PLCBUS Plugin Access outside Homeseer
Hi Stipus,
First, let me apologize for asking some very basic questions.
BACKGROUND:
We are opening a gaming center with several gaming consoles (e.g. XBOX) connected to TV monitors. We plan to use the SmartLaunch software program (www.smartlaunch.com) to administer the gaming center operation. In a typical SmartLauch installation, the power to the TV monitor connected to each gaming console is controlled with an INSTEON module. When a new customer pays to use a gaming console, the SmartLaunch software uses an INSTEON interface to turn on the TV monitor connected to the selected gaming console. When the customer's time expires, the SmartLaunch software automatically switches off the power to this TV monitor.
THE PROBLEM:
The INSTEON modules are only available for the North American marketplace ( 120 VAC, 60 Hz) and our gaming center is located in Europe.
A POSSIBLE SOLUTION:
We would like to replace the INSTEON hardware with a PLCBUS solution. The developers of the SmartLaunch software seem open to prototyping this solution but have many competing priorities. We would like to act as their BETA site and make the required changes to their software as small and painless as possible.
We have purchased a PLCBUS 1141+ controller and several modules. We have used a terminal program (www.docklight.de) to send the required byte sequences to turn on and off modules, check signal and noise strengths, etc.
One of the SmartLaunch software developers wrote:
1. Can we access the PLCBUS API to create a .NET .dll that provides a power on and a power off function?
2. Do we need to run the Homeseer software to be able to use this .NET .dll? (We are not trying to avoid purchasing the Homeseer software - we are simply trying to keep the run environment for SmartLaunch as simple and clean as possible).
Thank you for your patience in reviewing these newbie and very basic questions.
Regards,
David (dgcrouch@rogers.com)
First, let me apologize for asking some very basic questions.
BACKGROUND:
We are opening a gaming center with several gaming consoles (e.g. XBOX) connected to TV monitors. We plan to use the SmartLaunch software program (www.smartlaunch.com) to administer the gaming center operation. In a typical SmartLauch installation, the power to the TV monitor connected to each gaming console is controlled with an INSTEON module. When a new customer pays to use a gaming console, the SmartLaunch software uses an INSTEON interface to turn on the TV monitor connected to the selected gaming console. When the customer's time expires, the SmartLaunch software automatically switches off the power to this TV monitor.
THE PROBLEM:
The INSTEON modules are only available for the North American marketplace ( 120 VAC, 60 Hz) and our gaming center is located in Europe.
A POSSIBLE SOLUTION:
We would like to replace the INSTEON hardware with a PLCBUS solution. The developers of the SmartLaunch software seem open to prototyping this solution but have many competing priorities. We would like to act as their BETA site and make the required changes to their software as small and painless as possible.
We have purchased a PLCBUS 1141+ controller and several modules. We have used a terminal program (www.docklight.de) to send the required byte sequences to turn on and off modules, check signal and noise strengths, etc.
One of the SmartLaunch software developers wrote:
I checked up on it. The way we interface the INSTEON controller in Smartlaunch is through a referenced .dll we built and we use only two functions it provides. Power on and power off. So, in theory, if you were able to make a .NET .dll for us to reference and it supplies a power on and a power off function that takes a console ID, then it should be pretty painless for us to implement the rest. I'm not sure if you have any experience with .NET programming though?
I've attached our Visual Studio 2005 project of the INSTEON control class so you can take a look at it.
QUESTIONS:I've attached our Visual Studio 2005 project of the INSTEON control class so you can take a look at it.
1. Can we access the PLCBUS API to create a .NET .dll that provides a power on and a power off function?
2. Do we need to run the Homeseer software to be able to use this .NET .dll? (We are not trying to avoid purchasing the Homeseer software - we are simply trying to keep the run environment for SmartLaunch as simple and clean as possible).
Thank you for your patience in reviewing these newbie and very basic questions.
Regards,
David (dgcrouch@rogers.com)
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