munck@linus.UUCP (Robert Munck) (07/12/88)
I need to send commands to and retrieve data from the new* Plug&Power
controller from a BASIC program. I've tried sending the command strings
used by the X-10 Powerhouse over a serial line with "PRINT -1" commands,
with no luck.
I've also need for a small, simple screen editor in BASIC that will edit
the program that it's part of. I think I know enough to write one, but
my sense of NIH is poorly developed.
-- Bob Munck, MITRE Corp.
-- Munck@MITRE-Bedford.ARPA
-- ...{backbone}!linus!munck.UUCP
-----------------
* I say "new" to distinguish it from the old little grey box with the
"CASS -- CTRL" switch. My current home controller system uses one of
them now.pete@wlbr.EATON.COM (Pete Lyall) (07/13/88)
In article <35872@linus.UUCP> munck@faron.UUCP (Robert Munck) writes: >I need to send commands to and retrieve data from the new* Plug&Power >controller from a BASIC program. I've tried sending the command strings >used by the X-10 Powerhouse over a serial line with "PRINT -1" commands, >with no luck. Robert - I ported a rather large (100k+ source/30k+ binary) Unix package that manages the BSR-x10 powerhouse under OS9 a few years back (I run a powerhouse off of a Gimix). At the time, we looked at feasibility of doing a few hardware hacks to the Coco's New PNP controller to allow it to run on a serial line, insetad of the cassette port. It may just be the addition of an 1488/1489 line driver... not sure... we didn't pursue it. I did do some superficial disassembly of the Plug & Power ROMPACK, and noted that it seemed to be 600 baud, and very close if not identical to the X10 Powerhouse in command structure. Some of the problems are that bidirectional communications is needed for a number of the commands, and the cassette port is a b**ch to use for that reason. One of the reasons that the PRINT #-1 may have failed (reaching back to 1981 and my Color Basic ROM disassembly days) is that the cassette I/O is buffered... it collects a block worth of data in RAM, turns on the motor, waits for the cassette to come up to speed, and the dumps the block, writes (waits) a partial inter-record gap, and then drops the motor. This buffering could be hosing you up, in addition to the bidirectional stuff. There are a few primitives on Compuserve's COCO forum that deal with interfacing to the new unit under RS-DOS. They were written by Sandy Trevor (coco user and, and also CIS V.P.), who also wrote the early stuff for the first PNP (under RS-DOS). You may wish to nab those. I'd personally recommend that you just scarf up a BSR X10 Powerhouse.. much easier to work with (serial interface) and well documented. They can be had occasioally from DAK at $20, and worst case at EggHead Software (or Heath/Zenith) for $35-$50. Good luck! -- Pete Lyall (OS9 Users Group VP)| DELPHI: OS9UGVP | Eaton Corp.(818)-706-5693 Compuserve: 76703,4230 (OS9 Sysop) OS9 (home): (805)-985-0632 (24hr./1200 baud) Internet: pete@wlbr.eaton.com UUCP: {ihnp4,scgvax,jplgodo,voder}!wlbr!pete