new to Domotica

Post by **Wildcard** » Thu May 22, 2008 10:51 pm

Hello everyone!

I've been interested in Domotics even before I knew the term. However, only just recently I started to read more about it.
I am going to move to another apartment in a month so I was wondering about a few things.

I will have to make do with either a system using the power lines or wireless. However, is every modification I'll make to light switches etc completely reversible? I ask this because the apartment isn't mine, I rent it from a corporation which requires it to be left as I got it when I move to some other place. I think I haven't seen any HA device requiring this sofar.. though I am asking just to be sure

From what I see, the best system using the power lines would be Xanura. However, I've also read that it can only send one message over the line per second, and sometimes / often has a delay of 5 seconds. For the system I want to build, this won't be acceptable.

However, the other option is wireless.. how much interference do those systems have? not only with itself.. but also things like phones computers etc

Then there are the questions of where to start and which software.
to start with the last. I am a programmer (unfortunately not also an electrician

) So I would actually prefer some open source system where I can add my own code. How much experience do you guys have with open source HA? Failing open source, then what system is the most flexible regarding scripts and even executing other programs with variable parameters? Though it seems HomeSeer is rather popular and good.. its also rather expensive for me.

My budget, for now, is around 1000 euro and I prefer not to buy mostly only software from that

I think I'd actually would want to start with adding microphones and speakers for whole house speech recognition system, and build from there. I just hate needing all kinds of controllers to do anything, so I'd rather not use any myself.
Programming / improving an existing voice command module would be one of my hobby's when I start with domotics

I'd start with connecting my current media and most importantly a server with a knowledge base of sorts. which I'd be able to ask verbally for information (like, which supermarkets are still open, the telephone number of a company, appointments, grocery and todo-lists... you name it

)

From there I'll build in all the other sweet stuff for as far as my money allows. I'm just dying to make the "Computer, pour me a cup of coffee, extra strong with 2 cubes of sugar" and actually have it work... though thats a project for much later on

Post by **Digit** » Fri May 23, 2008 1:18 am

Here my answers to your question marks:

1. If you can install it, you can uninstall it. Just make sure you install it the uninstallable way. Should be no problem normally, but sometimes i can imagine it will be a choice between time and money.

2. It depends. In my case, to much to have RF switches to be considered reliable.

3. Not much. Tried a few OS things, did not like it. Tried some commercial stuff like Homeseer, did not like it. My own HA system is open source to me, myself and i. And if anyone would like to know something about my source, i'm always very open.

4. Your own. Make it yourself, i mean, you say you're a programmer. Why use someone else's code, assuming you like being a programmer. For me domotica is a hobby. So i would never spend money on something like software i (think) i can manage myself and is something i like doing. Buy the hardware, make the software.

What i would recommend to you is reading lots, lots and lots of topics on this forum. This will give you an idea of what can be done and what can't. Forget about speech for the next 2 years. First get your first litle "startup-project" working, and you will see you have a long way to go before reaching your ultimate goal.

Post by **Wildcard** » Fri May 23, 2008 11:57 am

Hey Digit, thanks for the answers.

I might be a programmer, but then again I am just a junior programmer

I was thinking about using an OS system as a base to build from, or as a first example if the the OS software wasn't good enough.

It's a pity about speech, though I was expecting it a bit. Instead of that, I'll start with the fully automated things in HA that don't require my direct control. Well actually, looking at your website, I might as well start with information gathering, such as gas usage etc. Hmmm, I guess I'll have a lot to read this month to decide what I want to do first after the typical light switches start.