Re: Web Enabled Time/Temp/Humidity and I/O Controller

[Marc_F_Hult <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:34:16 -0400, "Robert Green"
<robert_green1963@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
<hcegpi$a9m$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

>There no doubt that houses are getting "smarter" all the time.  More and
>more new homes are coming with goodies like alarm systems, intelligent
>controls for HVAC, pools and sprinklers and even devices to monitor power
>consumption in real time.
>
>I've seen a lot of very expensive and complex systems to manage the
>functions of "smart homes" but I've never come across something as small,
>powerful and inexpensive as this unit:
>
>http://www.cainetworks.com/products/webcontrol/
>
>I've cross-posted this in comp.home.automation and alt.home.repair because
>I've seen a lot of posts about monitoring house conditions like temperature
>remotely in both groups.  I was first alerted to the product in a  thread
>about USB home control in CHA.  In that thread:
>
>_USB module for monitoring multiple on/off switches_
>
>http://groups.google.com/group/comp.home.automation/browse_thread/thread/c2b9c0f65d305acf/1544156821a9bff?q=USB+module+for+monitoring+multiple+on/off+switches
>
>Marc Hult recommended this device instead as a much more practical way to
>"communicate" with your house remotely than USB devices connected to a PC.

I can confirm that the WebControl devices being shipped by the Amazon
supplier have the same v02.03.03 firmware as what www.cainetworks.com (the
manufacturer) upgrades exist units to. I recently had two boards that I
purchased about a year ago upgraded.  CAi Networks did them for free for me
in appreciation of my testing of various 1-wire devices and Honeywell
humidity devices to them, but usually charge $20 + shipping which is more
than 1/2 the price of the board without case through the Amazon supplier.

FWIW, I found that the board works OK with the HIH-3600 humidity sensor as
well as the HIH-4000 series specified. The bug with the 1-wire appears fixed.
Previously, the board would only accommodate Maxim's low-accuracy ( +/- 2C)
DS1822 "Econo" device. It now also works with the "High-Precision" ( LOL ! )
DS18B20 ( +/- 0.5C)


... Marc
Marc_F_Hult
www.ECOntrol.org