Re: CM15A and MisterHouse Module Starting Point

[Neil Cherry <njc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 02 Sep 2005 16:56:18 GMT, Dave Houston wrote:
> Neil Cherry <njc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>>> X-10 still hasn't released any documentation on the protocol?
>>
>>Nope, I've nagged them (even contacted David Rye). They said they'd
>>share and I've waited 9 months. I'm no longer developing software for
>>X10 (but I'll support what I have). I'm going with Insteon. So far it
>>looks promising (I know about the licensing issues, I'm working on
>>that).
>
> I like the Insteon concept, which you already know if you followed my
> rambling review, but still have reservations based on their track record.
> I'm also waiting to see what they do for wireless control.

Yup read the review as have a few others. Jeniffer at unrulygrrl.com
asked me to write a driver in exchange for a serial dev kit. I thought
it a good exchange. :-) The driver I've written is not done but
complete enough to be begin to use. I rushed it out for a reason I'll
get to in a minute.

> I have designed two daughterboards for the CM15A (one RS232, one USB) which
> replace the MCU with a socketed 16F88 and an SMT 12F683. The socket allows
> the 12F683 to be programmed in circuit. The 16F88 can use a bootloader which
> allows updating its firmware. The 12F683 handles RF (TX & RX) and controls
> an ST485 which can interface with other RS485 nodes. I had planned
> additional RF receivers on the RS485 network to handle multiple frequencies
> and multiple protocols but that's open ended.
>
> It's looking more and more unlikely that I'll have the energy to complete
> firmware for them. I'm willing to make the designs open source if you're
> interested in taking them forward.

Definitely interested but it may be put on hold until the end of
February. I've been asked to write a book for Wiley called 'Linux
Smart Homes for Dummies'. I'm announcing it now because I've signed
the contract. I'm not sure writting a book is a good idea but it looks
pretty on a resume. And yes I'm very much afraid of the community's
opinion of what I'll be writing. I'm afraid I didn't have much choice
for the chapters as the original author had to back out and I was
second choice. Oh, Well

Back to the CM15A, this sounds very cool! It would fix X10's dain
bread interface. The CM15A had a lot of promise and they seemed to
have crippled it (from what Woody, other and myself could figure
out).

> The bare boards cost $2.50 each (plus postage) for QTY 1 and that's with
> soldermask and silkscreen on both sides. They would cost about $0.10 each
> (plus air mail from China) in any kind of quantity. I might be able to
> arrange a P/N with the board supplier so that individuals could order them
> at the $2.50 price.
>
> The 16F88 has a USART and I use a triple inverter for a 0-5V RS232 link. It
> does require a conversion cable (USB to DB9) but that's pretty simple. The
> USB version uses Silicon Lab's CP2102 which is a better (and much smaller)
> single chip USB-serial bridge that only requires a couple of bypass caps.
>
> The passives are 805 size which I think is the smallest that can be hand
> soldered (even by a lame, spastic geezer like me) but it's easier to do all
> of the SMT soldering in a toaster oven. There's probably no way the CP2102
> can be hand soldered.
>
> The completed boards should cost in the $12-17 range.

Very cool!

--
Linux Home Automation         Neil Cherry       ncherry@xxxxxxxxxxx
http://home.comcast.net/~ncherry/               (Text only)
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http://linuxha.blogspot.com/                    My HA Blog