We’ve seen a lot of service providers deliver options for home automation. Comcast has XFINITY Home, AT&T has Digital Life, and even Time Warner has its own system. Now EchoStar, the company known for spawning and spinning off DISH Network, is planning to offer its subscribers (and everyone else) Sage.
Sage is EchoStar’s newly announced security and home automation solution. However, it’s not exclusive to DISH Network subscribers. The company plans to make this system for the masses, with access to everything from cameras and locks to lights, thermostats, sensors, and more. EchoStar says that since Sage is completely wireless, it’s very easy for anyone to install—and even easier to use. In fact, the system is accessible right on your TV, as well as through your favorite iOS and Android portables.
Sage uses a box that has support for ZigBee, Z-Wave, WiFi, and Bluetooth. That same box has one HDMI input and two USB ports. The box connects right to your TV, which is really the focal point of the system. This is where users can tap into all of Sage’s options, including video feeds in certain areas of the home, as well as the front door. So while you’re peeking in on the baby, you can also adjust the room temperature, all without leaving the couch.
Of course, Sage offers several of the perks you’d find on other systems, including the ability to create custom rules, such as daytime thermostat levels or nighttime security checks.
Sage also has a “first-responder dialing feature.” That basically means that in the event of an emergency, Sage users can push one button to dial 911. The Sage system will also send out alerts to all of the system’s registered user devices.
“Sage is a simple and secure system with unique capabilities including the 911 feature, which differentiates this from other products on the market. We believe that dialing police directly will help cut response times significantly,” says Mark Jackson, president of EchoStar Technologies. “Sage is a solution that provides consumers peace of mind and the ultimate in simplicity.”
Currently, there’s no word on when Sage will be available—and for how much. However, EchoStar is saying that the Sage Security and Home Automation System isn’t expected to include any type of monthly fees.
†
This article was originally published by our content partner Electronic House.
