RE: Re: Anyone using the CM12U under Windows 2000?

[Kevin Hawkins]

A brief update..

I am nearing completion of the C-Bus to xAP gateway now in its first
pass as a Windows application that connects to the C-Bus SIM or RS232
interface. I shall be putting up some web pages and looking for some beta
testers shortly. I shall ongoingly post updates about this here on the
xAP_Automation list.
Before I commit to the next implementation which will be a hardware
(embedded) version that includes a SIM C-Bus interface and speaks native
xAP
out the other end I have a few questions.....

1) How many people are actually interested in this product and would
potentially purchase an embedded version (approx £50 + C-Bus SIM) ?? I hope
to make the software only version freeware (or shareware). A C-Bus SIM is
circa £50 .
2) Or is the Windows application an acceptable solution to you ? Let me
know
if you will use this.
3) If not but I had a Linux version too would that be adequate ?
4) If I provide the embedded version would an RS232 serial xAP
implementation be acceptable (cf Ethernet)? This would require connection
to
one of the available software bridge products running on a PC via a serial
port to get to say Ethernet. As the C-Bus SIM module can be located
anywhere
I see no need to support anything except RS232.
5) OR do you want/need Ethernet connectivity direct from the hardware ? I
can do this but the cost of the solution doubles from (guessing here) £50
to
£100 ish (+ C-Bus SIM) and my development platform will have to change from
PIC to Rabbit which will extend the timescale somewhat.
6) If the embedded solution was offered as a software personality that sat
within a general purpose xAP I/O device - eg the Rocket xAP product - but
supported the C-Bus SIM would that be better ?
7) Would people like a (non xAP) version that provided a basic simplified
control protocol out on a serial interface - basically just the ability to
switch C-Bus loads ON and OFF (supporting level setting) and reported C-Bus
load change status info.
8) Does anyone want a xPL solution ?
9) Has anyone any particular requirements for features of C-Bus to be
supported - currently all groups can be monitored and set to any level
using
any of the ramp times available. Full status reporting is provided along
with changes. Phantom groups can be created to effectively control non
C-Bus
loads eg an X10 load. The light level and temperature sensor is also
supported. The units and groups present on C-Bus are reported along with
the
unit number of any input device that actions a load change.
10) And just to complete ten questions... will Tony Butler want another
option ;-)

Please let me know OFFLIST or if it is of a wider interest here on
the xAP_Automation list.

Cheers Kevin