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[HA Dave]

I want a synthetic sounding voice for when the house warns away tresspassers.

Well you can test (and even download your file in wav format) here:  http://www.research.att.com/~ttsweb/tts/demo.php
You'll find a few voices... from good... to not so good. You can save the [wav] file to your computer for use later (see PCC) and not purchase a voice at all.

But for real and advanced HA with Voice alerts and control it would be hard to beat Vista. That isn't the way I went (have gone) but if and when I do it over... I will use Vista and Anna.

Of course... I use a BVC/AHP warning system at my home. And when the NighVision Camera is triggered, it plays a voice warning outside.... as well as inside. Although most voice alerts are only played inside.... the voice adds a great deal of extra security and safety.

Visit my WebSite to see Videos of the voice working.

[Elfmaze]

OK i have a shopping list together.   I need four light switches(Main bedroom, hallway 1, Hallway 2, and bathroom Main lights.   All are being used with CFL's so i guess ON/OFF is the only option i have.  I also need the Home Automation Software along with Smart Macros, and PCC with handle the TTS,  Might try BVC later when its all working.  one lamp Module to activate the sun timer/lamp. 

Also as an interesting note.   I'm not sure what i did but the Talking alarm clock appears to be talking to me now!  Not that i'll be using it any more.

[HA Dave]

........ one lamp Module to activate the sun timer/lamp. 

You might want to use an appliance module for that device.

Also... you shouldn't have any trouble finding dimable CFL's.

[Elfmaze]

I have seen the dimmable CFL's unfortunatly to replace all my bulbs would be a small fortune.   SO i need to use the bulbs i have(non dimming).    I have though that one of the outlet modules would be good for the sunrise timer. 

I also forgot that i need an automated way to open the blackout drapes at the same time.   I have seen that there are some different motorized versions,   i think that would be the icing on the cake to have the window and natural light come in at wake up time.   Not too mention close at bedtime to block out the summer sunset.

[HA Dave]

...I have though that one of the outlet modules would be good for the sunrise timer. 

Your sunrise timer... is a DEVICE (not a lamp/light)... that a lamp/light then plugs into. Devices should use appliance modules.

[Elfmaze]

looks like the macros will only let me use a 4.5 hour delay,  not quite the 8 hours i need for the sun timer.  i guess make two macros triggered by the same event?

update:  Or maby one macro timer can trigger a second macro timer of four hours each.  i have read that you can setup a dummy lamp module on the same code as the macro and trigger the second macro?

[tsttm]

I have been using a box( http://humboldt1.com/%7Ezerdo/index2.htm) that i have to plug in 8 hours before waking up.  It will slowly bring up the room light that is pluged into it over half an hour.   Making an effective sunrise in the room.  i have been using this tied to a standard house timer so i don't have to be ready to plug it in at the exact time when i need to get up earlie( read 4am) for work.   

After being inspired by the tony stark wake up scene.  youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXH2K2ZlrjQ
 I decided to look for something that could do this for me. 

I found the Talking Headline Alarm clock At:  http://www.kprobe.com/kprobe/THAC.htm
It theoretically will activate an X10 device,  read the weather off an RSS weather feed and then resort to some music or whatever you choose.

I have not quite gotten the talking part to work yet.  But i am looking to you're help for the X10 side.   


I understand that X10 does not do well with slowly bringing lights up over a long period of time. But i do have a module that can do just that with a good long 9 hour notice.  I wake up at different times each day from 8am to 5:30am to 4:30am thru the week.   

  My goal would be to have a smaller light start comming on a half hour before wake up.  Then at wakeup time have the alarm clock go full bright on my CFL room light,  hallway, and bathroom lights. while reading weather and then playing some radio for me. 

Sry the post has alot in it.  been brainstorming for a week now.

 

Not sure if you're content with your current surise setup..but i just wanted to say that it is possible to gety AHP to brighten slowly with the newer soft start modules.

I followed this post to get things going. I used one of the loop approaches..so it allows for very gradual increase & also easy manipulation of the macros (just change % increase or timing & the whole loop changes).

http://forums.x10.com/index.php?topic=14985.0

Changing the alarm requires changing the timer to trigger in AHP. The only caveat is you have to remember to set the timer X minutes before you want to wake up (where X is the length of time your sunrise takes)

[Elfmaze]

The new softstart modules,   Do they click everytime they are turned on?  i can't imagine a click at 5am would go over well. Part of why i decided to keep using the 8 hour delay on the sun timer. 

[tsttm]

The new softstart modules,   Do they click everytime they are turned on?  i can't imagine a click at 5am would go over well. Part of why i decided to keep using the 8 hour delay on the sun timer. 

Nope, not the lamp modules (lm465)..perfectly silent. The appliance module (lm466) does click which is annoying if it's going off in the middle of the night, but the lamp modules are perfect.

The soft start wall switch is perfectly silent too- so i have both the ceiling light (wall switch) & night table lamp go off together gradually in the morning.

ps. let us know what you did if you get the curtains to work as well. I'm curious to hear your setup.

Also, have you come across a program that will play itunes/mp3/music as an alarm- but gradually increase in volume over a set say 30 min? I've seen some that increase over 5 min, but i want something that's longer.

[Elfmaze]

hmm volume,   I have just set Internet explorer to Pandora.com as its homepage.   I don't use IE much so AHP opens IE and it automatically starts playing.  I'll think about the volume thing.  Get back to you on the curtain thing.

Are all ws467's soft start?