Entry 5: ActiveHome is great to use for security. When I am not at home, ActiveHome can turn on and off lights, TV sets, stereos, and even kitchen appliances. This will give any would be intruder the impression that someone might be home. In addition motion sensors can be attached and turned on during certain times of the day when we know that nobody will be home, and when they are hooked into an alarm system they provide extra security to keep the house safe. Also in case certain lights or appliances are left on, ActiveHome can be programmed to turn them off, so relatives or friends that have forgotten to turn them off won't waste any electricity like they did before ActiveHome was installed.  ActiveHome really does make you the master of your house with control over what is turned on or off and at what times. -- Norman King

Entry 12:  I am using X10 products for almost five years. Before I used up to 20 simple timers, once Active Home appeared I immediately upgraded and I am happy since.  My Active Home controls virtually our entire house. House is lighted depending on automatic light sensor (X10 Sundowner) and heated as well. When I wake up my coffee is already brewed and drapes are pulled open. The fountain and waterfall pumps are turned on by their appliance modules. Pool pump is running just three days a week for three hours to keep my pool clean and save energy. The appliance module turns on separate small pump which circulates the water through solar collectors as long as sun shines (in winter x10 turns on gas heater). Five appliance modules sprinkles my lawn during the day. Once the Sun sets, the garden lights and aquarium lights are turned on.  When I feel to watch a movie I just press one button. The home theater macro turns the system on, closes the drapes and dims all the lights mimicking real theater-like experience. At bedtime system turns all the lights off, in winter it even prewarmes my bed for an hour (I do not want to sleep on powered heating mattress pad). Just in case I forgot to turn off any of my appliances another macro turns them off for me.  -- George Tuma

Entry 21:  Upon pulling in the driveway I pressed the keys on my cell phone that opened the gated entrance. I had previously called my ActiveHome system and turned on the hot tub in the back yard so it would be ready by the time I got there.  While I was at work during the day ActiveHome monitored the security of the house. Had there been any problems, it would have called me and notified me of anything. The thermostats in each of the rooms communicated environmental conditions to the ActiveHome PC, which turned on heat or cooling to keep the temperature at the optimum level. As I walked into my perfectly controlled home, ActiveHome monitored my location and turned the lights on as I entered each room, and turned them off again as I left. Now if I could only get ActiveHome to read me the stock report as I sat in the hot tub, and bring me a martini, I'd really have it made! -- Kenneth Haynes

Entry 32: The ActiveHome system is so powerful and versatile that I could automate my entire home. I would be able to control all critical devices and appliances from one central location - my PC! I would use ActiveHome to control my lights, stereo, TV and many other appliances and circuits. I would set it up to have my coffee waiting for me when I get out of the shower in the morning, I would always be welcomed by a well lit home when I get home, I could even use it to water my lawn and regulate the time and amount of lights to my plants. ActiveHome would make my home my personal domain - my castle. ActiveHome would allow me to once and for all control my environment and, therefore, live much more confortably in my own home! -- Arthur J. DiBerardino

Entry 48: My ActiveHome is a home that act and reacts in accordance to such various things as, time of day, the weather, and the location of people and pets in and around the house. At sundown the lights come on, but only in rooms where activity.. On warm sunny days the ceiling fans automatically start as the curtains open to let in the breeze, on hotter days, the windows automatically close as the central air comes on... At first my wife thought I was crazy when I came home with "All those boxes of stuff" but now, she just loves the ability of using a "remote control", cordless phone or just her voice to submit command to our ActiveHome. -- Steven Vohl

Entry 54: We use ActiveHome in our home for lighting controll. The controll makes our home looked lived in when we are not at home and lovely when we are home. The light indoor lights are timed to come on just after the morning alarm clock goes off. A little later, the outdoor lights turn on as we are going out the door to our cars. Once we are gone, the lights turn off at randomly delayed times.   In the evening, the indoor and outdoor lights come on depending on the time of dusk. I always put our indoor and outdoor Christmas lights on the X10 timer so that we will not forget to turn them on or off! It is so nice to walk into the living room in the morning on the way to work and see all the decorations glowing! -- Tim Koeller

Entry 86: ActiveHome makes life much easier to deal with especially if you have a busy life style like mine. I use ActiveHome for all sorts of things, from simply turning lights on / off at various times to running a security mode when I'm not home. The latest I have used active home for is to shut off lights, fans, etc. when someone (especially my kids) leave their room for an extended length of time. using a timer, I calculate how long the motion sensor in each room has not sensed a person, then after that set time, start shutting all down. I cannot tell you how much money this is saved me (my kids have a habit of leaving lights on in their room before going to school!). Simply put, I don't remember what life was like with out active home and am dreaming up new possibilities to make my life even easier. -- Charles Basile

Entry 99: It was a cold morning. The degrees was at 25 and there was snow on the ground. The computer began beeping and then sent a message to me in my bed room. It said wake up sleep head. I was real cold so I hesitated getting out of bed All of a sudden I began to hear music, smell coffee, and see lights come on. I began to get scared till I remembered I had just installed my ActiveHome software in my computer and was using it for the first time. I was real please with the cup of coffee My ActiveHome made for me and the gentle music. It was real easy to get around since my lights were turned on by my new program ActiveHome. Now off to work with a thanks to ActiveHome. -- Lewis Engle

Entry 106: I am a planetarium assistant for the Horwitz Planetarium in Waukesha Wis. We use several slide projectors to project pictures over the constellations on the dome of our planetarium during a show. With our present set up each projector is wired up to a dimmer switch on a console. During the show we have to reach over and adjust the proper dimmer switch to project the picture over the constellation. All very exciting in the dark and often we grope at the wrong dimmer and get surprising results. we are in the process of replacing our dimmer panel with an X10 RF module and placing X10 appliance modules at each projector. Using the Key fob RF remote we can control the projection of each constellation as we walk around the planetarium giving us mobility, more personal presence with our audience. We have eliminated a lot of wiring to each projector.  we are also considering installing an active home system using macros to automate our sunsets and sunrises, satellite passes, occasional meteors  and aurora effects that all use projectors that are presently on switches and dimmers. We'll keep ya posted. -- Brian Cieslak

Entry 109:  I have been using X10 technology in my home for about 20 years. I Started with the simple 16 station controller and two lamp & one appliance modules. I recently added the ActiveHome upgrade to my computer system and particularly like the "talk back" feature that can initiate Macros in the system. I use motion detection to control entrance lights - RF remotes for controls in every room- Appliance modules for the swimming pool pump, coffee pot in the kitchen & house attic fan. Lamp modules/wall switches for all inside lights and outside flood lights - Just about everything in the house except flushing the toilet! For security - when no one is home, the computer turns on & off lights and the stereo in a timed sequence that mimics being in the downstairs areas till late evening, then starts starts turning on lights in the upstairs bedrooms while turning off the downstairs areas so it follows the normal "lived in" appearance. At my suggestion, a friend of mine uses the telephone remote to turn on the heat and driveway lights in his winter cabin in Vermont. When he is about an about an hour away, he dials up the house and turns everything on so when he arrives all is nice and warm. The new universal X10 remote is really nice - I use it in my living room for X10 controls and with my TV and Stereo system. When friends visit, it takes them a while to get used to the lights and appliances going on & off by the computer or remote controls - they are usually amazed and fascinated that this has been in use in my house for so long.  -- George Sintchak

Entry 118: When I first bought ActiveHome, I thought,"how will this better my life?" Now, a month later, I can't see why it took me so long to get it! Before I get home from work, I call up my home through the ActiveHome software and have it turn on my AC (to cool the house from the hot day since noone was there to need AC), have my breadmaker prep the ingredients I put in it this morning to make dough for the dinner I'll be cooking, have the oven turn on to preheat itself, have the dog fed and water put into his bowl, and have my messages checked and lights turned on for when I get home. ActiveHome also tells me that two people had approached the front door, one leaving me a package and the other giving me one of those flyers for yard work. I also decide that I want some smooth music playing when I get home, so I tell Active home to turn on my stereo and have it play in the hallway, my bedroom and the kitchen. I then tell ActiveHome to let me talk to my dog so that I can tell him I'm almost home (movement sensors throughout the house find him walking around downstairs going to his food and ActiveHome opens a speaker and a mic for that room so that he'll hear me and I'll hear him bark his "happy to hear me" response). Only one thing left to do now, I'll have ActiveHome use my second phone line to call and connect me to my date tonight to confirm dinner arrangements. All of this done in a couple of minutes.... now if I could only get ActiveHome to take my place going to work for me as well! -- James Donnen

Entry 136: When I drive up to my house, often it is dark or late at night, the ActiveHome system allows me to click a button on my ActiveHome key chain remote, turn on the exterior lights to light my way to the walk from the drive way and ActiveHome allows me to deactivate the ActiveHome interior security and motion sensors to enter my house without setting off false alarms. If I forget to activate the ActiveHome remote, the exterior ActiveHome motion sensors will turn on the outside light automatically, and safely light my way to the entrance door. ActiveHome is the system for interior and exterior security and ActiveHome fully automates the process. It's great to use the ActiveHome computer software to fully automate the entire security and lighting system. -- Gene Warner

Entry 140: We use ActiveHome in our household to perform the usual home-control functions, and to provide one unusual service. Our computer-controlled ActiveHome system turns our driveway and outdoor lights on and off at dusk and dawn to provide outdoor safety and security. ActiveHome also controls several of our indoor lights during the evening so that family members can move about the house at any time with adequate lighting. While we are away, ActiveHome turns these lights on and off in a way that makes our home appear to be "lived-in" and secure. We also use our ActiveHome system in a more unusual manner. There are two teenagers in our family, and they have there own telephone line with extensions in their rooms. We use ActiveHome to switch their phone line on and off at the appropriate times to insure that they are not disturbed during study time and after they have gone to bed. To add this feature to our ActiveHome system, we used an X10 Universal Module in series with the kid's phone line. We configured the Universal Module to provide a sustained switch closure depending on the the on/off state of the module. We also added an X10 Remote Chime module in the hallway near the kid's rooms. We have programmed ActiveHome to ring the chime module 5 minutes before their phone line is turned off to provide them with a warning. So, the chime rings each evening just before study time, and then the Universal Module turns off their phones 5 minutes later. The ActiveHome system turns their phones back on in the morning.! We have programmed ActiveHome to keep their phones turned on until a later hour on weekends, since they have a later curfew on non-school nights. The ActiveHome system has performed very well for us providing convenience and security for our family. -- Reed Rinn

Entry144: I have been using ActiveHome for several months now to control lighting and security in my home. To me the ability of making my house look lived in when I am away is a blessing. I use the remote transmitter so that although I travel a lot in my business, I know my wife will be safe never coming home to a dark house. I spend many long evening hours working in my study. I use one lamp module with an ordinary table lamp in my study so that my wife can "page" me when she needs something. Our house is well insulated and I can't hear if she calls me, so now all she has to do is flash my lamp with the "TV Remote" and I come to her call. I am going to install motion sensors for several rooms that have no wall switch so that lamps may turn on when I come into the room. -- Harley Burton

Entry 158: Although this story only represents what I want to do with ActiveHome (I just purchased it), I have been using X10 for several years moving the controllers and modules from many different homes because I didn't want to lose the flexibility they'd provided. I've always wanted to more automate my house especially using my PC. I have a fairly sophisticated setup on it but hadn't found a real cost effective way to do it. ActiveHome represents that way to take advantage of the modules and controllers I'd purchased previously and add that automation touch only having to add modules as I develop the Macros and ideas. I want to compliment my existing system as follows: Automate lights on, lights off according to people detection, or lack thereof.   With two kids, lights are forever being left on with no people being there. Our electricity here is anything but cheap. In addition,  wouldn't it be great if the lights would come on by themselves when you entered an area. I also want to develop a "Go to Bed" macro that will do all of the multiple tasks that you usually have to do manually, i.e., turn off the TV and stereo, turn off the living room lights after a delay, turn on the hall light and bedroom light and then turn them off after a delay of several minutes. Lastly, but certainly not at the limits of my imagination, I'd like to add a substantial amount of security to my home. Living in South Florida security, unfortunately, has become a way of life. My current home does not in the least lend itself to after construction security wiring. In fact, it doesn't lend itself to wiring of any kind. Concrete slab and a very small attic and low pitched roof insure that. I'm already using the intelligent floodlight system that, when detecting, turns on the porch light and warns us of visitors, wanted or otherwise. I'd like to take this further with even more security based macros. I'm not a novice to any of this technology. 17+ years in the computer industry and experience in security and home automation, I can see literally unlimited possibilities. I don't want this to seem like it takes this expertise. In reviewing the software, anyone should be able to develop sophisticated programs to do what they want to do. It is affordable, complete and easy (with your tools) to do anything your imagination leads you to. With the vast quantity of available modules why would you go through the hassle of "feeding wire". The wire is there! -- Rick Skowronek

Entry 166: ActiveHome allows for the most efficient energy saving way of life. ActiveHome is capable to allow people to save energy, by controlling their lights in the house, controlling the temperature in your house, as well as providing a more cost effective way to maintain security in your home. With ActiveHome, you never have to worry about your house loosing power while your away. Just call, reset your computer, and the security system in your home becomes active once more. You can never go wrong with an ActiveHome system. Take it from someone who is not yet an ActiveHome user. With that kind of security at your finger tips. Why would anyone want to pay the monthly cost of these extremely outrageously priced security companies. When you can have more control, and security, at a little more than the installation price.   -- James Frederick

Entry 181: I use ActiveHome and a X10 motion detector to turn on and off a set of floodlights , a side entrance lamp , front entrance lamp and a X10 universal module when anybody enters my driveway after dust. I also have a X10 motion detector mounted on the rear of my house which turn on and off a set of rear mounted flood lights and sound the universal module when anybody enters my yard. The ActiveHome also turns on the following items at dust; a light mount over my kitchen sink, 2 night lights mounted down the cellar so that the cats (2) can see there way to the food and there litter box, a light in the upstairs hallway so the kids can see there way to there bedrooms (this unit is also set to dim to 45% at 10:00 PM). The ActiveHome turns the above units off at daybrake. Besides that I use my ActiveHome to turn on a older stereo receiver that the IR remote control does not turn it on or off (the macro that does this also turns several mode lamps on and dimmed , these units are in the master bedroom and can be fired by one of the following units; a mini controller (wife's), a maxi controller (mine), a X10 wireless remote or a nutone max 32 wireless remote. One other thing I would like to tell you about the bedroom is that there is a Stanley LightKeeper motion detector with fires a macro in the ActiveHome controller which turns on the ceiling mounted light when anybody enters the room after dust. I could go on and on about the macros that I have programmed in my ActiveHome controller. This is one macro that is quite unique I am sure. Having 5 PCs networked to a printserver that has 3 printers on it , was quite a pain in the neck until I came up with this idea. I have a X10 Powerflash module connected to the 5 volt supply of each of the PCs when a PC is turned on it fires a macro in the ActiveHome controller which turns on the print server and printers , when the PC is turned off it fires a macro in the ActiveHome controller that waits an half hour (so any print jobs can finish printing) and turns off the print server and printers. -- David McCauley

Entry 189:  As an international spy, trying to get a good night's sleep can be very tricky. Was that a branch tapping the window or the revenge soldier of a foreign country who's secrets I just stole? With the ActiveHome system, I can sleep easy in my bed versus one eye open, sitting in a chair in the basement with my back to the wall. Picture this. It's 3a.m. and someone has been ordered to make my restful sleep permanent. First, the intruder has to get to the point of intruding. An X10 motion sensor detects the approach of my unfriendly neighbor and turns on a number of random security measures. Tonight's selection (programmed with the ActiveHome system) involves letting the intruder enter the house (as opposed to turning on the outside flood lights and releasing my seek-and-destroy robots...but that's another story). The intruder decides to take the chef's route; through the kitchen window. Another X10 motion sensor unit detects his presence in the kitchen an activates the 'Chef Special' routine. Steel gates fall over the windows, strobe lights and lasers flash, followed by a blast of random leftovers from the 'food cannon' (all triggered by X10 units) send the intruder running into the living room. The X10 motion sensor in the living room executes the "make the intruder comfy" routine. As the intruder enters the living room, flood lights blast on, causing the intruder to be temporarily blinded and caught like a deer in headlights. Then, another ActiveHome macro activates the steel reinforced cargo net to drop from the ceiling and hold the intruder for further questioning. Once the cargo net was released, another macro has turned on the heating blanket under my pistol (I hate the feel of cold gun handles). Another macro turns on a beeper to gently wake me from my restful sleep and another X10 unit turns on my stereo set to speak gently, "Excuse the interruption of your sleep, but their is an intruder awaiting your disposal". Ah well, I guess I'll deal with this now. As I get out of bed, another X10 unit notes my stirring and turns on the lights in the bedroom, unlocks the quadruple bolts on my door, and turns on the lights in the upper part of the house. As I walk down stairs to the living room, house now warmed up slightly by another ActiveHome macro and X10 unit, I look at my intruder and sigh, "You don't get paid enough. Try opening a bakery." I raise my pistol and shoot the intruder in the thigh...with a tranquilizing dart. Hey, I'm a spy, not a killer. As I return to bed, I say the word 'clean' which is heard by my voice-recognizing computer that runs a macro to AutoDial the police to come pick up my now sleepy intruder, resets the kitchen and living room security, turns out the lights, and resets the house temperature to a cozy 68 degrees...cause I like the comfort of a light blanket and the ActiveHome system to make my nights that much longer and my life that much easier. -- Fred Calef III

Entry 190: An ActiveHome system in my house would be used to create a central operations center for control of all electrical lighting and appliances. My children leave everything on ... no more, at midnight (1 AM weekends) all interior lights that were on would extinguish. The front porch light would go off at midnight unless over ridden. All ceiling fans in living areas (as opposed to bedrooms) would be programmed to shut down. The hot water heater would be programmed to shut down at night and during the day. The sprinkler system I plan to install would be programmed around the rainfall rate and season of the year! All those manual tasks, walking through the house before bed to turn off the lights and fans, resetting the microprocessor controlled thermostat, programming lawn sprinklers would become a thing of the past. Even the televisions and VCRs would come under my personal central control. It would be a beautiful thing!  -- John Pratchios

Entry 203: A while back an old acquaintance dropped in on me unexpectedly one evening that I hadn't seen in sixteen years. As she strolled through the house I was turning on and off the lights as I toured her the house. I explained that it controlled heating and cooling, automatically turned on lights at night making it easier,safer,energy efficient, and just plain fun with my ActiveHome system. She was so impressed with it, she would like to go on a date after sixteen years. Way to go ActiveHome,thanks. -- Carl Todd