Subject: From: Date:

Re: [ECS] ECS and CAN and/or Slink-E Steve Letkeman Tue, 16 Mar 1999 09:14:06 -0700

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-----Original Message-----
From: David Mccoll <thishouse@home.com>
To: ecs-list@netbloc.com <ecs-list@netbloc.com>
Date: Tuesday, March 16, 1999 1:39 AM
Subject: Re: [ECS] ECS and CAN and/or Slink-E


>Plix was a good idea but it never really panned out. You can use it with
ECS
>through the Serial-Port-Byte item which will allow 2-way X-10 control, but
>as far as I know you won't be able to use the PLC-Command and PLC-Button
>items which are very useful features of ECS. Most other features can be
>duplicated by using ECS's State-Holder type items. Keep the TW523 you may
>need it.
>
>If you want to get a fully supported interface, what options are you
looking
>for and what sort of price range ?
>
>David M
>thishouse@home.com


I made an impulse purchase last night at 11 pm to get in on the X-10 sale
so I ended up with

1    ActiveHome Kit
3   Hawkeye Motion detectors
3   Decorator Dimmer Switches
4   Sticka Switch 3D - Remote Wall Switches
1   TV Buddy (???)
1   Palm Pad Controller
1   Thermostat Set-Back Controller
1   8-in-1 Learning SuperREMOTE

for $106 US.  I figure I can't go too wrong for the price and I can always
change
my mind for the X-10 interface later.
My main concern is to get a reliable communication happening to my CAN
network.  I already have a number of nodes around the house and can monitor
dead bolt status, door status, and window status(open, closed, 8" open,
wire(s)
cut, wires shorted and tamper) all through two wires.
I would like to have voice annouce capability, dial out alarm with voice and
IR
detection.  I already have a Win95 machine displaying a floor plan with door
and
window states as icons and the VGA output to a VGA->NTSC convertor and then
into a channel plus convertor to channel 92 for display on any tv.   I don't
want to
spend the rest of my time programming the PC when I can purchase something
useful like ECS.  I would rather spend my time building hardware gadgets.
  I have ten turn pots on the garage doors to tell what position they're in
and video
cameras for the front and back that haven't been mounted yet, not to mention
the
running a business thing....

Steve


Zanthic Technologies Inc. located at    http://www.zanthic.com
68HC11/CAN (Controller Area Network) Development Systems and other
PC CAN interfaces including the CAN-4-EPP (Enhanced Parallel Port)

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