The Official Smarthome Blog – All Things Home Automation

If you are using a Xantech DIGI-5 1-Source, 4-Zone or a 4-Source, 4-Zone Cat. 5 Whole-Home Digital Audio Distribution Kit you can use this Local Source Wall Plate to connect a source (CD player, MP3 player, etc.) located within a remote room away from the main distribution system. This product is the ideal accessory for either of the Audio Distribution Kits, letting you enjoy whole-home audio in one moment and in the next moment you can switch to local source within a zone. The wall plate fits in a standard single-gang junction box and has a Decora-style finish. Using a cat. 5 cable connection, it will easily connect with a Xantech Keypad Amplifier for a local source input or the Xantech Digital Distribution System Hub via for a remote source input; both are included with a Digital Audio Distribution Kit. The DIGI 5 Local Source Wall Plate provides input connections for Analog Audio, Digital Optical Audio, Digital Coaxial and RJ-45 outputs for the cat. 5 cable connection to a keypad or hub. Additionally, an infrared (IR) output has been built-in for IR Control of the connected source. The DIGI 5 Local Source Wall Plate gives you the power of choice, letting you override a source input from the main system and listen to a local music source in a separate room.

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If you are looking to automate your home with Z-Wave lighting and appliance control, the Vera Z-Wave Web-Enabled Automation Controller will give you the power to take advantage of full-featured home automation and make it simple. The Vera system is based on a Wi-Fi access point that links with your wireless router. Once connected, the Vera interface can be accessed as a web browser from a web-enabled PC, phone or PDA anywhere in the world. You can remotely program scenes, events and timers that activate an individual device or group of devices throughout your home. You can also receive remote notifications via a text message, email, or a phone call when certain things happen that you want to be notified of. In addition to Z-wave products, Vera is also able to control certain wireless IP Cameras and audio video equipment. Vera offers the convenience to control lighting, climate, draperies and a variety of devices using your cell phone, iPhone, iPod or other handheld remote. The intuitive program allows you to see how much you’re spending on energy and gives you remote access see what’s going on in your home by watching your cameras from a PC or cell phone. The Vera system sets up in minutes and allows the novice home automation enthusiast to get everything you would expect from a high-end home automation system.

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Don’t take a chance at having your automatic irrigation system go on as usual while freezing weather sets in overnight; only to wake up and see a landscape frozen over, with ice on adjoining driveways and sidewalks. The I/O Linc – INSTEON Freeze Sensor Kit can help prevent these situations before they happen. An INSTEON signal is sent when the temperature drops below 39° F to notify you of the concern. Ice buildup is hazardous to the life of your lawn and plants and can also be hazardous to those who may accidentally walk or drive on it. Additionally, you can take corrective action to avoid the threat of frozen pipes. As part of your INSTEON home automation network, this kit will act as an early alert system, triggering lights or appliances to turn on in the event that indoor or outdoor temperatures start to fall towards freezing.

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Increase the versatility of your INSTEON home automation network using I/O Linc – INSTEON High and Low Temperature Threshold Kit. This kit was designed to monitor temperatures and alert you via your INSTEON network when an upper or lower temperature limit has been reached. The temperature sensor is user definable, allowing high and low temperature thresholds to be set between -30° F to 130° F. The sensor is also flexible enough to be used to monitor low temperature only, high temperature only, or low and high temperatures at the same time. Once a threshold has been reached an INSTEON command can be sent, turning INSTEON controlled lights and appliances on or off. With INSTEON you can create programs for controlling temperatures in remote areas that are susceptible to extreme temperatures, such as attics, garages, basements, and wine cellars. Ideally, you can link this kit with an I/O Linc – INSTEON Telephone Alert Kit so that you will receive a phone call if high or low temperature thresholds are reached, allowing you to take immediate action and possibly save your property and equipment from costly damage. Use the I/O Linc – INSTEON High and Low Temperature Threshold Kit to monitor temperatures, expanding and enhancing your versatile INSTEON network.

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If you have a multi-room audio system, you can control the volume of speakers in individual rooms by installing wall-mounted volume adjusters in each zone. If you are running more than one pair of speakers from the same amplifier speaker outputs, this impedance matching volume control will allow you to compensate for the impedance drop of using multiple sets of speakers in parallel. The 100-Watt Impedance Matching Volume Control wires between your amplifier/receiver and the speakers, letting you adjust the speaker volume with a 12 step attenuation slider. Simply slide the control up fto increase the volume or slide it down to decrease the volume. This product also features a pass-through IR receiver, which can be used to control the connected receiver and/or audio/video (A/V) device feeding the amplifier. A compact size and removable terminal blocks that accept up to 14-Gage wire make this volume controller an easy install. This product comes with the convenience of white, ivory, almond and black Decora inserts and volume sliders to match your home décor.

Please Note: The IR capability of this device requires the use of a connecting block, emitters, and a power supply, each sold separately

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