New Developments In Home Automation

Whether you are fixing to buy a new home or you are building a new home, the installation of a home security system needs to be at the very top of your list. Unfortunately, a burglary is committed every four minutes in the United States, which normally occur during the day and most often at homes with no apparent security system of any type.

Although all companies sell home security systems with numerous bells and whistles, you are left with two choices. Does your home require a hard wired system or a wireless home security system? Hard wired systems can be difficult to install, and it is best to go this route if you are in the process of building your home. Since it takes much more technical expertise to install a hard wired system than a wireless home security system, it is best to opt for a hard wired system only if you are having your system installed by the dealer.

In terms of maintenance, hard wired systems have more visible components that need to be routinely opened up and checked. Wireless home security systems do have fewer tangible parts that need to be replaced, but you need to be prepared to service your wireless home security system a lot more often than is advertised as their batteries will expire.

Home automation technology specializes in ensuring comfort and home security for residential homeowners. Although home automation technology is mostly used in home security and surveillance systems by controlling objects, such as lights, doors and window shutters, home automation can also include the control of home entertainment systems, automatic plant watering and pet feeding, automatic scenes for dinners and parties, and a more user-friendly control interface.

When home automation is installed during construction of a new home, usually control wires are added before the interior walls are installed. These control wires run to a controller, which will then control the environment. Wireless home automation technology is also known as X10 Security. X10 is industry standard technology used to allow different electronic devices to talk to each other. X10 security technology is commonly used by home automation devices for the purpose of home security.

X10 security technology uses power line wiring for signaling and control, where the signals involve brief radio frequency bursts representing digital information. X10 can also be implemented in wireless applications. Lighting control and appliance automation allows you to be at home even though you are miles away. X-10 can turn on lights, electrical devices and appliances at timed intervals, giving you complete control over the electrical processes in your home.

You can use it as a theft deterrent or have it turn on your porch lights at sundown. The possibilities are endless. Also, in home automation is security cameras. Security cameras come in a variety of types such as bullet cameras, hidden cameras, dome cameras, dummy cameras, network cameras, standard cameras, and cameras that can be mounted on the wall or flush against any type of surface.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for home goods, home supplies, home automation and security. Follow these links to find the best home goods, home supplies, and automation systems.

Exactly What Is Home Automation

Home automation, which is also called smart homes or domotics, is a field within building automation that specializes in the specific automation requirements of private homes and in the application of automation techniques for the comfort and security of its residents.

Although many techniques are used in building automation such as light control, climate control, control of doors and window shutters, security systems, and surveillance systems are also used in home automation. Additional functions in home automation can include the control of multi-media home entertainment systems, automatic plant watering and pet feeding, automatic scenes for dinners and parties, and a more user friendly control interface.

When home automation is installed during construction of a new home, usually control wires are added before the interior walls are installed. These control wires run to a controller, which will then control the environment. Some standards use communication and control wiring, some embed signals in the power line, some use radio frequency signals, and some use a combination of several methods. Control wiring is hardest to retrofit into an existing house. Some appliances include USB that is used to control it and connect it to a domotics network.

In extreme installations, rooms can sense not only the presence of a person but know who that person is and perhaps set the appropriate lighting, temperature, and music and television taking into account the day of week, time of day, and other factors. Other automated tasks may include setting the air conditioning to an energy saving setting when the house is unoccupied, and restoring the normal setting when an occupant is about to return.

More sophisticated systems can maintain an inventory of products, recording their usage through an RFID tag, and prepare a shopping list or even automatically order replacements. Some practical implementations of home automation are for example when an alarm detects a fire or smoke condition, then all lights in the house will blink to alert occupants. If the house is equipped with a home theater, then a home automation system can shut down all audio and video components to alert the user to a possible fire or a burglar.

The elements of a domotics system are the controllers, sensors, and actuators. From the point of view of where the intelligence of the domotic system resides, there are three different architectures. The first is centralized architecture, which is a centralized controller receives information of multiple sensors and, once processed, generates the opportune orders for the actuators. The second is distributed architecture, which is all the intelligence of the system is distributed by all the modules that are sensors or actuators. Usually it is typical of the systems of wiring in bus. Finally, there is mixed architecture, which is systems that have a decentralized architecture as far as which they have several small devices able to acquire and to process the information of multiple sensors and to transmit them to the rest of devices distributed by the house.

Lighting control systems involves aspects related to controlling electric lights. Extinguished general of all the lights of the house, automation of switched off / ignition in every point of light, and the regulation of the illumination according to the level of ambient luminosity. Natural lighting control involves controlling window shades, LCD shades, draperies, and awnings.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for home goods, home supplies, home automation and security. Follow these links to find the best home goods, home supplies, and home automation.

Most Powerful Stun Gun - Benefits of Owning One

As you can see by browsing the internet for a stun gun, there are many different shapes, sizes and power output you can choose from. The sole purpose of any stun gun is to buy you some time in order to find safety if an assailant were to choose you for his next prey. You, nor I, want to be involved in that kind of situation and we should be willing to do whatever it takes to protect ourselves and our loved ones from that kind of violent behavior.

So you ask, what is the best stun gun to have? Everyone has a different opinion but one thing remains a fact, the more powerful the stun gun the more effective it is taking down an assailant. All stun guns have high voltage and low amperage, some being stronger than others. This means that stun guns are a very effective non-lethal means of self defense.

Have you ever wondered if you could get shocked while using a stun gun on an attacker if he were touching you? Don’t worry, it will never happen. That is the beauty of high voltage and low amperage. Household electrical current is the opposite with low voltage (around 220) and high amperage (between 100 & 200 amps). That is what can seriously hurt someone. The amperage is the key factor to how severe you could get hurt.

Typically, most stun guns work in the 7 to 14 amp range and household amperage is 28 times stronger than that. Just to give you an example of high voltage and low amperage. I know you have been shocked when touching a door knob or something metal. A shock like this has about 25,000 volts. Enough to get your attention but doesn’t hurt.

What happens when an attacker or an assailant is touched with a stun gun? First, I want to explain how the stun gun works. The stun gun pulsates at a rapid rate. When the attacker is touched by the stun gun, the stun guns energy is dumped into the attackers body, the stun gun interrupts the neurological signal the brain sends to the muscles.

The energy from the stun gun makes the muscles work in a high rapid rate depleting the muscles of all blood sugars and turn them into Lactic acid. This affect makes the assailant very weak, unstable and disoriented. A 1/2 second contact will cause the attackers muscles to contract and react by jumping back. A 3 to 5 second contact with the most powerful stun gun will put even the most aggressive attackers on his knees preventing him from any further aggressive behavior.

Even the weaker stun guns do a good job of stopping an attacker, but I believe a 950,000 to 1,000,000 (or more) volt stun gun will be more effective in taking him down and giving you more time to find safety.

As we all know, there are many uses for a stun gun but I would like to let you know why you should own a stun gun. We all have moments where we fear that something bad could happen to us or to someone we love. Few reasons could be you have a spouse you care very much for, you have young children and fear them of getting hurt if a burglar were to break into your home or pick you as their next victim on your next outing to the mall with your child, you travel a lot and want the added peace of mind or you have a daughter or son starting to date or go off to college and you want them to be safe knowing you are not there to protect them.

There are many different reasons for owning a stun gun so why not make the move and give the gift of safety and security as well as give you the peace of mind you need and want.

Tammy Spicer author and founder of TKS Solutions Safety and Self Defense store store. I am here to inform and educate many Americans of what technology is available today. Take the action necessary to give the gift of safety and visit our store:
http://www.a2safetyandselfdefense.com/

Tips That Can Deter A Burglar

Every one wants to protect themselves, their home, and their family from the damage that a burglar can do if they were to break into your home, which can include physical and emotional distress as well.

Use timers to turn lights, televisions, and sound systems on and off at different times to give your home that lived in look when you are away from home. Install motion detecting outdoor floodlights around your home, but be sure to remember to mount them high enough to prevent intruders from disabling them. If you are lucky enough to have a Neighborhood Watch Program in your community, then by all means join it. If there is not, then get together with your neighbors and start one.

Report any suspicious persons or vehicles around your neighborhood to your local police, and by all means get to know your neighbors. If you have elderly or incapacitated friends or relatives, then check to make sure their security devices are all in good working order. Some burglars will scan newspapers for wedding and funeral announcements and special community and holiday events that might take you out of your home, so be especially careful on these occasions.

Do not let mail, newspapers or fliers accumulate while you are away, because this will tip off criminals. Have the post office hold mail, have newspapers suspended, and have a neighbor or friend clear away fliers. To a burglar, an empty trash can may mean that you are away. So, keep some trash on hand, and consider asking a neighbor to set out trash for pick up at your house. Do not leave valuables in sight through windows where they will tempt burglars.

Use an etching pen to mark an ID number, like your driver’s license number, on all valuables. Make an inventory of valuables in your household and store it somewhere other than your home, such as in a safe deposit box. Leave curtains slightly parted so your house does not have an empty look. Never open the door to a stranger. Install peepholes in all exterior doors so you can identify whoever is outside. Do not rely on a door safety chain, because these can be broken easily.

Ask for I.D. from service representatives who come to your home, and if they do not have it, then check with their company to verify identity before letting them in. If you are planning to go away, then be careful whom you tell. When vacationing, leave a car in your driveway or arrange for a neighbor to keep a car there and move it around from time to time. Have someone mow your lawn, rake leaves and shovel snow while you are away as well.

Prune overgrown trees and shrubs to eliminate hiding places for intruders. Many garage door openers respond to common codes, so follow the manufacturer’s instructions to program yours with a unique code no burglar’s opener will match. Keep your garage door locked at all times, preferably with a deadbolt lock. Thieves always look in mailboxes, under doormats and above doorways for keys. Do not make it easy for them to get into your home. Do not put your name or address on your key ring, because it might lead a thief right to your door with key in hand.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for home goods, home supplies, home automation and security. Follow these links to find the best home goods, home supplies, and protect your home.

Tips For Protecting Yourself From Burglary

Almost every home in every neighborhood is a target for burglary, whether you live in the city or in the country. Today most families have valuables that attract burglars such as televisions, stereos, cash, and computers.

A 1996 study by the Justice Department says that an average family has a one in four chance of being the victim of a serious crime each year. Even worse, burglary is often compounded by violence. Luckily, many home security companies have over fifty years of experience helping protect families like yours from burglary.

The best tips that can be found to help you protect your family and your home include security systems, which are offered at four levels of deterrence. The first is a yard sign from a security company that a burglar can see from the street so that he chooses another house. The second is warning decals so that if the burglar misses the yard sign, then they will see the decals in the windows. The third is a loud siren that would sound off loudly when ever an intruder breaks in. The final one is a twenty four hour monitoring system that can notify the authorities to be dispatched to your home if an alarm is received.

There are some more helpful tips that could help prevent a burglar from attacking your home. If exterior doors are hollow core, then you should replace them with solid wood, fiberglass or steel. Make sure exterior door hinges are on the inside rather than the outside where an intruder can remove the pins and pull the door out of the frame. If you have double hung windows, then bolt the upper and lower sashes together or insert a metal bar in the track to prevent opening.

To secure sliding glass doors you should add a bolt lock or use a charley bar to block the door closed. Use bars to secure basement or garage doors and add bars to basement windows. Most home burglaries occur between eight in the morning and five at night, so get in the habit of always locking all doors and windows whenever you go out. You may also want to invest in some high quality, name brand deadbolt locks for all exterior doors. If you have a double cylinder deadbolt that is operated by a key both inside and out, keep the key near the door so every family member can find it and exit quickly in case of fire.

Alarm systems are an effective deterrent. Nine out of ten convicted burglars agree that they would avoid a house protected by an alarm system. Security system decals and signs are also an effective deterrent. According to the FBI, more burglaries occur in the months of July and August than in any other months. Make sure your security system includes a loud inside alarm, detectors at all exterior doors, and motion sensors in the master bedroom and main living areas. Never leave an answering machine message indicating you are not at home, instead just say you can’t come to the phone at this time.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for home goods, home supplies, home automation and security. Follow these links to find the best home goods, home supplies, and protection tips.

The Value Of Security Cameras

Is there something suspicious that is happening around your home or are there things that have been out of place around the property recently? It may be high time that you keep an eye on the things that are happening around the house with a security camera or two.

Even if a burglar does not end up breaking into your home, then it may very well save you money in the long run. For example, one couple tried every thing they could to lower their extremely high water bill, and in the end they decided to video tape around their house. To their surprise, while they were gone, they saw something interesting, which was a pet house cat had become infatuated with the toilet, and would flush it the entire time the couple was out of the home.

There are many reasons for getting security cameras, but the same basic facts remain. There are two types of systems that you can install in your home, which are the overt and the covert. The overt are the blatantly obvious cameras that every one in the neighborhood can see. They are not too expensive and are easier to install. The good thing about them is that they will let potential burglars know that your home is secured, and it could help to deter any would be thief.

The only downside to the overt camera system is that it may lead to your own family feeling a little bit like they are in a POW camp, but if that is not a problem, then there are many benefits to an overt system. These cameras are also easier to spot, and can be avoided or stolen in order to break into a home.

The covert are hidden away from the public eye, and also have a lot of uses. They can keep track of your baby sitters and nannies in the home, along with any one that is working around your property. This will help to make sure that they are doing what they are hired to do. These are also good, because they are not usually noticed and then stolen by others. They may be a bit more costly than the overt, but they can provide an added level of protection that is not provided by the overt camera system.

There are some benefits that have been presented by both kinds of camera security systems. The main ideal situation is to have a combination of the two camera security systems, which will encompass all the different levels of surveillance for your home. However, if your pocket book is a little tight, then at least one of these types of camera systems will help to deter any would be thieves from entering your home.

In conclusion, which camera security system you decide to install in home, greatly depends on your individual and family needs and the circumstances that surrounds you feeling the need to purchase such a system. Doing some preliminary research may save your family hundreds of dollars, and in the end, your family may receive the protection and security they need.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for home goods, home supplies, home automation and security. Follow these links to find the best home goods, home supplies, and overt and covert.

Wireless Home Security System Cameras

You will have the ability to monitor what you want without the need of a video cable. You will be able to watch your children while you are doing the laundry.

With a home security system you can watch who pulls up the driveway or walks up to your front door. You can observe various areas of your business or home from one central spot by adding a quad splitter or digital video recorder and monitor. Wireless home security cameras utilize two parts typically. One is a camera with built in transmitter and the other is the wireless receiver which connects to your television or security monitor for viewing.

The wireless security camera requires power by battery or wall plug in transformer. When viewing multiple wireless home security camera, quad processors are used to connect multiple receivers so that one to four cameras may be viewed on the same screen. Today digital video recorders have this technology built in in the way of multiplexing so that all receivers can connect to the DVR for viewing to the monitor while being recording at the same time. This method makes a complete system, recording, multiplexing and viewing.

To watch your desired area, connect the wireless home security camera to its power source. Connect the receiver to your television or digital recorder with small included cable and your done. No coaxial cable will be needed. Move cameras from room to room as needed. Whenever possible it is suggested that you use hardwired cameras if possible, because these are the most reliable and secure. In areas where this is not possible you can choose our wireless home security products as we choose items with a low return rate and high rate of success in residential and commercial environments.

Connect your wireless home security camera to a digital video recorder for recording motion only events or to access the video remotely. Systems requiring more than four cameras need to use more than one frequency such as 2,4ghz, 5.8ghz or 900Mhz. There are special teams that deal with extreme long range transmission issues and can pair your needs with a commercial long range solution.

Want a home security system for your family but can’t afford a quality system yet? Common safety around the home is always a great idea with or without a home security camera. Leaving ladders in sight or hammers and other tools can make it easy for a crook to gain access into your residence. Lighting around the home while you sleep is another thing that will make a burglar skip your home for another without lights on.

Using a dummy camera can often deter a potential crime before it occurs. Many times all that is needed is a professional security camera housing that includes a mount. These are often best mounted high on the home and looks like a home security camera is inside. The housings can be seen from quite a distance and the sight usually is enough to keep them walking. In the future, the housing can accommodate a real home security camera.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for home goods, home supplies, home automation and security. Follow these links to find the best home goods, home supplies, and wireless cameras.

Security Tips for Your Home Based Business

Everyone has to think about security in their home, though this can become even more of an issue when you also work from home. Most people who work from home will need to give out their address and phone number, which could lead to a number of problems in the future if not careful. However, there are ways to protect you, your home and your family by following this simple advice.

When working from home, normal home security measures apply. You should be careful to lock windows and doors when you can and you could also use security devices to keep track of any suspicious activity even when you are in your home. While this may put off some clients, it is important to remember that any office or corporate building will have these measures in place.

One way to protect your details is to use a separate phone line strictly for your business use. These can be extremely cheap to run, and can prove a great way to keep your work life and family life separate by giving off a professional look at all times. It is also a good idea to use a professional business email address, rather than simply using your personal address for all circumstances.

To keep your home more secure you can make use of many structural measures including fencing that will help deter intruders. These do not just apply to home businesses, but are useful for all homes and businesses. Other measures may also include dogs and one-way viewing glass in doors.

If you invite clients to visit your home you should keep routine office hours, as this will help control when people feel they can visit. This also means only answering the phone and emails within these office hours. It can be an intrusion when clients turn up at the doorstep at all hours, so keep your office hours clear.

Maintaining a professional image is extremely important for your business, and this means cutting out the background noise during your advertised office hours. When your clients call up, it is important that you are not interrupted by others who are not involved in your work, such as family or friends. Your clients will surely pick up on this, and your home will also be a lot safer if you maintain this professional image at all times.

As a precaution it is a good idea to type a list of all emergency numbers and post this at your desk or somewhere in clear view of where you work. This list should include the police, fire brigade and any emergency contacts. You can also make up a system whereby friends will call to check that everything is as it should be. This needn’t be too often, just enough to ensure your safety during office hours when you are alone.

If anyone visits your home looking suspicious then you should not open the door to them, even if you are worried of appearing rude. It is important not to put yourself or your family in jeopardy, so report any suspicious behavior to the police as soon as you can. There is also no need to put up with aggressive clients.

Running a business from home does not mean that your safety should be neglected. These measures can greatly increase your safety, and need not be too difficult to implement. Any business must take health and safety into account, and yours is no different.

Learn how to protect your home using home security surveillance. Read an article about home security.

The Home Security Camera System

Home security systems use to mean that a home alarm with a siren could scare off a thief if he entered your home. However, now a days, home security cameras and systems are necessary to assist the police in the arrest of burglars and criminal minds of all types.

People call about security systems, but only when they have problems with neighbors or after a break in where their home alarm system has failed to do anything, but tell them they were being robbed. Many times, people just have inadequate equipment to capture what they needed to see. Home security camera systems are well thought out and include high resolution digital video recorders, which will allow you to capture a high resolution image of even the most sophisticated criminals so you can bring them to justice.

Today, home security cameras can be monitored from work or any computer while your away. Emails can be sent if motion is detected by sophisticated home security camera system by software included with all of our digital video recorders. This type of software is intelligent and checks all images for motion by comparing the pixels of one image to the next. Pixel change then can cause an image to be emailed to the owner and a digital recording to take place.

Evidence can easily be burned to security systems with built in CDRW or DVRW,with a USB media sticks or CD card, which can be inserted directly into the DVR or digital video recorder. So many times, we see poorly captured images on the news that could have been helpful in the capture of murderers, rapists, or thieves. High resolution images are the end result of recording with our home security cameras. Low resolution cameras below 380tvl will usually fail to give a clear picture, but many security systems will choose only those cameras that best ensure a reliable clear capture rate of for all of our home security cameras.

When choosing your camera, then you need to look for resolution 350-380TVL, which is average good, 480TVL, which is better or very good, 520-540TVL, which is superior. A home security camera using a good or superior resolution will be enough to capture a face provided it also performs effectively for the light available in the installation area. Low light environments will also require a home security camera with a low rating or integrated infrared, which is a LED. This is also termed night vision.

Home security usually always benefits from a day night or night vision camera as outdoor home environments are often times very dark. At late hours more crime is committed than any other time. It is essential then for most homes to use day and night night vision home security cameras. This type of camera can see in no light or zero. The night vision cameras are rated by distance covered. The reach of infrared may be extremely important in parking lots or homes with long driveways.

Distances of night vision cameras can be thirty to six hundred feet, depending on the brand and camera model. Average home security camera range is thirty to fifty feet. Sometimes they will customize systems that have two at thirty to fifty feet and others at three hundred feet or one hundred fifty feet. Every home is unique and proper time should be given to properly identify those areas that are best served with the home security camera. Entrances, windows all are entry points. The DVR or recorder can be hidden in the attic or a closet and even placed in a lock box that has a key lock. This lock box may be bolted into the joists for a difficult removal.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for home goods, home supplies, home automation and security. Follow these links to find the best home goods, home supplies, and camera systems.

Beyond The Panic Room Of Security

The thieves who recently walked away with an Encino couple’s multi million dollar art collection, which included a Marc Chagall and a Diego Rivera, should not have had a prayer.

In a universe where wealthy people pay millions to protect jewelry, yachts, cars, Oscar statues, and wine collections, experts say that the real crime is that the criminals get away with the goods so incredibly easy. You can even recover your vehicles with a low cost GPS locating system installed in your vehicle. The moment that the thieves enter your property, then they should be detected, documented and deterred.

This scenario might include an outdoor camera flash and a booming voice telling the intruders they have been photographed, which is typically a strong deterrent to burglary. If that does not do the trick, then a recorded voice can announce to the thieves when they enter the house or touched a painting. This type of system is armed and ready to fire, so that you are out of harm’s way you may want to leave immediately.

Whether for the ultra rich or regular folk, security experts tool boxes are brimming with devices, which some being simple, while others are some high voltage, every thing from a good ten dollar window lock to a nuke safe underground hide out that costs millions. You can have a moat with alligators if you want or you can have a vicious barking dog on a loudspeaker, and some people have tried recordings of guns being cocked. You can even have a net drop down on home invaders.

Recently commissioned it the design of a Bat Cave, which is designed to protect a car collection. The design included a waterfall in front of the garage, which parts, Red Sea-like, when the owner arrives home. The door opens, a steel plate slides out of the garage, and the driver pulls onto it. The plate then slides back into the garage and onto a turntable that pivots to the car’s parking spot on a platform, two feet off the ground. Of course, this is slightly expensive at two and a half million dollars, it is a cool idea.

Some of the most sophisticated systems being built today are intended to protect people, not property. One client wanted a design of a two story, subterranean shelter that could withstand nuclear, biological, and chemical attacks. That shelter design included a pizzeria, a theater, and enough food and water to last years. One individual wanted a putting green for golf in his nuclear shelter.

Beverly Hills luxury real estate agent Bob Hurwitz listed an Encino home for sale whose previous owners included a recording industry titan who put in a safe room lined with Kevlar. It was hidden behind a wall that opened, just like in the movies, by touching a certain spot on the wall. A Montecito client not only dedicated one entire room to a bank vault for the family’s valuables, but also had a thirty six million dollar underground tunnel that led to a secret guest house.

The goal, security experts say, is to set up layers of protection that might include shatter-proof windows and bullet-proof doors. Inside the house, some owners create what is called a safe core, such as an upstairs bedroom that has the locking of one or more special doors, are sealed off from the intruder. A safe room typically has one opening and is fortified with a solid core or steel door and has three inch screws in the door hinges, heavy duty lock strike plates and a strong deadbolt lock. It is equipped with an alarm pad, a cellphone, a flashlight, a first aid kit, food and water.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for home goods, home supplies, home automation and security. Follow these links to find the best home goods, home supplies, and security.