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I second Homeseer as the local server of choice that will work with a variety of PLC (power line carrier devices) such as Insteon products (more modern X-10 equivalent) and security systems, thermostats. etc.

It's extremely powerful as you can do pretty much anything with the scripting language, or just stay within the confines of the UI and make some very flexible ladder logic and timed events.

To access the system remotely, open a port on your firewall for it and use a dynamic DNS service to make sure you have consistent access to it. That's all.

I ran a Homeseer setup with Insteon light switches and outlets about 10 years ago and even then it was pretty neat. Haven't gotten back into it lately, just hasn't been a priority for me.

Also it looks like Insteon themselves have started to make UI control for mobile devices, don't know if it talks to a central server but I imagine it does because aunt prudence isn't gonna know anything about port forwarding.

Well, it's already been established that this whole package is way overpriced. But what hasn't been pointed out is that the actual package isn't what you need to automate your home.

So, what is home automation? Every day your coffee maker turns on at 6AM. Your computer speaks the weather report and the daily headlines. Can lifeware do that? Lifeware is a fancy MCE interface, that can control your home. But it can't automate your home. I've used HomeSeer for almost a year. It's more DIY than this package, but isn't that what every Slashdot user is looking for?

Something else that hasn't been mentioned - INSTEON. This is a new technology, but it's based on old X10 powerline. It's unreliable, and everything I've heard about it has been riddled with problems. Z-Wave is what I have in my home, it's RF based and the more devices you add the more reliable it becomes. 15 grand for old technology? Z-Wave is about the same price and it can defintely do far more.

Home automation has actually become quite affordable (and easier) recently. http://homeseer.com/ is a good starting place. Thermostat control could be setup with events to call you on your phone, drop you an email or whatever. Yay technology! Of course, backup power is important and limited but as long as it allows enough time for the software to call you, your house may be saved.

Syndrome: You have a Compact Fluorescent lamp powered through an X10 Appliance Module (Am486 or equivalent). You command the X10 module to turn off power to the CF lamp, and it does, but, after a second or two, it turns right back on.
This is repeatable, consistent behavior when the CF lamp is the only load on the X10 module, but things behave properly (off means OFF) when you plug an incandescent lamp into the module in parallel (low-wattage, 7W and up, will fix this behavior, but that's 7W of power wasted on heating up a resistor until it glows). Oh, and, to limit this to something about which I have direct knowledge, your local power mains are 110VAC, not 220VAC, although all of this except for the module model number may directly apply to the 220VAC version as well for all I know.

Cause: The X10 module has a "local sense" feature intended to allow you to command the module to turn on by physically switching the controlled device off-and-on; the CF lamp is triggering this feature.
The Compact Fluorescent lamp, as a load, does not behave like a simple resistor, instead its loading fluctuates at its own flash rate. It contains an electronic circuit in its base which rectifies and filters mains power to feed an oscillator, which then flashes the fluorescent lamp at a rate much higher than 60Hz. When the power is switched off, there is enough power stored in the filter's capacitor for the oscillator to trigger the local-sense circuit in the module.

Cure: Disable the X10 module's "local sense" feature.
There are several writeups on this around the Net; a quick search ("Am486 local sense") turned up this pageand this one, both of which discuss several forms of X10/CF misbehavior and point to how-tos specific to the Am486 module. If your module is different, search using its nearest-equivalent X10-brand model number (Radio Shack, for one, sells house-branded X10 modules with different numbers but obvious similarities).
Remember, you are dealing with mains power, which can kill people and set fire to things if abused; use caution, patience, and the right tools here.

Sure, there are actually a decent number of them but here are a few of my favorites (for z-wave and all home automation needs):

HomeSeer - Also the site of the home automation software I use. I is MS tech and only runs on Windows, but GREAT software with an AMAZING community of users. Check out the forums on this site for basically ANY home automation info and if it isn't there all us users are VERY willing to help anyone. This stuff is a love for lots of us ;-)

Automated Outlet - a great guy runs this who gives great service (not me ;-)

SmartHome - Another site I order from from time to time.

CocoonTechNot a reseller but another good HA site.

Let me know if there is any other info you'd like. Always happy to share home automation info ;-)

Completely agree! Russound/Niles/Nuvo/etc/etc systems are WAY beyond this system for the price. There are TONS of options to add WAY more oohs-and-ahhs (including the LCD remotes) by integrating with a good HA system like Homeseer.

Is it really too hard to get up to turn off a light?

No, and if that was why people installed home automation systems, that would be a valid jab. Very few people will spend hundreds, or in some cases thousands, of dollars just to avoid getting up. My own needs were based on practicality. One, my home is set back far from the street, and stumbling around in the dark outside when I come home late is not my idea of fun. So, my system is set to turn on the outside lights a half hour after sundown (even though the sun has set, it's still pretty light out for half an hour or so). This way, they're on when I need them, and off when I don't. $5 Walmart-special timers can't predict sun rises and sets. They have to be reprogrammed ever season, at least if you're like me and hell-bent on giving over my hard earned cash to my utility company.

Two, I have an automated random routine for when I'm on vacation, to give the house a more lived-in look. $5 timers can't do that for you, either. In fact, they make it more obvious to criminals. If you have an expandable system like the one I use, HomeSeer, you can use it for more than just lights. For example, I have a humidity sensor in the basement that signals the system to turn on the dehumidifier down there when it reaches a certain level. Unless you get a VERY expensive model, most dehumidifiers aren't very accurate, and considering how much electricity they use, I only want it on when it's necessary.

Since I had a system in place to handle the practical needs, I started using it for the "impractical", too. I leave one of the X-10 wallwarts plugged into my vaccum, and if a call comes in while I'm vacuuming, it gets turned off so I can hear the the phone ring. When I had multiple computers in the house (since replaced with laptops), I had the system shut them all down at night, and sent a Wake-On-Lan around 5 PM so they'd be on when I got home. Or, how when I switch MythTV to DVD mode, the lights dim in the living room after a couple of minutes, and the front blinds close to block the glare on the TV.

I have my bedroom lamp set on to start dimming up in the morning gradually. I get up before the sun, but have a hard time climbing out of bed if it's still dark out. So, for about 15 minutes before my alarm goes off, the light starts dimming up (yes, it's bad grammar, but that's what it's called in "the community") starting at 1% and increasing 1% per 15 seconds. When the alarm goes off, it's at 60% intensity which isn't blinding first thing in the morning, but light enough to get up by. This may sound stupid, but since I'm not a morning person, getting up has never been easy for me. Since I've set this up, I've found I only hit the snooze button once or twice anymore, rather than 5 or 6 times. I also wake up in a better mood and more alert.

True, most of these are minor conveniences, but it's the 21st century and computing power is cheap. Why not take advantage of it? Just because YOU don't see a value you in them, doesn't mean others don't or are lazy because they do. I've saved approximately 45% on my electricity bills since automating my setup, and that's before switching to fluorescent where practical. I wake up more refreshed, and don't worry about my home when I'm out of town. There's plenty of value in it for me.

It is Windows base- so mod me down away. If you are a Linux fan and a PERL expert- Mister House has a big following.

Homeseer has a web interface- so control of these devices via a pocket pc is possible now. There are plans for Zigbee control in the future as well.

I think HS has the correct paradigm- a central PC controlling the house. Certainly you need to keep it on- but adding a $100 card to every machine you want to control devices seems silly when anything with wifi can do the job- and will allow you to read slashdot as well.

And yes- my garage door can be opened up via my webpage. No- you can't have the link.

What this does represent is the very earliest twinkle in the imagination of robotic developers who are waiting for the technology to catch up to our science fiction dreams - the day when personal robots will truely be useful as 'pals' that will help you in your daily life and provide an anthropomorphic touch, kind of like Data and his 'positronic brain'.

At some point, the argument will begin as to whether they are 'alive' or not, and robot rights groups will spring up everywhere! Whee!

--Mike