Re: Recommendations for newbie?

[Stuart Grimshaw <stuart@xxxxxxx>]

On Tuesday 28 May 2002 8:33 pm, garygfx wrote:
> I'm hoping I could trouble you guys for some advice please? I want
to
> automate my home to a certain extent without going OTT. I need a
> reliable alarm system, motion detectors (some wireless, some
> hardwired), and for it to have a computer controlled interface
maybe
> via X10 and Homeseer. I have a few X10 modules at the moment.

I have to jump in here and make my obligatory refernce to Linux. Pointing
out, 
as I usually do that the OS is a lot more stable than most installs of 
windows, and a lot more resiliant to being left on 24/7.

Not that Homeseer isn't a great product, but if you run it on the same PC
as 
you do your other stuff on, the PC will need rebooting every few days
(?)

I use a product called Misterhouse on mine, http://www.misterhouse.net it's 
available for both windows & linux, and is free. You need to know a bit
of 
perl to really get the full power out of it, but anyone with a bit of 
computer nounce should be able to get a workable system out of it.

> I'd like the motion sensors to also activate recording of video on
to
> hard disk from 2 or 3 security cameras. Everything should link
> together and be programmable via a PC and ideally send security
> alerts via email and sound a siren if there's a break-in.
>
> I'm looking at Comfort but have no idea what else is available or
how
> it compares, what motion detectors are compatable with Comfort, or
> how tricky it is to wire up. www.comfort.org.uk says it needs a
> qualified electrician to install. I can change light switches and
> mains sockets and install a LAN - is that enough?

I would say probably :-) Get in touch directly with Comfort, they'll be
able 
to tell you if your 

> Recommendations are warmly appreciated. If you have a really good
> system then I'd be interested in hearing about it. I want to get
> something up and running within a few weeks and I need your help.
> Home Automaters are hard to find!!!

http://www.smgsystems.co.uk/ha/
details my system.


For more information: http://www.automatedhome.co.uk
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