Comfort and the doorbell

["Michael Mc Aree" <michael.mcaree@xxxxxxx>]

Did a bit of HA stuff last night so thought I'd share :-)
I originally had the doorbell wired to a X10 PowerFlash module to send
an X10 (E2 ON) command when the bell was pressed.
I changed it last night to wire the doorbell to a Comfort Zone. I set it
as a Zone Type = Switch (Normally Open). I set the response to send E2
ON across the X10 network and also to send commands via the IR01 to the
TV.
I have serious problems sending IR via the Comfort/IR01 interface. I
can't send NTL signals (yet pronto can) and I also had problems
extracting some IR commands from Pronto into Comfort. I finally got it
to send some IR signals to my AV amp and things started moving.
When the doorbell is pressed Comfort sends an X10 command to Homeseer.
Homeseer sends me and email and records the time stamp in an SQL db I
also copy the current Front Door Image to another location and add that
location to the SQL db. My home webpage now shows the last 5 times the
doorbell was pressed and a link to to an image of the front of the
house.
Comfort also switches sources on the AV amp to show the 'live' front
door camera, waits for 5 seconds then switches back to the AV TV source.
The only problems will arise if I am watching a DVD and the AV amp
switches back to TV mode. I may look at flags, but I think it may be
easier to send a DVD-PAUSE IR command instead.

SWMBO was very pleased with the whole outcome :-)

Michael
BELFAST