Mile High Automation - Home Automation Blog

HAI Products: Finalists in Mark of Excellence Awards

2010-03-25T09:42:00.004-06:00

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has announced that three products from HAI are finalists in this year’s Mark of Excellence Awards. HAI has been continuously developing world class products for consumer electronic market for more than two decades.

The products from HAI selected to as finalists include:

OmniTouch 5.7e Touchscreen (Human Interface Product of the Year).
Automation Studio (Installation Product of the Year).
The Cellular Communication Center (Structured Wiring Product of the Year).

The Award entries were reviewed by a four-member judging team. This team was comprised of systems integrators, manufacturers, members of the trade press and industry consultants. HAI will be demonstrating these products at the Electronic House Expo (EHX). This year, the exhibition would be held at Orlando, Florida between 24th to 26th March.

"Having three of our innovative products in the running for the 2010 MOE's is a testament to our talented engineering department. In the past twenty five years, they have worked diligently and have been rewarded with over 100 industry awards", said HAI President, Jay McLellan.

To see the list of all finalists for the award, click here.

Product Review: Aton HDR44 Video Matrix

2010-03-16T02:42:00.003-06:00

We installed this HDTV matrix in our demo house about 2 months ago and have been thrilled by its performance. Here’s a brief review of its features:

The Aton HDR44 is a HDTV matrix switcher that can route high definition video along with stereo (and digital) audio from four sources to 4 HDTV locations in your home (expandable). This is the first high definition router product from Aton and it is designed to be easy to install and use. The HDR44 also has a built in IR router that ensures proper control of your source equipment. This matrix switches allow you to watch TV, movies, play video games, and view security cameras from any TV in your home.

The HDR44 uses cat5e/cat6 wiring to distribute video with resolutions up to 1080p. You can share video throughout your home without the worry of signal loss due to cable length. Installation is simple; just connect your source devices and cat5e/cat6 cables to the router and break out the popcorn!

If you are interested to know more about the product please refer to the HDR44 homepage.

iPad Sells 90,000 Units on Day 1

2010-03-15T09:21:00.000-06:00

From the estimates we have been seeing it looks like Apple sold between 90,000 and 120,000 iPads last Friday. That is pretty amazing for a product that almost nobody has held in their hands or even seen in person.

This shows how the popularity of the touch screen has grown. Many companies have attempted tablets in the past, but never with widespread success.

Estimates are Apple took in about $50 million on iPad preorders, not bad for one day. We would be happy to do that in an entire year!

HAI Announces 500w CFL Smart Switch

2010-03-02T07:55:00.002-07:00

HAI has announced a 500W CFL smart switch, the newest addition to their UPB HLC product line. This switch is designed to work with dimmable CFL bulbs better than the current standard HLC dimmer switch. The current dimmer switch has trouble when the light dims under 20%. This new 500w CFL dimmer switch will solve that problem.

"The HAI CFL Switch is part of our continuing efforts to provide energy efficient solutions," explains Jay McLellan, HAI President.

The product would be available in following colors:

Almond shades
Black
Brown
Grey
Ivory
White.

For more information, refer to the press release from HAI here.

How To Setup Remote Access - Part 4: iPhone Setup

2010-03-01T10:02:00.000-07:00

We have now established remote access to our home automation system by configuring port forwarding in the router, creating a DDNS account, and setting up Snaplink. We now move onto getting the iPhone up and running, which is a piece of cake!

Step 1: Download the App - Go the App Store and download the add "H@me".

Step 2: Edit Preferences - After the H@me app installs open it up and go the preferences. Enter the following information:

IP: This is your DDNS account (myhome.homeip.net)
Port: 4369
Key 1: encryption key (explained in Part 3 of this guide)
Key 2: encryption key (explained in Part 3 of this guide)
Code: Your 4-digit user code

Step 3: Save & Connect - The first time you connect you will need to LOAD NAMES. This is a one-time download.

Enjoy!

Customize your HAI Touch Screen Interface

2010-02-25T22:57:00.003-07:00

We have been using the HAI Omnitouch 10p for almost a year now. It is a great device that allows clients to easily control their home automation systems. Prior to the 10p and 5.7e touch screens, we used the OmniTouch 5.7 and before that the OmniTouch 3.9. These were great screens, but did not allow for any customization. The standard HAI interface is very nice and extremely functional. However, it’s not ideal for all homes. The now 10p and 5.7e, along with HAI’s automation studio give us the tools to unlock the screens and create some amazing touch screen designs…

The software tool, called HAI Automation Studio, can be used to customize the interface of Omnitouch 10p and Omnitouch 5.7e touchscreen devices. Using this tool, you can create the new interface for the touchscreen and then upload the new interface to the device. You can now choose your colors, themes, buttons, and options. Going further, we can map your floor plans onto your touch screen. The map would act as a menu to control the rooms in your house. These customizations make the system more personal and user friendly.

So, how would you like your touchscreen interface to look?

OmniTouch 5.7e Touch Screen Design: Kid's Room

2010-02-19T14:52:00.000-07:00

Kids love touch screens too! This design gives David three options, each will activate lights, timers, and A/V. As he gets older more functionality can be added to the touch screen.

OmniTouch 5.7e Touch Screen Design: Clean & Sleek

2010-02-19T14:27:00.000-07:00

Another design we have been working on. This is puts everything onto the floor plans for a very sleek and user friendly look. Clicking the icons on the plans will bring up music, lights, cameras, and thermostats.

I would love to get some feedback on these, post your comments below!

OmniTouch 5.7e Touch Screen Design: Carbon Fiber

2010-02-19T13:41:00.001-07:00

I have been playing around with HAI's Automation Studio software for the past few months. Recent updates have allowed us to start doing some very cool things (such as transparencies, meta data, etc). Here's a sample of one of the interfaces we are working on:

Around the world in 6 days

2010-02-19T13:39:00.010-07:00

Our newest work van courtesy of the good people at Qantas!

So the Australia training came up and while the trip was a great success, it taught me a great deal about travel. It is not easy to go halfway around the world and back in just 6 days!

Meeting with the builders and electricians that will now be wiring, using and installing our systems was a pleasure. As you can see above, getting the product to the homes was a little tricky! These folks know there business and now they know a good bit more about ours. I believe the trip was a positive for all involved and will lead to a prosperous relationship between our companies.

The homes they build there are quite different from ours in construction and design. Also interesting was the voltage changeover and implementing the lighting control products, they use a 240 volt system which led us to use a Centralite lighting system. These are excellent and worked like a charm. The systems that were installed when I arrived were done perfectly by the electricians and this was very reassuring for the future.

This beauty is perched about 100ft above the water and if you look hard enough, I think you can see the South Pole. The home is getting a amazing system and we are looking forward to the owner seeing our gear in action. We are supplying the home with HDTV distribution, Audio, Security, CCTV, Lighting control and Air conditioning control. Everything will be controlled via touchscreens (in-wall and wi-fi), remote access will be possible from around the world and that matters a lot to a home owner who does ALOT of traveling. As you can see from the view though, they probably don't want to leave very often.I look forward now to going back "Down Under" when I get the chance, I just hope to be able to do it for more than 3 days!

Home Automation in India

2010-02-18T06:09:00.004-07:00

Home automation systems have already started appearing in most of the corporate offices in India. However, most of the people in India don't consider it as a good investment, when it comes to installing these systems at home. This could be due to following reasons:

1) Cost: As of now, it takes around Rs. 540,000 to install a basic usable home automation system at home.

2) Need: In India, some families are still joint families. Also, the cost of hiring maids is lot cheaper compared to the cost of devices and gadgets.

Although, the reasons given above are valid for some people, they don't seem to apply for equally larger population where people are living in nuclear and independent families. For such families, home automation systems provide great amount of value. To understand it better, lets consider few situations where home automation systems could be used:

1) Security: Security is a concern for most of the independent families which are living away from their home town. Home automation system can help in this situation by providing a reliable security solution.

2) Energy savings: To save electricity, it is important that lighting and other electrical devices like air conditioners etc. are used only when they are required. This could be achieved easily via home automation systems.

3) Remote management: Some people need to stay away from their home due to work assignments for considerable amount of time. Home automation system can help them by allowing remote monitoring of their houses using Internet interface.

Considering these points, an investment of Rs. 540,000 feels like a good investment for your home.

If you are interested in purchasing a home automation system for your home in India please fill out our Free Home Automation Quote Request form.

How To Setup Remote Access - Part 3: HAI Snaplink

2010-02-09T23:59:00.000-07:00

By now you have setup port fowarding in your router and implemented a DDNS system. Now we are going to configure your HAI Snaplink software to allow you to log into your home automation system from anywhere in the world.

Step 1: Open Snaplink and EDIT the controller file. If you are prompted for a password, enter "password" (and then change it!).

Step 2: Enter you account settings.

IP Address or Domain Name: This is your DDNS domain name (ex: myhome.homeip.net).
Port Number: Always 4369
Encryption Keys 1 & 2: If you purchased the system from us this will automatically be filled in. If not, go to your touch screen and hit System, Setup, System Setup, Enter Code, 6 (Misc), and scroll down to the encryption keys.
User Code: The 4-digit code you use to arm/disarm the system.
Click Save.

Step 3: Hit the connect/disconnect button on the top right and you will connect to your system. Enjoy!

How To Setup Remote Access - Part 2: DDNS

2010-02-09T12:24:00.007-07:00

In order to enable us to interface with home automation systems devices like the OmniPro II and Omni IIe we need to know the external IP address of your home. While this can be done by typing in the actual IP address (EX 64.234.182.24), that number is difficult to remember. Even if you can remember it, the bigger problem is that your ISP will change that number from time to time.

The solution is DDNS. Dynamic DNS allows your IP address to be translated to a domain name such as myhome.homeip.net. This is both easier to remember and always stays up to date with your changing IP address.

In this blog post, we will walk you through setting up DDNS.

To use DynDNS service, you will first need to register with them.

Step 1: Go to DynDNS.com. You will be presented with screen that looks like this:

Step 2: Notice the highlighted part in the above screenshot. Enter the subdomain of your choice and select the domain name from the dropdown given. In the screenshot shown below, we have entered "myhome" as our subdomain and selected "homeip.net" as domain name. We typically will use the naming convention familyname.homeip.net. Once done, press "Add" button.

Step 3: After this, you will be presented with a simple form like the one shown below. Here you will need to enter the username and password that will be used to access your DynDNS account. You would also need to enter your email address. Before clicking on "Create Account" button, make sure you have entered the text shown in image captcha and agree with AUP and privacy policy of DynDNS.com.

Step 4: Now you will receive an email from DynDNS.com. Click on the link given to confirm your account.

Step 5: Clicking on the confirmation link will take you to the page that looks like the one shown below. To start using dynamic DNS service, click on "Activate Services" button.

Step 6: Your dynamic dns service is now be activated. You will be shown your hostname with IP address in details field.

Step 7: The final step is to add our DDNS account information to our router. This will be slightly different on each router. Below is a screen shot of a Linksys router. Follow the steps in Part I of this guide to log into your router. Then click on the DDNS option under the SETUP menu. Select DynDNS.org as the DDNS service and enter your DDNS account information. When done click on SAVE SETTINGS. After a minute or two the status should save “Update Success” or similar.

How To Setup Remote Access - Part 1: Port Forwarding

2010-02-09T11:44:00.010-07:00

The following guide will show you how to set up port fowarding on your router. This will allow us to connect to your system to make changes, as well as allow you to access your system over the internet.

Step 1: Login to Router
Open Internet Explorer and type 192.168.1.1 into your address bar. A login window will pop up. Enter your user name and password. By default the user name and password are "admin" and "admin". If 192.168.1.1 does not work, try 192.168.0.1. Some routers default to the .0.1 subnet.

Step 2: Set up Port Forwarding

Click on the "Applications & Gaming" Tab. Under Port Range enter the following values:

Application: HAI
Start: 4369
End: 4369
Protocol: Both
IP Address: 155
Enabled: Checked

HAI products for Spanish, Catalan and French markets

2010-02-05T11:29:00.004-07:00

Home Automation Inc (HAI) is going to increase it's presence in foreign market this year. As per this expansion plan, HAI would be releasing home automation products with support for Spanish, Catalan and French languages. The products that would start shipping in the second quarter of this year would include:

OmniPro II
Omni IIe
Omni LT
PC Access software
OmniTouch series

With this expansion, HAI is trying to ensure that their customers in the new markets would get to enjoy all the benefits and functionalities of their home automation systems. This would also lead to improvement in local home automation market by creating more competition with other home automation system manufacturers.

What the iPad means for Home Automation

2010-02-04T16:32:00.000-07:00

Despite all the bad press the iPad has received I think it has some great uses, especially in the home automation and control segment.

What it is: Currently the iPad will support the H@me app and HAI’s WL3. Both of these applications are great at giving you control of your home on your iPhone. From the tablet you can control lights, temperatures, music, and security.

What is is not: The iPad is not a replacement for a true home automation touch screen. A dedicated touch screen gives you control over your system, as well as allows you to access setup menus, change settings, and have a greater level of control of your system.

The iPad and iPhone/iTouch systems are great, but they aren’t going to replace the OmniTouch touch screens any time soon.

That said, my order for a iPad is already in with Apple…

3D Movies coming to a Home Theater near you

2010-02-02T11:19:00.002-07:00

It all started with a simple television set along with Video/CD/DVD player that allowed us to watch movies at home. However, it lacked the premium sound and picture which we could enjoy only in movie theaters. The introduction of home theater systems and LCD/plasma/projector television sets in the market changed this scene completely and families were now able to enjoy the complete theater experience without leaving the their house. That was, until 3D came out…

In the event you wanted to see a 3D movie (take recently launched Avatar for example), you had no option but to buy a ticket and sit shoulder to shoulder with strangers. It was the one experience your home theater system could not provide. Starting this year, the 3D experience is coming home.

According to the announcement made at a press conference in Berlin, Sony Corporation will be releasing 3D television products for the home users in 2010. You can then enjoy a complete 3D theater experience by combing your home theater system that can play 3D media with these new television sets and wearing active-shutter glasses. Using active-shutter glasses, you can enjoy 3D content on television from any from nearly any viewing angle. But what if you want to see 3D media without wearing any glasses?

In case you don't want to wear any sort of glasses to watch 3D media on TV, then you would be interested in the televisions being developed by Sharp and LG. Yes... yes... they will allow you to enjoy 3D movies without wearing any glasses. But everything comes at a price. In this case, you would need to sit at one particular location at a certain distance from your television set.

But in any case, the 3D TVs will definitely change the way we watch motion pictures at home. Apart from watching 3D movies, we would also be able to play 3D games by connecting it to gaming consoles. Going further, operating systems like Windows or Mac OSX probably will also render the UI in 3D. Just imagine the possibilities.......

Touch Screen Options: OmniTouch 5.7e & OmniTouch 10p

2010-01-29T07:51:00.003-07:00

Compared to other devices, touch screen based devices are easier to learn and operate as they provided a GUI based only on the options you need, not every option a remote manufacturer can put on their device. On the other hand, developers find it easier to create new interfaces for touch screen devices as they are not limited by the number of input buttons provided by the hardware. Popularity of cell phones with multi-touch capabilities are an excellent example of the rise of popularity in touch screens.

In the home automation world, owners of Omni and Lumina home automation controllers (Omni LT, Omni IIe, Omni Pro II, Lumina, and Lumina Pro) can enjoy two new touch screens from HAI; the OmniTouch 5.7e and OmniTouch 10p. Apart from allowing you to manage your home automation tasks, these devices can also be configured to control your home theater system through HAI's Home Theater Extender (HTE). The user interface and graphics can be modified in the event you don't like the default one, using HAI’s Automation Studio software. The following page shows the OmniTouch Touch Screens in action.

The OmniTouch 10p is the portable version of OmniTouch 5.7e. Its portable nature and large 10” screen make it easy for you to carry it around your house just like your normal television remote control. But that's only one of the reasons this device is powerful and fun to use. The 10p gives you the added benefit of allowing you to browse the net and check email right from the wireless tablet itself. What could be better?

Home Automation: Yet another reason to have iPhone

2010-01-25T11:44:00.005-07:00

Around the world, a lot of people have found the iPhone as a great tool to improve the effectiveness of their daily tasks. For those who are new to iPhone, the post in "MacRumors" forum called "What do you use your iPhone for?" will show what people do with this nice little tool from Apple. Hey, but what about maintaining my home automation tasks? Can iPhone help me there as well?

To answer this question, DigitalDan has come up with an iPhone app called "H@me" which can talk to the HAI Omni or Lumina home automation controllers. If you are a proud owner of an iPhone and a supported HAI controller, then you should give H@me a try. Once downloaded, follow the instructions given in the project page to configure it with your omni/lumina home automation controller. After that, you can control lighting, thermostats, temperature sensors, audio controls and you security system.

Last month, DigitalDan announced that he would be releasing new version of H@me. This new release will come with lots of bug fixes, new features and enhancements. You can read about those changes here. However, this new version won't be freely downloadable. DigitalDan is yet to declare the price at which H@me 2.0 would be available. But till then, you can always try the existing free version of H@me.

Tyco Purchases Brink's Home Security

2010-01-19T12:23:00.000-07:00

Tyco, owner of ADT security systems has purchased Brink's Home Security. Brinks (which now operates as Broadview Security) and ADT are the 2 largest security monitoring companies in the country. Their total market share is now about 50%, with the other 50% comprised of independent security companies such as Mile High Automation.

Full story can be found on CEpro.com.

Online System Design & Collaboration

2010-01-13T13:09:00.000-07:00

Dan Lowitz, Mile High Automation's Sales Manager has developed our online collaboration system. This allows clients to see their system being designed in real-time. They can make changes, move equipment, and get a much better understanding of their system.

We feel this new technology is better then "old-school" client meetings that were done in an office with large drafting sheets and colored pencils. At MHA, everything is digital, and documentation is at the heart of our business. We invite you to schedule a online design session today!

2009 - MHA's Best Year Ever!

2010-01-12T16:44:00.004-07:00

It was a rough year for custom installers and integrators. A recent report from CEpro magazine found the average company fell 51.7% in 2009. They also reported an 8% drop in 2008.

Here at Mile High Automation we experienced our 5th straight year of strong growth, with 2009 being our best year ever!

With our new products, new website, and housing starting to recover 2010 is poised to be another record year for us.

Our low prices, highly trained staff, and top-of-the-line equipment are reasons why we our not only surviving but thriving in this market.

MileHighAutomation.com 5.0

2010-01-07T16:50:00.003-07:00

I am happy to announce that our new website went live New Years Eve 2009 (made it before 2010!)

This is the 5th major revision of our site since we started, and we feel it is our best yet!

Home for Our Troops - Grand Opening

2009-11-11T09:10:00.003-07:00

Mile High Automation provided the home automation system for this home. Our own Daniel Lowitz made the trip to New Jersey for the grand opening.

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/video?id=7110695

Mile High system for injured Marine

2009-11-05T11:23:00.001-07:00

On November 10, 2009, five and a half years after being felled by sniper fire in Fallujah on his second tour of duty, 26 year old Corporal Visnu Gonzalez will cut a ribbon and wheel into his new green, state of the art adapted home in Hillsdale, New Jersey. At the ceremony will be a representative from our local Mile High Automation based in Commerce City, which designed, supplied and helped install the home’s cutting edge adaptive technology. Rick Goyette of the non-profit Homes for Our Troops, who oversaw the 4 year long project and its army of volunteers, will hand Visnu the keys to his new home.

Gonzalez’ new home was designed to address his unique physical challenges and to help him regain a measure of independence. Paralyzed from the upper chest down, the Dominican-born Marine has use of his arms but only limited use of his hands. His body can no longer regulate its own temperature and Gonzalez is in constant danger of infection, necessitating both a continual supply of fresh air plus a carefully controlled thermostat.

Coordinating with Rick Goyette, Daniel Lowitz, Sales Manager of Mile High Automation, ensured that the air in the house which is completely replaced every two hours, is kept at a prescribed temperature. Lowtiz designed a system for Visnu that will allow him to control the home’s security system, lighting and thermostat by means of a portable 8” touch screen that can be hand held or attached to his wheelchair.

From this screen Gonzalez can run the sprinklers, close his garage, turn on his porch light and open the front door to let in a visitor; the screen also allows him to access his email or surf the web. In addition, Mile High placed motion sensing lights throughout the house to allow for hands free operation, switching on when Gonzalez enters a room and darkening after he leaves.

Other adaptations in the house include custom cabinetry and lowered countertops with wheelchair access, allowing Gonzalez to prepare his own meals and work at a desk. In his bedroom a lift will carry him from his bed to a specially equipped bathroom. Even with the home’s state of the art technology, Gonzalez will require the assistance of his mother, Maria Baez, who will be moving in with him. It was his mother’s refusal to give up on her son that finally brought Visnu’s case to the attention of Homes for Our Troops.

Not only is the home adaptive, it is arguably “the greenest home in New Jersey” thanks to a generous grant from the Sierra Club, earning it the highest platinum-level LEED certification. The house is completely powered by solar roof panels (including a solar-powered elevator), uses geothermal heating and cooling from two deep wells in the backyard, collects rainwater from the roof to water a drought-resistant garden, and uses energy efficient LED lighting.

As with many other suppliers on this project, Mile High Automation donated labor to help install its custom home automation system. “MHA is proud to partner with Homes for Our Troops in this worthwhile cause and we wish Visnu all the best in his new home,” states Josh Ferguson, Mile High Automation president. “We’ll train Visnu how to operate the system from his touch screen and we’ll be here to answer any questions he has down the road and provide him a lifetime of tech support.”

Of her son’s new home Gonzalez’s mother, Maria Baez states, “This is our second miracle. The first miracle was that he lived. The second is now he has a possibility of living well.”