also still interested in Open-Source Software. As many of you may know about me, I have a the Red Hat "Shadowman" logo tattooed on my chest !

I watched with admiration and a teeny, tiny bit of envy as a good friend of mine did an rather extensive renovation to his family's home. Of great interest to me was his new multi-source media system. From a central location in his data-room, he can stream high-definition video & audio to any room in his house.

It has multiple sources, including satellite TV, AppleTV, iTunes, as well as a data-storage unit filled with MP3s & MP4s (videos). The house has been carved up into A/V "zones", each with its own programmable remote, controlling all aspects of the media being played.

I started to think about how _I_ would approach this... Also, I happen to know that my friend spent a considerable amount of money installing this system. Since I have nowhere near that kind of budget, I started to explore some Open-Source alternatives...

I absolutely love my friends media-streaming capabilities, but wondered "Does it have to stop there ?".  How about adding in home-automation ? Could I also control climate & lighting in the same way ? That's when I stumbled up the LinuxMCE Project . In fact, they take it a couple of steps further, bundling a VoIP Telephone solution and Home-Security. WOW !

It is built upon a linux distribution called Ubuntu . And then the other technologies are layered on. Drivers for control-devices from X10 and Insteon are built-in, making it an extremely flexible system, suitable for all budgets. My only concern actually lay in one aspect of the solution - how much do I have to mess around importing songs, movies & other media for streaming ?

In a much more proprietary format, Apple has been working on media-dsitribution for years. The foundation is iTunes - not really an application so much as a means of purchasing media content from Apple ! They then layer on products to "assist" in those purchases... Through the use of the AirPort Express (a wireless Access point with ports for printer & speakers), I can stream music from iTunes on my laptop to the speakers I plug into the APE.

Just a few days ago, Apple announced AirPlay, which allows the streaming of video content to compatible devices, including the newly re-engineered AppleTV. It is a wireless device which has a high-definition cable I plug into my TV. So I can stream a movie, either from my iTunes, streamed from Apple, or from Netflix - which is now available in Canada !

So what if I built an iTunes-based media server, and streamed content to the AirPort Expresses and to some AppleTV devices. It would represent a well-designed system, with great commercial-grade support, and not completely destroy my budget ! Take it one step further - I could control all the playback from the Apple Remote application on my iPod/iPhone/iPad... Very swish !

So I can control the media streaming with Apple's products for a couple of thousand dollars. Then I can start on the home-automation path with LinuxMCE. So then I can create lighting & climate "moods" appropriate to my needs - like watching TV, or hosting a party. If my control device is an iPhone or an iPad, I ca control things when I am not even at home ! How cool is that ?!?

The final layer - what about installing a software-based phone application on my control device. I could either install microphones in each room & have the system decide where to route calls to, or use a headset - bluetooth or otherwise.

As you can see, the opportunities are endless. I am quite excited about this project, although I am still in the early stages of writing the business case for approval from the Minister of Finance (aka my wife !).

The opinions expressed are purely those of the author. Opinions are like noses - everyone has one, and they are entitled to it !