If you were a small child growing up in the 70's I am sure you remember watching the ?Jetson's? on TV and thinking how cool it was to see Judy Jetson talk to her husband, George on a TV monitor while both of them were in different rooms of their space-aged home. Well hang on to your seat because the ?Jetson's? way of life is no longer just a figment of someone's creative imagination. That once ?spaced-aged? technology is here and is quickly gaining popularity all over the world.

Let's face it, most of us live a fast-paced, hectic lifestyle where time is a precious commodity and anything that can save us time we welcome with open arms. Home Automation is designed to do exactly that. It gives you the ability to integrate and activate household electronic components such as interior and exterior lighting, a security system, whole house audio and video, irrigation systems, thermostats, appliances, and CCTV (just to name a few) all from a touch of a button. Imagine waking up in the morning and from the moment your alarm goes off, lights automatically come on, the shades automatically adjust to the position of the sun outside, the coffeepot begins brewing downstairs, and your favorite jazz CD starts to play softly in your bathroom. All of this before your feet even touch the floor.

Now you are ready to leave for work, you simply push a button that has been pre-programmed as "away" and your security system arms itself, the lights and audio system turn off, the thermostat adjusts to ?energy-saving? mode and your irrigation system is set to water the lawn at 4pm.

When it comes to high-end whole house systems, they generally cost from $5,000 to $250,000. This price usually does not include installation fees, so take a good look at what the dealer is offering before agreeing to anything! When choosing to buy a high-end home automation system for your house you need to ensure it will be properly configured and installed, as these two areas can sometimes cost more than the system itself. There is no limit in what these systems can do, because, besides security and lighting, they can integrate any climate control, audio, video and entertainment systems your heart may desire. You can even get sprinkler and pool/spa control systems, so that your house becomes the most comfortable place on earth for you.

The various features and functions that high-end systems usually include need a rather complicated interface to the users. Otherwise, the control would be very complicated. Because a touch screen can have the buttons specially designed for each and every house, the best solution for the control of high-end systems is choosing the more expensive LCD technology the touch screens offer. The advantage is a plus in comfort to the users and to the programmers too. Other types of interfaces that have recently entered the market include keypad stations with built-in temperature sensors and intercoms. Interesting option I might add, as most of the manufacturers will soon choose to introduce this on a wide scale.

There are some types of high-end systems that come directly with sophisticated lighting control subsystems. Additionally to that, you will get all the key components for a complete home automation system that you can customize according to your needs and wishes. Other types of home automation systems are less expensive, but the truth of the matter is that the only thing you will get for such a small amount of money you invested is a security, lighting and temperature control package. You will have to add the other modules on your own expenses. It is very much like a Do-It-Yourself toolkit that you can play around with. Not to speak about the integrated control of audio and video gear! This may cost a small fortune, if you asked me.The fact is that not all people are fans of these DIY things. People are much more interested in pre-programmed or plug-and-play systems.