Re: Mini-ITX PC's a the future of HA (was Re: X-10 Mister House Motion sensor problems)

[Marc F Hult <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, 14 Jun 2006 10:35:01 -0400, Marc F Hult
<MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
<tq6092ds43g0g0odhl2iu66mth81o54p8m@xxxxxxx>:

>
>CyberHouse, Homeseer CQ and MSMCE can play very nicely together each doing
>what it does best. I've half a mind (no comments please) to add a linux box
>with an open-source HA app.

One strong candidate would be a $50 Linksys WRT54G. Runs Linux on about 7
watts and has built-in ethernet switch and wireless.

A principal impetus for HA in our case is for when we travel. Having a HA
system running while someone else is living in your house as is typically
the case when we are on extended travel is the most difficult of HA
scenarios IME.

In theory, one of the WRT54Gs already plugged into my home network could be
re-programmed without my so much as visiting it (re-booted remotely to
download the new app remotely). A good function would be as a über
watch-dog of overall system operation.

One of the Linksys variants with phone lines used for VOIP might provide a
phone  lifeline to the HA system independent of the HA PC's that would be
smarter and more talkative than conventional remote reboot telephone
hardware.

Any good links?

... Marc
Marc_F_Hult
www.ECOntrol.org