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RE: Help!!



Title: RE: [ukha_d] Help!!
John,
 
The short answer is "no" ;-)

The medium answer is "Homevision", maybe with a PC controller as well (Homevision doesn't do Voice Recognition, and I'm not sure on DTMF).

The long answer is:
 
The UK version of the X-10 specification does not support active monitoring of device status. There are NO CE-approved devices that support this. It is technically possible to personally import and then modify US modules that _do_ support this. It would certainly be illegal to sell these, and probably (does anyone know?) illegal to use them.
 
As such, the only way to ramp up-down is to allow the controller to internally keep track of the device state. However, if a system allows local control (such as the LW lightswitches, or even an LM lamp module - physically switching off and on the light switch turns the light on), then the controller's internal state may get wrong.
 
If a controller has lost state information (or potentially lost state information), then the ONLY X-10 route available to it in the UK is to give a "old-style DIM". ie come on all the way, then dim incrementally.
 
The best UK system is still, therefore, Homevision, unless you want to spend tens of thousands in a CEDIA-installed Lutron-based system.

Mark Harrison
Head of Systems, eKingfisher

****************************************************************************
Kingfisher plc
Registered Office: North West House, 119 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5PX
Registered in England, Number 1664812

This e-mail is only intended for the person(s) to whom it is addressed and
may contain confidential information.  Unless stated to the contrary, any
opinions or comments are personal to the writer and do not represent the
official view of the company.  If you have received this e-mail in error,
please notify us immediately by reply e-mail and then delete this message
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disclose its contents to any other person.  Thank you for your co-operation.
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-----Original Message-----
From: John Hill [mailto:jhill1@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 30 April 2001 11:30
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxxSubject: RE: [ukha_d] Help!!

Hi all,
Being new to this group I dont know if this may have been asked before, but here goes,

Does anyone know of software/hardware available that perform's ALL of the following?

Actively monitoring X10 status(s),
eg if a lighting mood set, the software should change the Lamp module's to go to the new setting based on the current setting(not simply raise them to max and then dim them to the new level).

Telephone response,
Tone (DTMF) I/P from remote dial in user, with either voice or tone (DTMF) confirmation of action.

Telephone/SMS/E-mail alert,
Based on user defined conditions, eg alarm event

Variety of inputs,
IR, X10, Video(composite),Telephone,etc (remote access via IP for the future?), Voice recognition not required(yet)

cheers


John


-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Harrison [mailto:Mark.Harrison@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 30 April 2001 09:59
To: 'ukha_d@xxxxxxx'
Subject: RE: [ukha_d] Help!!


Peter,

I started with something "smaller/less expensive", specifically:

        - A few modules (mix of AM, LM and LW)
        - A CM12 controoler
        - The software bundled with the CM12

        - Then I added more modules, including some PIRs

        - Then, I downloaded a trial version of Homeseer.


I found Homeseer great, but increasingly got worried about relying on my PC
for the control. It's not that it's ever crashed (well - not since I
upgraded to Win2k), but that I already thrash it quite a lot, and I don't
want the house to stop working because I'm shooting the alien slime ;-)

        - Therefore, when the Homeseer eval ran out, I thought long and
hard, and went for a Homevision.

I _don't_ regret getting the CM12, even though it currently isn't used. I
can see how it could well be useful for integrating "other stuff" later.


Now, my background and requirements will inevitably vary from yours:

- I've not been a programmer for a LONG time, so the Homevision condition
statements, variables and flags made perfect sense, but writing VB macros
felt like a BIG learning curve.

- I am not anticipating incorporating Voice Control for a long while, say, 2
years, and expect the market to change a lot in that time. Therefore I'm not
going to plump for a voice-controllable system now.

Regards,

Mark Harrison
Head of Systems, eKingfisher

****************************************************************************
Kingfisher plc
Registered Office: North West House, 119 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5PX
Registered in England, Number 1664812

This e-mail is only intended for the person(s) to whom it is addressed and
may contain confidential information.  Unless stated to the contrary, any
opinions or comments are personal to the writer and do not represent the
official view of the company.  If you have received this e-mail in error,
please notify us immediately by reply e-mail and then delete this message
from your system.  Please do not copy it or use it for any purposes, or
disclose its contents to any other person.  Thank you for your co-operation.
****************************************************************************
 


-----Original Message-----
From: Peter Felt [mailto:peterfelt@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 26 April 2001 17:05
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: [ukha_d] Help!!




Dear All,

I am novice here in the Home Automation Market. I'm going to comence my
first ever project and thus i thought i would start small (and
cheaply,something to do with walking before i can run) by attempting to
automate my bedroom first, through voice control. I.e curtains, lights etc.
I am thinking of using Homevision...Is this a good idea? Or should i use
something smaller (and less expensive?)

If anybody can offer any guidance and a product/software shopping list i
would really appreciate it.

Many thanks

Peter
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