Control central heating via PC, ideas please?

["Gary" <questuk1@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

With the just announced price rise in gas prices, I think it's time to
see if i can save money by controlling my boiler using a lower Power
PC such as a mini ITX. Then I can have lots of different time zones
and more accurate control of the temperature at giving points in the day.

For example, I have a RF wall mounted thermostat, but you can only
adjust this in 1=B0 intervals, and sometimes that can make it too hot in
a room, wasting gas.

I'm not sure how to interface and control the boiler yet may be
Ethernet if there is such a way?  or perhaps using RF control?

As I work electronics that side isn't too hard its more the software I
will have trouble with?

Has anyone attempted this on the group?

I'm sure many of us now have a requirement for such control, so any
comments welcome and also any ideas.

Regards Gary




------------------------------------