There is no Lights Out Management for a Mac mini Server (btw, am I the only one that noticed that these are now called Mac mini with Lion Server, where mini isn’t capitalized). While the Mac mini Server doesn’t have the Lights Out Management (LOM)/IPMI chips in it, there are a few things that we can control anyway. Convention would say that we’d get a NetBotz card for that spiffy APC we’ve got, which can do minor automation and even a little environmental monitoring. And there are a few other systems out there that can do similar tasks. But I’m a home automation nerd these days. So I decided to…
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Monster Delivers Z-Wave Win
Who knew, Monster is getting in on the whole Z-wave thing. I can’t even find “Z-wave” on their official website. But their Z-wave dimmers are available at a few different websites, including Smarthome: http://www.smarthome.com/8500SD/Monster-Wall-Dimmer-Switch-Z-Wave-Lighting-Control/p.aspx. I ordered one of these and my system automatically saw it (as a Leviton btw) and I was controlling yet another light in my basement within about 5 minutes. Total Z-wave win. While I don’t see the dimmers, what I do see on Monster’s website is a new Z-wave remote in their Revolution 200: http://www.monsterproducts.com/productdisplay.asp?pin=3369&id=9139. It’s a little fancy for me (I prefer things that are beige and covered in DIP switches), but it’s cool to see…
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Home Automation :: Mi Casa Verde's Vera Light
Mi Casa Verde has had the Vera appliance for a number of years. Recently, they released the Vera 3, which controls practically any Z-wave device ever made (in fact many are guaranteed to work). The Vera 3 is also wireless (802.11), so you can place it practically anywhere in the home. Now there’s Vera Light, which retails for $100 less, has a much smaller footprint and no 802.11 networking but otherwise it appears to have pretty much the same feature set. I’m sure it can’t control as many things concurrently, given the smaller footprint, but it looks to me like a great deal for those looking to get started with…
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Z-Wave Remotes
I talk about home automation occasionally, but I almost exclusively talk about leveraging home automation on computers. I guess it’s worth nothing that Z-Wave isn’t just for computers (nor ZigBee or X10). There are a number of remote controls that can be leveraged to manage the systems in your house. For example: In Wall switch that acts as a remote control for a number of Z-Wave devices. Great for putting a switch on the wall for those lamps on the other side of the room. Home theater remote control that can also act as a Z-Wave remote. One remote to rule them all. Great for centralizing all of your remotes…
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Zigbee & Z-Wave in 2010
I have mentioned Z-wave a few times on this site, especially since getting the Wayne Dalton USB Interface. But do you remember Zigbee (aka IEEE 802.15.4)? Certainly the emergence of the Schlage Link Wireless Keypads and the addition of not only Schlage but also a number of other Z-Wave products into Radio Shack’s retail chain, Z-Wave has seemed to be doing really well these days. But Zigbee is definitely still kicking around. Unlike Z-Wave, they seem to have people pushing for larger-scale ratification and implementation. For example, I noticed in Gothenborg, Sweden, that they were implementing Zigbee into power meters in order to comply with the once-per-month meter readings that…
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Home Robotics
Technology is a beautiful thing. Especially for those of us that hate to do the dishes, get up to change the channel or even walk over to grandma’s house to say hi. For those things we have (respectively) dishwashers, remote controls and of course the telephone. I’ve talked about Z-Wave for awhile now and automating the home – but that’s automating electrical currents. But what I haven’t talked about is automating the cleaning that goes on in the home. And I’m not referencing putting a cleaning service on automated bill pay; I’m talking about robotics. To sweep, mop and do tasks beyond those that have been automated for 30 or…
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Houseport Z-Wave for Mac Finally Available!!
I’m a geek, I can’t help it. The Houseport USB Z-Wave Adapter can control 230 devices, set the level of lights that have dimmers, time lighting controls and garage door openers and maintain the actual Z-Wave mesh network. So how could I not be interested?!?! The Wayne Dalton Houseport software and Z-Wave adapter were announced some time ago. Betas went out and got our appetites wet. I have been sitting by my phone waiting for them to call and tell me I can buy it for months! Now, you can finally buy the Houseport software and adapter at http://www.smarthomeusa.com/ShopByManufacturer/Wayne-Dalton/Item/WDUSB-10MAC/ and you can download the manual at http://www.smarthomeusa.com/Products/WDUSB-10MAC/manuals/USB-MAC.pdf. The PC version…
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Automate the Home
We’re looking at buying a new house. When I’m on the road there’s nothing nicer than being able to log into the house and turn off the lights. That’s why there’s this stuff for the geek in everyone: http://www.z-wave.com/modules/Z-Wave-Start/