Re: Control HV but not using a PC or X10

["David Buckley" <db@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, ian.bird@c... wrote:
> I have been looking but
> have so far not found out how to talk to an MSS 100 from a
> non PC (broad meaning here of personal computer including
> linux etc.) platform.

I've not played with the MSS100, but have played with lots of these
sorts of boxes.  Most insist on TCP, and are willing to be either
clients or servers.

So to communicate, its just basic TCP.  Open socket, talk, and maybe
close socket if you ever want to stop.  There are no specific examples
of how to do this, as this is the first thing one learns to do with
TCP.

These boxes normally have a "direct" port that you can use,
or telnet / reverse telnet ports which have sophistications and
overheads that are unnecessary for this sort of application, and thus
I recommend you dont use.

If its a client, it will open a socket on you, so you need to be
listening for connection.  If its a server, you open a socket on it.
The gotchas involve when one or other end restarts, and you need to
connect again when one end still thinks its connected...

Some terminal servers talk UDP, and then its just datagrams both
ways.

I continue to have great sucess with the SitePlayer telnet unit, at
$79, talks TCP and UDP just fine.

http://www.siteplayer.com/telnet

[shameless plug]
If you want PC virtual serial port to UDP, check out a Buckley
product, http://www.haxxio.com/udpser, less
than $30! [/shameless
plug]