Category : Tutorials + Patches
Archive   : BSR.ZIP
Filename : BSR

NOTE: This article appeared on page 1 of The Connecticut
Computer News, August 1988. Permission to reprint
this piece may be obtained by contacting Karen
Eisenstein, Editor, Connecticut Computer News, P.O.
Box 17-032, West Hartford, CT 06117. (203) 233-4141.


Intelligent Homes Through Computer Control
by Taegan D. Goddard

Imagine yourself getting ready for bed after a late night of computing.
You tell your computer "good-night" and walk towards your bedroom. As you
amble wearily through the dark house, lights turn on as you enter rooms and
switch off as soon as you leave them. The thermostat is automatically turned
down, and your security system is put on night alert, locking all doors and
monitoring first floor windows. About a half hour before you get up in the
morning, the heating or air conditioning system is adjusted according to the
outside temperature. The coffee maker kicks in and is ready when you get out
of the shower. As you leave for work that morning, you are confident that
your house will call you at the office if anything goes wrong while you are
away.
Does this sound like science fiction? Even though this scenario may
appear far-fetched, the technology exists today to have your personal computer
control many of these important and/or bothersome aspects of owning a home.
Whether you have an IBM PC, Macintosh, Apple // or Commodore, there are
devices available that can help you turn your personal computer into an
intelligent home controller. Computerized home control offers personal
convenience, lower energy bills, and can even provide sophisticated security
functions to protect your house and family.
Although home control systems differ in their levels of automation,
almost all of them use BSR X-10 remote control modules (manufactured by X-10
(USA), 185A Legrande Avenue, Northvale, NJ 07647, 201/784-9700). These modules
are remotely controlled power switches that can turn on and off lights and
appliances and even provide dimming functions for lamps. They are sold under a
variety of trademarks including Sears Home Control, GE HomeMinder, and Radio
Shack's Plug-n-Power. A BSR computer interface, along with the appropriate
software, can allow you to schedule devices to turn on and off at various
times during the day and night. The BSR computer interface does this by
sending the encoded signals to your BSR control modules over the existing
house wiring. This eliminates the need for an electrician to install new and
expensive wiring.
The more advanced home controller interfaces allow your computer to
analyze its environment. Throughout your house you can install light,
temperature, and motion sensors. These sensors allow your computer to act
intelligently by evaluating existing environmental conditions. Before turning
on lights in your living room, for instance, your control program would check
to make sure that the living room was dark and that there were people using
the room. Your sprinkler system would only activate if the ground was dry. The
heat or air conditioning would turn on only if people were home or were
scheduled to come home soon.
These environmental sensors also act as the basis of your home security
system. The same motion sensors that trigger lights when you are at home, can
be programmed to trigger an alarm when you are at work. Temperature and smoke
sensors, when activated, can make your computer call a previously defined
phone number to deliver a warning message of a fire burning in your home. A
home control system can give your house a "lived-in" look by turning on lights
and appliances to simulate human movement throughout your house. One night
the T.V. room light could come on at 8 P.M., the next night it would turn on
at 7:35. This random time setting would fool anyone observing your house
daily.
The X-10 Powerhouse is the simplest of these home controller computer
interfaces (available from X-10 (USA), $69.99). It allows you to control
between 128 and 256 devices, depending on your computer type. It also comes
pre-packaged with software for your specific computer. Events can be timed
according to the day of the week, and after programming is complete, this
information is stored in the interface's memory. You can then use your
computer for other applications. A BASIC subroutine package is also included
to allow programmers to design their own home control programs.
CyberLynx's SmartHome system (CyberLynx, 4828 Sterling Drive, Boulder, CO
80301, 303/444-7733, $720) adds sensing capabilities to your computer control
system. In addition to providing appliance and lighting control, you can also
install door, window and motion sensors that communicate with your computer
via radio signals, thus eliminating the need for extra wiring. The motion
detectors that come with the kit can be used to control lighting as well as
providing sophisticated security functions.
The ADC-1 (Remote Measurement Systems, 2633 East Lake Avenue, Seattle, WA
98102, 206/328-2255, $449) consists of a computer interface and the necessary
BASIC subroutines for programs you must write yourself. You can add your own
sensors and design your own software specifically for your individual
application. Although it requires more time and knowledge than other systems,
the ADC-1 can be a less costly alternative and the basis for a personalized
home control system.
I have taken what I feel to be one of the least expensive routes to
experimenting with home control. I chose the BSR X-10 interface as my output
device for controlling lights and appliances mainly because of its low cost
and ease in programming. Additionally, when I don't want to dedicate my
computer to home control, the X-10's memory can be used to store timed events
that are carried out later without computer assistance. I monitor air
temperature, light levels, and contact switches through my IBM PC's game port.
Switches can be installed on doors and windows, or can be the relay contacts
of a motion detector. Although the PC's game port is somewhat limited,
allowing only four sensors and four switches, I didn't have to buy anything
new. The inexpensive sensors that I use to measure temperature and light are
conveniently available at many local electronic supply stores.
Computerized home control systems may become the next wave of the
computer revolution. The convenience and security features they offer all but
guarantee their eventual acceptance into most American homes. Although the
technology for more complex home monitoring and control systems may be priced
too high or is still being developed, there are certainly plenty of
alternatives currently available. You may contact me at The Ivory Tower BBS
(203/649-5611) if you want additional information about constructing a
computerized home controller using the BSR X-10 system. Feel free to download
several programs available that make use of the IBM game port to give your
computer sensing capabilities. I hope you enjoy your venture into this
exciting, new (and relatively un-tapped) world of computing.

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Taegan D. Goddard recently graduated from Vassar College with a degree in
economics. He has acted as an independent computer consultant for several
years and writes frequently about new, non-traditional ways to use computers.



If home computer control interests you and/or you use the X-10
Powerhouse RS232 interface for MS-DOS computers, a disk full of programs and
home control discussions is available...

To receive this disk, please send $10 to cover postage, handling, and
compilation costs to:

Taegan D. Goddard
35 Woodside Circle
Hartford, CT 06105

Included (but not limited to) are programs to monitor the IBM PC game
port, send BSR X-10 commands from the DOS command line (excellent for BATCH
files!), and pages of valuable technical information on the X-10 Powerhouse
computer interface and other methods of computerized home control.