Re: Cheap Control Thread

[Andy Laurence <andy@xxxxxxx>]

> Why 15 panels?

If they're immovable, you don't want to take a wander to another room to
change something.

> Why use the likes of Palms, whatcha gonna do? Wall-embed them, of
so
> why and how are you gonna achieve that given that AFAIK there is
no
> wall mount about that will allow a network card to stick out of it
> and look nice, if the two are even pheasable!? This is the only
> reason I can see for the amount required so...

Why can you not get a serial connection out without it looking nice? 
They 
just stick out the bottom.

> Phil was trying to get wall mounts made for the Fuji's and even
that
> would be a nightmare to install IMO and a total pain in the ass if
> you decided to move it, or house ;) Again the problem of the card
> sticking out of it kinda kills the idea IMO. Also consider the
cost
> of running all these devices 24/7 as for the functionality of the
> likes of a Fuji you are basically running a small PC! :(

Well, a Palm will run for a few weeks on two AAA batteries.  I hardly
think power consumption is an issue!

> Now a WLAN enabled i-Paq type device that is useable as a
glorified
> remote sitting on a cradle as you enter the room seems a far more
> sensible idea and allows a whole lot more to be done, or a
dedicated
> wall panel designed for the job seems a better bet, albeit a lot
> more expensive. However, I more or less do this by having
> strategically placed Prontos and an IR distribution system in
place,
> again not the cheapest option but it does work, is flexible and is
> as expandable as I need it to be.

Agreed, but some people prefer a fixed solution - you can't lose the 
remote if it's embedded in the wall!

> IMO, a web browser without a "proper" keyboard is as much
use as
> wooden tits on a brass bull...i.e.: not a lot of use! So much so
> that I am seriously considering floggong a couple of Fuji's as I
> find I cannot use them without a proper keyboard. If I were to use
> them as simple dumb keypads would that not be a waste, I could,
but
> should I?

Well, the hadwriting recognition on a Palm is superb, and the onscreen 
keyboard is highly usable ... with the stylus.  I don't think a Palm
is 
suitable as a web browsing device, but as a wall-mounted pronto-type 
device to send commands to a PC, it's great.

> So the question is: How clever does a wall mounted device *really*
> have to be?

I suppose people's needs/wants vary somewhat.

Andy
-- 
Building a community network for Bristol
http://consume.andylaurence.co.uk
- updated 01/08
4x4 in town - bog brush for your teeth
NB: Alternate E-Mail - andylaurence at yahoo dot co dot uk

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