| ECS-L Home Automation and Security Archives |
| Subject: From: Date: | Re: [ECS] ECS X-10 Interface... Dan Hoehnen Mon, 4 Jan 1999 10:50:32 -0500 (EST) |
Mark, Devlin, and others, I am an HV user, not ecs, but I can shed some light on the digital temp sensor issue. HV uses an analog input to monitor the digital temp sensors. Since each temp sensor has its own id number, all sensors are multi-dropped on the same analog input port. HV handles polling each sensor to get its temp value. Thus, I don't think you can just read the AI normally, if at all, to get the value. You could have your hv schedule read each temp sensor periodically and then send that value out the serial port and have ecs looking for that message. You should really ask this question in the HV mailing list to see if there is another way. I can't recommend a remote IO unit for you, but I can make a few comments on serial cabling. RS-232 should use a shielded cable, not twisted pair. That doesn't mean twisted pair won't work, but twisted pair won't give you the noise immunity you may need, where the shielded cable will. I don't remember the exact spec's for rs-232 distances, but I know the lower the baud rate, the longer cable you can run. I also know that from personal experience I have exceeded the spec length and had no problems. It all depends on the baud rate, the distance, the cable and the noise in the area. For longer serial runs you may need to use rs-485. This uses a twisted pair to get its noise immunity. You can buy a 232 to 485 converter to place at each end of the serial cable so each end can still be a standard rs-232 device. I'd probably start with running both types of cable and then try the shielded cable using rs-232. I feel pretty confident this would work in my house at 150 feet, especially if I had the option to reduce the baud rate to less than 9600. If that didn't work, I'd go to rs-485 using the twisted pair cable and put a converter at each end. There are some network IO devices available too. I have a link to at least 1 such device on my HA Index page (url below). I'm guessing that this would be the most costly solution, though. On Mon, 4 Jan 1999, Mark Gilmore wrote: > Hi Devlin, > I am not intimate with the HV temp sensors, but I would assume > that they would be accessed via the normal digital-inputs > (on main board or expansions), which are supported by ECS. > Your cable question is above my head, but I would expect > a knowledgable response will be forthcoming from another > ECS user. > > Devlin wrote: > > > > Greetings: > > > > Can you use ECS to control the full version of homevision (the one that runs > > without a PC)? If you can, can you still use the homevision expansion board > > that allows the use of digitel temperature sensors? The homevision page > > says that this board will not work with homevisionPC. > > > > I am also trying to pick an x10/analog/digital input interface. I would > > like to put it in a closet ~150' from my computer. Will this work ok with > > cat 4 twisted pair? Alternatively I could put a 4 port lan hub in the > > closet - can you connet to that? > > > > Regards, > > > > Jim Devlin > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: David Rabin [mailto:d-rabin@nwu.edu] > > Sent: Sunday, January 03, 1999 12:18 PM > > To: ecs-list@netbloc.com > > Subject: Re: [ECS] ECS X-10 Interface... > > > > i would buy homevision. > > it has ir, and digital inputs and outputs. you can add analog inputs. > > if you buy homevision pc it needs a computer turned on running ecs but if > > you buy regular homevison you can run its software as standalone without a > > computer turned on so you have more flexibility (tho this may be heresy on > > the ecs list) and i have homevision and like it...tech support is > > unbeatable and it works fine (i am told) with all versions of ecs.the ir is > > a learning ir and it works fine for me and i have never had an ir signal it > > didnt work with... > > > > david > > > > At 12:39 PM 1/3/99 -0500, you wrote: > > >Hello, > > > > > >Having recently freed up some time to download and peruse ECS lite, I > > >see that it supports a number of X-10 interfaces, which I obviously need > > > > > >to get ECS to do anything useful. > > > > > >My question is: which is the best interface (and from where to purchase > > >it) to use with ECS? I would like to control not only X-10 devices but > > >digital and analog devices in the future, as well. The descriptions of > > >the devices in ECS are good and allow me to reduce the list to those > > >that do not suport digital/analog I/O. > > > > > >I have seen a lot of chatter about the Mico-Redac interface device which > > > > > >seems to do everything I want, but cannot find it for sale. I have > > >found Applied Digital's web site, but see no mention of the device > > >there. > > > > > >Thanks in advance for your input, > > > > > >Stephen Weiss > > >seweiss@fast.net > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > Mark Gilmore > Omnipotence (Home Automation Software) > omnip@usit.net > http://www.usit.com/omnip > Dan Hoehnen dhoehnen@infinet.com He who dies with the most toys, wins! ************************************************************************* * Home Automation Index: http://www.infinet.com/~dhoehnen/ha/list.html * * * * ACE Home Automation Software - Supports HomeVision, ECS and most * * other automation systems - Caller ID, Text-to-Speech, Internet * * and intranet support, Touchscreen support, much more... * * * * Port16.ocx & Port32.ocx - Give Visual Basic access to I/O ports * * * * http://www.infinet.com/~dhoehnen/software/ * *************************************************************************