RE: X10 IR interface

["Howard Wright" <howard@xxxxxxx>]

Hi Mark



I do have a Homevision unit although  haven't connected it yet - what
version of the PROM are you running? My unit is around 5 years old and I
need to get the software updated I guess.

I think the best answer to my problem is to use the Homevision and get a
powermid type IRextender which I can put in the lounge.



Howard



-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Harrison (test) [mailto:mph@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 14 January 2004 14:49
To: ukha_d@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [ukha_d] X10 IR interface



Until the last few months, I'd have gone along with everything you say.

In my experience, the PC stability / reliability issue is about
"dedicated
PC" vs. "adding HA to the PC you use for other stuff"...
It's NOT about
Windows vs. Linux (I've had stable and unstable installations of each.)

My personal record for "longest uptime of a dedicated PC" is
somewhat over a
year. The thing, IMHO that stuffs PC reliability is constantly adding
software / making configuration changes.

Now, the same applies to my Homevision. When I had a single script
installed, it had an uptime running into many months. Now I'd changing the
configuration a fair bit, it's proved, well, flakey. For the last week,
it's
sitting there flashing one of its lights, and not responding to input-port
signals... no idea why.

That's my view on "unreliable, unstable".

As for "noisy, power-hungry, and large" - they are fair
criticisms of the
"use an existing PC". They are also fair critcisims of the
"go down to PC
world / Dell / whoever." How, my experience of running the mini-itx
stuff
(www.linitx.com) has given me an HA server that's paper-back sized, and
very
quiet. The thing I'd have done differently is buy a CF rather than a hard
disk - then it would have been silent.

Don't get me wrong - Homevision is a great product, and I glad I bought it.
However, the standard for PC-based applications has been raised
dramatically
over the last few years...

Mark

----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Gordon" <paul_gordon@hotmail.com>
To: <ukha_d@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 10:54 AM
Subject: Re: [ukha_d] X10 IR interface


> Also, don't forget to factor in the fact that a PC based solution is
> inherently unreliable, unstable, noisy, power-hungry, and quite
large..  -
> Accepted that it is possible to mitigate against most of those points
with
> time, effort, and expense, but nonetheless, PC hardware will always be
the
> weak link (IMHO).



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