Steve's Cyberhome Page

      Computer Network - Token Ring LAN

      • Toshiba Infinia machine (web server, smarthome server)
        • Intel 200Mhz MMX Pentium procesor
        • 4G IDE hard disk
        • Lynx x-10 coprocessor for home automation system access
        • S3 Virge DX video with 2M RAM
        • Toshiba DVD drive with DVD MPEG2 video/audio decoder card
        • Nec quad speed  4 CD-ROM changer
        • Winnovision Videum video capture card
        • SCSI card (for occasional CD-R drive connection)
        • US Robotics Sportster Voice external modem
        • This is the only machine powered on all the time
      • Homebuilt Pentium class machine- living room machine
        • AMD K6 233Mhz processor
        • 8.4G IBM IDE hard disk
        • 4.5G F/W SCSI hard disk
        • SB 16 Pnp sound with Roland SCDB-15 MIDI daughter card
        • 8X SCSI CD ROM drive
        • Ricoh MP 6200S SCSI CD-RW Drive - external for portability
        • Exabyte 8200 8mm Tape Drive
        • Matrox Mystique video card with 4M RAM
        • Matrox Rainbowrunner Studio Video Capture Card with TV tuner
          • also has hardware MPEG1 and video output
        • Microtek E3 scanner
        • 64M RAM
        • US Robotics 33.6 Modem
        • Andrea Electronics noise cancelling microphone - for voice dictation
        • Runs Win98, Linux
        • Artisoft LANtastic networking software
      • Homebuilt 486-100 - machine on cart to wheel anywhere in house
        • AMD 5x86 P75 processor
        • 16M RAM
        • IBM 1.7G hard disk
        • SoundBlaster 16 with CSP chip
        • 2X CD ROM Drive
        • IBM 28.8 modem
        • Runs Win98
        • Home Automation system can power this machine on and off
      • Homebuilt 486-66 - Computer room
        • Intel 486 DX2-66 processor
        • 8M RAM
        • 500M disk space
        • SoundBlaster 16
        • NEC 4x4 CD ROM changer
        • Epson Stylus Color printer
        • US Robotics 14.4 modem
        • old hardware voice synthesisor built as a college project
          • low quality, but VERY easy to use
          • for higher quality voice I use TextAssist from Creative Labs
        • HomeBase home automation system with I/O interface
          • This is the main access computer to program and control the home automation system.
          • This unit is also sold as the JDS TimeCommander Unit
        • This machine can power itself and others on and off
      • IBM 486-33 machine - portable
        • Win95 machine
      • Upgraded IBM AT - computer room
        • 80286-8Mhz processor
        • 228M hard disk
        • this machine can be powered on and off via the home automation system
        • experimental machine for interfacing minor hardware projects
          • controls a traffic light hooked to it's parallel port
            • I can change the lights under software control
            • no practical value at all, but it's fun.
          • have done experiments with receiving IR signals from TV remote controls
      • HP200LX Palmtop PC for computing while away - my back pocket
        • Intel 80186 processor
        • runs on 2 AA batteries for 20+ hours
        • fits in my back pocket
        • hooks to one of my desktop machines for transfer with my other computers
        • hooks to my work machine for data transfer
        • I can take notes while shopping or in meetings and send them anywhere
      • In total:
        • 10G online hard disk,
        • 3 single disk CD's, 1 DVD
        • one 4-slot CD changer
        • Epson Stylus Color printer - can print photos!
        • three machines have modems for Internet capability
        • I can do multiplayer network gaming in my house!
        • only the Toshiba machine powered up all the time, on demand power to the other machines
        • dedicated computer phone line for data/fax
        • personal email and web site from my ISP
        • machines run various combinations of DOS, Win 3.1, Win 95, and Linux

      Video Network

      • outside cable goes to master bedroom
      • gets split to the bedroom TV, 2 VCR's, and an output switch
      • the output switch determines what the rest of the house gets
      • vcr1, vcr2, or raw cable

      Audio Network

      • Line outs of master bedroom stereo connected to aux of livingroom stereo
      • listen to stereo videos and any stereo facilities without duplication
      • Line out also connected to line in of a VCR so I can use all the TV's in the house as extra music speakers
      • great for parties

      IR Network

      • Powermid transmitters in computer room, kitchen, livingroom, shop receive IR signals for stereo system and VCR's
      • transmits them to master bedroom where they control the devices
      • I can tune every TV in the house to ch3 and walk around the house with my remote to change channels on all the TV's in the house at once

      I have PhotoCD's made from all my film

      • very high quality
      • can print out photos with my Epson printer

      Home Automation System

      • - HomeBase with I/O expander
        • - features
        • - 2 way x-10 with programmability
        • - 16 digital inputs
        • - 8 analog inputs
        • - 8 low voltage relay outputs
      • - passive control of bedroom stuff
        • - stereo
        • - 2 fans
        • - 2 lights
        • - local panels control these devices directly, but the HomeBase sees this and can respond.
        • - my alarm clock
        • - cheap beeper plugged into appliance module
        • - HomeBase turns it on on right days/time
        • - pressing all units off once kills alarm and sets HomeBase snooze mode
        • - reactivates in 10 minutes
        • - pressing all units off 3x in 5 sec cancels alarm, turns on light over bed, and resets for the next day, also turns on Personal Info System
      • - Active control of living room lights
        • - I press wall buttons for moods, not lights
        • - around Christmas I program some buttons to control Christmas lights
        • - the computer also turns them on/off automatically
        • - RF remote allows light control from chair
      • - Active control of computer network
        • - main computers in house are plugged into X-10 appliance modules
        • - RF remotes in bedroom and living room can cause the network servers to power up and flash a light in the room where the remote was from to ack.
        • - mostly server machine powers up it's display when first turned on
        • - if the default dedicated server boot up is used the display is powered off
        • - without having an energy aware monitor!
        • - if a workstation mode is selected, light on desk turned on
        • - A windows program I wrote provides an icons for powering down all the computers.
        • - the client machine asks the server machine with home automation access to shut down and turn everyone off.
      • - security/safety /comfort
        • - door detectors on every entrance
        • - computer knows when a door is or has been opened
        • - motion detector on garage
        • - sends x-10 signal when it is dark and there is motion, sends signal to HomeBase
        • - HomeBase turns on garage light, porch lights, and inside "welcome" light
        • - always come in to a lit home.
        • - doesn't turn off those lights until 5 minutes after no motion and all doors closed
        • - no coming back from backyard dog walks in the dark.
        • - the machine keeps a log of recent home activity
        • - if my Mother comes over when I'm gone I can tell when it happened
        • - if I ask someone to walk my dog when I'm away, I can verify that it was done when agreed.
        • - temp sensor capability (working on it) to have computers know key room temps, turn on fans and stuff
        • Home Automation system control of electric door opener
          • computer knows when door open/closed
          • computer can open/close door

      Personal Info System

      • bedroom computer powered up in special mode because of alarm cancel or button press on RF remote
      • special front end software I wrote in Visual Basic
      • starts up voice recognition program for voice interface to system
      • also starts up voice synthesis program for voice responses
      • allows me to use system hands free while getting ready in the morning
      • check email on work computers
      • check email from personal IP account
      • surf the Internet
        • pull up weather report, New York Times, InfoSage, Dilbert, or movie/tv listings
      • control lights via voice commands
        • "computer, lights on!" works in my bedroom
        • "computer, shut down, the house" powers down lights and appliances in the house, powers down all computers, and can set home unattended/secure mode. I give this command and walk out the front door without touching anything.

      Interesting software I have

      • Delorme mapping products
        • Street Atlas
        • Map'N Go
        • Phone Search USA
        • With these programs I can look up someone in the phone book anywhere in the country (even if all I have is a phone number), and have Street Atlas show me a map of where they are
        • I can get computerized driving directions from almost anywhere to anywhere in the country as well as detailed street maps for the entire country.
      • MS Visual Basic
        • I do most of my home automation and windows utility development in this.
      • IBM VoiceType Control and VoiceType Dictation
        • voice recognition for controlling windows apps hands free, or dictating documents.
      • network capable video games
        • network head to head competition inside my house!
      • Internet software
      • Netscape for finding everything on the web

      In progress

      • I have no air conditioning, so active computer control of window fans.
        • if it is hot inside and it is cooler outside and house occupied, then power up window fan until any of those factors change
        • I have everything I need to build this and am working on it
      • switching to voice recognition system in bedroom that will allow voice dictation in addition to walk around the room voice command control
      • IBM VoiceType Dictation for Win 95

      Future Stuff

      • Stuff to be done soon
        • leave phone message on my answering machine to verify dog was walked, and allow me to check from anywhere with no equipment with me
          • great for low tech vacations.
        • active control of electric hot water heater
          • computer knows when house is occupied and when hot water is usually not needed
          • big relay controls power to water heater
      • Stuff that is farther off
        • would be fairly easy to have machine dial ISP, check email, and do computer or home automation stuff in response, then power down
        • ducting from wood stove heated living room to electric heated bedroom with computer controlled fan using temp sensors:
          • if it is cold in the bedroom AND heat is available near living room ceiling, then turn on ducting fan.
        • water sensors hooked to home automation system to detect basement water

      If you would like to read about a typical "day in the life" with my CyberHome, click here.

      If you have comments or suggestions, email me at sprior@geekster.com