HouseBot

Hi Everyone,

New to housebot but have been browsing around here a while. Insteon seems to be the right choice for the interface/communications and HouseBot is a decent fit as I have a spare computer that can be dedicated to this.

What I am looking for is some information on what I need to get this started using Insteon products.

From what I can tell I need a modem for the interface, not the PLC, and will probably buy the USB version.
That get's me the power line interface, but at the moment I don't have any power line devices. What if I just wanted the RF interface? Do I still need to buy the PLM and then buy the access point? (http://www.smarthome.com/2443P/Access-P ... ack/p.aspx) Or is there a RF interface direct to the PC? What does everyone think of wireless interfaces? How about battery powered devices such as door contacts or motion sensors?

To convert my existing temp sensors I will need some analog inputs. I assume an I/O board (EZIO2X4) will do the trick, but I am worried about the analog input resolution. I understand it is 10bit (0-1023) but how is that value read by housebot and used? The stargate was actually a 8 bit operating system, therefore all math or values could only be 0-255. Not a very good setup for any decent amount of control. Does housebot use integers or floating point numbers? How many bits of resolution for the variables?

To control the sprinklers that should be pretty simple, just use a EZIO8SA to run the water valves.

In general am I on the right track? Any suggestions?

Compiling this information on what I need to get Insteon working has taken me a lot of on-line reading. Would be really nice if there was a primer on Insteon, what is required, how it works, what you need to get started, etc?

Thanks Everyone,

Brad.

Wow, so nobody can comment on my questions?

Sorry for the delay - I can't answer everything but perhaps I can help to shed some light on a few things.

Yes, even for just RF you'll still need a PLM and at least one access point. Don't be surprised if you end up needing several - I've found the range to be less that I was expecting based on SmartHome literature/gut-feelings.

I'm not sure about the EZIO2X4, EZIO8SA and HouseBot - I don't know if Scott has written in support for those or not. I use a combination of home-made electronics and 1-wire stuff for temp/analog/digital IO so I'm afraid I can't be of much help there. Perhaps others and Scott will chime in to offer more insight.

Terry

As roussell said, you will need the PLM to interface HouseBot to your Insteon network (I would recommend the serial version, not the USB). The access points are used primarily to bridge you two 110V legs in the house to improve communication. They can also be used in areas that are insteon "deadspots" to bypass noise that is in between the PLM and the device to be controlled. As an initial purchase, I would get the PLM, 2 access points, and 1-2 switches to play with. Set these up and see how they work for a month or more to ensure you're happy with how it works in your environment. I still only have 5 switches controlling outside lighting. They have been up and working well for almost a year now.

I don't know that I would let Insteon do any I/O control. You may want to look into Phidgets or a board from Velleman. 1-wire is a great option as well and you should check out hobbyboards.com.

HouseBot can handle integers as well as double precision numbers for calculations.

Again, for sprinklers I wouldn't use insteon/x10 based stuff. Just my opinion. I use the Rain8Net from wgldesigns. It is serial and gives great control.

Osler