Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

What are we using in Oz?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    What are we using in Oz?

    Just thought I'd drop a message and say hi and see what other people in Oz are using. I'm in Melbourne.

    I've only just started with the PC Kit from Dick Smiths (CM11a, 1Lamp module, 1Appliance module) - the one that comes with ActiveHome (but that got binned almost immediately!!)

    I have tried ActiveHome, HAL, Homeseer and Housebot..and have just found Autom8it.

    I found the UI interface of HAL too slow and cumbersome. I found ActiveHome shocking. I like both Homeseer and HouseBot.

    What is everyone else using and how advanced have you got ?

    Cheers,

    Dave

    #2
    hi dave, i stareted with the same kit as you,i then got a leopard touch screen which controls x10,ir it also has a secu 16 8 input 8 output board.IM currently playing with homeseer to add voice rec internet and mobile phone access and control.i have numerous x10 modules and several x10 wirless wall switches.

    Comment


      #3
      Hi nico,

      I see you're also in Melbourne...where did you get the x10 stuff from ?

      I'm building a new house and will want some professional modules installed. Do you know of any electricians into X10 ? I've emailed a couple of installers from the EON3 site but haven't had any response.

      Cheers,

      Dave

      Comment


        #4
        NZ here

        i got my stuff from eon3

        and just gave the stuff to a local electrican and he was blowen away by it

        StePhan McKillen

        My Pages

        Comment


          #5
          Dave,
          Another place to try is Home Smart Technologies/RTI. They are at 944 Mt Alexander Rd, Essendon and their number is 9370 9033. Ask for Robin.

          Robert

          Comment


            #6
            Is There a web site for Home Smart Technologies/RTI

            StePhan McKillen

            My Pages

            Comment


              #7
              No I don't think they have a website

              Comment


                #8
                Hi from Adelaide.

                Im using a few X10 devices, although I am not likely to roll out anymore. I'll either go Clipsal CBUS (and write a HS plugin for it) or wait for ZWave gear to be available in Australia.

                Im also running an Ocelot, CADDX alarm and Temp05 1 wire system, and a few scripts I have had to hack to work in Australia.

                David

                Pentium 3 1.4 GHz,512 MB RAM,HS PCI Modem
                8 port Serial IO,Ocelot w/ 8 I/O
                CADDX NX-8, NX584, NX507
                Temp05 One-Wire interface
                2 x PVR250 MPEG2 encoder cards
                Win 2000 Srv, Metaframe
                HS 1.6.x,HSP 2.x,ATT Mike16,Audrey16,Charles16,mcs Temperature,DooMotion,DooNetwork,HSTV

                Comment


                  #9
                  Hi David K,

                  I just read your post and had a quick read of the ZWave stuff you mentioned. I like the premise on which it operates.

                  As I understand it, X10 has had 2 failed attempts in Australia in the past. EON3 seem to be getting it into the likes of Tandy / Dick Smith / Harvey Norman so it might take off this time.

                  I looked at the Clipsal CBus solution as I'm currently building a house, but it was just too expensive - and it would have been an all or nothing approach....unlike X10 where I can build it up modularly.

                  What do you reckon to the chances of the ZWave technology making its way over here ?

                  As I relative newbie I'm keen to hear your thoughts....

                  Cheers,

                  Dave

                  Comment


                    #10
                    hi dave ,
                    i get most my stuff from sas automation in east malvern 88102015. you can call them or drop in on a saturday when the shop is staffed.they also install, i think this is why there only there on sats there very busy .im an electrician myself however dont have a contractors license.
                    niko

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Thanks Niko....

                      I have been to SAS proviously to get a quote on cabling for a home network. They naivley provided a quote and detailed how many metres of cabling per room, how many hours for that piece and the hourly cost.

                      I realise I don't have a cabler's license, but to take 4 man hours and charge $240 to lay one 15m cable in a frame stage house I thought was ridiculous...that was only labour...the cable and wall plates were on top of that !! Then multiply that by 11 for all the cable runs and you can see why I eventually chose to go with a Wireless network ! I guess they have their overheads I suppose.

                      I would imagine getting them to install a couple of professional modules may be somewhat cheaper though.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        I started out buying the video sender with mouse remote from Eon3. There was a button on the remote I couldnt use (X10) so I went and bought a transciever module.

                        I've now got mainly appliance modules. I'm now getting some Inline Dimmers (LD11) installed and I'm slowly getting more stuff. It's not as cheap as in the US.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Melb based.
                          Started with 2xLD11 built in to extension new switchboard - these work really well - great sensitivity, no falses.
                          Various plugin appliance & lamp modules (ex Dick Smith), they work OK - however in a number of locations dont work at all (same outlet as a plasma monitor - probably the switchmode PS causing grief)
                          Have US sourced CM11 PC interface (thru a 240/110V convertor & also piggy back a US sourced IR543 IR to X10 - much cheaper ex US)
                          Have sourced US based motion sensors - no mains connection so no probs for local use ... except the freq of operation - which more than likely are not supposed to be used locally **)
                          ** note that in Aust the RF component is 403MHZ (unlicenced low pwr freq band) whereas in US its lower (~300MHz ?... I think) - but both work & co-exist - provided you have receivers & transmitters for both.
                          have investigated modifying US 110V modules for 240V - its technically possible, but tricky & potentially dangerous - for my mind - not worth the risk & grief.
                          Currently building UIRT2 InfraRed unit to interface to girder & in turn Homeseer (via HSgirder plugin)
                          Also trying (spectacularly unsuccesfully to source loacl Dallas 1 wire products... to use with either TEMP008 or Dallas USB 1 wire i/f)
                          ??? anyone in Aust sourced dallas locally??

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Hi All,

                            I have been dabbling home automation for over 6 years now. My first experience with X10 was with the FreeBSD driver and TW523. I was using Tandy Plug-n-play X10 modules. They were $50 ea, then one day they had a big sale at about $6 ea! So I phone their head office and they ran a report telling me what each store had and I used the phone to order asn many as I could of various types. Over the years a number have failed in various ways and I have been lucky to have spares. Since I got Homeseer a year or so ago, I don't use X10 from my Unix server any more. I have a CM12U on the HS PC now. I have been known to use X10 to have unix tell windows it has finished the backup instead of TCP-IP on the LAN..

                            Here is an Idea of what I am using. I try to integrate as much as I can for web based control and best WAF.

                            HS 1.6, HSP2.0 (PCI modem - caller ID works!)
                            Lots of plugins/scripts doomotion, doonetwork, was using MSN plugin until microsoft removed the API. MR26 and Hawkeye movement sensors for follow lighting and occupancy. Appliance modules with PC, fish tank, watering system (not now sydney has water restrictions!), many lamp modules (my wife likes table lamps luckilly), my current house is 3 phase so I have a passive 3 phase filter/coupler in the power box- works pretty well, I do a lot with HSP and caller ID triggers and messages, I use HSP for the main house answering machine and remote voice control and web based message retreival, I have a WM918 (DSE had them half price recently) weather station and scripts for that as well as Weather-display software from NZ, I also dabble in APRS and other GPS positioning tracking tools and software.

                            A good thing about this little part of the forum is we can describe what overseas products work here so other can be confident before ordering.

                            I get stuff from Local EON3 reseller in Sydney (Caspian Technology), and direct from USA when it suits me.

                            I run all this and more on a AMD 1.3Ghz Athlon with 768MB of memory and XP home. I long ago ran out of serial ports and have a lot of success with USB to serial adapters from HArris TEchnology. A UPS and cable connection, bluetooth and 802llb LAN completes this system. Between the phone, Wifi and web I can do just about anything from anywhere at home or away.

                            My next consideration is some IR for my AV gear.

                            Cheers,

                            Phil

                            -
                            Go on.. Just click on it, nothing bad will happen..

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Phil,
                              I agree it may be useful to post our local experiences & sources for HA stuff.
                              In respect of IR for the hometheatre, Im just in the process of building UIRT2 infrared controller for use with Girder.
                              From my experience this combo of s/w & h/w seems to be quite popular.
                              You will note elsewhere on teh homeseer forum ref to HSGirder plugin - which works well as a "bridge" between Homeseer & Girder, hence X10 & IR control are "integrated" & interconnected, with added benefit that HS does its stuff well, as does girder for PC based control. Note UIRT2 & Girder (freeware) appear the best $ combo for achieving this, as compared to the commercial IR interfaces for HS - which all become incredibly expensive to "land" in Aust.... partic if you only want the IR interface functionality.... only challenge is you need to have some basic electronics contsruction skills to assemble UIRT2 h/ware.
                              Still looking for dallas 1 wire locally - which in my opinion then completes the reqts for external interface h/w....

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X