We can not ignore the basic rules of home automation systems; end-user ‘friendliness’ and ease of installation are the minimum requirement for success.

From the homeowners’ perspective, home automation systems can add to their lifestyle if they are installed and programmed correctly – they can also become an absolute nightmare if they have not been shown how to use a relatively simple system.

From the contractor’s perspective, the process of roughing-in, commissioning and programming could also be very simple or you could spend days finding the right set of programming commands!

Visiting some installations I realised that some contractors are spending too many hours in the process of commissioning the house. Experience has shown that spending a little more time when designing, for example the lighting layout, you can take advantage of the pre-set factory programs and minimise the on-site programming time.

Contractors with more experience in home automation products are starting to discover the benefits of using Oscar as a central management unit. Jim Katzikas from NOS Electrical in Sydney, believes, "Once you complete your first installation you realise how easy it is to commission, program and modify the system".

When I asked him about his latest Oscar installation on a five mansion complex in Caringbah, (a southern Sydney suburb), he said, "We are using one button of the key-ring remote control to operate the electric gates of the complex and the second button to open the garage door of the house. So, it reduces the amount of remote controls and creates a very attractive feature for the homeowner".

Visiting another house in Cronulla, also in southern Sydney, Joe O'Leary from Eccentric Electrics was very excited about his installation, Joe sees a great benefit in using Oscar’s figure 8 communication Bus, "It's easy to manipulate, and because is rated 240V can be run in the same conduit as the mains wiring".

I asked him about his use of the timed relays, and Joe believes there were huge cost savings with the built-in timers. He connected timed relays for the pool, sprinklers and the fountain, all controlled by the main panel.

It is important to realise that the home automation market is in its early stages in Australia and right now, it is still easy for installers to break into this market.

In the future, products will become far more complex and contractors who do not embrace this technology do face the risk of being left behind.

In many instances, the homeowner doesn’t consider a Home Automation System because they may not be fully up to speed on all the features and benefits of an integrated home. This is where you come in as the expert. Provide them with as much useful information material on the system and guide them through the various functions or areas they wish to have managed by the system.

Imagine your next customer and his excitement at having a home automation system:

‘My home automation system is doing all that I need. My garden always looks great - the sprinklers work automatically and I don’t have to worry about it. Also the luxury of calling my home and activating the temperature controls before I arrive - that's magic!".

Seventy years ago electric cables were installed outside the house.

Today, we are commonly wiring for security, PABX, lighting, pay TV, CCTV, audio, etc. Most of these systems can be controlled by a central processing unit and these units should be located in a central location, somewhere inside the home.

In many occasions I’ve seen houses and in particular apartments, where architects and builders are not aware and therefore do not make provision for what is called the ‘wiring box’.

So if you are involved with the project from very early stages, and the owner is considering an automated home, access to a good wiring box or cabinet is essential for a quality installation and for ease of maintenance.

Every installation is unique, and often requires different installation techniques. There are basically two types of wiring approaches for home automation: centralised and distributed. Each alternative has advantages and disadvantages and their suitability will depend on the construction technique used in the project.

The Distributed approach means that output devices (relays and dimmers) are placed at or near the loads. That reduces the amount of wiring and simplifies the overall installation. (The small size of HPM’s Oscar output devices (5x4x4 cm) could be easily mounted along with the transformers when low voltage lights is being used.)

Centralised approach means using strategically placed enclosures (eg. one in the ground floor and the other in first floor) containing group of output devices. This approach is commonly used because it allows easy access to devices for installation and maintenance.

HPM’s Oscar uses a figure 8 (2x0.75mm) as a ‘Bus’ to carry extra low voltage (ELV) power and data to all devices. The figure 8 cable is rated 240Volts and the algorithm used to send data across is not susceptible to interference. Therefore, the Bus can be run in the same conduits as the mains wiring. The Bus connects all devices around the home and because it is a non-polarised cable, it is a much easier, simpler and cost-effective installation for the contractor.

Today, there is a growing awareness of home automation systems. In the near future it will become a minimum requirement rather than a perception of luxury.

Technology analysts predict that the home automation market will experience an explosion of growth and demand over the next few years. Manufacturers of HVAC, whitegoods, A/V etc..are already including more ‘intelligence’ and networking capabilities in their devices. That means we should expect in the future a ‘global integration’ or greater interaction between a range of electronic devices and appliances far beyond our current expectations.

Any home fitted with a system such as HPM’s Oscar, is well positioned to enjoy the future trend in household technologies.

We, at HPM, learnt from our experiences and we know the 'basic rules', combining these two factors will allow us to produce more technologically advanced, yet ‘user-friendly’ automation systems. HPM has invested in research and development for new home automation products to lead the Australian market in the new millennium.

Issues to be aware of:

Some HA system manufactured overseas do not comply with Australian Electromagnetic and Electrical regulations.

Some HA systems are designed as building automation systems not specifically for the residential market – these may prove to be a little more complex for the average "homeowner" to operate.

HPM does give specific training courses on Oscar in every state. Please contact the Oscar specialist in your state on 1800 80 7000.