Page 5 - March 2018
P. 5
The President’s Pen by Don VanSyckel
Home Automation and Security
January 2018 issue, WSIWYG what. Well, companies come, and companies
go, so what happens if the manufacturer of one
www.sterlingheightscomputerclub.org
or more of your products goes out of business?
don (at) vansyckel.net What happens to the web site that you're de-
pendent on? Pos-
sibly another
I've been looking at company will take
home alarm sys- it over, but I
tems and thermo- would bet that in
stats. I guess it's a this case a fee
sign of the times. would be in-
Many of these have volved. Can any-
connectivity via your one spell “Edsel”
home Wi-Fi and or “Hudson?” An-
some have built-in cellular connectivity.
other 'feature' of most of the new systems is
· Most offer remote control via a web site they're totally dependent on batteries. Granted
accessible from your PC or from a dedi- some system / battery combinations can run
cated smart phone app. several years before requiring a battery replace-
· My neighbor tells me his garage door
opener can be status checked and con- ment. They still need replacing.
trolled remotely.
· Then there are refrigerators that have
cameras in them, so you can, supposedly, Members were asked to keep some of these is-
check out your supply of stuff while you're sues in mind for their January presenter, Mr.
at the grocery store. Hopefully you never Derek Bricknell from Best Buy in Madison
park a tall or big item in front of the cam-
era. Heights, who presented "Home Security and Au-
· I've also seen advertised door locks that tomation." It should be an interesting presenta-
can be remotely monitored and controlled. tion.
There are other home automation systems such Note from Judy: Do you have a Best Buy in your
X10 and Zwave products that offer most of the area? You might want to ask the store / general
features on the individual products listed above, manager if someone can give a “Home Security
but in one integrated system.
and Automation” presentation to your group.
Don’t forget to mention that the Sterling Heights
The issue, or possibly more accurately my reser- Computer Club had one at their January meet-
vations about these systems, is that most are not ing. They might ask you to get in touch with the
controlled or accessed by you directly. Most only Best Buy home office to request the presenta-
'talk' to the manufacturer's web site and you 'talk' tion. They also might donate something, along
to the same web site. You get the illusion that with the presentation.
you're communicating directly but you're not. So,
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