Re: Putting it all together and XAp in a box ??????

["Mark Walker" <davros@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Kevin
I see your point and I guess I was a bit vague.
But I always seem to go around in circles, with different bits of kit
and different bits of software. you always seem to end up with one
bit of software that does 80% of what you want and then you may have
to buy several other packages to make up the other 20%.

I am an Automation Engineer in Industry, so shouldnt have a problem
getting to grips with the scripts etc.

I guess I am just looking at an easier way to control stuff without
having to buy lots of bits that may or may not work together and may
have other problems like a crash, which if I wasnt there the wife
would have no chance of sorting out. So the solid state option sounds
great. Thats why individually each system on its own works well and
does what it should. The Cbus is great, but what if you want to
randomise events and use timers etc, you need to use something like
HA which relies on a PC which may not reboot properly, a nuisance
when I am there, complete pain in the ass if I am not.
Or I could link it to my comfort system, which seems better but has
limitations on memory/timers/responses etc, OK to start with but I
can see the automation out growing the capabilities of Comfort.

Then you have the home cinema side of things, I have most stuff wired
up and currently use a pronto remote with Pyramid senders and
recievers. Kind of does the job and if I am there I can can get out
of a situation where a macro missed a beat or A piece of kit didnt
turn on. However it doesnt go down well, when I get home from work
and the wife informs me she spent 3 hours trying to set up to watch a
DVD and gave up in the end.

So I am after a simillar thing to Kevin.
Something that can run in the background to take care of automation
that doesnt require user intervention once set up.
Also a reliable and foolproof man machine interface for both Lighting
etc and controlling the DVD and CD jukeboxes, AMP, Plasma etc etc
Without getting my ear ripped off.
"How come I get sound but no picture."
"How come I get a picture and no sound."
"How did you say I watch a DVD again."
"I thought this lot was meat to make things easier"

And when my parents come over I might as well give up when I have to
start explainig why the Light swithes have orange and blue lights on
them.

Sorry for the long post
But thats where I am at

Regards
Mark




--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, Kevin Hawkins <lists@u...> wrote:
>
> Hi Mark,
>
> Mark Walker wrote:
> > Hi
> > No I guess thats not to tricky.
> > You end up having to cross post because only the odd person
actually
> > replies and thankyou to the ones that did.
> > Patrick was indeed very helpful in answering his part but there
were
> > no other responses to the rest of it.
> >
> I think the problem with the other post is that it was very 'open'
and
> would have taken pages to reply to. ( and yes I know I sometimes
write
> pages anyway).  I think there is also a bit too much 'hope' being
placed
> on xAP as an end user product to magically tie all the bits you
want
> together.  I've tried in my previous post to outline the purpose of
xAP
> and xPL and to steer away from them being out of the box solutions
for
> everyone (particularly those wanting a  plug and play end user
> solution).   xAP (and xPL) at this stage require people to spend a
small
> amount of time becoming comfortable with a scripting language or a
> 'wizard/determinator' type equivalent to create the interactions
between
> devices. Given both protocols encompass devices from simple
switches to
> highly complex AV type systems or rich data sources like TV
listings,
> email etc then this is unavoidable. So the focus must be on an
> environment that you feel comfortable in configuring (HomeSeer, VB
> script, C-Bus PAC, xPL HAL etc), and the user interface devices
that you
> desire in your home.
> > Guess that puts me at the bottom of the list for a C-bus XAP
> > interface.
> >
>
> Not at all , I have 4 units reserved at the moment for people -
just
> handling a software update for C-Bus bridges before I send them.
One is
> yours, but I do want you to be comfortable that it will do what you
want
> it to do ...  I think there are a load of other decisions you need
to
> make too to reach your goal.
>
> Kevin
> > Regards
> > Mark
> >
> > --- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, Kevin Hawkins <lists@u...> wrote:
> >
> >> No it wasn't Mark,
> >>
> >>     You cross posted that question to both this group and
(more
> >> appropriately) the xAP group.  On the xAP group it was
answered
> >>
> > within
> >
> >> an hour on 10th Jan by Patrick. I suggest you check the other
post
> >>
> > you
> >
> >> made  for the reply....   unless that's too tricky for you
;-)
> >>
> >>     Kevin
> >>
> >> Mark Walker wrote:
> >>
> >>> I guess that was a tricky question for you guys
> >>>
> >>>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>