Re: X10 PC Interface upgrade

["Josepi" <J.R.M.@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The major difference would be the conditionals" that it can handle. Without
conditionals all this software is  not worth having IMHO. The macros most of
the software brag about are mostly useless. Sequencing lights after two
minutes is a waste of most people's intelligence and money.

e.g. I set up a routine to water a newly seeded lawn. The conditional went
something like this.

If the sun is shining brightly (many remotes signalled daytime) then
   use 5 minutes of water every hour (ground dries out fast)
else
  use 3 minutes or water every four hours (ground is wet and not drying)

Only water during the day and once after sun goes down (will be wet all
night)

..and a few other side  goodies (can't remember it all)

In three weeks with a bushy lawn growing the neighbour commented she had
never seen grass seed grow like that, especially in the heat of the summer.

E.g. #2
If there is motion from one of  the 12 motion detectors then
   cycle the furnace fan for long periods of time every few hours.
else
  cycle furnace fan twice per day for 10 minutes
  run a sequence of lights throughout the house at a random time, just after
dark to look like somebody walking through the house inlcuding porch lights
go on for one minute and then off and then back out through hallway lighting
to another door and do same, ending in a trip up the stairs (lights cycle),
finallizing into the bedroom. (I had neighbours call the cops when they knew
I was on vacation once. The simulation looked good, apparently...LOL)



I woud be sure that more up-to-date software is out there for a few hundred
dollars a copy.






"Dabbler" <dabbler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:htjqj1$seo$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
In other words, I would end up no better than what I have: DOS with
direct serial port access.




"Josepi" <J.R.M.@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:vsbLn.24989$Ak3.2484@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Baran Harper's HC2000 works quite well but is ony a DOS based system.
> It is
> quite flakey under any Windows configuration. It does some kind of
> bit-banging serial or parallel I/F (your choice)
>
> It supports macros, conditionals and renaming almost any object or
> component
> in a pulldown menu compiler GUI onterface. Requires a PC, serial port
> or
> Parallel and their I/F wall wart. It hasn't been upgraded since
> hmmmm...1990??? but works well within the reliability of the old X10
> modules. Probaly get it for $30-$50 T.O.