Re: Home Automation Integration and touchscreen front end

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

The 15" Touchscreen is actually a pretty powerfull PC - core2 DUO
IIRC - so
could, in theory, host HarmonyCore as well as the GUI - - failing that, you
mentioned mini-itx systems - I have some of these with very cut down
versions of Windows on them, just ro run Harmony. runs off a CF Card, so no
spinning disk, no fans - completely silent :)

Anybody want to place an order? ;)

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

>   Paul
>
> Smartfit for me is a simple and cheap way of integrating my heating
> control. The system in the house is a regular Boiler and Hot Water
> tank all piped up in an S-Plan arrangement. So the move to Smartfit is
> not too difficult. With Comfort it should give me a decent level of
> integration. We have no plans for underfloor heating etc etc.
>
> I am also sure things will move on in the next few years. I will run
> Smartfit and see what comes along in the future.
>
> I have looked at homeseer many times in the past but I am very put off
> by the need for Windows server. I currently run a Mac Mini as my home
> server to run central things and by the file server. If I go to
> homeseer I will need to run another server. I could try running
> homeseer within a virtual machine but with only 2 Gb of RAM in the mac
> I don't think this will work.
>
> I may take a look at the mini-itx systems for a low powered homeseer
> server.
>
> Paul - So in your system what does homeseer directly integrate with?
>
> Ben
>
>
> On 4 Jan 2009, at 18:35, Paul Gordon wrote:
>
> > Ben,
> >
> > I agree with pretty much all those choices, with the exception of
> > Smartfit... - the good thing about it is there is a dedicated UCM
to
> > integrate smartfit & comfort, but the downside is that
smartfit is a
> > pretty dumb system, and is only suitable for certain Central
Heating
> > designs. The newer Hometronic system is far better in most
respects,
> > although there isn't a dedicated UCM for it unfortunately. I
believe
> > Cytech were (are?) attempting to make an arrangement with
Honeywell
> > with
> > a view to developing a Hometronic UCM, but I've heard nothing on
this
> > for the last 2 years or so, so I guess that idea never got off
the
> > ground (shame). Hometronic is, as you've noticed, significantly
more
> > expensive, especially if you have lots of radiators all needing
the
> > hometronic control valves on them, although I guess you *could*
> > implement it in phases to reduce the initial impact.
> >
> > In case you hadn't sussed, it *is* actually possible to implement
a
> > degree of integration between Hometronic & Comfort, using
some of the
> > Hometronic modules that provide digital input/outputs that can
then be
> > connected to Comfort outputs/inputs to signal discrete states,
and
> > enable Comfort to control Hometronic (i.e comfort could have a
> > number of
> > outputs connected to Hometronic, each signal line could then be
> > programmed in Hometronic to set a particular
"lifestyle" so for
> > instance
> > Comfort would be able to turn off all heating when set to away
> > mode...)
> >
> > I already have almost all the components of the system that
you've
> > specified (Comfort, CBUS, SONOS, Homeseer) and I actually settled
on
> > Hometronic for my heating as well, and even went as far as
getting a
> > quote for a system. Unforseen circumstances have repeatedly
forced
> > me to
> > put it on hold unfortunately, so I still haven't got round to
> > purchasing
> > it, although I do still intend to when circumstances allow.
> >
> > If you haven't already experimented with Homeseer, its worth
pointing
> > out that there is just about to be a new component launched for
it
> > which
> > is specifically designed for easy implementation of touchscreens.
> > "Homeseer Touch" is in beta at the moment, and I've
been playing
> > with it
> > for a couple of months. It is pretty simple &
straightforward, and
> > integrates seamlessly with Homeseer. It's still a bit rough
around the
> > edges, but I believe in time it will be an extremely capable
system,
> > and
> > almost a no-brainer for anyone who already runs Homeseer.
> >
> > Using this combination of components I've been able to achieve
some
> > additional integration that actually isn't possible if any of
them are
> > omitted. For instance I can have CBUS buttons control SONOS zones
so
> > that my "room off" button that I have on all my CBUS
keypads can also
> > stop the SONOS zone playing in that room as well, which makes for
a
> > nicer overall experience. This particular function uses Homeseer
to
> > bridge several systems via their respective plugins (signals go:
CBUS
> > --> Comfort --> Homeseer --> SONOS)
> >
> > If you'd like any further info about my experiences, then just
holler.
> >
> > HTH
> >
> > Paul G.
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: ukha_d@xxxxxxx <ukha_d%40yahoogroups.com>
[mailto:
> ukha_d@xxxxxxx <ukha_d%40yahoogroups.com>] On
> > Behalf
> > > Of Ben McCormack
> > > Sent: 04 January 2009 16:16
> > > To: UKHA Group
> > > Subject: [ukha_d] Home Automation Integration and
touchscreen front
> > end
> > >
> > > 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
> > >
> > > ------------------------------------
> > >
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Date:
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> >
> >
>
> [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


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