After Remote Control, Here comes Universal Phone Control

The new addition to the chain of home automation. Pardon the unclear poor quality of this photo. The tablet is not exactly HD quality, but it's real cheap, and we got it at half its original price from COMEX. Headed back home to link it up with our switches and we got ourselves a universal control to control all the switches. This is just the beginning, because soon, we will be adding our curtains control, fan control, aircon control, projector control, and tv control, all into this tablet of ours, and we will be able to control the whole house with just this tablet!

Technical Note: This setting up could also be done on our own mobile phones too. However there is a small restriction. To be able to control all the devices, one must be connected to the same wifi as the broadlink rm pro. This means you would not be able to control the electronics from outside of home unless..... you have a bridge in between, which in my case, we are using this tablet. How this would work at my house now is that my phone which is connected to 4G, would send the signal to my tablet which is connected to my home wifi, so that my switches are toggled. This would remove the restriction of having to be connected to our house wifi.

The Start of Home Automation

Introducing the first purchases of the Home Automation. Have always been a fan of automating the house, or rather the convenience of being able to control the home electronics regardless where we are. Imagine being able to turn on the aircon in the living room while on the way home so that you will not be greeted by a stuffy house when you get back, or that you could be in the comfort of your bed and switches off all the living room lights, kitchen lights, toilet lights, televisions, etc without having to get out from underneath your blanket. No more urgh feeling of getting out of bed because we forgot to switch off the kitchen light! Woohoo!

Broadlink RM Pro is the heart of my entire home automation system. My system is actually quite laidback, where I am not exploring the Z wave or Zigbee, but rather staying with the common infrared or radio frequency. This way i would not be limited to only the latest few models of aircons and door locks that are equipped with Z waves technology. This Broadlink RM Pro is basically a universal remote control that well, remotely control every technology around it that is controllable with a remote.

The coolest factor is that it has a learning capability where you just have to point the original remote at it and press the button, and it will learn and copy the command for future uses! This way, with a one time set-up, all my remotes can then be kept away keeping the living room clutter free. Tried it with my current fan and lights and worked wonderfully, so shall bring it for the final test in my new home living room next time!

Livolo switches are like the arms of my home automation system. Almost everyone's light are controlled by the manual switch, but that would not do for my home automation system. Instead, the livolo switches are touchpads which could be toggled on and off with a remote. Pair this up with the Broadlink RM Pro and you know that the magic is starting to brew. I could not test this yet as i was not willing to dismantle my current plug to fit this in, but i have high hopes for it at the new home.

Of course, just reading about how great all this are would not be sufficient. Get to experience it first hand at my house next time when the renovation is complete and i will gladly introduce the world of Home Automation and the Internet of Things to you! Hoooya~