Dan's HA System
Last revision: Monday, August 4, 2003
(new items marked by 
)
I am currently updating this site and there are still some pages and pictures missing.
My system is currently in its third generation. The first was based on the HCS-II
from Circuit Cellar and the second was a pc based system running under
Windows for Workgroups 3.11. You can read about the first two systems by
clicking here.
My current system can be seen in the picture to the right and is based around a pc
running Windows 95, the HomeVision controller, and
the Comfort controller. I designed it with 3 main objectives. These objectives, in order of priority, are:
- Must be easy for my wife to use
- Each component (HVAC, security, phone, lighting, etc.) must be able to function independently (in case the pc is down)
- Must be installed in such a way as to be aesthetically pleasing and also be easily
removed if we move (if the buyers don't want to pay for it).
Click the wiring link to read about the
wiring I had added when the house was built.
Click the pictures link to see pictures of almost every
component used.
The following are the main components of my system:
Controllers
- HomeVision controller (X-10, IR, Digital I/O, video menu, serial interface)
- HomeVision Expansion Board (24 DI, 8 AI, 8 IR Out, digital temp sensor interface)
- Comfort controller (Security, X-10, Digital I/O, Analog inputs, Voice Mail, Door Phone, Phone interface, more)
- Computer - 150 Mhz Pentium, Windows 95, 32 meg ram, UPS
Software
- ACE - Caller ID, Text-to-Speech, E-Mail, Touchscreen, Distributed monitoring and control throughout my house and the Internet (any TCP/IP network)
- HomeVision - Provides a DDE interface between the HV controller and ACE
- HAL2000 - Voice recognition, X-10, Much more
Touchscreens
- Carroll Touch model CT-70 (no longer available)
- ePod (webpad device running Windows CE, wireless network PC card)
Phone System
Whole-house Paging System
- 35-watt PA amplifier by Radio Shack
- In-wall speakers in each room (see picture at right)
- Impedance matcher (old Radio Shack unit)
- BBS Telecom IPS 416 phone system
Security
- Comfort controller - Security, X-10, Digital I/O, Analog inputs, Voice Mail, Door Phone, Phone interface, more
Lighting - X-10 based
- WS467 light switches, modified for local dimming and to defeat slide switch
- Leviton 6400 keypads (at least 1 per room)
- other X-10 light switches (can't remember the model number right now)
- Lamp Modules (used to automate table and floor lamps)
- Appliance Modules (used for Christmas lighting)
IR
- Niles IRZ-6, 6-zone IR distribution
- Niles IR receivers
- Niles Intellipad (learning remote that mounts on the wall in a 2-gang box)
- Xantech mini-emitters
- One-for-All 6 pre-programmed remote
- One-for-All 8 pre-programmed remote
- Pro Producer 7 pre-programmed and learning remote
- Casio IR capable watch (pre-programmed and learning)
- Phillips Pronto learning remote
Intercom
- Implemented using IPS 416 PBX and house paging system
Video
- Triple Play Modulator by NetMedia
- Multiple Video Distribution System by Radio Shack (no longer available)
- Front door camera by Channel Vision
- Channel Vision amp and splitter
Audio
- Technics surround sound receiver in family room
- Pioneer receiver in basement for whole-house audio
- Pioneer 100-disk CD changer with video output - The video output
allows you to display a scrolling list of all 100 CDs on a TV. I modulate this video
signal so I can view the list of CDs from any TV. This allows me to choose my CDs from
several different rooms.
- CSI volume controls
- CSI A/B switches
- CSI 8 pair speaker impedence matcher
Network
- Standard Windows peer-to-peer network
- Linksys 8-port hub
- Linksys wireless access point (WAP11) and PC card (WPC11) (PC card is in ePod)
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danh@danshouse.com