Hi!
I'm in the "phase 2" of my domotics project. "Phase 1" was, when I made proper renewal works in my flat last year, installing all x10 receivers (for lights, electrical heaters, extractor fans, servovalves for AC ducts, shutters, etc...), that we have been using manually since (momentary switches). I have also wired the house with CAT5 and speakers cables all along the perimeter of the flat.
In this "phase 2" I have purchased a low voltage PC with serial ports + touchscreen (not controller, just a Dell multitouch monitor) + HS. This is aimed to do the automatic control of the house.
My plan was that the control should be receiving x10 signals from:
My problem is that the reseller of Ocelot in Europe is not selling it anymore (they tell me "US supplier is out of business"...?). Besides, Ocelot + Bobcat + IR + ... was quite expensive, and old. I've read about new version Firecat for a while, but doesn't seem to be a short term solution. All in all, I'm looking for alternatives for the 3 requirements above. Any suggestion?
My comments on what I know so far:
Thanks
Alex
I'm in the "phase 2" of my domotics project. "Phase 1" was, when I made proper renewal works in my flat last year, installing all x10 receivers (for lights, electrical heaters, extractor fans, servovalves for AC ducts, shutters, etc...), that we have been using manually since (momentary switches). I have also wired the house with CAT5 and speakers cables all along the perimeter of the flat.
In this "phase 2" I have purchased a low voltage PC with serial ports + touchscreen (not controller, just a Dell multitouch monitor) + HS. This is aimed to do the automatic control of the house.
My plan was that the control should be receiving x10 signals from:
- motion sensors (I have wired all locations where I plan to install them)
- other x10 controllers (I have adapted some switches with x10 transmitters for applications like ambient selection or "leaving home" and so)
- temperature and humidity sensors all around the house
- AVs should also be controlled by the PC by means of IR signals
- interface my PC with x10 devices
- receive/send IRs from/to the remote/AV devices (Home Cinema, etc...)
- read temperature and humidity with its Bobcat sensors wired with the CAT5 cable in serial
My problem is that the reseller of Ocelot in Europe is not selling it anymore (they tell me "US supplier is out of business"...?). Besides, Ocelot + Bobcat + IR + ... was quite expensive, and old. I've read about new version Firecat for a while, but doesn't seem to be a short term solution. All in all, I'm looking for alternatives for the 3 requirements above. Any suggestion?
My comments on what I know so far:
- for x10 interfacing, I have made some preliminary tests with the CM15 + HS I have, and I've read it is not fully supported. In my case, I was not able to create an efficient set of macro setting a dim % for each light appliance for different "ambients". It goes sequentially one by one, very slowly, and I could not just send the dim % absolute; I need to first bright to 100% and then dim by x%. Everytime I run the macro, the lights would reach a different dim level... I believe that with other x10 interfaces fully supported by HS(and some more tests... I'm a bit dumb at this), I should get better results... right? Well, this is the first thing I need. What x10 interface shall I use?
- what can I use as an alternative to Ocelot for IR? My PC would be receiving commands from Logitech Harmony 1000 and IR remotes, and should be sending IR signals to the different devices
- Temperature and humidity (and maybe light, contact, etc...): this is the trickiest point. Bobcats were expensive, but were said to work seamlessly with Ocelot and HS. What alternatives do I have? I've read a bit about xAp and 1wire... seems very complex to me from a language point of view but I may be able to do. For hardware, I need to go deep into interfacing PC and the sensors, but as far as I understood, it is serial, and my CAT5 wiring could do, right? Any suggestion?
Thanks
Alex
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