| |
|
May
2010 |
Updated
current devices. |
Sep
2008 |
After
several years I thought I would update the site to reflect my
current home automation efforts in the US. These days the home
automation is much simpler with so many more devices available
off the shelf. |
| May
2003 |
A
few people have asked about my camera control program, so
I have decided to release the program free of charge. All
I ask if that if you would like to contribute to its further
development you can (via Paypal).
I will
be putting the program on the site over the next few days.
In the mean time if you are interested in beta testing, just
drop me a line.
Note:
The BDLCAM program can be used to control several PTZ cameras
locally or via the web. The program does not handle the streaming
of the video, there are several existing programs that can
take care of that bit. I use Ivista, but BDLCAM will work
equally well with other programs such as webcam32. |
| March
2003 |
Due
to time commitments I have not been keeping the log up to date
but below are some of the additions. |
| |
Using
Toshiba e740 Pocet PC as an additional remote thanks to:
TV Remote from http://www.pdawin.com/tvremote.html
and PDA-IR extender from http://www.myelectricdog.com/PDA-ir.htm
The great thing about this combination is you can use any
pronto ccf file, which was idea for me as I already had a Pronto
Note: The only thing I dislike about
the TV Remote software is that if you hold your finger on a
button it doesn't auto repeat like a real Pronto does. It is
a little annoying on functions like volume+/-, I'm hoping this
will be fixed in a later release. |
| |
Previously
I had used MS IIS webserver and asp to control various devices.
I decided to create a VB program to allow control of serial
devices without the need for a webserver being installed.
The program currently works with:
- Picturetel
PTZ-1
- Picturetel
PTZ-2N
- Sony
EVI-D30/1
- Sony
EVI-G20/1
- Panasonic
video conferencing camera
Take a look for
yourself at: http://www.bdlhome.dns2go.com:81 |
| |
Xbox
modification - Won't say too much but just to say X-ecuter2
Pro and XBMP are great. |
| |
Low
power FM transmitter added to the main media PC to allow us
to listen to MP3's anywhere in the apartment. |
| |
|
| 27th
May 2002 |
Well
the RedRat has been repaired
and is on its way back to me, thanks again Chris. |
| 18th
May 2002 |
Had
problems with the RedRat
aided by me placing the wrong PSU on the unit and toasting a
few components, so no IR control at the moment. I wrote to Chris
Dodge the who immediately responded offering to repair the unit.
Not bad service considering I originally purchased the unit
in 1999. |
| 1st
Mar 2002 |
I
have now added support for the Tivo remote, this can be seen
on the web
control panel . This will allow us to access the Tivo remotely
and schedule recordings etc. |
| 28th
Feb 2002 |
Added
a second Ivista VS800 switch but controlled by my own program
not Ivista. This allows me to change the input on camera 4 using
the web
control panel. The next stage will be to use the RedRat
to allow me to set the video or Tivo remotely. |
| 26th
Feb 2002 |
Found
another use for RedRat2 from Chris
Dodge Now I can ontrol the blinds remotely via the internet.
This was achieved by using an IR distribution block as described
at http://www.dodgies.demon.co.uk/FAQ/RR2Faq.html |
| 1st
Feb 2002 |
Installed
8 additional comports in US HAL 8 port PCI card from http://www.comtrol.com
Camera 4 is now password protected to allow privacy on internal
camera |
| 13th
Oct 2001 |
Added
some links to n-homelnks.html
|
| 12th
Oct 2001 |
|
Installed
http://www.arialphone.com
.I can see I'm going to have some fun with this unique product
that fills a gap that has been in my home automation system
from the beginning. |
| 8th
Oct 2001 |
Added
links to webcams on main menu |
| Sep
2001 |
Added
link to http://www.arialphone.com
a wireless headset with PC integration/voice recognition. This
is a very interesting product that could well have a big place
to play in home automation. |
| 1st
Apr 2001 |
Updated
links n-homelnks.html removed
dead links and added a few new ones incl http://www.pigselectronics.com/ |
| Feb
2001 |
HAL
goes to America! - In Feb 2001 I moved to the US with my Job.
It wasn't long before my apartment in NY was to get its first
X10 Device! |
| 7th
Oct 2000 |
Added
incoming SMS functionality to HAL. Includes the ability to turn
heating on/off update the web pages. I have also added the ability
to instruct HAL to initiate a RAS connection for a number of
minutes. The intention for this is to enable me to create some
live pages using PWS without having to have a permanent Internet
connection. |
| 30th
Sep 2000 |
Added
a couple of links to the hardware section of the links page
n-homelnks.html |
| 15th
Jul 2000 |
Installed
RF Keyboard (with built-in mouse) purchased from www.letsbuyit.com.
I have been very impressed with the range of the unit, with
HAL in the loft the keyboard appears to work from anywhere in
the house. |
| 20th
Dec 1999 |
Added
links to n-homelnks.html page
including Milford Instruments who amongst other things are a
UK supplier of BOBII on screen display unit. |
| 5th
Oct 1999 |
 |
Added
SMS facility to HAL. When someone calls the house and we are
out the date, time and tel number of the caller is SMS'd to
my mobile phone. |
| 4th
Oct 1999 |
|
Using
an alternative PIC chip I have got the UIR device working. Its
still a bit of a mess (as you can see) mainly due to having
to adapt the circuit from the original 8 pin chip to the alternative
18 pin chip. |
| 3rd
Oct 1999 |
Added
port section to n-Current Units
page. It maps what devices are attached to what ports. |
| 3rd
Oct 1999 |
Built
UIR unit but can not get unit to function!. I believe the problem
lies with the PIC chip but have not been able to get the circuit
to work. |
| 1st
Oct 1999 |
The
Entegra 6 Port Multi-Function
USB Hub arrived today (Click
here to see the doorbell video capture in action). The unit
appears to be a very cost effective way of adding 4 additional
serial ports. As I've said before you can never have to many
com ports. |
| 30th
Sep 1999 |
Order
components for maplins to build UIR to RS232 unit as described
at http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Sector/3863/uir/index.html |
| 29th
Sep 1999 |
Ordered
Entegra USB 6 port hub (4 RS232 and 2 USB) from www.dabs.com |
| 26th
Sep 1999 |
Pressing
9 on Status Screen 2 now displays
the snapshot taken when the doorbell was last pressed. The snapshot
is overlayed on top of the live video feed. Status
Screen 2 (with doorbell snapshot) |
| 24th
Sep 1999 |
Added
Doorbell history to Status Screen
1 |
| 23rd
Sep 1999 |
Marantz
RC5000 arrived this morning, its a great piece of kit as
was the service from www.letsautomate.com |
| 23rd
Sep 1999 |
HAL
now takes a snapshot of Camera2 when the doorbell is pressed.
The snapshot is also uploaded and now appears on the hal-status
page. |
| 22nd
Sep 1999 |
Interfaced
Cordless Doorbell to Hal via the joystick port. Hal now
logs when the doorbell is pressed and automatically switches
to the CCTV camera on the front door and displays videofeed
status screen on the TV. |
| 21st
Sep 1999 |
Ordered
a RC5000 Marantz remote control from www.letsautomate.com |
| 10th
Sep 1999 |
Installed
second camera, pointing at the front door. To see latest snapshots
take a look at the hal-status
page. I've now set to work on modifying our cordless doorbell
so that HAL will know when someone's at the door. |
| 7th
Sep 1999 |
Installed
the first of the cameras on the front of the house pointing
at the road. Updated the code to allow the system to support
up to 8 cameras. |
| 5th
Sep 1999 |
Completed
code to capture stills from CCTV cameras and upload to hal-status
page on the web. The picture in the bottom left frame is connected
to the capture device. The camera is currently pointing at the
screen of HAL in the loft until I get around to putting the
CCTV cameras outside. |
| 4th
Sep 1999 |
Purchased
Belkin USB Videobus capture
device from PC-World Lakeside (also available form Action).
For details of the Belkin and other USB capture device see USB
capture devices page. |
| 28th
Aug 1999 |
Added
4th option to the IVR system to allow a forced update of the
web by phone. This was done to keep the call costs down. Rather
than update the web every hour\day etc, I can now call HAL and
request the update. This means that the information will be
totally up to date and have the added bonus of keeping the call
costs down. |
| 23rd
Aug 1999 |
Setup
automated FTP so that the log file containing callerid information
is uploaded to the net. In the very near future this will be
used to upload the status of the house including pictures from
CCTV cameras. My aim is to add an additional option to the IVR
part of the system. When selected HAL would instigate an FTP
session and transfer status files. |
| 23rd
Aug 1999 |
Added
details of USB capture devices to
Home automation links page. I
intend to use one of these devices to capture video or stills
from the CCTV cameras. I am looking at USB in an attempt to
avoid IRQ conflicts. With a machine that has 6 com ports IRQ's
are a rare commodity!. |
| 22nd
Aug 1999 |
Moved
the Hayes Accura modem to the
2nd Tel line and reverted to using PC1 callerid box on the 1st
line. |
| 21st
Aug 1999 |
Added
Link to http://www.letsautomate.com/
UK supplier of Home Automation equipment with on-line ordering
facility. |
| 1st
Aug 1999 |
Changed
the Status Screen on TV to include
callerid history, previously it only showed the last call. |
| 29th
Jul 1999 |
Upgraded
the PC running HAL
to give more power and flexibility for future developments.
Hal is now a 400Mhz Celeron based PC running Windows 98 with
32Mb Ram, 8.4Gb HD and 8Mb ATI Xpert@Play graphics card. |
| 26th
Jul 1999 |
Implemented
first IVR module to HAL. The functionality the PC1 CallerID
unit and Telephone responder (TR551)
have now been replaced with the Hayes
Accura modem using TAPI support. |
| 19th
Jul 1999 |
Upgraded
the machine that HAL runs on from Windows 3.11 to Windows95
to allow the additional 32bit code required for telephone support.
This is pushing the machine to the limits as it is only a 486
25Mhz with 8Mb of RAM and a 240Mb Harddisk. |
| 4th
Jul 1999 |
Although
a gave up with the PACE modem some time ago I Finally admitted
defeat today and purchased a External Hayes Accura 56K modem.
The Exceltel test program along with a few others all worked
first time with the Accura. All I can say about Pace is although
it appeared to be a very good modem the TAPI support seams not
to be as good as the Accura and that Pace Technical support
were of little help. |
| 7th
Feb 1999 |
Experimented
with Exceltel Teletools free 30 day evaluation. Although I am
having problems getting it to play and record wav files using
my PACE modem. |
| 6th
Feb 1999 |
Added
a link to ExceleTel Teletools-
ExceleTel TeleTools™ is a computer telephony (CT) developers
tool kit. It lets you easily build telephony features into Windows-based
applications. |
| 6th
Feb 1999 |
Wrote
a VB5 program (RedRat2.zip) to help
build a database of commands for the RedRat2. Testing has gone
well and RedRat2 works with all InfraRed devices I have tested
it with. |
| 18th
Jan 1999 |
RedRat2
arrived this morning (thanks Chris). It's very easy to use,
I had HAL controlling the TV in a matter of minutes. This little
beauty will come in to its own until when I get the Voice recognition
working. |
| 14th
Jan 1999 |
 Finally
got around to boarding the loft, hoping to finish it by this
weekend. Should make my HAL setup much neater and easier to
work on. |
| 12th
Jan 1999 |
Added
a link to Chase Research
PLC a UK supplier of multi-port I/O cards (you can never
have enough Com ports) |
| 11th
Jan 1999 |
Ordered
a beta RedRat2 from Chris
Dodge |
| 9th
Jan 1999 |
Updated
the HAL code to allow support for the Pace 56 Voice Modem as
well as my existing CID unit from Solwise |
