Home Controls Blog

Light the Way with Maxsa Solar-Powered Marker Lights

Home Controls — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:00:32 +0000

Protect yourself, friends, family, and your property by using these bright Marker Lights to line driveways, paths, lawns, pools, step, and more. The Marker lights are available in a wide range of colors to provide the perfect accent to any area.

Works Year-Round, in All Climates: These lights are made of high-impact polycarbonate plastic. They can be driven over by vehicles and can withstand significant temperature variations. They feature a tight, weatherproof seal to protect the electronics from moisture for long product life.
Energy Efficient: The high-efficiency, super bright LED bulbs use a fraction of the power of a normal bulb and last virtually forever.
Excellent for Boaters: The lights can be mounted to your dock or on each side of your boat for safety.
Adjustable Settings: Set the lights to flash slowly, quickly or to stay on continuously.
Available In White, Amber, Blue, Green and Red.

» Read More

Channel Vision Amplifies Its Wireless Audio System

Home Controls — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:00:04 +0000

Channel Vision has expanded its very popular Wireless Audio System with two amplified wireless receivers, now available at Home Controls.

The wireless audio transmitter and wireless audio receiver from Channel Vision makes it possible to create a distributed audio system without running wires from one room to another. The transmitter can accept either line level or speaker level audio, making it easy to distribute signals to the rears speakers of a surround sound system. It transmits audio up to 300 feet on eight channels!

The new amplified wireless audio receivers feature integrated 100W amplifiers, ideal for powering distributed audio speakers as well as wireless home theater applications. Two version are available, for different size systems. Read More »

Open & Close Your Blinds Automatically with IntelliTilt

Home Controls — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:00:34 +0000

Enjoy the views your windows grant you, without having to worry about people seeing into your house if you happen to forget to close them when the sun sets. The new IntelliTilt Automated Window Blind System now available at Home Controls is a solar-powered, easy to install, wireless system that automatically opens and closes your blinds for you! Read More »

Maxsa’s new Parking Stop available @ Home Controls

Home Controls — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:00:06 +0000

Park safely and easily every time with the Maxsa Parking Stop / Parking Chock, now available at Home Controls. It is completely portable and features a durable rubber grip bottom to prevent movement and an extendable metal bar to help hold the vehicle’s wheel in place. One size fits all passenger vehicles.

SkylinkHome Wireless Automation Now @ Home Controls

Home Controls — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:00:16 +0000

Home Controls is excited to announce the addition of the SkylinkHome automation control system to our product catalog!

SkylinkHome is a wireless control system which allows you to control almost anything electronic in the home, including lamps, garage doors, security systems and coffee makers. Control is easy and flexible with its SkylinkPad, a credit card size remote, and several receiver options. The entire system covers up to 500 feet!

SkylinkHome is not only for your home, but also ideal for your office, vacation home, shop, warehouse, factory, school, farm and outdoor landscape lights.

SkylinkHome is completely wireless, easy to install, customizable and affordable!

» See the entire product line @ Home Controls

X10 Combo Switches Being Phased Out. Get ‘Em While You Can!

Home Controls — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 22:15:10 +0000

The X10-style combo switches that Home Controls has been carrying for years – dare we say decades – are being phased out by the manufacturers. Leviton has already discontinued the combo switches in their Decora Home Controls (DHC) product line, and X10 has closed their shop totally.

If you are already using these switches, need replacements or want to expand, then now is the time to act … some parts are already sold out.

» Get your X10 combo switches here!
» We only have two more Levtion switches available: the 4-Button Keypad, Dim/Bright and the Leviton 2-Button Keypad, Dim/Bright (sorry, but the transmitter base is already gone, too!)

Home Controls has plenty of the Leviton 6400-style 4-Button Keypad & Transmitter kits in stock. These combo switches are the predecessor to the newer 16400 series, and still work great with any X10 automation system. Only $24.95! The In-Wall Controller has an LED for each keypad to indicate an X10 device’s On/Off status. Built-in receiver circuitry listens to the power line and updates its LEDs when another X10 controller transmits. Includes four-address control keypad with pre-printed button labels and the transmitter base (wallplate not included).

How Will X10 Closing Affect Your Home Automation?

Home Controls — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:38:43 +0000

“X10 is shutting down. It appears the company is headed into receivership and its factories will cease making products for controlling lights and other devices over the powerline. CE Pro has learned from several sources that X10 will no longer make products based on the home-control protocol it created in the 1970s.” Read the entire story here »

Home Controls learned about X10 closing its factory in China the day after is stopped manufacturing parts. After all, being in the home automation business for more than two decades, we have some good sources! Still, it took us by surprise.

We have also learned that Leviton is streamlining its Decora Home Controls (DHC) product line, an X10-compatible lighting control system. It’s not as drastic. The entire DHC product line is not being eliminated, but several parts are being discontinued.

How will this affect you? We’ve heard some interesting reactions already. Are you saddened by the loss of your favorite do-it-yourself home automation system – or are you jumping for joy at the demise of this older and less expensive technology? Do you want to stock up on the remaining X10 devices that remain – or are you going to upgrade/transition to one of the newer, although more expensive systems, like Z-Wave or UPB?

We would like to hear what you think. Good, or bad.

In the meantime, Home Controls still has several X10 components for sale; however, we admit there are some few parts we just can’t get any more. Find them here. »

Free Shipping on Cyber Monday!

Home Controls — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:01:19 +0000

Home Controls is making shopping on Cyber Monday easier! Receive FREE SHIPPING on any order placed today. No minimum purchase required. Enter Promo Code CYBER during checkout.

SHOP HERE

Plus, receive our year-around guarantee of same-day shipping of in-stock products (for orders placed before 3 p.m. Pacific Time)!

* Free UPS Ground Service. Expedite shipping extra.

Pledge to Shop Small on Nov. 26

Home Controls — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 09:01:23 +0000

First there was Black Friday, then Cyber Monday. Now, there’s the 2nd annual Small Business Saturday, the day people support small businesses. Pledge to Shop Small on November 26. If millions of Americans shop small, it will be huge.

Home Controls is proud to support Small Business Saturday.
Like us on Facebook!

American Express wants to help you make a difference. Get a one-time $25 statement credit when you register an eligible American Express® Card and use that Card for a purchase of $25 or more at a small business – including Home Controls – on November 26. See details »

Black Friday @ Home Controls: 10% Off Everything!

Home Controls — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 20:01:10 +0000

Home Controls is offers a special 10% Discount for everything in our entire online store – yes, everything – for today only! No minimum order. No limits. No exclusions. No gimmicks. Just log on to www.homecontrols.com, select some of the best home automation and security systems available, and enter promo code BLACK during checkout.