Subject: From: Date:

Re: [ECS] HomeVision, ECS and Intercoms Dave Kolb Sun, 6 Jun 1999 01:27:22 -0400

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Basically I want an intercom system that can play or record .wav files using
the PC or HV and I "think" used a cordless phone for control and talking.

Using HV and ECS and whatever else, I "think" I would like to do the
following:

1. use the cordless phone to control HV. I understand I can do that OK.

2. Have a speaker and mic of some sort at the front door so that a guest can
be spoken to even prior to them wanting to buzz and talk since I noticed
them approaching via a chime off a motion detector and had the camera show
them approaching onto the TV pip. Also, the guest could leave a message
after being prompted by the phone recorder or a .wav file if no one picked
up the phone.

3. Have small dedicated speakers in several rooms (not the music speakers
which could be off) that can hear the front door (mike) or other rooms in
the house (using a phone) asking for someone to talk to. I would use a
cordless phone to announce over a particular (or all) speakers and ask that
whom I'm looking for pick up the phone so we could talk.

4. Have the computer or HV be able to play a .wav file over one or more of
these speakers when security was breached to warn me and warn the intruder.

Even if I can do all this somehow, I'm concerned about what happens if
someone is already using the phone and I want to page someone.

Is there a better approach to all of this?

Maybe I'm making this too complicated. I've never had an "real" intercom and
so I'm not exactly sure how they work in respect to multiple rooms and
paging for someone. Maybe that's what I need - a real intercom with a way to
have the PC play a .wav file into it or capture a file from it.

I'm pretty new to many aspects of the home automation stuff but understand
computers OK and I've decided to jump into HA with both feet and realize
I'll quickly be over my head. But I'm doing a major remodel and have to sort
out at least what wiring I want and make the "plan" like right now as I'll
have lots of sheetrock removed for other reasons and don't want to do that
part again. I've got several areas worked out but have not come to a good
solution for the "intercom" part. For instance, after doing LOTS of research
on stereo switchers for instance I concluded it would be best (a LOT cheaper
and more reliable) to just buy multiple cheap receivers to play music in
pairs of rooms setup as a zone. I can get a nice Sony DE135 for $149 at
most. I have 4 zones of two rooms each. It would cost me easily $2000-$3500
to get an audio switcher and amps and keypads but I can get 4 receivers for
$600 total and if I make sure I get zoned IR connecting blocks I should be
able to control the multiple receivers for "free" - I get a lot more WATTS
and two room zones I can turn on/off seperate.

Thanks for any and all suggestions,

Dave Kolb

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Gilmore <omnip@usit.net>
To: ecs-list@netbloc.com <ecs-list@netbloc.com>
Date: Saturday, June 05, 1999 8:30 AM
Subject: Re: [ECS] HomeVision, ECS and Intercoms


>Dave,
>I don't quite follow.
>Please give a step-by-step description of
>what you want to happen (without regard to
>ECS specifics). Tanx
>
>Dave Kolb wrote:
>>
>> Is there a means using HomeVision and ECS to use a cordless phone to send
a
>> message over some selected (from several sets) dedicated speakers telling
>> them to pick up the phone?
>>
>> A better way to integrate HV, ECS and an inexpensive intercom solution?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Dave Kolb
>
>--
>Mark Gilmore
>Omnipotence (ECS Home Automation Software)
>omnip@usit.net
>http://www.usit.com/omnip

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