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[Knightrider]

Dave,
You've truly lost your mind.  Rube Goldberg would be proud, and send my sympathy to your wife.

addition: my wife just came in and read your clapper post.  she said that she'd wring your neck herself!

[s0urc3f0ur]

now that's funny... I guess if you wantted a stobe effect you could find a clip of the begining of the song "saturday night!"

[HA Dave]

addition: my wife just came in and read your clapper post.  she said that she'd wring your neck herself!

I certainly hope I didn't offend Mrs Knightrider! But, I do think I understand her irritation. I seem to have the same problem with Kate (BVC)! She (Kate) runs along fine 24/7 then .... almost like clock-work every 4 weeks she gets cranky and ether mis-understands or just doesn't respond to me.

Of course.... with Kate... I just re-boot. With a REAL wife... I guess you just have to wait those things out.

[Tuicemen]

Of course.... with Kate... I just re-boot. With a REAL wife... I guess you just have to wait those things out.

Have you set BVC\AHP to Auto reboot Kate yet Dave?

[HA Dave]

Have you set BVC\AHP to Auto reboot Kate yet Dave?

No. I just recently found the time to start giving my system the attention it needs (and deserves). But I am now looking at intergrating some new functions using the AlertDialer and WavPlayer.

[-Bill- (of wgjohns.com)]

I've been racking my brain trying to come up with a new and fun way to use BVC (This is the holiday season and guests always want to see my HA improvements).

OK... those squeamish about NON-X10 home automation should look away... while I type the remainder of this.

The (maybe original) HA device is available this time of year (mostly in drug stores) as a gift item. Of course... I am talking about the CLAPPER.

Those that know me... also know I've been joking about the clapper for some time now. I have even taught my Kate 16 (AKA seven of nine) to sing the "Clapper song" on request. Of course... lately when I ask her to sing the clapper song... she replies: "yeah-right... pull my finger". Kate gets more like a wife everyday.

So what does a CLAPPER have to do with BVC (or AHP or even X10)? Well I am not going to walk around the house slapping MY hands against each other!

I have a lamp on an end-stand beside my favorite easy-chair. But because of it's strategic location... my wife has refused to allow me to automate it. No push buttons or voice commands for that lamp. But she can't refuse a clapper... what would be the reason... she can't find her hands late at night?

Now all I have to do is record a WAV file of both a single and a double clap (I got the Clapper PLUS). And then teach Kate (BVC) to respond to my request to: "Turn on my lamp" by playing the appropriate WAV file. The Clapper should hear the clap/WAV and turn ON/OFF my lamp. This is serious FUN with Home Automation.

I thought you were joking when we discussed this!  How imaginative, a voice command to play a clapping sound-efect to trigger a Clapper!      

[HA Dave]

I thought you were joking when we discussed this! 

I do have some SERIOUS FUN with BVC.... and Home Automation in general. And speaking of FUN... I've added an UN-Official BVC manual to my BVC Web Page.

[-Bill- (of wgjohns.com)]

I thought you were joking when we discussed this! 

I do have some SERIOUS FUN with BVC.... and Home Automation in general. And speaking of FUN... I've added an UN-Official BVC manual to my BVC Web Page.

Very cool manual Dave!   

Way more than I have managed to put together so far.

Thanks!   

[HA Dave]

In chatting will Bill (of wgjohns.com) last night in KDR's Home Automation Chat Rooms... I wondered how do people with larger HA set-ups know when their X10 devices and Macro's are activated.

I recently added a driveway alert. It works great... and I am tickled because bus traffic that passes in front of my home has made this a difficult project. At some point.. I may convert the Driveway Patrol units chime to a BVC announcement, but for now, I am content with the chime. However, warm weather will soon (I hope) be here and my (or my neighbor's) mowing could make this convenience a nuisance.

So... I plugged the chime-unit into a X10 module and set it to a house/unit code. Now it can be turned off when it might be a problem. Then I used a code from from my X10 floodlight, to automatically turn the unit back-on at dusk.

I then went to my BVC program and typed in the Voice announcements. "Driveway Alert On", "Driveway Alert Off", "The sun has set". OK... and because I have an over-active sense of humor at sunrise My BVC Kate Voice says "Cock a doodle do".

So that's what made me wonder.... how does X10 users that don't use BVC or Tuicemen's X10WavPlayer know when (and what) X10 devices are triggering around them. Sure I have a couple lights.. that turn on or off and a couple chimes too that serve as back-up warnings. But anymore and I'd need a scorecard.

I did a search.... and found a device that can add recorded sounds to X10 devices. It looks pretty sharp... but for price... I wasn't too impressed. I would think that even if BVC was only used for the added convenience of the easy to customize announcements it would be a MUST HAVE for any decent sized X10 set-up.

Plus if it wasn't for the voice commands contolling my X10.... I'd be duct-taping Palmpad remotes together.. just to have them handy.

[Puck]

So that what made me wonder.... how does X10 users that don't use BVC or Tuicemen's X10WavPlayer know when (and what) X10 devices are triggering around them. Sure I have a couple lights.. that turn on or off and a couple chimes too that serve as back-up warnings. But anymore and I'd need a scorecard.

Is there another practical way? 

Before these great add-ons, I used a Chime. Only problem with that is whenever AHP started up, they would squeal like crazy until they were unplugged. Light indicators are ok, but only good if you are in visible range.

I use both BVC & X10WavPlayer. BVC for immediate & always wanted sounds (like outside camera activations) and X10WavPlayer for condition controlled sounds (since it is called from AHP).

Similar to you Dave, I have a rooster WAV file that plays at Dawn, and a cricket WAV file that plays at Dusk. This lets us know when the lights will be in auto or manual mode as we move around.

[Agent99]

I am a relatively new user of Bills Voice Commander. When I first started using AHP I would frequently push the wrong buttons on my Palm remote because I would forget push the little slide switch for 1~8 or 9~16. Several times I would fine that I had back yard lights on that I had not noticed. Then I installed BVC and created device announcements like Dave x_10L suggested in his post. Now if I mess up and push a wrong button I get an announcement that says "Back yard Lights Are ON". This is very helpful and only a small part of what BVC can do for you. I now have many custom commands and listeners that tell me when someone is at my front door and am working on a sensor to tell me when the garage door is open. The possibilities are only limited to your imagination. As far as I am concerned a program such as Bills voice commander is a must have for any significant X10 project.

[HA Dave]

I am a relatively new user of Bills Voice Commanderr.

More and more X10 users are trying out Bill's Voice Commander. Many are also new to both X10 and the X10 forums.

I will never forget the 1st time I turned on a light by Voice Command.... what a HOOT! Now with Bill's (fully functional) free trial download.... even the "just curious" can take a minute and see what all the excitement is about.

NOTE: Don't think that turning lights On and Off is all BVC does! Bill's Voice Commander does MUCH MUCH more.

[trol1374]

  Thats a great basic setup Dave, thanks.   I know before you and Bill helped out last night I was thinking I had to add things in custom commands and such and that's what got my wires crossed.  I hadn't realized that all the commands were already there and just needed to add devices.

  How did or shall I say, what did you use to get more then one receiver (baby monitor) hooked to your computer via the line in?

[trol1374]

  Bill, I sent my "donation" last night.   Thanks again for the help getting me going.   Those that need help, I highly recommand you drop into that chat room that is linked above and see if someone is there, they are a friendly group who want to see you smile by getting things up and running.

[HA Dave]

How did or shall I say, what did you use to get more then one receiver (baby monitor) hooked to your computer via the line in?

Happy to share that information trol1374. Actually.... I even "wrote it all down" and posted the information here <that's a link. I should also mention that many BVC users are also using intercoms as an inexpensive and easy way to communicate with BVC.

s0urc3f0ur posted a GREAT write-up for a 2-way intercom mod he performed.

I highly recommand you drop into that chat room that is linked above and see if someone is there, they are a friendly group who want to see you smile by getting things up and running.

KDR's Home Automation Chat Rooms are a GREAT resource! If your looking for an X10 solution.... or just for a chance to chat with other Home Automation Users. We can't thank KDR enough for providing us with this place to meet. Everyone should stop in and check-it-out.