Re: Mini-ITX PC's a the future of HA

[Marc F Hult <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sat, 17 Jun 2006 19:34:38 -0400, "Robert Green"
<ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
<eN2dnUguUO_oDwnZnZ2dnUVZ_qmdnZ2d@xxxxxxx>:


>Where's our resident zookeeper?  Surely you *can't* be allowed to design
>HOME automation software if you don't HAVE one!!??  (Sorry, just kidding -
>I couldn't resist after some of the replies I've read.)

Here he be ;-) But I don't recall saying anything about qualifications for
designing HA SW. Correcting the record so that those not blinded by Cupid
are not mislead is a different matter. (Read on.)


>What's connected to all the serial cards.  Are any of these items available
>as USB components?  To me, adding external "bricks" to the Via is a better
>way to go because once you've run out of slots with a PC, you're done.

What does this mean?

>I believe USB will support 128 devices, so it's clearly the more
>expandable,
>although not so compact, option.

More expandable than what? There is no practical limit to the "expansion"
via TCP/IP including TCP/IP -->RS-xxx. Course "network" may be a more useful
concept than "expansion" here ....

>I would also imagine that Via will come
>out with some sort of expansion chassis for more PCI cards - the single
>half slot they offer has been rather limiting.

Gentle comp.home.automation participants not infatuated with a particular XY
dimension of motherboards from a particular manufacturer might want to know
that what Bobby is just now imagining has in fact been available for years:

1)Dual-slot PCI extenders have been available for years from a number of
different sources including one distributed by VIA for the mini-ITX since
the get-go (see my previous post on the 6-7 different geometries/options).

2) A 'mini-ITX with more slots' is a micro-ATX which has been available for
a decade.  The micro-ATX I've been using not only has three PCI slot but an
ISA slot and on-board ethernet, video, audio in/mic/out, IDE, floppy, USB,
RS-232 serial, printer, game, PS2 mouse, PS2 keyboard, etc.

Intel introduced the ATX and mini-ATX with integrated peripherals in 1995
and there have been many, many different manufacturers of ATX, mini-ATX and
micro-ITX motherboards since. Bob by's previous assertion that VIA is
uniquely positioned to make integrated motherboards is beyond hyperbole and
well into the realm of hippo-speak.


... Marc
Marc_F_Hult
www.ECOntrol