Back in the '80s, home control systems were the dark horse of home technology. Few people knew these Jetsonian systems existed, and those who did were skeptical of their capabilities. At the time, most of the systems used in homes took the form of home-brewed experiments concocted by technology enthusiasts with a predilection for circuits and algorithms.
That was about the time Ron Rimawi started hunting for a new business venture, having recently left his job as general manager for a major corporation. His business broker suggested that Ron invest his money to start his own company – one in which Ron could put his low-voltage licence to use. After a stint installing home security systems, Ron met his partner George Ide, who had a few years under his belt selling and installing home control systems. Together they launched Digital Interiors, and began to redefine the perceptions of home control. "We believed that simplicity was the key," relates George. And so since 1995, Ron and George have endeavoured to simplify for their customers the operation of the keypads, touch panels and other devices used to command the various electronic systems their company installs into homes (lighting, AV, security, communications and climate control). It's a commitment which has solidified their company as one of the 100 most successful home systems installation firms in the US.
Key placement
One of the most important components of a home control system is a device from which each member of your family can conveniently operate a variety of electronics – everything from a home's lights and thermostats to a stereo system. These control devices, commonly called interfaces, come in a variety of forms, the most inexpensive and popular being a wall-mounted keypad.
Because a keypad is built into the structure of a house, it's important to plan for its inclusion during the design stages of a new house. For convenience, a home may require several keypads.
The buttons of each keypad can be programmed to transmit a unique series of commands to a group of electronic devices. For example, a keypad stationed at the garage entry might be the only keypad to contain a button labelled welcome, which when pressed, switches on a pathway of lights from the entry to the kitchen and sets the thermostat to 22°C. A keypad and a wireless touch panel in the master bedroom, on the other hand, might handle routines related to bedtime, which include lowering the thermostats, activating the security system, and turning off all the lights and the AV equipment.
Ron Rimawi also suggests incorporating a few wireless touch panels as a means of control. A touch panel is usually more expensive than a keypad, but offers the benefit of being portable and often more engaging to use.
Naturally, the more keypads and touch panels a house has, the more convenient it is to control. However, few homeowners can afford to load their home with dozens of interfaces. An affordable plan to start (you can always add wireless interfaces later), would include one keypad or touch panel placed in each main room of the house.
A sound system
There are many types of electronic systems you might choose to include in a new home. A whole-house music system, a lighting control system and a security system are some of the most popular. Alone, each ‘subsystem' comes with its own control device. A security system comes with its own keypads, as does the whole-house music system, and so on. Added up, that's a lot of keypads to mount on a wall, and a lot of button punching for one family to handle.
As you arrive home, your gates swing open to welcome you and once you're inside enjoying the temperature you ordered via your mobile phone, you can choose your mood lighting by a voice command or by the simple touch on your stylish CommBox touch screen.
With CommBox, you can control everything from your blinds, home theatre, security system and much more. The MTouch 15in (38cm) panels – available in desktop and wall mounted designs – let you see all your home's systems from the one stylish panel.
