RE: Re: [Project] Kbd/LCD device

["Andy Powell" <Andy@xxxxxxx>]

> As I understood it, the LCD module comprises an LCD panel, some form
of
> user input, one of these rabbit jobbers running IP and an ethernet
> connection to the house, in a 1 or 2 gang UK wall socket sized
housing?
>
> If that is the case, I'd envisioned the LCD module as nothing more
than
> a relatively dumb control surface - all it does is display information
> and capture user input, communicating with a host on the network which
> does all the legwork. Sort of like a severely limited X terminal or
VNC
> terminal.

That was the intention in my original suggestion, unfortunately it seemed
to get modified by what others wanted in the device.

To make an LCD display device with a TCP/IP interface is basically really
simple. All that was required was a simple sub protocol for example :

To display "Hello World" a simple ICMP Echo would work fine and
would
also mean that any TCP/IP device capable of doing an ICMP Echo could send
a message - It does not need to be overly complex. If a button was
pressed then the unit could simply send the commands embedded in the
TCP/IP packets as data .. The unit would not have to identify itself
because the IP packet sent out by it would contain both the MAC and IP
addresses to uniquely identify it..

As for single unit reliance (in the case of a dedicated controller) the
ideal situation would be to have the redundancy (discussed before) where
by multiple controllers sit on the network, one designated Primary and
the others Secondary.. all the units (Primary/Secondary) would check in
with each other every so often...if one of them disappeared for any
length of time it would be marked as missing and could be added to the
list of "House Warning Messages" for display on the LCDs.

I feel that all these projects are moving away from what I initially
invisaged and with (what appears) to be one or two people making the
decisions sometimes off list can see that what the group, individual and
developers want may be different things. As such I would like to withdraw
from the projects (was I even in?) and will continue to 'mess about' with
the things I'm doing now.. I'm quite happy to chip in with suggestions
etc, but do not really see that either the development platform,
language, and configurations fit in with my desires or requirements at
present.

The funding contribution offer does still stand though.

Andy


--- Tag-it! v2.0 (c) Andy Powell ,1998,1999,2000...and beyond..

Always remember that you're unique, just like everyone else.





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