Home Hacking Projects for Geeks (Hacks)

Take a geek and a PC, add one soldering iron, a home, and a copy of Home Hacking Projects for Geeks, and you'll give new meaning to the term, "home improvement." From fearless neophytes to tool-wielding masterminds, the home hacker in any geek will find new inspiration and plenty of hands-on guidance to take on a variety of home-transforming projects once relegated to the world of sci-fi. This fun new guide combines creativity with electricity and power tools to achieve cool--and sometimes even practical--home automation projects. Never again will you have to flip a light switch when you enter a room or use a key to open your front door. With a few off-the-shelf devices, some homemade hardware, and a little imagination, you can be living in your own high-tech habitat. Home Hacking Projects for Geeks shows hackers of all ability levels how to take on a wide range of projects, from the relatively small but energy-conscious automating of light switches, to building home theaters using Windows or Linux-based PCs, to more complicated projects like building home security systems that rival those offered by professional security consultants. Each project includes a conceptual diagram, a "What You Need List" and a small "Project Stats" section that describes the relative difficulty, time involved, and cost of the project. What's more, each project is a workable, practical way to improve your home--something unique that you can customize for your individual needs. The thirteen projects in Home Hacking Projects for Geeks are divided into three categories: Home Automation, Home Entertainment Systems, and Security, and include projects such as:

• Remotely Monitor Your Pet
• Make Your House Talk
• Remotely Control Your Computer's MP3 player
• Create Time-Shifted FM Radio
• Watch Your House Across the Network
• Build a Home Security System

If you've ever thought the Jetsons had it made, or looked around your house and thought, "I could make that better " then you're ready for Home Hacking Projects for Geeks.

Eric's Love affair with technology began as a child with his first electronics project kits from Radio Shack. In his early teens, a friend's Texas Instruments TI99/4A intoduced him to computers and programming, thus sealing his fate to be a lifelong geek. Professionally, Eric's experience is diverse. He worked for a voice messaging pioneer in the 80s. He spent three years in the Army working with nerve agents. He designed fully automated manufacturing facilities for the precast concrete industry. Then he went to college. These days Eric makes a living as a technology consultant and systems engineer. He also finds time for writing, teaching, and editing. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife, Alyssa, their daughter, Lily, and Lily's grandparents Will and Jean.

Tony Northrup, a Boston-area network security consultant and technology author, developed his interest in home automation after renting an apartment where every light was controlled by pulling a string. Tony turned to home automation products to add light switches without needing to hire an electrician or cutting into the drywall. Tony later bought a house and now uses computers to control and monitor virtually every system in his home: electrical, home theater, security, and even plumbing. Tony's wife, Erica, ensures his home hacking projects are user-friendly and reliable, while his cat, Sammy, mangles every project within paw's reach.