Morning everyone,
Well its been a while since the last post but things have really come together well for the Aussie X10 setup.
Winplus our local distributor has posted back a spanking new CM11A, Lamp Module and RF module yah.
I have had the Computer CM19 working just fine ever since the last post, in face I have not even had to reboot the computer, this is a total turn around since using the CM11A's.
As I have mentioned in previous posts, I installed some outdoor speakers around the property, well I have added a few more speakers because A to hear the radio/music when in the garden and B, to alert the neighbors if one of the alarms is activated. These have been connected from an Amp to Low Voltage Appliance Modules and then out to the associated speakers. There are four lines outside with two speakers each connected to four Low Voltage Appliance Modules and then into ports on the Amp.
As I had a box of unused key rings remotes, I added an extra one of these to everyone's keys which enables them to turn speakers on in whatever part of the garden they are in, button 4 activates all speakers in the garden. I used the trusty label machine to differentiate between the remotes. The radio is controlled by an appliance module and is set to activate in addition to its preset schedule when any of the four buttons of the remotes are pressed.
I was really getting worried not having a panic/emergency alarm since the failure of the CM11A's so I hunted through the Home Domination program and found that it was perfect for running wav. files. I began to recreate the alarm with the usual all appliance off commands, all lights on, garden lights to full, flashing driveway lights and then used Verbose text to speech to build voice wav files.
Now when the alarm is activated, Home Domination again sends out emails to work, Blackberry's asking the person to call my emergency VOIP phone that is set to Auto-answer on the X10 Computer. I installed eight microphones throughout the house linked to the one input on the computer so no matter where you are in the house, theoretically you should be able to converse with the person on the phone who's voice comes through the speaker. If an emergency happens outside within the grounds of the house, button four on the house keyring remote sets the alarm off sending additional emails telling the recipients that the alarm was set off outside. I used button 3 on all RF Keypads around the home and on the deck as the trigger for the alarm so it is universal and easy to remember. Unfortunately the mother and law did not have her glasses on the other night and set the alarm off, oh boy did I get it.
The other half ordered 5 motion sensors and a US CM19 for me that arrived the other day.
Since studying the American VS Europe equipment and costing and the fact that I cant easily find a off the shelf step down transformer, I though I would stick to motion sensors and the US CM19 connected to an old laptop also running Home Domination. From here I would use a patch cable connected to the existing X10 computer through a USB cheap sound card and then out via the X10 computer speaker system.
This way there is no power line use and no power conversion to worry about. What I badly wanted in the setup was to install more motion sensors on the property with voice readouts when motion is detected.
The setup is now working even better than I could imagine and there is no doubt about it, the US system is pretty neat!
So in summary the Australian/Europe motion detectors are in charge of device activation with the US system only giving voice readings of whats happening where.
As the setup is getting bigger everything is getting messier so to avoid divorce a dedicated X10 room was needed so I cleared a storeroom in the back and relocate the computers and systems in there. Its great having a control room but my next task is to get some US X10 cameras to put around the place. I ran cheap PVC pipes through the ceilings on each floor of the house and also to all parts of the garden to house the cables and speakers you name it. Having cords just lay around the house was not an options.
There was a on-line outlet that was having a clearance sale on garden lights/spotlights you name it at $4AUD a unit! I purchased 60 of these and the place has never looked so great at night. Lucky the transformers were also only $4 also so I was able to get seven of these. After connecting them to Appliance modules and by using the Australian motion sensors, a walk through the garden is like never before. The other night while walking through the yard, one of the spotlights came on and there was a Koala happily munching on a Gum leaf up the tree, amazing.
Bit by bit the system is coming together, now I have to work out what to do with my CM11A's, I hate walking by them and having them lay idle.
Any recommendations of what to do with the CM11A's would be great.
Cheers,
Dave
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Topic: My Aussie X10 Home (Read 50568 times)