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Inside an iPad-Controlled Home
But how many iPads are being used as the primary interface in a fully automated home?
Paul Hughes, president and founder of Lincroft, N.J.-based HomeBase Systems, claims to have installed the first "fully deployed, working" iPad-controlled home automation system. (See video and photos of the system below).
The residence in New Jersey employs a Lifeware automation system that can be controlled via two iPads and one iPhone. The devices can command lighting (individual lights or lighting scenes), security, HVAC, cameras, the pool, two iPod docks, two tuners, three media servers and a Russound audio system.
Hughes says that after the control system was functioning properly, it took only three hours to get basic functionality working on the iPads. He finished the iPad programming by 11:30 on Monday morning, only about 48 hours after Apple's product launch. "We're going to go back, of course, and tweak the [iPads] since it's the first time out of the gate," says Hughes.
Hughes says the client doesn't see the value in a dedicated touchscreen. Cost, multitasking and aesthetics were the main reasons for going with the iPad.
"Why buy something for $5,000 that has one purpose, when you can buy something that has an infinite purpose for $500," Hughes says. "It's a no-brainer. And who wants an in-wall touchscreen that's outdated the day you put it in? The iPad doesn't need to go in-wall and won't hurt the aesthetics of your home."
Count Hughes as one installer who doesn't think iPads should be installed in the wall. "If something bumps the iPad, we now have an iPad broken on the ground or a docking port that's mis-shaped and could potentially cause damage," says Hughes. "The iPad functions well enough on its own, I'm not sure it needs to be wall-mounted. But if there's a secure way to do that, we'd be open to looking into it."
Hughes says the client has already asked him to program two more iPads. "The client is looking at is this way: if two iPads cost $1,000 and one of them breaks or falls in the pool, it would be nice to have an additional one that would be cheaper than buying a touchpanel," says Hughes. "If I had $5,000, I could buy 10 iPads instead of one touchpanel. Kind of makes touchpanels obsolete."
So how does Hughes think the iPad will affect the home automation industry?
"My plan is to sell many more automation systems," he says. "The stumbling block for clients in the past hasn't been the control system, it's always been the cost of the user interface. With the iPad, this problem has been completely removed. This is a tremendous victory for the future of my business. I don't have to sell expensive products that don't multitask. And I get to charge each time I program an iPad or add one to the system."
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Article Topics
News · Home Automation and Control · Control Systems · Lighting · Security · Home Automation · Ipad · Apple · Homebase Systems ·About the Author
41 Comments (displayed in order by date/time)
Ah Steve, come on. Its better than what 99% of America has. I say congrats Hughs. It WORKS and the customers likes it. Thats all that matters. So what if it doesnt fit the criteria of others.
Maybe Im a little warped, but to me its not about comparing to the rest of america. Its about giving the customer the best product you can. If I wouldnt use it in my house, I will not sell it to my client. I would never use those as the main control points for my system. Maybe as a secondary control point if the client wanted.
Huh? “...first fully deployed, working iPad-controlled home automation system…”? I think not! This is just an iPhone controlled system. It’s an iPhone app running on the iPad, at 2X. Get with it and develop a user interface which can truly take advantage of the iPad. I agree, the interface is not stellar.
Life-ware who?? Are they still around? Oh yeah thats right they broke off the representation and effort to win over the CEDIA dealers they had in all regions to go cut some deal with AVAD. Well that must have worked out so well for AVAD and Lifeware. Strange though that now AVAD has decided to let the fox into the same hen house. Now where does this leave Lifeware?
No the interface isn’t sexy or great but great early adoption and if the client is happy that is half the battle.
Umm…for the record…that’s not even an iPad app. That’s an iPhone App blown up on an iPad. This isn’t even close to what it claims to be! Check out Control4’s iPad App which is already deployed in hundreds of homes and was available on the App store on Saturday. This guy didn’t even do it until Monday.
Check this out….Here’s an iPad that was integrate on Saturday and a Facebook photo published. This is a total farce CEPro. Nice try on plugging a crap company to benefit them for their advertising dollars!
Steve, the point is the CUSTOMER wanted it and likes it. I seriously doubt if the customer cares if you would use it in your house or not, lol. But, to each his own. Not sure why the uproar here on a customer being happy regardless of other integrators happiness. Thats like a Porche owner belittling a Camero driver by saying “I wouldnt be caught dead driving that POS!”. A little silly.
@ O-Man,
Can you send us more info/pics and/or put us in touch with whoever did the install?
Audio Dimensions in OKC has been using the I-phone app for months to run homes. It works great. How many people already have Iphones vs. have to go out and spend 500 for an Ipad to do the same exact thing. Yeah if you want a bigger touch screen then so be it but it’s not any different than just the Iphone.
And the Iphone is used as a secondary control point in those homes as a luxury and “toy” so to speak.
I can’t believe anyone would say they wouldn’t use the iPad as there primary touch panel. That’s just stupid. I’ve lived with Crestron’s TPMC 8x as well as all of Control 4’s touch panels and none of them touch the iPad when it is running a great home control app. Control 4’s app is spectacular and not all of it is fully functional yet. On top of that the iPad does 1,000 other things that regular TP’s can’t.
That control 4 app is good looking why did i ever choose lifware. Is there any control 4 dealers in the new jersey area? I m only in a little bit with life ware and should have researched it more.
i think its kind of a joke to claim the first iPad controlled house, just because people didn’t submit a story to CEPro. lol.
get with it and use a real control system.
I don’t know them personally. I just saw the post on the Control4 Facebook page on Saturday. I’d DM the guy on Facebook “Raymond Lyle.” There were a couple of other people on there talking about their iPad App on Saturday too. Also, see Twitter. There were a few people who tweeted about installing it. I’m still on the iPhone myself, but can’t wait to upgrade!
We have someone who shot a hands-on video with the Control4 app for us and a video of it in use in a home ... should have it up Monday.
Not a good idea, user interface is horrible.
Nothing intuitive, just page flip after page flip. Nice large touch screen, with all the real estate wasted.