[Asterisk-Users] Is there hardware to remote control

[dean collins]

Hi David,
I think it would be really cool if you could add this to the wikki under
asterisk + home automation . There is more than enough users interested
in reading what you've down.

Although I wont be looking into this for another few months I like the
idea of this and would be looking to support wherever I can.


Cheers,
Dean


-----Original Message-----
From: asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com
[mailto:asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of David Cook
Sent: Monday, December 20, 2004 10:10 AM
To: asterisk-users at lists.digium.com
Subject: Re: [Asterisk-Users] Is there hardware to remote control

> From: Ronald Wiplinger <ronald at elmit.com>
> Subject: [Asterisk-Users] Is there hardware to remote control
> 	available?
> To: Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion
> 	<asterisk-users at lists.digium.com>
> Message-ID: <41C6D43F.5070201 at elmit.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed
>
> I am looking for a hardware, which can turn on / off (control) via
> the
> dial plan.
> Is something available?

You can run an AGI from within your diaplan which can do anything
available to the host machine. As for turning things on/off, you have
several options.

a) serial port control;
b) parallel port control;
c) attached microcontroller;
d) X-10 signals.

Please exuse this for going OT into home automation stuff, but in an
effort to answer the original question, here goes ...

a) I have often used a little program that flips the DTR & RTS signals
on a serial port (independently so you can control two things). You
need to turn on/off a logic state or an LED that is fine. If you need
to switch a larger electical load, put a solid state relay on that pin.
I have my laser printer and my pool pump controlled that way.

b) Parallel port works basically the same way with the 8 output pins on
the connector that can be controlled. Haven't actually done this
though.
Lastly, connect a microcontroller like a Parallax Basic Stamp to your
server where you can write code that runs on the microcontroller and
does numerous things pseudo autonomously from

c) Microcontroller like the Parallax Basic Stamp series. This allows you
to run a program on this little computer device (>100.00) that was
"made" for I/O control. It can do all kinds of things pseudo
autonomously and feed back the info to the PC.

d) X10 have several interfaces for PC's. I like a little one called the
"Firecracker" interface. It uses an RS232C line and can control devices
by sending radio signals from it to a reciever module that is plugged
into a wall socket. It then embeds the cammands you sent it into the
electrical circuits in your home. Another module then plugs into the
wall somewhere and you plug devices into it. The little wall modules
recieves the signal coming along the electrical lines and turns the
device on/off/dim, etc. The reason I like the Firecracker is that it is
a "dumb" device. All program code must exist on the PC therefore I have
more control. They have other devices which you download program code
to then they are autonomous which I don't think is what you are looking
for.

I use a) & d) extensively here. If anyone wants the code or more info,
just ask.

David Cook
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