Re: Garage door control

[Phil W Lee <phil(at)lee-family(dot)me(dot)uk>]

Spud Demon <spud_g00@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> considered Fri, 8 May 2009
06:57:46 -0700 (PDT) the perfect time to write:

>On May 8, 8:43 am, Markus Baertschi <markus.baerts...@xxxxxxxxx>
>wrote:
>> On May 8, 9:49 am, Chris Davies <chris-use...@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>> > Spud Demon <spud_...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> > > I want to automate my garage door using Linux.  The idea is that the
>> > > computer records which codes are pressed and triggers the door if one
>> > > is correct.
>>
>> > You're prepared to forego the door opening if your server is
>> > unavailable? You might want to take a look at using a hardware watchdog to
>> > reset the system if it's failing to respond. Oh, and a UPS of some sort.
>>
>> > Chris
>>
>> For the keypad/code/garage opening part I'd use an already available
>> door opening keypad. That makes you independent on your linux
>> computer to open the door. The door opening process triggers
>> linux to take a picture. So if the PC is down you don't have a picture
>> but can get in to fix it.
>>
>> Markus
>
>I want to log all incorrect keypad attempts.  Yes I do have normal
>garage door remotes which can bypass the keypad, but I always take my
>front door key with me in case of power failure anyway.  Aside from
>long-duration power outages, my systems have pretty high availability.
>
>It seems like the keypad might be the limiting factor though.  How
>about a UHF remote, has anybody connected one of those to a Linux
>system?

Would one of the usb numeric keypads (sold for notebooks) fit the
bill?