 Smart
Homes for Dummies
by Danny Briere and Pat Hurley
Reviewer: Chris Kaminski
Date: June 9, 2001
Retail: $21.95
So you have a computer network running and you’re sharing the house dsl
or cable internet connection with all your computers – no what? It’s time
for home automation -- time to change your house into a ‘smart home’.
Smart Homes for Dummies is a good place to start if you are thinking about becoming
a home automation enthusiast. It provides a great overview about what home automation
is and how far you can realistically go. The book is an easy read and I really felt
I learned a few things after turning the last page.
The major topics covered include
-
A look at future homes (funny stuff)
-
Entertainment centers and whole house A/V
-
Telephone systems
-
Computer LANs
-
Security Systems
-
Home Automation and Control
No particular subject in the book is covered in great detail. It would be very hard
to make any serious automation decisions based solely on the information in Smart
Homes for Dummies. Instead, the author gives you enough information to get very
excited about automating your home. I learned enough about each subject to start
asking the right questions – and that’s important. Every 20 pages or so
I found myself on Google searching for more and more info.
If I was asked to summarize this book in one sentence it would be “Read this
book if you want to get excited about home automation.”
.…now back to Google searching for reviews about video distribution panels!
|
Smart Homes for Dummies
Menu: