Home Automation

keep your fingers crossed...

Chris Williams — Thu, 16 Jun 2005 15:54:00 GMT

I submitted 3 book proposals yesterday (2 on Game Development, 1 on Home Automation).

First Attempt... wait and see

playing with firecrackers

Chris Williams — Sun, 29 May 2005 03:26:00 GMT

Well, I've been playing with my firecracker today (keep your jokes to yourself) and I have to say it's pretty cool. I grabbed an X10 library dll from Brian Vallelunga's site: here

The code below took about 5 minutes to write and now I can control the two modules that came with the firecracker just by clicking on a form button.

Next step, speech control...

Imports Vallelunga.X10
Public Class Form1
   Private DeviceID As Integer

   Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
      RadioButton1.Checked = True
   End Sub

   Private Sub LampON(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button4.Click
      SendSignal(CM17ACommand.TurnOn)
   End Sub

   Private Sub LampOFF(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button3.Click
      SendSignal(CM17ACommand.TurnOff)
   End Sub

   Private Sub ItemSelect(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles RadioButton1.CheckedChanged, RadioButton2.CheckedChanged
      If sender.Equals(RadioButton1) Then
         DeviceID = 2
      ElseIf sender.Equals(RadioButton1) Then
         DeviceID = 3
      End If
   End Sub



   Private Sub SendSignal(ByVal command As CM17ACommand)
      Dim firecracker As CM17A = CM17A.Instance("COM1")
      firecracker.SendCommand(HouseCode.B, DeviceID, command)
      firecracker.Dispose()
   End Sub
End Class

Home Control Assistant

Chris Williams — Fri, 27 May 2005 20:20:00 GMT

If you have used Home Control Assistant (v5 or v6) please contact me. I'm interested in hearing what you think of it before I spend $80 - $250 (depending on the version I get).

I'm downloading the “try before you buy” version, but I'd like to hear what others think.

I'm also looking at the software that comes with the CM15A (ActiveHome) but I've heard some pretty negative things about that one.

Thanks,

Chris

more X10 stuff

Chris Williams — Fri, 27 May 2005 13:53:00 GMT

Got home from work yesterday and there was a package on my desk. Ripped it open and it was the firecracker kit I bought on ebay.

Haven't had a chance to play with it yet, but I will be this weekend. (Michael Earls chastized me for messing with firecrackers, due to the serial interface. I'm getting the USB one soon... btw, you never replied to my last email.)

There's a few .NET & Firecracker related projects on the net already. GotDotNet and Sourceforge both have some.

This is the USB one I want to get, eventually...

ActiveHome Pro

There's just too many toys to choose from right now.

Some thoughts on Media Center Development

Chris Williams — Mon, 23 May 2005 19:00:00 GMT

Yesterday, Michael Earls posted a great entry titled:

Some thoughts on Media Center Development

http://www.cerkit.com/cerkitBlog/Some+Thoughts+On+Media+Center+Development.aspx

It's good reading, so check it out!

(oh and he received the 'NIDs I sent him, so that's cool!)

X10... Harry Potter style

Chris Williams — Sun, 22 May 2005 13:28:00 GMT

Ok I know this is just wrong... but I have small kids and it's pretty hilarious to watch them.

They haven't figured out I have X10 (and a remote control) so somehow they've come to the conclusion that this one particular lamp responds to their "magic". My 4 year old will spin around, stomp his foot and wave his hands to make the lap come on and off. over and over and over...

eventually the lamp "gets tired" and stops responding for a few hours. but I hear them in the next room trying to convince each other to sneak in and try it again.

I think my 9 year old is figuring it out although he hasn't seen my remote yet. My 6 year old is definitely convinced she has "magicpowers". Each of them has their own way of making it happen.

Eventually they'll figure it out, but until then it's a lot of fun to watch.

ok now I'm officially hooked

Chris Williams — Sat, 21 May 2005 21:08:00 GMT

I've got the X10 bug...

Stopped by the local Radio Shack on the way home from helping a co-worker move. had some well-earned cash burning a hole in my pocket, so I grabbed a couple of X10 compatible goodies. Spent about $40. They didn't have anything to tie into my PC, but I know where I can find that stuff online. Once I buy that, I'll already have some of the add on modules from today's purchase.

Until then... *click* the lamp goes on... *click* the lamp goes off... *click* the lamp goes on...

God I'm so lazy.

evening ketchup

Chris Williams — Tue, 17 May 2005 04:58:00 GMT

Installed SourceSafe 2005 (just the client tools for now)... nice and easy. picked up my existing 6.0d server no problem, and all my SourceControl bindings in HA! are working peachy again. I guess I'll wait a while longer on implementing Vault. Now I just need a decent bug tracker. My wife is getting tired of me writing on the wall (ok technically it's a big whiteboard that I never erase)

I'm DL'ing the Speech SDK as I type this, along with Win XP Media Center Edition 2005 (CD1 & 2)

I see the XNA page has been updated with some very cool looking stuff: XNA

Microsoft's "Wonder Twins" program ends at the end of this month. What's that? check it out! (yes there are limitations, but it's still cool!)

I've ordered a retail kit for checking out Speech Server (2-3 weeks... *sigh*) I wonder if any of my friends can hook me up with a CD to play with... guys? anyone? Bueller?

transmitted my application to the academy... oh wait, nevermind... wrong fantasy. (48 hours & 6 minutes until I'm sitting on the edge of my seat watching the movie I've been awaiting for the last 28 years)

priced some various X10 starter kits, actually not that pricey although the one kit I was interested in has a serial port thingy instead of USB, which I would prefer. Although it's not like I actually use my serial ports for anything.

Would the guy who took a bazillion pics of me giving my talk at Atlanta Code Camp please drop me a line? I figure at least a couple of them had to turn out alright. :)

Bill has acknowledged my gauntlet, as it were. heh. I'm curious about adding a little twist to it. I'd love to use the (ebay and/or amazon) SDK in conjunction with media center (little popup messages while I'm watching a movie). Throw in a little home automation (via X10) to turn a certain lamp on whenever I'm within 5 minutes of losing an auction and letting me up my bid via voice command (speech server)!! Wow if I could work from home (actually I can) I'd never leave the couch again... (not true actually... my wife would make me)

I'm trying to get Max Karpov to come visit our group, or my job, either one. He's up for it, I just have to work out the logistics. I think our core (oops, almost said the "I word") team would benefit from meeting him.

Inspiring others to greatness...

Chris Williams — Tue, 17 May 2005 03:55:00 GMT

If I don't have a working demo using XP media Center edition, X10 and Speech Server by June 1st, please feel free to write me and remind me that I am a lazy procrastinating windbag.

It would seem the challenge has been made, the gauntlet thrown, the line drawn... Bill Ryan's blog

You've got 2 weeks Bill...

home automation

Chris Williams — Mon, 16 May 2005 18:25:00 GMT

Ever since I caught the home automation bug at the Atlanta Code Camp... I've been thinking about cool stuff I can do with it. Bill Ryan and Michael Earls both gave me some GREAT ideas. (Neither of their presentations were strictly on that topic, but both of them touched on it in ways that got me thinking.)

The problem is, I don't have the first clue on what to buy or where to get started. I've been to www.x10.com and a couple other sites, but until I really figure out what it is I want to accomplish I should probably hold off on dumping a bunch of cash into it.

So at this point, I'm curious... what kind of stuff have any of you good folks done? I'd like to hear about it. Post a comment or send me an email. The more info, the better. I know I'm gonna end up spending WAY too much cash once I get firmly hooked, so I want to make my initial investment worthwhile.

As I learn more, I'll blog about it, so expect to learn more with me. ;) I've added a Home Automation channel to my blog, and you can pick up the feed here