Subject: Digest for 2/7/99 Date: Sun, 7 Feb 1999 22:44:42 -0800 From: "XTension Discussion" To: "XTension Discussion" -> Startup Problem by "Jerry" -> Re: Startup Problem by Phillip Burgess -> Re: Startup Problem by "Jerry" -> ADB I/O and Aquarium by Chad A Gard -> Re: ADB I/O and Aquarium by "Jerry" -> Sprinkler Control Ideas? by Phillip Burgess -> Re: ADB I/O and Aquarium by Chad A Gard -> Weather Mac Improvements by jon@macgeek.com -> Re: Sprinkler Control Ideas? by Chuck Pelto -> Re: Sprinkler Control Ideas? by michael@shed.com -> Re: Weather Mac Improvements by "Jerry" -> Re: Weather Mac Improvements by michael@shed.com -> Re: Weather Mac Improvements by "Jerry" -> Re: Weather Mac Improvements by "Jeffrey M. Laughter" -> Re: Weather Mac Improvements by michael@shed.com -> Re: Weather Mac Improvements by "Jerry" -> Re: Sprinkler Control Ideas? by Phillip Burgess -> Re: Weather Mac Improvements by "Jerry" -> Re: Sprinkler Control Ideas? by "Chuck and Karen Coleman" -> YoYo Voice Mail Detection by AringtonJW@aol.com -> Re: YoYo Voice Mail Detection by Greg Satz -> Re: Sprinkler Control Ideas? by Phillip Burgess ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 Feb 1999 11:40:53 -0800 From: "Jerry" Subject: Startup Problem This really isn't an XTension problem but is a Home Automation problem. I have a 8500/200 that has a problem starting up by itself. I have it set to startup at 4:55am each morning but that doesn't seem to work. The last day I was at MacWorld, the power must have dropped out for a while. The machine shut down and never powered back up when it was supposed to. It happened again yesterday. The power kicked off and the machine, although I've checked the settings, still never came up. I've zapped the parameter RAM with no improvement. Anyone else come across this before or have any ideas on what to try? I'm going to be moving XTension over to a Quadra 700 soon and at least it has a power switch that I can lock "On" but the voice recognition and video uploading will stay on the 8500. Hmmm.... Jerry - -------------------------------------- Jerry's Pond Page St. Louis, Missouri - U.S.A. http://idt.net/~jprsha ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 Feb 1999 11:57:08 -0800 From: Phillip Burgess Subject: Re: Startup Problem Jerry asks: > I have a 8500/200 that has a problem starting up by itself. > I've zapped the parameter RAM with no improvement. Anyone > else come across this before or have any ideas on what to try? Have you tried replacing the clock battery on the motherboard? Does the system start up okay from the keyboard or does it tend to be sluggish and temperamental? - -- Phil ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 Feb 1999 13:24:41 -0800 From: "Jerry" Subject: Re: Startup Problem >Have you tried replacing the clock battery on the motherboard? > >Does the system start up okay from the keyboard or does it tend to be >sluggish and temperamental? > >-- Phil The date and time are fine so I really doubt it's a battery problem. No.. when I hit the power on key, it fires right up. Jerry - -------------------------------------- Jerry's Pond Page St. Louis, Missouri #173# U.S.A. http://idt.net/~jprsha ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 Feb 1999 14:09:03 -0800 From: Chad A Gard Subject: ADB I/O and Aquarium Hi dee ho list. OK, I recently decided to resurect an old hobby (just what I need, another time sink....), and dug up my old 55 gallon fish tank, and bought a 10 gallon tank to use as a "quarentine" tank. However, the only reason I allowed myself this indulgence is because I think my HA system could take a lot of the drudgery out of it. At any rate, the idea is that once I recover from the costs of living in the US (or unless Sven sends me one for free), I will buy an ADB I/O to manage the tanks. If things happen like before, I'll probably end up with the 55, a 29 gallon "brackish" tank (corner tank, with one wall angled, so you stick it in a corner and get 3 viewing walls, sorta like a pentagon with a right angle on 4 of the sides), and a 30 gallon hex tank for discus. Hopefully, though, I can contain my extremes, because I don't have enough space. But I'm digressing.... Anyway, the thought was that I could use an ADB I/O, XTension, and FileMaker to take care of the drudgery of water testing. I was hoping there would be someone on the list who might suggest temp and pH sensors, remembering even in my most basic setup I would be testing each in 3 different locations (main tank, 10 gal quarentine tank, and water being prepped for use in water changes), so I'd need something cheap. Also, is there a way to test dH and dKH with a sensor, or are chemical tests the only way? These two are the really annoying tests, as they take much longer to complete. How 'bout nitrite and ammonia? Those two are probably the best indicators of tank health. At any rate, I'd love to be able to have the "system" run these tests and log them for me, and possibly use the "News Ticker" app from last weeks discussion to monitor the tanks along with system status from work. Oh, and finally, I've got some step motors from some old floppy drives that I thought might be used along with an ADB I/O and "tracks" from a toy bulldozer to automatically feed various fish. Or, use the step motors to slide a quick cam, perhaps mounted on an errector set mount, to allow a web cam that would move horizontally along the aquarium. Well, whadaya think? Chad Gard ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 Feb 1999 14:16:04 -0800 From: "Jerry" Subject: Re: ADB I/O and Aquarium > > Oh, and finally, I've got some step motors from some old floppy >drives that I thought might be used along with an ADB I/O and "tracks" from >a toy bulldozer to automatically feed various fish. Heheh.. Well.. I've thought about monitoring temperature with an ADB-I/O but never considered PH. Also.. feeding the fish using XTension would be great, as well but, I'm still not comfortable enough with the stability of my machines to chance it while I'm on the road. That's why I've not used it with the house thermostat. Let me know if you figure that out though.. I just may try it with you... Jerry - -------------------------------------- Jerry's Pond Page St. Louis, Missouri #173# U.S.A. http://idt.net/~jprsha ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 Feb 1999 14:27:46 -0800 From: Phillip Burgess Subject: Sprinkler Control Ideas? I'm looking to replace a particularly obnoxious sprinkler timer with something X10 capable. Preferably something with six zones or better. But so far all the controllers for this I've seen are rather pricey...about $160 total for an eight relay setup. I have a couple of "mad scientist" approaches in mind to get this done for maybe 1/3 that cost (e.g. wiring Universal Modules to a couple of the existing timer's controls), but before I go down that road I was wondering if there's a more affordable ready-made product that I've overlooked or if anybody has suggestions or insights into something like this...so any pointers would be appreciated. Thanks much! - -- Phil ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 Feb 1999 14:49:12 -0800 From: Chad A Gard Subject: Re: ADB I/O and Aquarium >> >> Oh, and finally, I've got some step motors from some old floppy >>drives that I thought might be used along with an ADB I/O and "tracks" from >>a toy bulldozer to automatically feed various fish. > > > Heheh.. Well.. I've thought about monitoring temperature with an ADB-I/O >but never considered PH. Also.. feeding the fish using XTension would be >great, as well but, I'm still not comfortable enough with the stability of >my machines to chance it while I'm on the road. That's why I've not used it >with the house thermostat. > Let me know if you figure that out though.. I just may try it with >you... Well, the feeding thing is really just a side issue, as I never really got tired of feeding. Just all those durn tests, and in the case of discus, the 30% water changes every other day were just a bit too often. At any rate, I was thinking more of the feeding for when I was away. That way I'd only have to have someone come over once a day to check on things, get mail, feed the cat (though I usually take her with me), and make sure nothing died. At any rate, I was thinking of using the bulldozer tracks because I could "lay out" each feeding, so if I wanted different types of food or whatever, I'd just put each feeding in its own section of the track. I wouldn't want it controlled via X10 or anything, but I think reliability would be fine with the ADB I/O. At any rate, it wouldn't just sit there and feed non-stop using the step motor, because it will only turn when power is applied to the wires in the right order. So if the machine freezes, the motor will stop rather than keep moving. I'd much rather have my fish go hungry for a couple days than have 10 pounds of food dumped into the tank, destroying the equilibrium that takes so long to acheive. I'd love to try things out with you. It'll likely be a while before I start, or at least go beyond temperature. At the moment, it'll be a while before I recover from Uncle Sam. Right now I spent the last of my money for the month buying gravel (which is boiling now), but still need to buy plants and such, and then fish. So it'll probably be two months before I buy the ADB I/O.... I just wanted to throw the question out to see if anyone had suggestions on specific sensors and such. Chad Gard ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 Feb 1999 15:02:25 -0800 From: jon@macgeek.com Subject: Weather Mac Improvements After a week of de-bugging / testing I can release my applescript to read the Weathermac - xtention weather report. Programs you will need 1) Tex-Edit Plus 2) Weather Mac It can be customized to your own specs. Its set to read the weather for one minute and then quit without saving. Jonathan =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= tell application "Finder" activate select file "WeatherMac.text" open selection using file "Tex-Edit Plus" of folder "TE+ 2.4" of folder "Utilities" of startup disk end tell tell application "XTension" activate end tell tell application "Tex-Edit Plus" activate replace window 1 from "NY" to "" with cases match replace window 1 from "west" to "whest" replace window 1 from "wind" to "whind" replace window 1 from "mph" to "Miles Per Hour" replace window 1 from "northwhest" to "northwest" replace window 1 from "10s" to "tens" replace window 1 from "20s" to "twentys" replace window 1 from "30s" to "thirtys" replace window 1 from "40s" to "fourtys" replace window 1 from "50s" to "fifties" replace window 1 from "60s" to "sixtys" replace window 1 from "70s" to "seventees" replace window 1 from "80s" to "eightees" replace window 1 from "90s" to "nine tees" replace window 1 from "100s" to "hundereds" replace window 1 from "late" to "layte" replace window 1 from "=" to "" replace window 1 from "*" to "" replace window 1 from "<" to "" replace window 1 from ">" to "" replace window 1 from "EST" to "Eastern Standard Time," with cases match search window 1 for "forecast" speak lines 6 thru 69 of window 1 delay 6000 quit without saving end tell ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 Feb 1999 15:13:56 -0800 From: Chuck Pelto Subject: Re: Sprinkler Control Ideas? Phillip Burgess wrote: >I'm looking to replace a particularly obnoxious sprinkler timer with >something X10 capable. Preferably something with six zones or better. But >so far all the controllers for this I've seen are rather pricey...about >$160 total for an eight relay setup. I have a couple of "mad scientist" >approaches in mind to get this done for maybe 1/3 that cost (e.g. wiring >Universal Modules to a couple of the existing timer's controls), but before >I go down that road I was wondering if there's a more affordable ready-made >product that I've overlooked or if anybody has suggestions or insights into >something like this...so any pointers would be appreciated. Thanks much! Hi Phil, I'm contemplating the same thing myself for this growing season. [Note: Looking over the garden today I noticed that the shallots, garlic, chive and mints are all coming up already! Gotta get ready....] I posed a similar question a while back. The reply was something along the lines of visiting a hardware store and picking up a solinoid that would respond to and pass standard voltage current and a coorperative solinoid-activated valve. I haven't tracked down the elements yet, but it seems like a workable proposal. If you have specifics, i.e., manufacturer and model numbers, I'd appreciate hearing them. Regards, Chuck ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 Feb 1999 16:10:52 -0800 From: michael@shed.com Subject: Re: Sprinkler Control Ideas? Hi Phil, I have a picture on the site of two of the valves that I use here. These are commonly available at Home Depot etc. They are powered by 24volt AC, and have proved to be very reliable for the past 3 years. You can use one big 24vac transformer, controlled by an appliance module, with each of the valves (zones) switched with a Universal Module, or use smaller transformers for each zone and an appliance module on each. see: michael ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 Feb 1999 16:23:01 -0800 From: "Jerry" Subject: Re: Weather Mac Improvements >After a week of de-bugging / testing I can release my applescript >to read the Weathermac - xtention weather report. > In looking for WeatherMac App, I found WeatherTracker which is really cool! I'll see what I can pull out of it and if I can attach it to XTension in some way. http://www.weathertracker.com Jerry - -------------------------------------- Jerry's Pond Page St. Louis, Missouri #173# U.S.A. http://idt.net/~jprsha ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 Feb 1999 16:34:56 -0800 From: michael@shed.com Subject: Re: Weather Mac Improvements Jerry wrote: > > >After a week of de-bugging / testing I can release my applescript > >to read the Weathermac - xtention weather report. > > > In looking for WeatherMac App, I found WeatherTracker which is really > cool! I'll see what I can pull out of it and if I can attach it to XTension > in some way. Well Jerry you might try looking in the Goodies Page of the shed site sometime...:-0 or just snatch it here: michael ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 Feb 1999 16:43:40 -0800 From: "Jerry" Subject: Re: Weather Mac Improvements >Jerry wrote: >> >> >After a week of de-bugging / testing I can release my applescript >> >to read the Weathermac - xtention weather report. >> > >> In looking for WeatherMac App, I found WeatherTracker which is really >> cool! I'll see what I can pull out of it and if I can attach it to XTension >> in some way. > >Well Jerry you might try looking in the Goodies Page of the >shed site sometime...:-0 > > > >or just snatch it here: > > >michael > > Is this where I say "oops?" Jerry - -------------------------------------- Jerry's Pond Page St. Louis, Missouri #173# U.S.A. http://idt.net/~jprsha ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 Feb 1999 16:47:09 -0800 From: "Jeffrey M. Laughter" Subject: Re: Weather Mac Improvements > In looking for WeatherMac App, I found WeatherTracker which is really >cool! I'll see what I can pull out of it and if I can attach it to XTension >in some way. I've finally got a serious set of scripts for working with WeatherTracker. It's sending daily weather reports (and forecasts) to my pager, and the system is making decisions based on weather conditions. So far (a month) it's been flawless; I've worked out all the frustrating little 'things' that have popped up so far (date formatting, units, availability, etc). Basically, I have a couple of attachments that query WeatherTracker, massage all the data into a nice list of properties (i.e. 'get temperature of WeatherData()', 'get wind_speed of WeatherData()' ), and manage most of the failure modes I could imagine. I'm way proud of it, it's one of the most impressive things I've done to my system. I'll post it if anyone's interested. What I have now is way more advanced than what I posted a couple of months ago. Jonathan's tex-edit script should work for processing the forecasts from weathertracker as well. Let me know, JL ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 Feb 1999 16:55:50 -0800 From: michael@shed.com Subject: Re: Weather Mac Improvements Hi Jeffrey, By all means! I'd be most obliged, along with all the others...(at least those who check the 'goodies' page :-) michael ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 Feb 1999 17:28:29 -0800 From: "Jerry" Subject: Re: Weather Mac Improvements >Hi Jeffrey, > >By all means! I'd be most obliged, along with all >the others...(at least those who check the 'goodies' page :-) > >michael > > I keep saying that I've learned my lesson but evidentally, I haven't So many thing have been done for me that I was figuring on trying myself. What a neat application I must say though... Jerry - -------------------------------------- Jerry's Pond Page St. Louis, Missouri #173# U.S.A. http://idt.net/~jprsha ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 Feb 1999 17:39:20 -0800 From: Phillip Burgess Subject: Re: Sprinkler Control Ideas? Chuck Pelto wrote: > I posed a similar question a while back. The reply was something > along the lines of visiting a hardware store and picking up a > solinoid that would respond to and pass standard voltage current > and a coorperative solinoid-activated valve. > > I haven't tracked down the elements yet, but it seems like a > workable proposal. > > If you have specifics, i.e., manufacturer and model numbers, I'd > appreciate hearing them. Oops...that's right...I remember your message, and apologise for not responding as I had intended to. Solenoid valves are pretty common and you'll find them in the garden/plumbing department of any well-equipped hardware store alongside the usual timers and sprinkler heads and whatnot. I don't recall any specific manufacturers or model numbers, though a quick web search turns up: http://www.lawngenie.com/valves.htm http://www.rainbird.com/consumer/underground/valves.htm http://www.toro.com/sprinklers/sprinkler-systems/valves.html These seem to be designed for buried irrigation lines with sprinkler heads, whereas it sounds like you're using a system of hoses. I'm sure with some combination of fittings and a sufficient supply of PVC glue that these could be interfaced to garden hoses, though it would likely be in voilation of some sort of building codes. In particular...whatever sort of valves you get should be installed in such a manner as to properly prevent backflow, which could let nasties into your drinking water. Anti-siphon valves are probably the most convenient for backflow prevention...but need to be installed at least 6 inches above the highest outlet in the irrigation system (including the spigot where you'll be attaching your hose). Because the 'inverted U' path isn't being supported with both ends going into the ground as in a normal installation, some sort of external bracing is probably called for here. Also, you may want to install a manual shut-off valve immediately upstream from the watering system, just in case (if one isn't already there). The same hardware department should also have appropriate wiring for the valves (weather and UV tolerant...available with varying numbers of conductors depending on your layout) and grease caps for properly insulating the splices between the solenoids and your wire runs (_please_ use these and not electrical tape!) The other end of the wire(s) will need to run to a weather-proof electrical box or into the house (if the hardware store has a section for cable TV accessories and/or TV antennas, they should have the appropriate fittings for running the wire through an exterior wall). This end attaches either to a pre-packaged irrigation timer or to some sort of X10 contraption, which is the stage I'm at right now. If you've only got a couple of these valves to control, then a couple of X10 Universal Modules and a 24 volt power brick may be all you need. If you have a lot of 'stations,' then you'll need either a ton of Universal Modules, or an X10-based irrigation or multi-relay controller...all very costly. If you don't need X10, something ready-made can be bought for about $40 and up. But where's the fun in that? I've got a couple of Rube Goldberg ideas for doing this with only two Universal Modules, but I'm holding off to see if anybody has better suggestions on handling this sort of thing. - -- Phil ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 Feb 1999 18:46:39 -0800 From: "Jerry" Subject: Re: Weather Mac Improvements >Well Jerry you might try looking in the Goodies Page of the >shed site sometime...:-0 > > > >or just snatch it here: > > >michael Ok.. I tried to look this up but cannot find it. How can I store the Barometric pressure using WeatherMac? Jerry - -------------------------------------- Jerry's Pond Page St. Louis, Missouri #173# U.S.A. http://idt.net/~jprsha ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 Feb 1999 19:01:21 -0800 From: "Chuck and Karen Coleman" Subject: Re: Sprinkler Control Ideas? I have looked into this extensively and have just about exhausted the options. I set my system up for about $50 but I have a small area that I water so I didn't need anything big. For a multiple zone system I would look at getting one of those 4, 8 or 16 X10 relays systems. They are all in one and are easier to deal with than the same number of Universal Modules (and are cheaper that way). The reason for the UM's is that most "economy" valves are run by an 18-30 volt DC wall wart. The UM's will control the solenoid activated valves which are changeable from NO to NC depending on how you wire it. Mine is NC since the water would go on if there was a power failure. I imagine that you might be able to get one wall wart to power several valves depending on usage. With 3 or 4 valves that are not all on at the same time this is feasible I would not suggest that you try powering that many valves if they are on all at once. If you looked around there are power supplies that could handle all the valves from one unit. A search of the local used electronics might have such a device for cheap. The valves are about $15-$25 depending on features and the outlet selling them. This is the cheapest I have been able to find. There are others that are way more expensive that run on 110 AC and come either NC or NO and cannot be changed. These will also handle hot water. - -- Chuck and Karen Coleman coleman@teleport.com - ---------- > I'm looking to replace a particularly obnoxious sprinkler timer with > something X10 capable. Preferably something with six zones or better. But > so far all the controllers for this I've seen are rather pricey...about > $160 total for an eight relay setup. I have a couple of "mad scientist" > approaches in mind to get this done for maybe 1/3 that cost (e.g. wiring > Universal Modules to a couple of the existing timer's controls), but before > I go down that road I was wondering if there's a more affordable ready-made > product that I've overlooked or if anybody has suggestions or insights into > something like this...so any pointers would be appreciated. Thanks much! > > -- Phil > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 Feb 1999 20:08:38 -0800 From: AringtonJW@aol.com Subject: YoYo Voice Mail Detection I recently started using voice mail from the local phone company. Having used YoYo in conjuntion with XTension for the past couple of years, I naturally wanted to take advantage of YoYo's message waiting detection. I think it was Greg Satz who first posted a message on this topic and eventually came up with the YoYo log watcher to decipher when the YoYo logged a Voice Message indication. I shared the same interest with Greg in wanting to have XTension log and/or detect when YoYo indicated a voice message waiting. I don't know much about apple events so my methods may appear crude to some of the more experienced scripting gurus on the list. The bottom line is, this is simple and it works. I reasoned that if YoYo created an Apple Event for Caller id information, that the same might hold true for it's voice message waiting indicator. As many us know, Big Island has not provided much in the way of documentation for scripting related to this feature. Many of us are using the script that Michael so kindly provided to link YoYo caller ID information to XTension using the TELECAID Apple Event. I used a shareware application called AEtracker to log YoYo Event Manager Apple Events as my voice mail service pulsed the dialtone to indicate that I had a voice message waiting. The Apple Event is TELEVMWI (Voice Message Waiting Indicator I am guessing?) I added the code below to my XTension Log script for YoYo. If you are not familiar with this script, check the SHED website at http://www.shed.com/tutor/yoyo.html. I won't repeat here what Michael has already done so nicely. - -- Detect Voice Message Waiting - -- Event message is returned as 'Message' or 'No Message' - -- Vmessage contents are used to toggle XTension database unit namesd 'Voice Message' - -- on <> message set Vmessage to item 1 of message tell application "XTension" if Vmessage = "No message" then turnoff "Voice Message" else turnon "Voice Message" end if set XTmessage to "Voice Mail Status: " & Vmessage write log XTmessage end tell end <> Examples of XTension Log file entries: Sun, Feb 7, 1999 5:32:59 PM Voice Mail Status: Message (After voice message was left) Sun, Feb 7, 1999 6:55:09 PM Voice Mail Status: No message (After I deleted the message) This script could be even more simple without toggling the Voice Message database unit. I added this so that XTension could perform some action based on the fact that a message is waiting (i.e. toggle a lamp, announce that a message is waiting, send me a page, etc. ) I have been using this successfully for a couple of days now and like the idea that I'm sqeezing just a bit more functionality out of the YoYo than before. As things go on this list, I'm sure someone can improve upon this and tighten it up somewhat. Good luck and have fun! John Arington ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 Feb 1999 20:31:17 -0800 From: Greg Satz Subject: Re: YoYo Voice Mail Detection John, what a nice clean way to get the voice message indication. This will help me eliminate another program on my XTension mac which will make it more reliable. Thanks, Greg At 11:07 PM -0500 2/7/99, AringtonJW@aol.com wrote: > -- Detect Voice Message Waiting > -- Event message is returned as 'Message' or 'No Message' > -- Vmessage contents are used to toggle XTension database unit namesd 'Voice > Message' > -- > on <> message > set Vmessage to item 1 of message > tell application "XTension" > if Vmessage = "No message" then > turnoff "Voice Message" > else > turnon "Voice Message" > end if > set XTmessage to "Voice Mail Status: " & Vmessage > write log XTmessage > end tell > end <> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 Feb 1999 20:55:50 -0800 From: Phillip Burgess Subject: Re: Sprinkler Control Ideas? I appreciate the feedback received so far. I should probably point out, if it wasn't clear before, that I do already have an irrigation system in place, including solenoid valves (6, NC) and a timer. It's just the timer that's problematic and that I'd like to replace with something X10-based. I only need one of the six zones turned on at any given time, and usually in sequence. This was the trick to doing it with only two Universal Modules. The first, set to "continuous" mode, would control the 24 volt supply for the solenoids. The second, with a separate 5 volt supply and set to "momentary" mode and coupled to a decade counter IC and some fiddly bits and relays, would advance to the next station each time an "on" signal is received (up to 10 stations, though I'd only be using the first six). The first module would also reset this to the first zone so it starts up in a predictable state. Plan B involves using an existing (non X10, but really cheap) sprinkler timer that operates in a certain manner...where a particular key turns the system on and/or advances to the next zone, and another turns the system off. A pair of Universal Modules (both set to "momentary") would be wired in parallel across the contacts for these keys, and "on" commands to those units would essentially "press" those keys on the timer box. Watering through all the zones would basically involve sending an "on" command every few minutes (perhaps varying the duration between each depending on how much watering the corresponding zone needs). If a command gets lost along the way as can happen on occasion, no biggie...so one zone gets no water for a day and another too much (the "off" command would want to be more persistent, of course). XTension could be used to turn on specific zones on demand rather than having to cycle through each one manually. Kinda like dialing a phone by clicking the "hook." If there's an *affordable* X10 solution already available though, I'll go that route and avoid the hassle. The $120-$330 I've seen seems excessive though, and I'd just as soon try one of the Doc Brown contraptions described above. - -- Phil ---------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Digest To request a copy of the help file, reply to this message and put "help" in the subject.