Interesting People mailing list archives
more on Off-the-shelf home remote monitoring system (was Re: Man in Germany Foils Burglary in Brazil)
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2006 08:32:00 +0900
Begin forwarded message: From: Gabe Goldberg <gabe () gabegold com> Date: December 15, 2006 8:05:09 AM JST To: dave () farber netSubject: Re: Off-the-shelf home remote monitoring system (was Re: [IP] Man in Germany Foils Burglary in Brazil)
Here's an article I wrote for AARP's Computers and Technology Web site about Motorola's homesight system. It would easily enable the notification and surveillance described. It would even allow blinking lights to startle the burglar.From: Dave Crocker <dcrocker () bbiw net>On the one hand, it is clear that all of the pieces of technology and software for doing this are readily available.On the other hand, I find myself unclear what the necessary details are, for arranging this sort of set up work in a normal home and with normal cell phones, smartphones, laptops, and the like.As a small example, normal home Internet connections are not very workable for the operation of servers, yet this report described coming *from* the Internet and going *into* the home's resources.I therefore suspect it would be of community benefit to have some folks suggest the pieces and how to arrange them. This would be for a home with typical DSL or Cable Internet attachment, typical Windows or Macintosh machines, and a user who has good installation and administration skills, but not at the level of programming, or otherwise requiring deep expertise.Or there might already be some citations to such recommendations.
--- Motorola homesight Monitors Your Home By Gabe Goldberg I've been burned -- I should say "dampened" -- by flooded basements. One deluge ruined several boxes of treasured 33 1/3 RPM records and another did $1000 damage in 15 minutes. And I've heard about sump pump misadventures causing much worse problems. So I'm interested in home monitoring systems. Traditional systems are complex and inflict monthly monitoring fees. But newer offerings build on technologies increasingly common in homes, such as PCs and broadband Internet connections. One such choice is Motorola's homesight (it's their lowercase "h"). This modular system handles basic or complex functions for comprehensive monitoring or just focusing on a few areas. Wired and wireless cameras can monitor areas such as children's' rooms or a front walk. Built-in motion detectors can trigger alerts and automatic recording of still or video pictures. Events such as doors or windows opening, temperature changes, and the presence of water can be detected. homesight's HMEZ2000 Easy Start Kit includes the system controller, a wireless camera, and a wireless door/window sensor, plus required cables and parts. The smaller HMEZ1000 lacks the door/window sensor. Optional accessories include various cameras, motion sensor, temperature sensor, water sensor, wireless repeater, siren, power controller, and keypad. The system controller and several accessories require power adaptors, so electrical outlets may be in demand, though some components such as the keypad are battery-operated and others can use either batteries or house current. Accessories are well-packaged with parts and instructions. Since some include specific mounting hardware, it's best to install one at a time to keep parts separate. Aside from too-common scissors-proof plastic packaging, the initial "out of box" experience was nicely crisp. A one-sheet flyer described and illustrated system setup. Each accessory includes simple installation procedures. The software CD includes instructions for all components, plus a lavish 145-page color manual. A printed copy would be a nice addition. Software installation was quite smooth and I appreciated getting a quick and capable clarification from the product's 24-hour telephone technical support. Aside from physical installation, e.g., mounting door/window sensors or positioning and aiming cameras, connecting a new gadget requires just a few mouse clicks and pushing a "Discovery" button on the accessory. After that process lets the system controller identify the new device, you can configure its specific options such as temperature range (for temperature sensor) or video settings (for cameras). System modes such as "Home" and "Away" can be defined, similar to standard alarm systems' armed and disarmed settings. The Away mode can define automatic responses to alerts, including using optional fee services to send text or image notifications to email accounts or mobile phones. After installing a wireless camera in our family room and a wireless power controller on a lamp, I could watch my wife play with our cats and signal her with the lamp. She unkindly commented, "Big Brother has arrived and he's my husband". Beyond household usage, businesses and even farms can use homesight to monitor sensitive areas, such as cash registers or livestock gates. A simple summary screen displays status of all components for easy observation and control. And with a broadband connection and always-on PC, the entire system, including camera images, can be remotely monitored and controlled via tools such as Windows XP Pro's Remote Desktop[www.aarp.org/learntech/computers/howto/ running_your_computer_remotely.html]
and add-on software or services [www.aarp.org/learntech/computers/howto/simple_tools.html]. This allows powerful and inexpensive monitoring of distant locations such as vacation homes or rental properties. Overall, homesight is a thing of beauty. Its attractive hardware and user-friendly software are well thought out and complement each other. I hope that Motorola extends its capabilities by adding components such as home thermostat interface and outside-lights controller. Specifications Product Name: homesight Manufacturer: Motorola Prices: Easy Start Kit HMEZ2000 $299.99 Easy Start Kit HMEZ1000 $279.99 Wired Camera HMVC3020 $79.99 Wireless Camera (Day) HMVC3075 $129.99 Wireless Camera (Day/Night) HMVC3050 $149.99 Wireless Door/Window Sensor HMSM4140 $39.99 Wireless Temperature Sensor HMSM4150 $59.99 Wireless Water Sensor HMSM4160 $59.99 Wireless Motion Sensor HMSM4050 $59.99 Wireless Siren HMAD8000 $59.99 Wireless Power Controller HMDC5025 $59.99 Wireless Keys HMSC7050 $14.99 Wireless Keypad Kit HMSC7075 $79.99 Wireless Repeater HMAC9100 $49.99 URL: broadband.motorola.com/consumers/home_monitoring.aspThis article (c) Copyright AARP. Redistribution or publication prohibited.
------------------------------------- You are subscribed as lists-ip () insecure org To manage your subscription, go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/
Current thread:
- more on Off-the-shelf home remote monitoring system (was Re: Man in Germany Foils Burglary in Brazil) David Farber (Dec 14)
- <Possible follow-ups>
- more on Off-the-shelf home remote monitoring system (was Re: Man in Germany Foils Burglary in Brazil) David Farber (Dec 14)