Posted: May 26 2004 at 20:32 | IP Logged

Hi Dave, I have a couple of questions.

1- can you give me some insight into setting up a inexpensive IR transmitter to work with x10. I have no knowledge about this area currently. I would like to setup a "inexpensive" IR transmitter to connect to my computer so I would be able to turn up entertainment devices (TV, Stereo, etc).

2- have you thought about coding a telephone interface ability into powerhome app?? I would like to be able to recieve phone calls and make phone calls to control devices and setup a basic x10 home security system that could make calls (via voice modem) and notify the recipient of activated x10 sensors. How could this be done??

Thanks (as always) for you help in setup and utilization of your powerhome program......Nick

Posted: May 26 2004 at 21:17 | IP Logged

Nick,

About the cheapest out there is the CIR device.  You could build one for about $10.00 but it's strictly a do-it-yourself type project.  I know several people have had success with this device but a lot of people have problems.  The main drawback is its learning capabilities and it will only work under Windows 95/98.

Your next bet would be to wait for the next release which will support the USB-UIRT device.  This is the next cheapest device at around $50.00 if memory serves.

I was working on a TAPI interface a couple of years ago (SAPI 4.0) and it kept blowing up the application.  It's something that Ive always wanted to do however and will probably take a look at it again under SAPI 5.0.  It will probably be a little bit down the road however since Im still adapting the basic PowerHome interface.

Now if you have an internet enabled cellphone with SMS messaging capability, you'll be pretty close to having the same functionality (this is what I do).  When motion is detected in the house when it shouldn't be, I have PowerHome instantly send an email to my cellphone as well as my personal email.  The cellphone gets a message detailing the time and the motion sensor that was triggered and my personal email account gets the same along with snapshots from the webcams inside the house.

Im also able to control devices by both sending control email (SMS) from my cellphone to PowerHome or by using my phones internal WAP browser to access the WAP webserver built into PowerHome.

All this works real well and gives me close to the same functionality while I finish up the main PowerHome interface.  Sometime in the near future I'll sit down with the SAPI 5.0 SDK and try to determine what it'll take .

Take care,

Dave.

Posted: June 13 2004 at 14:49 | IP Logged

Chris,

Yep, it sure does.  I first use the ph_saveurl function to save the images from the webcam to the harddrive.  I then can use either the ph_sendemailfile or ph_sendsmtpemailfile functions to send the images.

HTH,

Dave.