The Digital Family Automates Their Home

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Meet The First PM Digital Family: Part 1 - Computers, Print Story

First PM Digital Family: Part 3 - Home Automation, Print Story

It was almost a year ago that we brainstormed with Jamieson and Peggy Jones to map out the first segment of a three-part project called Digital Family. The concept: The Connecticut couple and their kids, Ben and Nina, would put a broad assortment of electronics to the test and report the findings of their living lab. In the first round, we laid the foundation with a network of personal computers. Part Two revolved around HDTV and home entertainment.

In Part Three, we tackle home automation, communication and control. In June, we sat down with the Joneses to learn how the family could benefit from automation. We decided on a setup including energy-saving thermostats, programmable lighting, a security and home monitoring system, a network of all-in-one remote controls to get a grip on the new electronics in the household, and a hybrid phone system so Peggy could call Jami at his basement workbench without shouting through the house.