Re: Introductory Message and questions

[steve.cooper@xxxxxxx]

Welcome Andy

I'm not a user of CBus or FirM so can't help with those questions but on
the other points it's probably best if I describe my setup and lets other
explain how they have achieve simialr things.

Comfort and HomeVision - There is certainly some overlap in what they can
do in an X10 environment.  They both have input and outputs, both can send
and receive X10 signals.  personally I use Comfort for my alarm system, it
allows you to dial in and will dial out if there is an alarm.  I then let
HV take care of the day to day running of my X10 unit, irrigation system
and various other bits and pieces.  I have HV and Comfort link via a serial
cable so HV can keep track of the alarm PIR's to operate the automated
lighting.  That way when I make changes I don't risk messing up my alarm
system.  On the alarm system front Intamac offer the type of dial in and
out services that Comfort can do so if you are considering doing a CBUS
route that may offer a better and cheap alarm solution to Comfort.

Whole house audio - The first thing to do is make sure that all cables come
back to a central point (Node 0).  That way you can change your solution as
your budget dictates.  The full price, full functioning solution is to have
a audio video switcher that supports many inputs to many outputs but these
don't come cheap.  The alternative for audio is to have a central server
and then network MP3 players in each room, various options are available
Rio Receivers, Audiotron, Exstreamer, SlimMP3 all with there pros and cons.
This later solution is what we do.  We have two Rios one upstair and one
downstairs linked into a basic manual speaker switcher which allows us to
select which room have the music on.

As for books, the best bet is too just ask here, it's the best advice in
the world.  Also may be worth posting some of your questions in smaller
length posts, with the volume of posts on the list sometime large posts get
passed over.

S.



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