Interesting "Smarthome" Developments

Oldtimer · January 12, 2009, 04:14:03 PM

I searched the Forum, but didn't find anything on this. My apologies if I'm duplicating anyone else's posts.

Just before Christmas I received a catalog from Home Depot that invited me to go to www.homedepot.com/smarthome. This surprised me since I thought Smarthome was a copyrighted name and a lot of the equipment in the catalog and on line is very familiar from their catalogs. As you'll see on the first web page it refers to a project of the same name at Duke University.

I also did a search on "smarthome" using Google and turned up this interesting reference from Nokia http://smarthomepartnering.com/cms/ plus a lot of others.

Anyone care to comment on all this?

YB · January 12, 2009, 05:00:30 PM

umm.. very interesting... i am planning to do more research on this. Thank you for the heads up...

Tuicemen · January 12, 2009, 05:04:58 PM

I too had noticed this while in my local store!
Althought the devices here are not X10 compatible,some can be made to work with X10 like the cameras!

Dan Lawrence · January 12, 2009, 06:21:54 PM

It's something involving Duke University, not Smarthome, the X10 (and other automation) store we all know.

Boiler · January 13, 2009, 04:59:31 PM

There is an Electronics control category. Home Depot now appears to be handling Leviton, X10, Intermatic and Smarthome (Insteon) products.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Navigation?Ntk=AllProps&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Ns=P_Topseller_Sort|1&N=4294926877+90401+501997&No=12&rpp=12&langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053&style=B

Jsnlong · January 13, 2009, 05:42:48 PM

Looks like most of the Home depot stuff is online only......but it is only matter of time before it will be on their shelves. With more and more powerline type controls , wireless control and cheaper and cheaper prices it should have its own spot in the big box home improvement stores soon.

I can't wait cause we don't have local automation suppliers around dayton Ohio. It will be nice to have a idea and just run to Home depot to pick up what I need.

Dan Lawrence · January 13, 2009, 05:51:30 PM

Quote from: Jsnlong on January 13, 2009, 05:42:48 PM
Looks like most of the Home depot stuff is online only......but it is only matter of time before it will be on their shelves. With more and more powerline type controls , wireless control and cheaper and cheaper prices it should have its own spot in the big box home improvement stores soon.

I can't wait cause we don't have local automation suppliers around dayton Ohio. It will be nice to have a idea and just run to Home depot to pick up what I need.

Do not count on the X10 stuff to ever be on Home Depot shelves. Lowe's used to carry X10 items on the shelves and sales were so slow (let's face it, how many of us using X10 were introduced to it by another user (usually a friend who was introduced themselves). Unfortunately, X10 never has been mass marketed. Sears was supposed to sell it, I never saw it in a Sears store in Baltimore. My first interface was a CP290 which I bought at a Heathkit store on Joppa Road in the late 1980's.

Knightrider · January 13, 2009, 05:59:57 PM

I'll bet at least half of my modules say "Plug n' Power" on them. They came from the local Radio Shack which always stocked them. I had no idea what x10 was, until I started custom ordering modules from the shack.

These things have been mass marketed in the past, but they still didn't catch on like wildfire.

Dan Lawrence · January 13, 2009, 06:30:41 PM

"Plug n' Power" was Radio Shack's name for X10. All their modules were made in the same factory in PRC as X10's modules and worked exactly the same. Radio Shack dropped the entire "Plug n' Power" line last year or so, as, guess what, the line didn't sell a lot. Oddly enough, Radio Shack never carried interfaces like the CP290 or the CM11A ever, just the modules and some oddball security items that also weren't not sellers either. Radio Shack was a good place to pick up modules quickly.

HA Dave · January 13, 2009, 06:53:33 PM

Quote from: Knightrider on January 13, 2009, 05:59:57 PM
These things have been mass marketed in the past, but they still didn't catch on like wildfire.

It seems that for reasons I will never understand... the masses aren't really attracted to Home Automation. Although when I show off my setup to guests I always get reactions of astonishment and awe... I don't think it's generated any X10 customers.

I also have Plug n' Power, RCA, and Black & Decker (aka: FreeWire) modules... even though I haven't been automated for as long as many of the other old guys here at the forum.

Jsnlong · January 13, 2009, 10:26:28 PM

I think you guys might be thinking to much in the past

. Automation in home or industries is on a clime. So back in the 80's and 90's automation wasn't in the for front and alot was pretty pricey. Being in the Automation field I would put money that you will see more and more home automation at your local depots as the price goes down and it becomes more and more easy for anyone to use.......Now being X10 I don't think they will be the ones but the others like Insteon and such that tend to have a better look and operation. ( I still like my X10

)

If stores like home depot and Lowe's are stocking them online and in some stores. That usually means that they are testing the waters. They did the same thing with the wireless cams and now they have 4-5 to choose from on their shelves. The fact that they just started the Duke smart home page and partnership suggest to me that they are now looking at automation as a easy product to market and a good price.
The future is here and smarthomes are going to stick around.......soon I'll be installing installing robots at your houses

Dan Lawrence · January 13, 2009, 10:53:18 PM

Where are you? I'm in Baltimore and none of the Home Depots or Lowes carry X10 on the shelves. Lowe's did, bit as I posted earlier, they stopped due to almost no sales. Radio Shack (AKA Tandy Corp. dumped the Plug'N Power line.

HA Dave · January 13, 2009, 11:06:28 PM

Quote from: Jsnlong on January 13, 2009, 10:26:28 PM
...........If stores like home depot and Lowe's are stocking them online and in some stores. That usually means that they are testing the waters. They did the same thing with the wireless cams and now they have 4-5 to choose from on their shelves.

I sure hope your right! I know Walmart was carrying some nice little security cameras... then stopped. Recent technology now allows for doors to be keyless... with fingerprint ID, pushbutton combinations, or RFID cards or fobs.... yet I don't know anyone (even myself) to get rid of the key.

It could be... that it takes time for a paradime shift.... and it is now home automations time. Or it could be that the paradime for switches and locks have become cultural. And 50 years from now we will still be flipping switches, and carrying keys.

Jsnlong · January 13, 2009, 11:15:13 PM

I didn't say they had any on the shelves and I also said I doubt when they do start to stock them it will be x10 modules. Radio shack didn't stop selling automation. They just stop putting their brand name on it and started selling Z-wave. Sears also stopped branding their own stuff and lets face it Sears is half the store they use to be.

I will put it this way in the 90's and 80's they only people automating was us Nerds.. and the term SMARTHOME wasn't a common thing. It has become more popular now.. just look at the amount of home automation stuff that's out their now.

HA Dave · January 13, 2009, 11:30:34 PM

Quote from: Jsnlong on January 13, 2009, 11:15:13 PM
..........I will put it this way in the 90's and 80's they only people automating was us Nerds.. and the term SMARTHOME wasn't a common thing. It has become more popular now.. just look at the amount of home automation stuff that's out their now.

All true! And the technology has improved AND technology itself has become more excepted. You have a good point!

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Interesting "Smarthome" Developments

Boiler