Q What home automating system would be user-expandable to include wireless video and control? I mean to send video from the barn to the bedroom and then on to the internet. One example would be to spy on the horse, pan the camera, from either bedroom or distant office. And to also monitor the house fire alarm, refrigerator, etc., from the distant office. And all DIY. - John

A. Hi John,

This feature is fairly common for home automation systems, even for DIY products.

For super-simple and low cost, take a look at Mi Casa Verde. Click here to read a review.

One of the most popular and feature-rich DIY products is Homeseer.

Home Automation Inc. has a variety products to suit your needs, but they can be a little complicated — search for it at smarthome.com

We also list dozens of home automation systems in our Ultimate Guide to Home Automation 2009. It distinguishes the products that are DIY vs. Pro-only.

Hope that helps.

Julie Jacobson - Editor-at-large, CE Pro

Julie Jacobson is co-founder of EH Publishing and currently spends most of her time writing for CE Pro, mostly in the areas of home automation, networked A/V and the business of home systems integration. She majored in Economics at the University of Michigan, earned an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin, and has never taken a journalism class in her life. Julie is a washed-up Ultimate Frisbee player with the scars to prove it. Follow her on Twitter @juliejacobson.