Re: Occupancy detection

[Marc_F_Hult <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 03 Aug 2007 18:27:53 GMT, nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Dave Houston) wrote in
message  <46b56af1.2058364453@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

>ben.parees@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
>
>>One thing i've considered to help the situation is a product I saw a
>>while ago (sorry no link handy right now) which acts as a whole-house
>>radio reciever and connects to your PC directly.  This would eliminate
>>the "sensors->transceiver->PC" leg of the trip and probably cut the
>>response time in half.  You still have the latency of being noticed by
>>the sensor and the PLC lag time though.  Incidentally this product has
>>a "real" antenna and claims to boost reception ranges significantly.
>>I'm sure Dave Houston knows what i'm talking about and knows whether
>>those claims are valid.
>
>The BX24-AHT (no longer available).

I checked Dave's web site and all the documentation needed binary and other
files to make PCBs and program the BX24-AHT are still here at
http://www.davehouston.net/files.htm .

The pcb's are still listed as in stock and available here:
http://www.laser.com/?page=shop/cart&func=cartAdd&product_id=161&refering_page=/&keyword=BX-24

I have a couple unused pcb's that I can add to my Home Automation and
Electronics porch sale at www.ECOntrol.org/porch_sale.

Perhaps what Dave means is that he has effectively withdrawn permission. Many
of the files are marked " Copyright. No part may be reproduced except by
[italic] written [/italic] permission. This restriction extends to
reproduction in all media." Makes them purty hard to use ...

>and roZetta (not likely to become
>available for a few more months and then without internal RF) are based on
>the principal of centralized RF reception. It's fairly simple to design an
>efficient antenna (and add a wideband preamp, if needed) to get good RF
>reception (200' even with lots of metal and wire lath in the environment).
>
>The only commercial device that I'm aware of is being sold in defiance of
>FCC testing requirements so I neither mention its name nor comment on its
>quality.

Dave refers to the WGL designs W800RF32 family of RF receivers
http://www.wgldesigns.com/w800.html
that competed with his device when parts for his were being sold by Dave's
family and fully assembled by Laser. WGL is supported by at least 17
different home automation programs. Dave pulled the plug on the BX24-AHT ca
2004 after his family shut down the supply web site without warning and Dave
lost control of the Yahoo groups BX24-AHT forum.

There are, as Dave doubtless knows, other centralized RF reception systems
out there.

Check out, for example, RFXCOM http://www.rfxcom.com/ available from
www.cheapertronics.com in the US who also distribute CheaperRFID.

RFXCOM supports X10, Oregon Scientific, Visonic, KlikOn-KlikOff, ELRO, NEXA,
Domia Lite, ATI Remote Wonder. The RFXMeteis a modular utility metering
device with RFXPwr for power usage metering.  RFXSensors reportedly include
RF transmitters for 1-Wire®  temperature, humidity and barometric pressure
sensors. Also reported available are external sensors for temperature,
humidity, barometric pressure and A/D input 0-10V DC.

Then there's the new HomeSeer HSM100 Z-Wave multi-sensor
www.homeseer.com/company/releases/07-07-HSM100.htm
that opens new possibilities for lag-free response of automated lighting to
motion sensors. (I previously posted about this in this newsgroup.)

Quoting the HomeSeer web site:

"The new device is designed to sense motion, temperature and light and home
owners can use the HSM100 to control up to 4 other Z-Wave devices directly.
Those with HomeSeer-equipped homes can also use the HSM100 to trigger more
complex automation events for whole house control of Z-Wave and non Z-Wave
automation products."

... Marc
Marc_F_Hult
www.ECOntrol.org