doorbell

INSTEON I/O Linc Doorbell and Phone Ring Alert Kit

Gizmo of the Day, Home Automation / By Khalid Hosein / July 3, 2009

Here’s another cool add-on for your INSTEON home automation system – the I/O Linc Doorbell and Phone Ring Alert Kit. Use this kit to generate a visual alert when the phone or doorbell rings.

This is great for when you’re in a noisy environment – listening to music, working in the backyard/garage, partying. Also great if you’re hearing impaired or have trouble with certain frequencies.

This I/O Linc kit is easy to connect yourself and can be linked to a remote INSTEON-controlled device. Remember too that there is a host of I/O Linc kits available, including rain sensors, garage door control, freeze sensors and more.

Buy now!

More info from the manufacturer
Price: $89.99
(Please note prices are subject to change and the listed price is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of posting)

Pet Chime Doggie Doorbell

1 Comment / Gizmo of the Day, Home Automation / By MK / June 4, 2009

Everyone knows the feeling of having to clean up pet accidents because you didn‘t know your precious pet wanted to go outside. The Pet Chime Doggie Doorbell is easy to train your pet to use, but you do need to be diligent in training. It takes time and treats, but in the end it is all worth it. Cats and dogs can both use the doorbell by pressing the appropriately paw shaped doorbell. You can also buy additional “paws“ to put in other rooms, or one for each door. Putting one outside is also an option because all paws are durable and weatherproof.

The Pet Chime Doggie Doorbell is lightweight and easy to pick up and move to a different place. The site claims that the remote can be used at 100 feet, but is better used at 70-80 feet at the maximum. It is also a fun trick to show off to friends. The doorbell turn your pets into automatic genius superstars. The “paws“ are small at only 4.125″ x 5″ x 1.5″ and can easily be camouflaged for any décor.

Buy now!

More info from the manufacturer

Price: $29.95
(Please note prices are subject to change and the listed price is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of posting)

The Ultimate Musical Doorbell

Gizmo of the Day, Home Automation, Tools, DIY, Home, Office / By William Appleyard / March 26, 2009

Perhaps one of the most tacky things in home gadgets is the musical doorbell, but this little gizmo takes it so far that it actually becomes un-tacky. When installed, you have a choice of over 100 preprogrammed tunes to annoy delight your visitor with and, if that’s not enough, simply program your own – the choices are endless!

The installed tunes are pretty much what you expect – holiday, classic, the favorites, etc. but a tune book is provided just in case you do want to spend a few hours on your doorstep pressing a few buttons and wondering what the neighbors think of you. The programming should be pretty easy to do, as the buttons are arranged in a piano-like fashion, and mounting is easy via 2 little screws. Enjoy.

Buy now!

Price: $49.99
(Please note prices are subject to change and the listed price is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of posting)

MyChime Wireless Door Chime and Bell Push with USB Sound Card

Gizmo of the Day, Tools, DIY, Home, Office / By Doug Felteau / January 11, 2009

Are you tired of your boring old doorbell tones? This gizmo replaces your chime and include a USB sound card that allows you to download custom tunes. Imagine your favorite college fight song playing when someone rings the doorbell. This all-in-one kit installs in minutes allowing you to customize and convert sound files to chime tunes of your favorite band, holiday tune or sports team’s fight song.

The MyChime Wireless Door Chime and Bell Push with USB Sound Card is a great solution for homes that don’t have a pre-wired doorbell for the front entrance. It will also work well with apartments, travel trailers, back entrances, garages, dorm rooms and offices. What sets this apart from similar products is the ability to pick your own song or sound for your door chime. You can choose the song or sounds you want to hear and simply download them onto the included USB sound card. The bell push unit communicates with the chime module via radio frequency (RF), and each are powered by battery, so no wires or professional installation is required. There are seven pre-loaded chime sounds available and an adjustable volume setting. The chime module is portable or can be mounted anywhere in the house up to 150 feet away from the bell push module. The bell push module is rated for outdoor use and has a UV resistant plastic housing with a rainproof push button. It can be mounted with included screws or double-sided tape. The modules have 16 adjustable address codes to prevent interference with other transmitters such as PIR movement detectors and telephone ring detectors.

Suggested Price: $57.99

Buy Now!