RE: Cheap control + whole house display

[Robert Chasmer <robert.chasmer@xxxxxxx>]

James [mailto:James@xxxxxxx] wrote:
> With all the talk about control panels/displays I have resurrected an<= BR> > old project to use a Palm as a remote control unit.  I originally=
> planned to connect a palm via serial to a PC.  The Palm would sim= ply
> display and accept input, nothing more,  as the PC would figure o= ut
> what to display and what to control.

Using an existing product sold in bulk like this that already has got to be=
a cheaper way to go.  The device already has screen, which is touch sensitive, possibly some hard buttons, and some local processing if
required.  The only concern for me is how much a palm can be physicall= y
modifed to look good mounted in/on the wall and not just look like a
"handheld stuck on the wall"


> A Palm V connected via serial to a siteplayer which in turn connects > to a standard 10Mb TCP network. Serial is fine for a single device
> but I wanted at least 10 so a standard IP network has to be the way > to go.

If it is easy to get the device plugged in cheaply to a TCP/IP network than=
so much the better.  I pressume the device itself will be making use o= f some
cat 5, available at the mounting location.

However if it is simpler to use serial, or the only way for the VFD's, than=
this isn't so much of a problem.  A serial connection can easily makin= g use
of that same Cat 5 connection you have at the mouting location, the only difference being that the Cat 5 will need to be patched to the PC location<= BR> to plug into a PC serial port, rather than to a hub.  This could be a = lot of
Cat 5 ports at the PC location for multiple devices, but maybe? you could squeeze two serial connections into one cat 5 lead.  The PC would obvi= ously
need a serial card to support more than two devices.


> On the palm, a small app written in NSbasic. On the PC a VB  serv= er
> which connects via DDE and UDP to other programs for device control > etc.  The palm software uses the full screen, has a page title, 1= 0
> buttons, a home button and a next page button.

This all sounds very cool.


> Speed About .6 sec from pushing a button to a new screen being
> fully displayed.

This sounds quick enough.  Have you given any thought to areas of the = screen
also being used to display things like news, temperature etc.  when id= le.


> Cost (very guesstimate)
> Palm - =A350 ish for a second hand visor
> siteplayer - =A320
> serial inverter - =A35?
> cat5 filter - =A34

Sounds pretty good.  What is siteplayer, the inverter, and the cat5 fi= lter
for?


> So the cost is reasonable and as it doesn;t matter if the palm is new<= BR> > or old palm/handspring/sony, availability should be good for 2nd hand.=

Have these manufacturers made several different sized/shaped palms?  D= o they
have backlights when required?


> As it stands it works which is a good start. So I will probably go on<= BR> > tinkering with it but don't know if the idea is one that others might<= BR> > like to use or one to stay in my head!,  so what do you all think= ??

Well it all sounds very interesting.  If you have a working prototype = then
so much the better, would be nice to see some piccies of work in progress.<= BR> I guess lots of people will have different requirements for what they want<= BR> these things to do.  Maybe we'll see a couple of different types of ho= mebrew
HA controllers in the coming year or so.

Good luck!

Yahoo! Groups Spons= or

ADVERTISEMENT

For more information: http://www=
.automatedhome.co.uk 
Post message: ukha_d@xxxxxxx 
Subscribe:  ukha_d-subscribe@xxxxxxx 
Unsubscribe:  ukha_d-unsubscribe@xxxxxxx 
List owner:  ukha_d-owner@xxxxxxx

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.