KLH@nic.ddn.mil (Ken Harrenstien) (11/18/89)
Here's a simple problem: I'd like to put together a system such that when a telephone call arrives, specific light fixtures will flash throughout the house. What's the most elegant solution? A few small companies oriented to the hearing-impaired make stuff for this purpose, but it tends to be suboptimal in several ways (incompatible, expensive, hard to find, and hard to fix), so I'm trying to use more common off-the-shelf components. So far my best idea involves using the BSR X10 power controller system (recently taken over by Radio Shack, which calls it their "Plug 'n Power" system -- sigh) and hooking a ring detector to an R.S. Universal Interface (often used as a burglar alarm). I'm not quite sure how to rig up the detector, though; nothing seems quite elegant enough. If anyone can think of a trick that will avoid the need to touch a soldering iron, I'd be delighted. --Ken
wcf@hcx.psu.edu (Bill Fenner) (11/20/89)
In article <telecom-v09i0521m07@vector.dallas.tx.us> KLH@nic.ddn.mil (Ken Harrenstien) writes: |(often used as a burglar alarm). I'm not quite sure how to rig up the |detector, though; nothing seems quite elegant enough. If anyone can |think of a trick that will avoid the need to touch a soldering iron, |I'd be delighted. Well, my favorite ring-detection costs about $3... get a 120v relay and hook it in series with a capacitor. I made one of these for a friend who had a modem which did not detect ring so had no auto-answer; we hooked it up to his (atari 800's) joystick port. So the BBS program checked the joystick button, if it was "pressed", send the answer command to the modem. Of course, if you want to do this *right*, you need to touch a soldering iron, but not for too long... Bill Fenner wcf@hcx.psu.edu ..!psuvax1!psuhcx!wcf sysop@hogbbs.fidonet.org (1:129/87 - 814/238-9633) ..!lll-winken!/
doug@letni.uucp (Doug Davis) (11/20/89)
In article <telecom-v09i0521m07@vector.dallas.tx.us> KLH@nic.ddn.mil (Ken Harrenstien) writes: >Here's a simple problem: >I'd like to put together a system such that when a telephone call >arrives, specific light fixtures will flash throughout the house. >What's the most elegant solution? The most elegant solution is to go back to radio shluck and purchase one of the following: o 43-177 Fone Flasher 14.95 o 43-178 Fone Flasher 2 29.95 o 43-149 Mini Fone Flasher 8.95 The "Fone Flasher" provides a current limited 110 vac switch that is activated itermittently when the phone rings, this can be used to "flash" a light (flash timed to ring pulse) or with the help of a 110v SPDT relay cut the output from a set of speakers. The FF2 has a Xenon strobe and a 85db noise maker in it, Lastly the MFF is a NE2 wired across tip and ring. Oh, yeah, take your BSR alarm module set the switch to trigger on contact closure. Wire the contacts together and plug it into the 43-177. I'm guessing that there is enough time for the BSR signal to get out before the ring pulse falls (closing the internal relay). Otherwise a 110vac SPST relay will solve the problem, tie the coil side to the 110ac output on the 43-177 and the NO (normally open) contact side to the "trigger" connections on your BSR alarm module. If you opt for the second solution, remember to insulate the terminals on the relay from your fingers, it's best to put the whole thing in a box and wire a single wall plug out of it. This keeps the curious and the adventurious from hurting themselves. Doug Davis/1030 Pleasant Valley Lane/Arlington/Texas/76015/817-467-3740 {texsun, motown!sys1, uiucuxc!sys1 lawnet, attctc, texbell} letni!doug "Act first, solve problem, appologize for the mess later."
macy@fmsystm.UUCP (Macy Hallock) (11/21/89)
In article <telecom-v09i0521m07@vector.dallas.tx.us> KLH@nic.ddn.mil (Ken Harrenstien) writes: >X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 9, issue 521, message 7 of 10 >I'd like to put together a system such that when a telephone call >arrives, specific light fixtures will flash throughout the house. Radio Shack makes a couple of items: 43-177 Phone Flasher (switches up to 300 watts of 120VAC) $14.95 43-178 Phone Flasher II (has 120VAC strobe) $29.95 These are good out of box solutions. (Thanks to Steve at the Radio Shack franchise in Medina, Ohio for his help on the numbers.) Macy M. Hallock, Jr. macy@NCoast.ORG uunet!aablue!fmsystm!macy F M Systems, Inc. {uunet!backbone}!cwjcc.cwru.edu!ncoast!fmsystm!macy 150 Highland Drive Voice: +1 216 723-3000 Ext 251 Fax: +1 216 723-3223 Medina, Ohio 44256 USA Cleveland:273-3000 Akron:239-4994 (Dial 251 at tone) (Insert favorite disclaimer here) (What if I gave a .sig and nobody cared?)