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Computer Network - Token Ring LAN

• Homebuilt Pentium class machine (living room for now, will be in bedroom)
• • Cyrix P150+ processor
  • 1.7G IBM hard disk
  • SB 16 Pnp sound with Roland SCDB-15 MIDI daughter card
  • Sanyo 6X CD ROM drive
  • 32M RAM
  • US Robotics 28.8 Modem
  • Lynx x-10 coprocessor for home automation system access
  • Andrea Electronics noise cancelling microphone - for voice dictation
  • Runs IBM PC DOS 7.0/Windows for Workgroups 3.11, Win95, Linux
  • Artisoft LANtastic networking software
  • This machine can power itself and others on and off
• Homebuilt 486-100 - master bedroom machine (for now, will swap with Pentium)
• • AMD 5x86 P75 processor
  • 16M RAM
  • 500M hard disk space
  • SB16 with CSP chip
  • US Robotics 14.4 modem
  • Runs IBM PC DOS 7.0/Windows for Workgroups 3.11
  • Runs my Personal Information System under voice control
  • Home Automation system can power this machine on and off
• Homebuilt 486-66 - Computer room
• • Intel 486 DX2-66 processor
  • 8M RAM
  • 1.7G hard disk space (will be swapping with the 486-100)
  • SB16
  • NEC 4x4 CD ROM changer
  • Epson Stylus Color printer
  • US Robotics 14.4 modem
  • old hardware voice synthesisor built as a college project
  • • low quality, but VERY easy to use
    • for higher quality voice I use TextAssist from Creative Labs
  • HomeBase home automation system with I/O interface
  • • This is the main access computer to program and control the home automation system.
  • This machine can power itself and others on and off
• IBM 486-33 machine - portable machine
• • experimental machine
  • • as my first Win95 machine
    • will be switching to OS/2 Warp soon
• Upgraded IBM AT - computer room
• • 80286-8Mhz processor
  • 228M hard disk
  • this machine can be powered on and off via the home automation system
  • experimental machine for interfacing minor hardware projects
  • • controls a traffic light hooked to it's parallel port
    • • I can change the lights under software control
      • no practical value at all, but it's fun.
    • have done experiments with receiving IR signals from TV remote controls
• HP200LX Palmtop PC for computing while away - my back pocket
• • Intel 80186 processor
  • runs on 2 AA batteries for 20+ hours
  • fits in my back pocket
  • hooks to one of my desktop machines for transfer with my other computers
  • hooks to my work machine for data transfer
  • I can take notes while shopping or in meetings and send them anywhere
• In total:
• • 4.5G online hard disk,
  • 3 single disk CD's,
  • one 4-slot CD changer
  • Epson Stylus Color printer - can print photos!
  • three machines have modems for Internet capability
  • I can do multiplayer network gaming in my house!
  • no machines powered up all the time, on demand power to machines
  • dedicated computer phone line for data/fax
  • personal email and web site from my ISP
  • machines run various combinations of DOS, Win 3.1, Win 95, and Linux

Video Network

• outside cable goes to master bedroom
• gets split to the bedroom TV, 2 VCR's, and an output switch
• the output switch determines what the rest of the house gets
• vcr1, vcr2, or raw cable

Audio Network

• Line outs of master bedroom stereo connected to aux of livingroom stereo
• listen to stereo videos and any stereo facilities without duplication
• Line out also connected to line in of a VCR so I can use all the TV's in the house as extra music speakers
• great for parties
• line inputs and outputs of one computer connect in to main stereo
• • I can have the computer dictate text to audio cassette
  • I can digitize sound clips to computer from audio or video
  • I could use the CD Changer in the computer as an audio CD changer for the entire house

IR Network

• Powermid transmitters in computer room, kitchen, livingroom, shop receive IR signals for stereo system and VCR's
• transmits them to master bedroom where they control the devices
• I can tune every TV in the house to ch3 and walk around the house with my remote to change channels on all the TV's in the house at once

I have PhotoCD's made from all my film

• very high quality
• can print out photos with my Epson printer

Home Automation System

• - HomeBase with I/O expander
• • - features
  • - 2 way x-10 with programmability
  • - 16 digital inputs
  • - 8 analog inputs
  • - 8 low voltage relay outputs
• - passive control of bedroom stuff
• • - stereo
  • - 2 fans
  • - 2 lights
  • - local panels control these devices directly, but the HomeBase sees this and can respond.
  • - my alarm clock
  • - cheap beeper plugged into appliance module
  • - HomeBase turns it on on right days/time
  • - pressing all units off once kills alarm and sets HomeBase snooze mode
  • - reactivates in 10 minutes
  • - pressing all units off 3x in 5 sec cancels alarm, turns on light over bed, and resets for the next day, also turns on Personal Info System
• - Active control of living room lights
• • - I press wall buttons for moods, not lights
  • - around Christmas I program some buttons to control Christmas lights
  • - the computer also turns them on/off automatically
  • - RF remote allows light control from chair
• - Active control of computer network
• • - main computers in house are plugged into X-10 appliance modules
  • - RF remotes in bedroom and living room can cause the network servers to power up and flash a light in the room where the remote was from to ack.
  • - mostly server machine powers up it's display when first turned on
  • - if the default dedicated server boot up is used the display is powered off
  • - without having an energy aware monitor!
  • - if a workstation mode is selected, light on desk turned on
  • - A windows program I wrote provides an icons for powering down all the computers.
  • - the client machine asks the server machine with home automation access to shut down and turn everyone off.
• - security/safety /comfort
• • - door detectors on every entrance
  • - computer knows when a door is or has been opened
  • - motion detector on garage
  • - sends x-10 signal when it is dark and there is motion, sends signal to HomeBase
  • - HomeBase turns on garage light, porch lights, and inside "welcome" light
  • - always come in to a lit home.
  • - doesn't turn off those lights until 5 minutes after no motion and all doors closed
  • - no coming back from backyard dog walks in the dark.
  • - the machine keeps a log of recent home activity
  • - if my Mother comes over when I'm gone I can tell when it happened
  • - if I ask someone to walk my dog when I'm away, I can verify that it was done when agreed.
  • - temp sensor capability (working on it) to have computers know key room temps, turn on fans and stuff

Personal Info System

• bedroom computer powered up in special mode because of alarm cancel or button press on RF remote
• special front end software I wrote in Visual Basic
• starts up voice recognition program for voice interface to system
• also starts up voice synthesis program for voice responses
• allows me to use system hands free while getting ready in the morning
• check email on work computers
• check email from personal IP account
• surf the Internet
• • pull up weather report, New York Times, InfoSage, Dilbert, or movie/tv listings
• control lights via voice commands
• • "computer, lights on!" works in my bedroom
  • "computer, shut down, the house" powers down lights and appliances in the house, powers down all computers, and can set home unattended/secure mode. I give this command and walk out the front door without touching anything.

Interesting software I have

• Delorme mapping products
• • Street Atlas
  • Map'N Go
  • Phone Search USA
  • With these programs I can look up someone in the phone book anywhere in the country (even if all I have is a phone number), and have Street Atlas show me a map of where they are
  • I can get computerized driving directions from almost anywhere to anywhere in the country as well as detailed street maps for the entire country.
• MS Visual Basic
• • I do most of my home automation and windows utility development in this.
• IBM VoiceType Control and VoiceType Dictation
• • voice recognition for controlling windows apps hands free, or dictating documents.
• network capable video games
• • network head to head competition inside my house!
• Internet software
• Netscape for finding everything on the web

Other high tech stuff - not computer related

• Tropez digital cordless phone
• • no security problems
  • no compromises corded sound quality
• automatic breadmaker
• • fresh bread waiting hot in the morning

In progress

• I have no air conditioning, so active computer control of window fans.
• • if it is hot inside and it is cooler outside and house occupied, then power up window fan until any of those factors change
  • I have everything I need to build this and am working on it
• dog seems afraid of the dark (guess how I know), have a light come on automatically if it gets dark and I haven't come home yet.
• • 5 minute change, just haven't done yet
• switching to Windows 95
• switching to voice recognition system in bedroom that will allow voice dictation in addition to walk around the room voice command control
• IBM VoiceType Dictation for Win 95

Future Stuff

• Stuff to be done soon
• • leave phone message on my answering machine to verify dog was walked, and allow me to check from anywhere with no equipment with me
  • • great for low tech vacations.
  • active control of electric hot water heater
  • • computer knows when house is occupied and when hot water is usually not needed
    • big relay controls power to water heater
• Stuff that is farther off
• • would be fairly easy to have machine dial ISP, check email, and do computer or home automation stuff in response, then power down
  • ducting from wood stove heated living room to electric heated bedroom with computer controlled fan using temp sensors:
  • • if it is cold in the bedroom AND heat is available near living room ceiling, then turn on ducting fan.
  • home automation system as security system
  • • just need horn and dialer
    • easy capability to have home automation system send signal to neighbors house for alarm so cut phone lines will have no effect
  • water sensors hooked to home automation system to detect basement water
  • Home Automation system control of electric door opener
  • • computer knows when door open/closed
    • computer can open/close door

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