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| Volume 3 Issue 1 February 1998 |
Features
Interviews
Reviews |
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| HTINews
Column - UK Home Automation - Feb98- [HTI Home Page] |
Information Services Order Free Catalogs and Product Info [Click Message To Learn More] |
United Kingdom Home Automation Mailing List
|
Mark McCall is the webmaster at the UKHA (United Kingdom Home Automation) website. The site can be
visited at |
COVERED IN THIS BULLETIN
- PLANNING PERMISSION!
- New "Cheap" Mail Order Source Of X-10
- UKHA Reaches 10,000 Hits
- Product Reviews
- Marantz RC-2000
- The Mailing List
- My ISP (BT Internet)
PLANNING PERMISSION!
I've just found out that last night the local planning authority
recommended our house plans for approval and the council agreed.
(que the hallelujah chorus).
That might not seem so special until you learn that it's taken my
wife and me TEN YEARS to get this permission to build our own
home!!
So...what does this mean for UKHA? Well...it means I finally get
the opportunity to put my plans into practice. The new house will
be extensively controlled by my CSI HomeVision. I would like
start a new section of the web site showing the planned HA stuff
and giving updates on how the building is progressing etc (but
this will largely depend on how much spare time I'll have once
building starts - hopefully before the Summer).
New "Cheap" Mail Order Source Of X-10
I have recently been contaced by a company called IntelliHome.
Celebrating their 5th anniversary in 1998, for almost 5 years
they have been world-wide distributor of X-10 products and Home
Systems. They have just launched their web site and are offering
delivery direct from their warehouse in Brussels to the UK. Marc
Quix writes...
"Compared to the prices in your reviews, I really think we offer the same products at very attractive low prices. I think many people in the UK would appreciate these low prices. Lower prices mean that more people can get involved in Home Automation, which will lead to even lower prices. Hopefully, one day we will be in reach of the prices in the USA."
I will be adding IntelliHome to the "Links" and
"Contacts" pages when I get some time but for now you
can visit their web site here... http://www.intellihome.be
UKHA Reaches 10,000 Hits
In a little over 14 months UKHA has reached 10,000 hits (that's
over 20 per day). While not staggering by Net standards it's
pleasing none the less that the site is proving popular among the
small but growing community of UK home automators.
Thanks to everyone that's visited so far and please keep coming
back!
Product Reviews
Once again there are a couple of new additions to the
"Reviews" section. I I've added Celtels great value
appliance module, lamp module and RF remote package to the
miscellaneous section. Definitely worth checking out! I've also
added my new Nokia 9000i Communicator (although the pictures etc
are there the review is not yet finished).
Marantz RC-2000
I've had time to get used to the Marantz RC-2000 now
(and I can confirm the battery life IS dire (seven weeks for the
first set of cells). It is a great piece of kit though and highly
recommended. BTW the RC-2000 review has been updated with details
of where to buy it in the UK (£150).
The Mailing List
Coollist had died completely last month but I noticed on Sunday
it's back again! I'm mainly using it to collect new subscribers
then sending out the messages manually myself 'cause it's sooooo
slow.
My ISP (BT Internet)
BT Internet has become appalling over the last 3 months. I don't
know what it's like for you guys on the outside looking in to
UKHA but the view from here is terrible! Anyway...if it doesn't
improve soon UKHA will be moving to a new home (probably Demon).
I'll keep you informed.
As usual I'd appreciate some feedback on this bulletin and the
web site in general. That's it for now.
"Happy New Year!"
Mark McCall
