Re: Adverts

[Nigel Orr <Nigel.Orr@xxxxxxx>]

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At 12:39 30/08/00 +0100, you wrote:
> Getting back on topic, I'm starting to look at automating some of the
>lighting at home. I'm not keen on X10, because it doesn't seem to give
>me feedback, won't allow me to say "start at 50%", and seems
quite slow.
>Am I justified in these thoughts? The main problem I have is getting
>signals to the light fittings - we've got underfloor heating
throughout,
>so I can't lift floorboards upstairs.

I've been contemplating the same myself (for quite a while now...).  I'd=20
finally decided to take the plunge and fit a couple of LD10's, then I=20
discovered I'd have to replace all the switches too (I thought I could=20
switch them conventionally, and still have X10 override the control).  One=
=20
of the lights is 3-way switched, and I'd rather not replace all 3 switches=
=20
with momentary ones- that would lose me all remaining spousal support, and=
=20
would be a bit odd for visitors!

My best solution so far is IR control.  As I've mentioned before, I'm=20
collecting IR from all rooms anyway, it wouldn't take much more to
transmit=
=20
IR in each room for control, and would have the added advantage of not=20
having to worry about isolating the control circuit from the mains, and=20
from your point of view maybe not needing any new wires if you have a=20
burglar alarm, PIRs in each room, and spare cores to each PIR...

It should be fairly reliable (at least as reliable as X10, probably much=20
more), fast, and controllable.

Another bonus is that you could control the light directly in the room
with=
=20
a learning remote and still record any status or feedback=20
centrally.  Actually, the whole scheme seems to have a lot going for it.

Keith posted a reference to a PIC IR circuit in the last couple of weeks=20
which might help do the job, I'll see if my local WH Smiths still has
the=20
relevant issue of ETI/EPE/whatever-it's-called-this-month.

Fortunately/Unfortunately, my to-do list has just been hijacked by the=20
purchase of a bargain LEGO mindstorms kit from the local Dixons (closing=20
for refurbishment, selling all the kits for =A350 instead of up to
=A3160!)=
,=20
but it has IR control as well, so the incentive is still there :-)

But if you're looking for an affordable ready-built solution, there
isn't=20
one, AFAIK.  If there is (when I say affordable, I suppose I mean 'similar=
=20
price to X10'), I would like to know about it.

Nigel (I really did _try_ to want X10, honest I did!)