Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
How do I go about home automation ? — Parallax Forums

How do I go about home automation ?

mickalmickal Posts: 75
edited 2011-01-31 09:46 in General Discussion
Could I get some tips about controlling home with a microcontroller ? After watching this vid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPVqNfDXwLc&feature=related I thought be fun to try but how I dont really have a clue. I have found some searches that used/sold devices plugged in to power points and controlled via RF. Somehow I think the majority of you would ,if at all interested would be accomplishing this at a lower level, meaning better/not as expensive. I would like to hear from anyone who has done anything like this !

Thanks.

Comments

  • ercoerco Posts: 20,260
    edited 2011-01-28 14:38
    X10 modules have been around for over 30 years to control things through your existing house wiring: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X10_Wireless_Technology

    Also, you can get IR remotes and modules:

    http://cgi.ebay.com/Appliance-Universal-Remote-Control-up-10-devices-/200516946882?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eafbdcbc2
  • Coder96Coder96 Posts: 42
    edited 2011-01-28 14:48
    I use INSTEON base products for my home automation.

    The wiring is way simpler. And if you really want to add some microcontroler brains there are serial interface devices.

    Remember any one at your house has to be able to use the system too.
  • icepuckicepuck Posts: 466
    edited 2011-01-28 15:58
    Back in the 1980's founder of circuitcellar Steve Ciarcia had his own ideas of what a home automation should be.
    Some historical info worth reading can found at

    http://hcs.sourceforge.net/history.html

    Before that he spent some time with Byte Magazine

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byte_%28magazine%29

    and the magazine he founded

    http://www.circuitcellar.com/
    -dan
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2011-01-28 20:28
    Much depends on how ambitious you want to be.

    X10 works, but can have problems with security or noise on the electrical line.

    IR is excellent for remote control in one line of sight area.

    Traditional LAN is useful if you want to have a lot of computers connected together, but has its own security issues if you are hooked to the web.

    Another alternative, that I prefer is CANbus as it is isolated from the web; it has very simple and safe wiring demands; and it can be entirely independent of a LAN and web services.

    I must admit that CANbus does require some study, but the Propeller OBEX library has objects for it. I doubt if you will have more than 20 nodes in one home, but it can handle far more - and it can handle nodes at some distance, like a garden gate or outbuildings or outdoor security lighting. There are also a variety of ways to prevent it being hacked into: [1] your own network setup, [2] choosing an oddball frequency for the crytals that drive the bus, [3] hiding cable installations. All the wire you need is a twisted pair, but you may want to add power in the same cable for backup from gel cells if your AC power goes completely out.
  • $WMc%$WMc% Posts: 1,884
    edited 2011-01-29 11:41
    I would use a PC and some stamps or propellers in a host/node set-up.The PC is the host and the micros are the nodes.A really simple set-up
    '
    Take a look at Just Basic. This is a free basic compiler for a windows machine.(maybe MAC too, not sure) It works really well with the stamps and the propeller.
    '
    You can make a nice custom GUI (graphical human interface) This is icons on your computer screen. click the icon to turn on or off etc.
    '
    You can also collect data from the stamps or the propellers and send it back to the PC for display ,like temperature, door/window open or closed etc.
    '
    www.justbasic.com
    '
    PM me and I can send you a demo for just basic.its really simple.
  • TinkersALotTinkersALot Posts: 535
    edited 2011-01-29 13:57
    check out this stuff:

    http://www.jdstechnologies.com/

    they seem to be one of the very few companies still offering lower cost, but still reasonably functional home automation products for the "everyman" out there.
  • iDaveiDave Posts: 252
    edited 2011-01-29 17:42
    These 2 links will give a lot o good ideas!

    http://gizmo.do/hUyQPK


    http://www.smarthome.com/_/index.aspx
  • mickalmickal Posts: 75
    edited 2011-01-30 01:48
    Thank you for all the info very much. That took hours to follow up and I enjoyed finding out. I'll confess honestly I am renting but still had a real urge to know. I have done a bit of work for relatives on weekends, running out spools of house wiring in the roof ,down walls ,connecting some lights even(electrician did check ). Im not sure that is relevant :) I dont know if they let me do that,, maybe I went and thought they'd let me automate ! And maybe not too! Thanks for your help still. I am sure to refer back to this thread in the future not too far.

    how to mark solved ??
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2011-01-31 04:09
    One item worth mentioning is that in lieu of conventional light switches, large industrial sites often have a low-voltage system switching lights via banks of relays because the task is too demanding for conventional house light switchs. I've seen this set up also used in some larger luxury homes.

    If it was adapted to any conventional home, the relay banks would allow you to centralize much of your home automation. As it is, isolated light switches are really a big problem to any computer interface. Just imagine how much easier and more interesting it would be if you had every light and every outlet centrally controlled by a relay near the circuit breaker box.

    The industrial adaptation has 'light switches' that fit in conventional electrical boxes, but can also include indicator lights and are somewhat smaller than a conventional switch. This actually allows more switches to fit into on electrical box.
  • Spiral_72Spiral_72 Posts: 791
    edited 2011-01-31 09:46
    I have implemented a variant of voice activated home automation over the last 7yrs. It works quite well most of the time:

    "BABE!?? GET ME A GLASS OF WATER, WOULD YA??"




    I hope my wife doesn't read that :)
Sign In or Register to comment.