ssprouse@td2cad.intel.com (Steven T. Sprouse) (07/21/87)
I posted this 2 days ago but I don't think it got out. I've seen some BSR controllers that interface to PC's via an RS232 port. The controller runs about $40 and the interface modules run about $13 a piece. Does anyone know how many companies market these and which ones are good. Also, does anyone know where to get schematics or kits to build your own? I wouldn't mind shelling out $40 for the controller but $13 per interface module is kinda steep especially if you want to connect 5-6 different devices. Steven T. Sprouse p.s. My employer has nothing to do.... p.p.s. I'll summarize to the net if anything good shows up. sprouse@cory.berkeley.Edu sprouse@ucbcory.bitnet ssprouse@sc.intel.com
jdschnit@elrond.CalComp.COM (Jeffrey D. Schnitzer) (07/22/87)
In article <528@td2cad.intel.com> ssprouse@td2cad.UUCP (Steven T. Sprouse) writes: > I've seen some BSR controllers that interface to PC's via >an RS232 port. The controller runs about $40 and the interface modules >run about $13 a piece. Does anyone know how many companies market >these and which ones are good. > Also, does anyone know where to get schematics or kits to build >your own? I wouldn't mind shelling out $40 for the controller but $13 >per interface module is kinda steep especially if you want to connect >5-6 different devices. I bought the Mac version of the controller from DAK last winter for $20.00, and Radio Shack had most of the interface modules for $9 at the time. And, yes, I did go wild buying more modules than I really should have (after all, _everything_ should be automated). Almost all similar systems are BSR compatible (I don't remember which are not). The Mac version of the controller software is very nice. It's got a good, powerful Mac-ish interface and lets you do a lot more with the unit than you can manually -- without having to tie up your serial port by keeping the unit permanently connected. No schematics are provided, but they do document the protocol for you. A friend took apart one of his interface modules and decided it wasn't worth modifying/cloning. The XTEN management team bought the division from BSR, so they are on their own now. They have a product support roundtable on GEnie with a lot of activity. Disclaimer: I did later win a $100 prize (2 radio controllers) from them for an idea submitted to a GEnie XTEN contest. -- ============================================================================== Jeffrey D. Schnitzer, Calcomp Display Products Division, Hudson NH 03051-0908 jdschnit@elrond.CalComp.COM (I hate short unix names) MaBell: (603) 885-8156
olson@endor.harvard.edu (Eric Olson) (07/23/87)
In article <1069@elrond.CalComp.COM> jdschnit@elrond.UUCP (Jeffrey D. Schnitzer) writes: > ... Almost all similar > systems are BSR compatible (I don't remember which are not). Most notably, "Anova" home control modules and controllers are incompatible with the BSR type. This is because they "talk back" to the controller, to tell it if they have been turned on or off manually. But they don't work even if you don't expect "talk back" (like BSRs). -Eric Eric K. Olson olson@endor.harvard.edu harvard!endor!olson