Re: Home Automation Integration and touchscreen front end

["Rob Iles" <rob.iles@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Ben,

I've no objections to On-List - so long as nobody else minds :)

Assumption one = correct; the TS connects to a Windows PC running
HarmonyCore Service.

Connection to Cbus via PascalAutomation Controller (I have one of those
going cheap too!) = basically, the PAC connects to a USB port, and appears
as a virtual comport - Harmony picks up messages from the C-Bus, and can
use
them to trigger events in X10, Rako, Dupline, ByeByeStandby etc etc. It can
also place messages on the Cbus - for example, to turn a light/group on/off
in response to a press of the touchscreen, click on a GUI (web/windows), or
in response to a command from another Harmony components (again, X10, Rako,
ByeByeStandby etc etc).

Think of Harmony as a Messaging Platform - - it glues the various bits and
pieces together intelligently.

No Comfort interface at present - mainly because I've had no call for it
(nobody has requested it, and I don't have Comfort kit to develop against).

That said, the HarmonyAPI if published and fully documented - so if you're
comfortable in DotNet, you could roll your own.

Hope this helps.  You might like to have a browse around the rest of the
webiste - www.domialifestyle.com - to see what's on offer - the forums are
a
particularly good source of info.

Rob


2009/1/4 Ben McCormack <yahoogroup@xxxxxxx>

>   Rob
>
> I have kept this on-list for the moment as I hope it will be useful to
> others.
>
> Lets say for example I went for one of the 15" touchscreens from
you.
>
> I guess I would then interface this to Harmony. I assume this installs
> on a central server?
>
> I can also see the various interfaces inculding cbus. How does it link
> with cbus?
>
> Is there any interface to Comfort?
>
> Thanks
> Ben
>
>
> On 4 Jan 2009, at 16:54, Rob Iles wrote:
>
> > Somebody mention touchscreens? ;) ;)
> >
> > I have some beauties going at knock down price right now -
15" (XP
> > Embedded)
> > and 8" (Windows CE).
> >
> > See Here for specs <http://www.domialifestyle.com/15%27%27%20inch.asp>
> >
> > Additional docs here <http://www.domialifestyle.com/Documentation.asp>
>
> >
> > The prices listed on the site are already way below cost price -
> > they're end
> > of line for me/us - so there is room for a little bit of haggling
if
> > you
> > like the look of them!
> >
> > (They're designed to be the ultimate UI to Harmony Server - but
I'm
> > currently customising the image to include a web browser, for a
chap
> > who
> > wants to control his SqueezeCentre through it too).....
> >
> > Questions / offers *OFFLIST* if you'd be so kind.
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Rob
> >
> > 2009/1/4 Ben McCormack
<yahoogroup@xxxxxxx<yahoogroup%40thinkinghouse.co.uk>
> >
> >
> > > All
> > >
> > > As I am suer many of you are aware we have recently moved
into a new
> > > house that needs renovation. This has given me the chance to
> > automate
> > > the house. I have tried to use best of breed in each area
where
> > > possible and integrate systems as well.
> > >
> > > I have arrived at the following scheme
> > >
> > > Lighting : Cbus
> > > Alarm : Comfort
> > > Heating : Smartfit
> > > Temp Monitoing : 1-Wire using HA7Net. This is based on
recent
> > > discussions.
> > > All the media in the house will be supplied from my Mac Mini
Server
> > > and Sonos.
> > >
> > > cbus and Comfort are linked
> > > Comfort and Smartfit are linked
> > >
> > > So I have Lighting, Heating and Alarm integrated. So far
Comfort
> > will
> > > be my main interface so I can use Comfort keypads or the
DECT phones
> > > in the house to control things.
> > >
> > > Now I have added 1-Wire I am starting to think how to
integrate that
> > > and make intelligent decisions based on room temperature and
also
> > > provide temp logging and graphing.
> > >
> > > There is one area that I don't think I have worked out yet
and
> > that is
> > > the overall control mechanism. I guess ideally I would like
a couple
> > > of wireless touch-screens that could display information
about the
> > > house and allow me to control various functions.
> > >
> > > I can see that homeseer could be used as an interface. It
has
> > plugins
> > > for most of my components.
> > >
> > > Are there any other options I could look at?
> > >
> > > Ben
> > >
> > >
> >
> > --
> > Rob Iles
> >
> > Harmony - www.domialifestyle.com
> > Software Development - www.rob-iles.co.uk/rmidevelopment
> >
> > Twitter: http://twitter.com/Rob_Iles
> > Skype: rob_iles
> > 12seconds: http://12seconds.tv/channel/rmi
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
> >
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>



--
Rob Iles

Harmony - www.domialifestyle.com
Software Development - www.rob-iles.co.uk/rmidevelopment

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Rob_Iles
Skype: rob_iles
12seconds: http://12seconds.tv/channel/rmi


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


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