Home Automation & Wiring 1st Edition

Gerhart's explanations are clear and concise. He has inspired me -- I'm ready to start at least 3 new home projects. Just what I needed to get started!

The cover sure makes it look like this is a serious book with a lot of information. Too bad that notion disappears once you open it up. If you're looking to build a smart home and plan on doing some of the work yourself, this book won't help very much. You'll get a little information, but not enough to actually do the job on your own. If you want a smart home and are willing to hire someone to do it for you, then this book will at least tell you what words to use.The best book I've read I've read so far is "Smart Homes for Dummies." It has significantly more detail and is useful for someone who wants to try to do this on their own.

When I purchased this book I was hoping to receive a manual discussing "Home Automation and Wiring" instead I received a mish mash of very low tech information. Out of 322 pages I found only 7 items that were remotely useful. The book has no cohesive flow, the author jumps from subject to subject. I would strongly recommend purchasing "Structured Wiring and Design Manual" by Robert N. Bucceri.

I found this book to be very helpful for me to identify some automation projects for my home, and to get me motivated to actually do them. The book is written in an easy to understand style and explains many interesting home automation applications and techniques.

With the pace home automation as been changing, this book should be considered "out of date" and hopefully soon be "out of print." While the author does seek to enlighten readers, the focus of the book is out-of-touch with main stream home automation thinking in 2002. Even the control systems referenced are no-longer near the cutting edge. While references to structured wiring still ring true, the techniques for reaching a total intregated system have changed. I was so disappointed with this book I actually returned to Amazon as I felt it could not enhance my library in any regard. As an alternative I would suggest "Home Automation for Dummies."

Out of date

Este libro no hace mas que contar que funciones de una casa pueden ser automatizadas y en ningun momento describe como se tiene que hacer y no tiene ningun diagrama de como se deberia cablear la casa para soportar este tipo de automatizaciones. Uno de los puntos mas critico para cualquiera que este pensando en instalar una LAN en su casa es como y por donde pasar los cables, en este libro no se hace ninguna mencion. Con respecto al contenido general todos los temas son tratados muy superficialmente y es poco lo que agrega que no pueda ser leido en la informacion disponible en Internet. Si usted quiere tirar plata compre este libro.

I'm not very satisfied with this book. It's a very basic and also out of date version of Home Automation techniques. It takes a very basic approach to home automation and does not offer much helpful info about current techniques.