Step 2: Design your Smart Home
By this point, you’ve identified why you’re interested in living in a smart home; what devices around the home you would like to automate; and how much you are willing to pay for it.
Next you need to decide, how are you going to achieve these goals? The answer is, through the design of your home automation system.
How will you communicate with your home ?
One of the core features of a smart home is the ability to communicate with it and the systems it has under its control. Like most communications technologies today, you have two options: wired and wireless, and each comes with its own set of pros and cons.
With each method of relaying signals comes a number of signaling protocols: X10, UPB structured wiring the wired side, and Z-Wave on the wireless, with Insteon as a hybrid system. Click on each protocol to learn more about it, how it works, and the advantages and disadvantages associated with each.
This type of signal relay is the first layer of control you’ll have over your home. There are also other transmission methods like RFID, which is typically used in some control systems, and which can be layered on top of the signaling protocol – but that’s the next step.
System control
Your next step is to decide, what will you use to control the system? Now we’re getting to the stage where you actually pick devices, and with them comes a wide variety of control systems – ranging from simple in-system control panels, to sophisticated computer software that allows you to control your home over the phone or internet.
Specifically, there are two main categories of control devices: , such as a light switchboard that controls only the lighting system, and central control (link: 25. Intro to home control devices), such as a master wall unit that controls everything.
Selecting your devices
Choosing the right devices to be included in your home automation system can be a huge point of frustration for people, because they don’t know what to look for or where to look. If you’ve done your homework up to this point, you should have a decent idea of the kind of devices you’ll need. If not, check out this directory for home automation devices.
