Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!crdgw1!galen!leue
From: leue@galen.crd.ge.com (Bill Leue)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hardware
Subject: Re: Home control with the MAC
Message-ID: <18656@crdgw1.crd.ge.com>
Date: 19 Apr 91 16:57:17 GMT
References: <5966@pbhyb.PacBell.COM>
Sender: news@crdgw1.crd.ge.com
Distribution: usa
Organization: General Electric Research & Development
Lines: 31

In article <5966@pbhyb.PacBell.COM> rkmossm@PacBell.COM (Richard Mossman) writes:
>I just realized that this may not strictly be about HOME control, which is
>the reason for the cross post between the Mac and Video newsgroups.
>
>Can anyone give me (or point me toward) information about controlling 
>external devices via the MAC?  I know about the X-10 stuff, but all the
>Mac is used for there is to program the controller.  Then the controller
>is removed and it controls the modules.  I want to directly control devices
>(such as motors, switches, timers, etc.) getting input from the environment
>and controlling something in response.  I realize this is kind of vague, but
>I hope you're getting my drift.
>
I am also interested in such things.  I'm aware of the National Instuments
LabView stuff, but that seems overkill and overpriced for what I need.
I am interested in:
  -- environmental monitoring (furnace duty cycle, inside/outside temp, etc.)
  -- security (perimeter monitoring, motion detector, etc.)
  -- fire alarms
  -- auto dialers for reporting trouble
and similar stuff.  It seems to me that some pretty low-perfomance
A/D's switch open/closed sensors, and some A/C relays ought to be plenty
for jobs like this, and the overall bandwidth certainly wouldn't strain
a serial port, or even an ADB port.

Anyone have any ideas?

-Bill Leue
leue@crd.ge.com