Lighting Control (was Re: Adverts)

["Patrick Lidstone" <patrick@xxxxxxx>]

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--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, Nigel Orr <Nigel.Orr@n...> wrote:

> Light fitting, with extra PCB inside the ceiling rose.  Connections
to live
> (for power supply) and existing switch on existing cable (for
> control).  Also an IR receiver for IR control.  If you switch the
switch
> off or on, the light will go off or come on.  If you send an IR
code, it
> will turn off or on as appropriate.
>
> The IR can come from a remote in your hand in the room, or from an
emitter,
> controlled centrally (eg built into a PIR movement detector).  IR
> distribution is something I will have anyway, so no extra wires are
needed.

I think the fundamental flaw in practice will be the reliability of
IR.

IR when used from a handheld remote works well because the user is in
the feedback loop. With no automatic mechanism to detect whether a
given action has been performed, the system becomes flaky.

I have first hand experience of this after attempting to control my
VCR, TV and cable box by computer. It works most of the time - but
not every time.

Maybe with superior hardware the reliability can be improved
sufficiently to make it viable at a primary means of control, but
even if the basic control issues can be addressed, not being able to
tell whether the light is on or off from a central controller is
still a fundamental limitation IMHO.

Patrick