Re: Re: Remote energy metering

[Chris Hunter <cjhunter@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Morning Paul !

Good Grand Prix this morning ... 'saw it on the telly this time,
which is unusual for us ...

>bench-units ...

Yes, we also intend to experiment with them first ... 'would have
started on that by now, but we've had other problems, added to which
when I ordered the modules I thought I'd sorted-out which motherboard
to go for, then I realised I hadn't ... until the 'EKs appeared ...
which I must find time to order, with a case (probably a 'C137, 'cos
we need two PCI slots & three serial sockets, 'though four would be
better, plus room for a DVD reader & a 400M HD) ...

>ADMiTEs ...

Good news ... 'must check Kevin's 'mail again, to understand his
points about functionality & regulations etc, better ...

>hi-fi -

Our old hi-fi is still good, and we can't afford to replace it ...
1980s ReVox multi-room, with RS-232 links for added control &
programming, one to a hub unit, and another to a reel-to-reel
deck ... using ASCII strings in both directions, which need to be
coded & decoded ... it has IR, but that uses an early protocol which
gets confused by compact fluorescent lamps in the second-half of
their life ... so I was thinking of using Idratek to enable a PDA to
do the remote control bit ... not sure quite how, yet !

>server ...

'was interesting to read of your server approach ... as an
alternative to the MiniITX, I looked-into using an Xserve, as a cost-
effective way of doing our next 'Mac upgrade (we're still running
G4s) & getting going with Idratek all together ... but it seems
Idratek needs direct access to the RS-232 buffers, and it's not clear
this would be possible with Xserve ...

'was good to read of David's success with Remote Desktop' & 'Mac ...
we're fully 'Mac at the moment, and I wasn't looking forward to
finding my way in that direction ...

all the best

Chris




On 8 Apr 2007, at 08:57, lexfordparc wrote:

>
> Morning Chris,
>
>
>>  The object approach of   Cortex makes a lot of sense, too ... the
>>
> more I get into it, the more  I like it !
>
> I couldn't agree more. I really like the Idratek approach that uses
> dedicated cabline but is very flexible. I have a number of bench units
> at the moment to discover how they work. I will start deploying this
> into each room soon.
>
>
>> And the DRM100' looks to be just the job ... how  accurate do you
>>
> think the measurements are, by the time they are  displayed by
> Cortex ?
>
> I have Cortex configured so that 2000 pulses generate 1KwH so it seems
> quite accurate. Probably won't know until I have all rings
> monitored and
> compare with the incoming electric meter. I remember now receiving an
> email from MeterManager saying the DRM is being replaced...
> "...and finally the good news is that the DRM100 has now been
upgraded
> and is now called the ADM1TEs and has a maximum rating of 30A rather
> than 25A"
>
>
>> Now, if I could find a way forward on controlling our hi-fi, I'd
have
>>
> a full house - with the two EK' VIA 'boards now available, I think
> I  at
> last have the motherboards identified (using the back-panel serial
> socket for Idratek, and two of the three on-board COMs pin-out sets
> for
> the hi-fi - each to have ASCII strings going in both directions,  for
> control & feedback), but I can't yet see a way of doing the ASCII
> strings while running Idratek ... the Idratek GPC unit would seem to
> offer some hope, as also the user-macro capabilities of Idratek, but
> 'not sure they would take me all the way !!
>
> What are your trying to do with the Hi-Fi integration? I use
> Squeezeboxes and Slimserver (runs on the same Mini-ITX server as
> Cortex). The Squeezeboxes alow multi-room sound from a single source
> which can either be synchronised or independent. The SB3 is also
> now an
> addressable object in Cortex so you can use the display and IR
> input in
> the Idranet
>
> Paul
>
>
>
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