SmartHomeUSA.com Home Automation

[ccinoh]

I'm looking for a product that can indicate whether the lights and TV in the basement are ON. I have small kids and have found lights and the TV left on and running all night long until I notice them in the morning. While the cheapest solution is of course to better educate my kids, I'm wondering if there is a remote solution as well. Perhaps an X.10 device that will turn a light on in the master bedroom if the lights (ceiling lights) or TV are on in the basement. Something that monitors electrical current somehow? Does such a product exist?

Thank you,

[RemoteShoppe]

There are a couple of solutions to your problem and the biggest question is whether you just want to resolve this situation or use this as an excuse to justify the beginning of a home automation system ;-)

There are several ways to solve the solution by having the TV and its components plugged into an outlet controlled by an X10, UPB or other switch. You do not actually need to monitor the TV if you make it part of the bedtime ritual to use the remote to shut the power off. However, if you want to add monitoring you can install automation software on your computer but that will only monitor the X10 or UPB commands sent... not the actual voltage. So, if your rugrats turn on the TV manually it will not be shown as "on" in the software.

Yet another possible solution is to mount a motion detector at the entrance to the besement. When your kids enter the basement the command to turn on the power to the switch will be sent and they can hit the power button on the TV or the remote freely. When they leave the basement an off command will be sent and power will be cut to the switch shutting the TV and anything else connected to that outlet. The drawback of this solution is that I'm sure your kids will make this a game in about 3 hours running up & down the basement stairs to activate the motion.