X10 Community Forum
💬General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: idbl_fanatic on February 01, 2009, 11:06:13 PM
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Ok, I didn't know where else to turn, and I know you guys are GREAT!!
I have a CCTV system at my house, that uses RCA's for inputs (Not X10) what I would like to do, is set it up so when someone presses my doorbell (wireless) it will switch whatever I am watching on TV to the camera that is pointed at my front door, so that I can see who is there. Now I know that it would just require a couple relays, and set it up as a latching setup, but I guess m problem is how would I get it to switch back afterwards?
Thanks.
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I have a CCTV system at my house, that uses RCA's for inputs (Not X10) what I would like to do, is set it up so when someone presses my doorbell (wireless) it will switch whatever I am watching on TV to the camera that is pointed at my front door, so that I can see who is there.
Interesting... I'm thinking of doing the very same thing... and maybe an extra too.
I already do an auto-detect/display (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkAwQ4KXkHA). For that display I use:
- Two auto-switching Video modulators.
- And an X10 motion sensor (PR511).
- An X10 Camera (but it could be any brand)
- A video sender/receiver pair
- A VCR Commander
- A pair of appliance modules
When the sensor is triggered, it can turn on up to 4 additional X10 unit codes (besides its own lights). One of the codes turns ON the (X10) camera... the RCA video feeds into the modulator. Another code turns on two (same code) Appliance modules that controls a video sender/receiver pair. A third code triggers a Macro in AHP. The macro sends out a RF signal for a VCR commander.
- So motion triggers sensor
- Camera images are modulated and sent wired to VCR.
- RCA off the VCR is wirelessly sent (senders/receivers) to living room TV
- 2nd modulator interupts TV signal and replaces it with camera view.
When motion stops.. the floodlight sensor (PR511) turns everything Off.
For the new doorbell camera mod I plan to hack the (RF receiver) chime and using a Powerflash Module (PF284) have the chime trigger similar events as above. Plus I intend to add having AHP cause me to be sent a video email. And a text message to my cell phone.
As you can see from the [above] link.. I also play an inside and outside voice warning when activity is detected. With a doorbell I could just have my BVC (http://www.davesdomainonline.com/bvc/bvc.htm) setup announce "a vistor is at the door".
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OK... an update to last nights post.
While I posted here I was also chatting at KDR's Home Automation Chat (http://bdshost.com/ac/). The setup isn't new... I've been using it for more than a couple years. In reviewing my setup with the guys in the room I realized it needs an update/upgrade.
Originally the TV (and the setup) wasn't HD. When I added the HD TV and new cable box.. HD selection was very limited. My only HD selection (HDMI) was for a LG HD receiver and upverting DVD player. I had a component connection for the limited free HD cable selection. But the TV was and is mostly used for watching cable (and some local) news which wasn't available in HD at the time of the setup.
Well... after posting and being grilled with questions that forced me to re-check my system AND new HD selections... I must admit my setup is out-of-date. While watching HD FOX Cable news this morning... my camera setup can NOT over-ride the HDMI video input from the cable box. As is does in the YouTube Video.
I have a couple ways to re-do this. One is to use BVC (http://www.davesdomainonline.com/bvc/bvc.htm) IR abilities to remotely switch the input to a standard video input. This could also be done using a VCR Commander. I will update the post when I get this accomplished.
Exploring my free HD selections this morning... I realized the selections are still depressingly few.
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One is to use BVC (http://davesdomainonline.com/bvc/bvc.htm) IR abilities to remotely switch the input to a standard video input. This could also be done using a VCR Commander. I will update the post when I get this accomplished.
I was thinking about this exact thing on the way into work this morning as well..............let me know how this works, I may need to switch over to an X-10 door bell though...............do they even make them?
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......, I may need to switch over to an X-10 door bell though...............do they even make them?
Well sorta (http://www.x10.com/promotions/ss13a_ed_3way_0722.html), they also do a doorbell with the big red button.
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After a pretty much full day of trying new solutions of displaying the camera views. What I've come up with is a small LCD TV I've had laying around. I re-routed the video receiver to the little [7 inch] screen TV. Then I setup an IR command in BVC. This allows BVC to turn ON [and Off] the little TV. The plan (at this point) is to frame the TV to make appear to be a digital picture frame.
One benefit of a separate TV is I can keep an eye on the driveway [while waiting for a service or repair person] yet I can still watch TV. It also seems easier to use a separate TV.. than switch back and forth from HD and standard TV.
It's not done yet... but here's a peek.... At the bottom of my BVC Fan Site (http://www.davesdomainonline.com/bvc/bvc.htm).
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After a pretty much full day of trying new solutions of displaying the camera views. What I've come up with is a small LCD TV I've had laying around. I re-routed the video receiver to the little [7 inch] screen TV. Then I setup an IR command in BVC. This allows BVC to turn ON [and Off] the little TV. The plan (at this point) is to frame the TV to make appear to be a digital picture frame.
One benefit of a separate TV is I can keep an eye on the driveway [while waiting for a service or repair person] yet I can still watch TV. It also seems easier to use a separate TV.. than switch back and forth from HD and standard TV.
It's not done yet... but here's a peek (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52BV8gyqjDc).
Cool! 8)
I love the background music! Very appropriate! :)%
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It's not done yet...
Well it IS done now... however I am going to continue to test before I post the setup.
The problem I ran into is motion sensors (or even PalmPad remotes) can cause multiple ON signals. Since the little LCD TV I am using (and every other TV I know of) uses the same IR signal for On as Off. The "power" signal just reverses the status. So if AHP receives two On signals I could end-up with two IR signals. Twice.. I watched the TV turn On... and then Off.
Of course... the solution was simple enough. I created conditional macros using flags. The On signal sets a flag, the Off clears the flag, and the condition is that the flag is cleared. I added a 3 second delay... after the power was turned on to both the TV and the video receiver. This allows the TV to power-up before it receives the IR signal.
NONE of the macro/flag setup is new in any way. I had never created a flag macro before... but had read enough about it that I knew the setup.
What is new here is using the IR to automatically turn on a TV when cameras are triggered. And that part is awesome. (When completed) my wife, or even a visitor can simply look at the screen to see who has entered the yard, driveway, or approached the door.
Adding the IR control to HA is really cool! And for the cost of the USB-UIRT (http://www.usbuirt.com/order.htm).. and BVC (http://www.wgjohns.com/bvc.htm) to control it (and more).... is well below a hunderd bucks.