Guys and Ladies,
I’m taking the plunge and building a new room. Call the man cave but by any
other name it’s a place where I can isolate myself. My daughter and her husband
along with four children have been with me for a year. The kids are 11, 6, 4
and 2. The middle two are serial killers in the making and the baby is showing
signs of psychotic behavior. I don’t see them leaving any time soon (Free Rent
and Food).
I grew up the oldest of 12 children, when I was 12 years old there were six of
us, all boys. By the time I was 17 my mother stop having children. I finally
got my own bed by joining USAF. (Couldn’t sleep for two weeks because I was not
used to sleeping alone.) So you see I am use to living with children, We were
pcrobably were as bad as my grandchildren.
There seems to be a circle in life. You know, what goes around comes around.
This will be my 28th year in the chair. My body is breaking down more quickly
now. Stress sores, pressure sores, toe amputations and all the things that
quads live with are making Billy cantankerous. I don’t want my grandchildren to
remember me as an unloving curmudgeon who does nothing but growl and yell.
So, back to the new room. I want to take time and automate some functions
sensibly. I have enough money set aside for a conversion of the garage 20’ x
12’ into a multimedia room. I’m trying to decide which automation protocol to
use. Here is where I need help. I would love to automate lighting, power on
devices such as stereo receivers, TV and associated control boxes (Verizon).
This seems to me a good place to start and it is imperative that the system
allow me to expand to other devices (heat, air conditioning security devices
etc.The system must be voice controlled.
I eliminated X10 protocol because of costs and I believe it to be a closed
proprietary system. (Only IR communications and no API). So, I would like to
stay with devices that connect via my Wi-Fi.
Phillips Hue bulbs and its associated controller seems like a good way to
start. Their starter kit comes with three bulbs and integrate seamlessly with
Alexa, IOS And Siri.
Automating the power to a 65 inch OLED LG TV and a smart receiver Onkyo 7.2
will be done via smart Plugs, again by voice. Connection achieved by Bluetooth
or Wi-Fi via IP addresses.
So, I would appreciate any and all comments, help, tips and the like . Thank
you quad buddies .
Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do! -John Wooden
Billy Lang
[email protected]
