Re: New to all this

[Mal Lansell <mal@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

It sounds like you've done your homework on this.  I'll have to give
it
some serious consideration when we move house (which we keep meaning to
do, but for some reason we're still here two years later!)

I trust you'll keep us all posted on how it works out in practice - and
I hope it's as good as theory predicts :-)

Cheers

Mal



Chris Hunter wrote:

> Mal -
>
> No worries ! No connection ! I guess it's just that it's not often
> thought-of & yet it offers a good set of capabilities that often
match
> what people seem to be looking-for - it's what we've gone-for after
> doing quite a lot of research into several options (lost count, but
> about a dozen different systems) ... it's still expanding, of course,
so
> there's more to come, but it already can do most of what we're
> looking-for, and we're aiming to do quite a lot.
>
> I've a box-full of modules here, ready to install, and second box
> expected soon, although we don't have the PC to drive it yet, and
> first-fix on the house is only part-done - money's tight & there's
the
> day-job keeping me busy ! In other words, I don't have it working just
> yet, but it won't be long ! So far, I've explored how it works
> in-detail, tried the demo', asked lots of questions of both Idratek
&
> David', who has quite a lot working already at his place, the kit is
> affordable & well-made, well thought-out / thought-through, and
well
> supported.
>
> IMO, it offers us the best chance of achieving the comprehensive &
> intelligent HA set-up we're looking-for, with broad functionality,
good
> failure strategies, good feedback & accessibility, good user
interfaces
> & comms, good expandability & adaptability, and fair
future-proofing.
> We're looking for it to manage the house - heating, lighting, internal
&
> external comms, hi-fi & 'network - and provide energy-efficiency,
> comfort, task-assist, remote control, short- (on-site) &
long-range
> (off-site), etc. Multiple systems are already possible ...
>
> Downsides are that the software runs under 'Windows ('XP &
> predecessors), the bus interface is via RS232 (USB hopefully on its
> way), they don't have a ready-made solution that will talk with our
> hi-fi (it's a bit ancient, though I think we can sort something out
> without too much trouble, via IR or RS232), they don't carry much
stock,
> and ... well, we'll see.
>
> Biggest practical issue to solve at the moment is working-out where
> actually to place the sensors, for good sensing (temperature,
humidity,
> light, presence) with good fusion - I'm sure we won't get it right
first
> time, the lay-out / set-up will have to be developed. In other words,
> first-install will be temporary & experimental - which will
inevitably
> delay us getting the plastering & screeding done ! This situation,
of
> course, is not particular to Idratek - how does one place light-level
> sensors for good awareness of lighting levels all through the day, day
&
> night, with the Sun coming & going & people moving about ? ...
how does
> one place PIRs & cameras to enable reliable system awareness of
> presence, again with people moving about, and not moving about, coming
&
> going ? ... where should humidity & temperature sensors go in
bathroom &
> kitchen ? ... and so-on !
>
> HTH
>
> Chris
>
> Mal Lansell wrote:
>
> > Chris,
> >
> > I'm not trying to be funny, so please don't take this the wrong
way, but
> > are you connected to Idratek in some way or are you just a very
> > satisfied customer?
> >
> > I only ask because you often mention them in your emails, but I
don't
> > personally have any experience of Idratek. I'd be interested in
> > hearing how you use their kit and what pitfalls (if any) you've
> > discovered and how you worked around them.
> >
> > Cheers
> >
> > Mal
> >
> > Chris Hunter wrote:
> >
> > > Idratek allows this ...
> > >
> > > Chris
> > >
> > > Ho Yin Ng wrote:
> > >
> > > > Or get a HA system which allows control via a web
interface and get
> > > access
> > > > via a Pocket Pc Phone. Therefore giving you the ability
to have
> > complete
> > > > control rather than just certain functions.
> > > >
> > > > Ho yin
> > > >
> > > > On 17/11/06, Martin McCreesh <martin@xxxxxxx
> <mailto:martin%40mccreesh.com>
> > <mailto:martin%40mccreesh.com>
> > > <mailto:martin%40mccreesh.com>
> > > > <mailto:martin%40mccreesh.com>>
wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > dtmf controlled relay is the way to go as you can
store the full
> > > set of
> > > > > keys in your phone and assign as a speed dial or
even voicetag.
> > > > >
> > > > > I havent used this product as built my own but I
did see this
> > product
> > > > > recommended here before
> > > > >
> > > > >
> http://www.eurosource.se/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=77
> <http://www.eurosource.se/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=77>
> > <http://www.eurosource.se/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=77
> <http://www.eurosource.se/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=77>>
> > > <http://www.eurosource.se/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=77
> <http://www.eurosource.se/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=77>
> > <http://www.eurosource.se/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=77
> <http://www.eurosource.se/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=77>>>
> > > >
> <http://www.eurosource.se/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=77
> <http://www.eurosource.se/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=77>
> > <http://www.eurosource.se/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=77
> <http://www.eurosource.se/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=77>>
> > > <http://www.eurosource.se/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=77
> <http://www.eurosource.se/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=77>
> > <http://www.eurosource.se/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=77
> <http://www.eurosource.se/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=77>>>>
> > > > >
> > > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > > From: Kim Wall
> > > > > To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx <mailto:ukha_d%40yahoogroups.com>
> <mailto:ukha_d%40yahoogroups.com>
> > <mailto:ukha_d%40yahoogroups.com>
> > > <mailto:ukha_d%40yahoogroups.com>
> > > > <ukha_d%40yahoogroups.com>
> > > > > Sent: Friday, November 17, 2006 2:38 AM
> > > > > Subject: Re: [ukha_d] New to all this
> > > > >
> > > > > Andy Beveridge wrote:
> > > > > > Regardless of how good the HA is, the cat is
unlikely to
> > answer the
> > > > > phone
> > > > >
> > > > > Having known a cat who learned that phones stop
ringing when
> > > knocked off
> > > > > the hook, I can assure you that this is a good
thing! Recipe for a
> > > > > permanently engaged line and some very confused
callers :)
> > > > >
> > > > > As for heating control, I don't have much in the
way of relevant
> > > > > suggestions... My heating control system was built
from
> scratch with
> > > > > home-brew software and electronics, which doesn't
sound like the
> > > sort of
> > > > > thing you're after.
> > > > >
> > > > > However, it might be worth considering that a
possible alternative
> > > to a
> > > > > system you can operate remotely (presumably by
voice
> recognition, as
> > > > > you're talking about driving home... otherwise I'd
be looking for
> > > > > something DTMF or SMS operated) would be one that
anticipates your
> > > > > arrival without any need for user input. Assuming
your arrival
> > time is
> > > > > predictable, of course.
> > > > >
> > > > > Kim
> >
> > <mailto:ukha_d-unsubscribe@xxxxxxx
> <mailto:ukha_d-unsubscribe%40yahoogroups.com>?subject=>
> >
> > .
> >
> >
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>




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