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[flushdnsorg]

Kinect for win8 hardware and accompanying version 1 software will be available to end users on 2012 feburary in 12 countries at a suggested retail price of US dollar 249. 
 
I'm really exited for this news!

[dave w]

Great! Now I can wave my fanny at it and have AHP turn on the bathroom light.

[HA Dave]

I have read of some experimental integration of the Kinect into Home Automation. The possibilities are near endless. Face recon, mixed with preferences, and hand signals... pretty awesome.

[Dan Lawrence]

I wouldn't touch anything from Microsoft until it was proven to be something good.

[HA Dave]

I wouldn't touch anything from Microsoft until it was proven to be something good.

I can understand that. Microsoft is loosing the home PC market.... although mostly to nontraditional computer devices (like tablets and smart phones). I think the ipad was the beginning of the end... for the home PC.

Well they've sold several million of the units. The Kinect is one of Microsoft's big hits. The Kinect is a "controller" that is used with the XBox 360 game console (think very hightech joy stick). It can ID it's different users using face recon, understand voice commands, gestures, and body movements.

As long as PC's are being used... even if it is mostly in offices.. there will be used ones. At todays processors speeds and hard drives sizes... these used dust collectors can bring a LOT of automation and service to a home. Besides X10 automation, DVR, MP3, and movie downloading, streaming, storage, and playing are great options.

But at least right now... X10 does NOT have an interface (like the CM15A) available that can connect our X10 modules to the computers. Although there is the (lesser useful) CM19A (or CM15K?) that can be used. And... there are "other flavors" (or protocols) of HA and HA products (like interfaces)... but those don't have the availabe user designed software like users have created for X10. Nor do they have the same easy to use SDK that X10 made available for the CM15A.

[Brian H]

I have seen hacks to make it work with a PC. So in the future hacks will not be needed.

[HA Dave]

I have seen hacks to make it work with a PC. So in the future hacks will not be needed.

Well... as I understand it... there is a SDK-like hack (of sorts) available at a price. Once a good SDK is available, code writers can then create useable software that will work with our interfaces. But the question will be... what interface?

[Brian H]

The ones I saw where in Maximum PC Magazine and I don't remember exactly what it entailed.

[HA Dave]

It really sort of irks me. This is very much like the Jimmy Carter years. Just as we make big technology advances, long term economic difficulties suppress implementing them in the marketplace.

As we slip into a monetary collapse... I wonder just how much of any of the automation market will survive. Particularly with so many in the green movement wanting the government to take control of the home based electrical devices.

If GE with its Zwave technology becomes the home based – government controlled automation protocol... will other control protocols also be allowed? Will power line transmittance be considered “public” like airwaves [TV and Radio]. Or could power lines be considered to be more like cable [TV] and regulated by contract agreements on a national scale? Ether way the current administration [in America] has made it clear they desire to control “the grid” right down to the user/household level [AKA the smart-grid]. I can't image that as being good for Home Automations PLC use.

[zappenfusen]

Dave,
You evidently have way to much time on your hands. Yep, I love the X-10 stuff myself but there comes a point when you tire of nothing being done about blatant stealing, bait and switch, and  every other nefarious sales duplicity being allowed as an option to honest business. Are you responsible for planting the obvious letter's from Newbie's inquiring as to the wonderment of X-10 and soliciting answers from all we fools who have wasted money, time, and inevitable failure making the cheap stuff work?

Love ya,
Zapp

[HA Dave]

1.  Dave,You evidently have way to much time on your hands.

2.  I love the X-10 stuff myself but there comes a point when you tire of nothing being done about blatant stealing, bait and switch, and  every other nefarious sales duplicity being allowed as an option to honest business.

3.  Are you responsible for planting the obvious letter's from Newbie's inquiring as to the wonderment of X-10 and soliciting answers from all we fools who have wasted money, time, and inevitable failure making the cheap stuff work?

1.  Yes I do! And it took many years of hard work to get here too.

2.  You seem to be having a love/hate relationship with X10.

3.  No. I just have the one screen name. Forums (like X10's) actually monitor users by IP address. Every user.... is easily identified by actual street address.

[Knightrider]

Will power line transmittance be considered “public” like airwaves [TV and Radio]. Or could power lines be considered to be more like cable [TV] and regulated by contract agreements on a national scale? Ether way the current administration [in America] has made it clear they desire to control “the grid” right down to the user/household level [AKA the smart-grid]. I can't image that as being good for Home Automations PLC use.

This has been going on for some time now.  I think Muzak started it all in the time of my parents' parents.  Original Muzak (musak?) was broadcast on the transmission lines.