FirM & HomeAutomator update [long (and badly written)]

["Andy Powell" <ukha@xxxxxxx>]

Hi Folks,

just to give you a little update on the FirM testing that I've done 
so far. I wont make this a review as that will come later [with 
pictures and notes], more of a "how it's going" 

The FirM Controller worked flawlessly on plugging in, went through a 
little self test - oooh I love flashing lights :D. It wasn't 
connected to Homevision at the time, just a power up test since it 
had made a journey half way round the world :D Once connected up I 
tried a few basic experiments using 1 zone making Homevision control 
equipment in that zone, again flawless...

The next step was to try multiple zones, what I have at the moment is:

Zone 1  = living room connected using CAT5 and a splitter box

Zone 2      = Bedroom connected using CAT5 and a
splitter box

Zone 3  = Computer room direct connection from FirM controller to 
DDAR (see later)


Each zone has a DDAR in it and I can confirm that there is no 
crosstalk between zones (i.e. If I tell the DDAR in zone 1 to play 
some music the IR doesn't affect any other zone). 

I did have one issue tho, in the end it turned out to be my fault, 
but it is worth noting. A while ago
Quinten converted a DDAR to rack mount for me ( 
http://www.notacon.com/ddar/ )
and a nice job he did too... I added 
an extra socket on the back for hardwired IR - this is a simple 3.5mm 
chasis socket connected to a resistor and an IR emitter, the emitter 
is placed inside the case close to the ir receiver of the DDAR.

So that's the background. What I did was plug zone 3 directly into 
the back of the DDAR. During my tests the yellow light on the zone 
box in the livingroom would light up. after some discussion with 
Frank and a little test it turns out that having the resistor was 
what was causing the light to come on... those with electronics 
experience will understand better than me what is going on, all I 
know is when the resistor was removed it worked fine. I should add 
that Frank told me NOT to plug an IR emitter without any resistor 
directly into the back of the FirM controller as it would probably 
blow, I ignored him and it worked fine but I now have a zone splitter 
box attached. Not worth the risk IMHO, ir emitters are cheap,  but I
need all I can get :D

I now have a macro in homevision that runs at 6am each morning. 
Homevision switches the zone and tells the bedroom DDAR to play some 
music. It's worked well for a week now - well except for 2 things:

1. When testing one night I had hit the mute button on the remote. 
everything else worked and the DDAR was playing music, just that it 
was muted ... DOH!

2. I forgot to update the clock in my Homevision, so the alarm 
actually came on at 5am... ouch!

FirM is becoming an integral part of my HA solution (sounds like 
management speak :P  ) - I just wish Homevision could store more IR
commands..


Home Automator

I've updated the code in HomeAutomator too so that I can activate 
zones from a web interface, still testing but it works. Originally I 
was trying to be flexible (clever?) and allow the user to use HV vars 
and macros to trigger the zone change. Initial experiments worked but 
I found that quite a substantial delay was required between the 
setting of the var and execution of the macro. It wasn't really 
acceptable to me and certainly wouldn't be for anyone else.

Now I just use internal code with a configuration screen for the port 
connections and it works fine, and quick. Adding code to get the Zone 
currently active now..

Serial port access and xap implementations are next on the list for 
HomeAutomator, if anyone has a xap enabled serial device they 
wouldn't mind loaning me it would help :D

Hopefully we can get review of FirM will done soon, testing should be 
complete around the end of October, all I can say from what I've done 
so far is - if you have HV get your cheque book out - or tell SWMBO 
you want one for Christmas :D... 


Andy

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