Subject: XTension Discussion Digest - 12/06/99 Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 23:00:01 -0800 From: "XTension Discussion List" To: "XTension Discussion List" XTension Discussion Digest - Monday, December 6, 1999 XCam Anywhere by "Christian Boyce" Re: XCam Anywhere by "Phillip Burgess" Re: Appliance vs. Lamp for electronics? by "Mike Wingstrom" sunrise script... by "cws" Re: X10.com in a rut? by "Chad A Gard" Re: AirPort conflicts by "Chad A Gard" Re:ATI video player not working (was X10.com in a rut?) by "David Carlisle" Re: Recoton wireless speakers/900 MHz phones by "Steve Fyfe" Re: Appliance vs. Lamp for electronics? by "Steve Fyfe" Re: sunrise script... by "Steve Fyfe" Re: Appliance vs. Lamp for electronics? by "Chad A Gard" Re: Recoton wireless speakers/900 MHz phones by "Ross Strader" beginer by "jean raymond charbonneau" <2jeanc@home.com> Re: beginer by "Chad A Gard" Firecracker, Thinking Home and Palm Serial Port Adapter by "Don Preisler" Re: Firecracker, Thinking Home and Palm Serial Port Adapter by "Joseph J. Strout" Re: New Version 2.3.4 by RE: Firecracker, Thinking Home and Palm Serial Port Adapter by "Davis, Dean" Re: X10.com in a rut? by "Gordon Meyer" RE: Firecracker, Thinking Home and Palm Serial Port Adapter by "Ned Freed" Creating Units and Groups by "Davis, Dean" Re: Creating Units and Groups by "Bryn Hughes" RE: Creating Units and Groups by "Davis, Dean" Re:ATI video player not working (was X10.com in a rut?) by "Tom Chiara" ASIHome !! by "Robert Lesperance" Re: ASIHome !! by regularly scheduled ghost by "Gordon Meyer" small amp recommendations? by "Gordon Meyer" ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: XCam Anywhere From: "Christian Boyce" Date: Sun, 5 Dec 1999 23:23:28 -0800 It looks to me as if the $99 version would let me separate the camera from the transmitter by some feet. Does it seem that way to anyone else here too? Also, I am new to TV, having bought my first set a couple of months ago. (Interesting device, but a waste of time in my view... my girlfriend loves it, though.). Anyhow, I am wondering how the XCam dealie hooks up, and how you switch to viewing the XCam's picture. Do I set up a special channel? Can I do "picture in a picture" if my TV can do it, with XCam in the corner of the screen? That would be cool. My plan is to pop out our front door's peephole, put the XCam Anywhere on the outside of the door, with the wire running through the former peephole. I'd also put a motion detector on the front door with the idea being that (somehow) when someone is at the front door I'd be notified with a sound and (maybe) the TV would come on to the proper channel. I don't think I can pipe it into my Mac (out of slots) but that would be cool too. I suppose sending the video signal to two places at once is tricky. If anyone's got some advice for me I'll gladly take it. Thanks. Christian Boyce Macintosh Consultant to the Stars Check out the BoyceCam! New haircut on display! http://home.earthlink.net/~cdboyce/thecurrentcboyce.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: XCam Anywhere From: "Phillip Burgess" Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 00:34:54 -0800 Christian Boyce writes: >My plan is to pop out our front door's peephole, put the XCam Anywhere on >the outside of the door, with the wire running through the former >peephole. Polaris Industries sells a nifty little camera that fits into a standard 'peep hole' opening...nice in that it looks normal and unobtrusive to passers-by: http://www.polarisusa.com/ I'm looking at their printed ad in Nuts & Volts...their web site appears to require Java, so I'm not certain whether the same camera is represented there. Also, a little pricey at $199. Another advantage of this camera is that all the wiring is on the indoor side. I just got a weatherproof "lipstick" camera to experiment with...was planning on perhaps having it watch the front walk...but quickly realized that with the inch or two of wire from the camera to the wall, a fiend could easily cut off the video feed, even unscrew and waltz off with the whole camera. If anybody else has been entertaining such notions, for this particular application I would instead recommend one of the cheap and plentiful board cameras, installed in a flush weatherproof housing. Also of possible interest...here's a combination B&W video camera and PIR sensor in one housing: http://www.mat-co.com/wall.htm (Third item on page, #IC-113P) This provides a contact closure which could be used in combination with an X10 Powerflash interface. -- Phil ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: Appliance vs. Lamp for electronics? From: "Mike Wingstrom" Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 04:03:41 -0600 Funny you should mention this as I just purchased a wall switch and lamp module from RadioShack. I was about to return them because they exhabited very erratic behavour. I then read in the hardware profiles at shed.com that these units would not work on small loads (I was using a 40 watt bulb). I changed to a 100 watt bulb and found that they worked correctly. I have some lamp units I obtained from X-10 that control a single string of Christmas lights and it works just fine. So, I guess the question I have is: What makes these units or which units work on small loads and how do we identify them before we buy them? And, I would like to buy some wall switches. The paddle type but I want units that send and receive X-10. What are my options? Do the units that X-10 sells (right now 3 for $39) perform 2-way X-10? Again, how do we determine which units on the market have this feature? I have determined that the RS units do NOT have this feature. TIA...Mike... On 12/6/99 at 12:35 AM, Jeff Kandt wrote: > [Forgive me -- I'm sure this has been asked a hundred times before, > but for some reason I can't find any relevant threads in the archive, > even after searching a couple ways.] > > Is it safe to use lamp modules with electronic equipment, as long as > you watch the power rating and never dim the module (i.e. DON'T use > the "Preset Dim" feature)? > > It is safe to run low-power consumer electronics? What about devices > which use a few-hundred mW "wall wart"? > > In particular, how about a thermostat setback? Can I use a lamp > module to avoid the loud "click" of an appliance module? > > -Jeff > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > |Jeff Kandt | "When cryptography is outlawed, bayl bhgynjf | > |jeff@scrollbar.com | jvyy unir cevinpl!" -Brad Templeton of ClariNet | > |[PGP Pub key: http://pgp.ai.mit.edu/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0x6CE51904 | > | or send a message with the subject "send pgp key"] | > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > _____________________________________________________________________ > This message brought to you with the BeeHive List Server > Subscription changes: < http://www.bzzzzzz.com/lists/ > If you are not living on the edge, then you are taking up too much room! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: sunrise script... From: "cws" Date: Mon, 06 Dec 1999 06:27:22 -0600 Hi everyone... a basic question here... I just checked my preferences file and sunrise is 7:03 AM and sunset is 4:30pm ish... Last night the sunset script ran at 4:30:00... (turned the xmas lights on) today, the sunrise script ran at 6:00:00.... (should turn off a dimmed light) an hour earlier that I expected... any ideas why? thanks -- carl smedberg cws@inil.com engineer, volleyball player, husband, dad.. and sometimes just a bum... and now a lazy HA hacker ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: X10.com in a rut? From: "Chad A Gard" Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 09:22:43 -0500 >I too have been holding off waiting for x10 to offer a good "freebie" offer. >I finally couldn't wait any longer and ended up doing a little shopping at >their site. I was surprised to find that they were offering 12% off and free >palm pads & socket rockets. (today only!) Niether of these were being >mentioned in their daily spams. (Maybe they are now, I haven´t been reading >them lately.) You wouldn't happen to have the URL, would you. If it's not their current spam deal, their site is a little hard to navigate. Sometimes I wonder if perhaps they would honor any deal at any time - ie, if you keep the spam, and use a URL from that great TODAY ONLY deal from 3 months ago, if it'll still work and they'll honor that price. It wouldn't surprise me at all... Chad Gard, CTS Butler University, Instructional Media Services WWW: http://media.butler.edu Equipment Requests: Mailto:request@media.butler.edu Personal: http://media.butler.edu/chad/ mailto:gard@indy.net ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: AirPort conflicts From: "Chad A Gard" Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 09:32:54 -0500 >AirPort and other wireless technologies are very cool, but they have a whole >new slew of gotchas to learn! And then they change. Who woulda thunk that cell phones would be interfering with our business radios when we bought them 4 years ago? How 'bout wireless microphones? It's already hard to find a frequency, and most of the spectrum used by wireless mics is being anialated by DTV. Wireless is cool, but wires will always work... Chad Gard, CTS Butler University, Instructional Media Services WWW: http://media.butler.edu Equipment Requests: Mailto:request@media.butler.edu Personal: http://media.butler.edu/chad/ mailto:gard@indy.net ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re:ATI video player not working (was X10.com in a rut?) From: "David Carlisle" Date: Mon, 6 Dec 99 09:39:10 -0500 >Plans for the XCam Anywhere (if I break down and buy them) include using >the ATI TV tuner on my HA Mac to monitor current "activity" via digital >phone pages and TCP/IP Appleshare or snaps to the website. Great plan >except MacOS9 broke the ATI video player. tom, I fixed my XClaim video player with the newest version of ATI's drivers. I have the XClaim VR card and OS9 and it works great now. Here's the link: http://download.atitech.ca/drivers/apple/atimac420.hqx d ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: Recoton wireless speakers/900 MHz phones From: "Steve Fyfe" Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 09:49:45 -0500 Ross Strader said on 12/5/99 9:11 PM >Overall, my opinion is that the speakers are ok if you must have wireless >speakers and don't have a 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz phone. >However, if I had to do it again, I would probably just run >the wires. Ross, thanks for your report. Did you experiment at all with the placement of the devices to see if moving them around would reduce the interference? Does everyone else with 900mhz speakers have the same problems? This report is bad news for me - I don't have the speakers or a fancy wireless phone, but I was planning on getting both. TIA Steve _____________________________________________________________ Steve Fyfe Windward Services Group (978) 386-7260 PO Box 340 (978) 386-7322 Fax Ashby, Massachusetts 01431-0340 Information Technology that Works for Your Business ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: Appliance vs. Lamp for electronics? From: "Steve Fyfe" Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 09:49:47 -0500 Mike Wingstrom said on 12/6/1999 5:03 AM >And, I would like to buy some wall switches. The paddle type but I >want units that send and receive X-10. What are my options? AFAIK the only wall switchs that will respond to an x10 command *and* send an x10 command when it is switched manually are the two switches available from SwitchLink. The main problem with them is that they are very expensive - $89 for the dimmable model (I don't remember the price on the non-dimmable model). Last I knew, the only place selling these switches was SmartHome.com The only reason I have no x10 switches in my house is that I cannot afford these yet. But one can dream, right! ;-) HTH Steve _____________________________________________________________ Steve Fyfe Windward Services Group (978) 386-7260 PO Box 340 (978) 386-7322 Fax Ashby, Massachusetts 01431-0340 Information Technology that Works for Your Business ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: sunrise script... From: "Steve Fyfe" Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 09:49:50 -0500 cws said on 12/6/1999 7:27 AM >today, the sunrise script ran at 6:00:00.... (should turn off a >dimmed light) an hour earlier that I expected... > >any ideas why? A while back there was a problem where the times were not calculated correctly, but this would show up in the preferences dialog. Back then we discovered that it was necessary to trash the preferences file to fix the problem. Is it possible that you installed the new version of XTension and forgot to trash the prefs? Steve _____________________________________________________________ Steve Fyfe Windward Services Group (978) 386-7260 PO Box 340 (978) 386-7322 Fax Ashby, Massachusetts 01431-0340 Information Technology that Works for Your Business ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: Appliance vs. Lamp for electronics? From: "Chad A Gard" Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 09:58:42 -0500 I'm not sure about most electronics - I'd think it'd be OK, but the triac in the lamp module might cause problems. >In particular, how about a thermostat setback? Can I use a lamp >module to avoid the loud "click" of an appliance module? As far as the therostat setback goes, I actually like the clack on mine - the house temp is not something that changes instantly, and it gives you auditory feedback that the system is working. However, all that the thermostat setback consists of is a resistor. So, if you tried it, the worst result would be destroying the little wall wart - simple enough (and inexpensive) to replace. Chad Gard, CTS Butler University, Instructional Media Services WWW: http://media.butler.edu Equipment Requests: Mailto:request@media.butler.edu Personal: http://media.butler.edu/chad/ mailto:gard@indy.net ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: Recoton wireless speakers/900 MHz phones From: "Ross Strader" Date: Mon, 06 Dec 1999 11:12:54 -0500 Hi Steve, Well, no - except that there are two speakers that I placed in two different locations in the house, and they both had the same problems. The transmitter is in the basement, and I have one speaker on the first floor and one on the second floor. Ross Steve Fyfe wrote: > Ross, thanks for your report. Did you experiment at all with the > placement of the devices to see if moving them around would reduce the > interference? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: beginer From: "jean raymond charbonneau" <2jeanc@home.com> Date: Mon, 06 Dec 1999 11:38:15 -0500 first of all thanks to all. I've been following the discussions. I've been using x-10 for a while but dropped out a few years ago. Now I have time to get back to it. I'm a Mac user and I want to use a IISi. Q- I have a CP290 can I still use it? What is a CM11? Will CP290 work with XTension app? Q-Is there a Canadian dealer on the web to order parts.Just easier to deal with the exchange? User groups? I need as much info as possibe. Thanks, Ray ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: beginer From: "Chad A Gard" Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 11:47:49 -0500 >I'm a Mac user and I want to use a IISi. A IISi would make a wonderful controller. >Q- I have a CP290 can I still use it? What is a CM11? Will CP290 work >with XTension app? There is a CP290 version. I believe it's now the free demo, but could be wrong. The CP290 is very limiting, though, in that it only works one way, so it's basically a big, expensive timer. The CM11a is a two-way computer interface, that can tell the computer when it "hears" a command as well as send them. This makes it very easy to integrate "inteligence" into your system. Push a button and hear the weather read to you, sense motion and call the police, that sort of thing. It's also cheaper than the CP290, making it very unlikely that someone would want to buy a new CP290, rather than the cheaper, more flexible CM11a. I would definately suggest you go ahead and purchase a CM11. They're inexpensive and will add so much more ability to your system that you'll never want to go back. Not sure about Canadian dealers, but remember one being mentioned a while back. i'm sure someone will chime in. Chad Gard, CTS Butler University, Instructional Media Services WWW: http://media.butler.edu Equipment Requests: Mailto:request@media.butler.edu Personal: http://media.butler.edu/chad/ mailto:gard@indy.net ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Firecracker, Thinking Home and Palm Serial Port Adapter From: "Don Preisler" Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 10:33:45 -0800 Hey All, I'm new to this, but am using one of those mini video cameras to grab still images (dated and time-stamped with some software called "Oculus v2.5.5", running on a Mac 6100 with a video card) of parrots with their chicks in their nestboxes (I work for a veterinary school). Since the Camera X-10 sells is not very light sensitive, I was hoping to use the Firecracker I got as a "bonus" with my X-10 order. I downloaded the demo of the "Thinking Home" software to run the Firecracker. The Firecracker would trigger a lamp module that would shine light through a plexiglas window I installed on the nestbox. I took the serial to ADB port adapter off my Palm Pilot docking station to connect the Firecracker. Problem is, Thinking Home does not do anything. Whether it's not seeing the Firecracker or the Firecracker is not agreeing with my Palm Pilot ADB/serial port adapter, I don' know. Does anyone else have a better combination they'd suggest? Of course you probably ask, why doesn't Mr. Cheapo just buy the Mac software package with the X10/Mac interface. In my case, I need to see if things will work before I lay out the money. Most of my projects are initially designed with my own equipment (all the old stuff my wife keeps asking me to get rid of). If I can prove that the project works, I can get my employer to put up some money. I'd appreciate any suggestions you may have. (by the way, my coworkers are marvelling at Ross Strader's Christmas Tree Cam, it gave us some creative inspiration on a dreary Monday morning). ..don Don Preisler photo@calweb.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: Firecracker, Thinking Home and Palm Serial Port Adapter From: "Joseph J. Strout" Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 10:38:37 -0800 At 10:33 AM -0800 12/6/99, Don Preisler wrote: >Problem is, Thinking Home does not do anything. Whether it's not >seeing the Firecracker or the Firecracker is not agreeing with my >Palm Pilot ADB/serial port adapter, I don' know. Does anyone else >have a better combination they'd suggest? I don't think you can use your Pilot adapter; it's not a standard serial adapter. I think you'd need to build a cable according to the directions that come with Thinking Home. I also have a FireCracker I'd love to use, but lack the ambition (and possibly the skill) to make a custom cable. Why in the world somebody with the right tools and skills doesn't sit down one night and make a few dozen of these, then sell them at say a 100% markup, is beyond me. Cheers, -- Joe ,------------------------------------------------------------------. | Joseph J. Strout Biocomputing -- The Salk Institute | | joe@strout.net http://www.strout.net | `------------------------------------------------------------------' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: New Version 2.3.4 From: Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 11:06:58 -0800 Michael- The new version solved the Log Names problem for me. Old saved name: Log XTension²&~l0. New saved name: Log 12/5/99 12.00.13 AM No problems so far with the new version. Thanks Robert ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: RE: Firecracker, Thinking Home and Palm Serial Port Adapter From: "Davis, Dean" Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 14:09:07 -0500 Don, A combination of Xtension and AppleScript could do exactly what you want. (i.e. Turn on a light, snap a picture, turn off light). I would suggest something other than the firecracker for your computer interface though. I used Oculus a little but abandoned it when I found out it was not scriptable, it could only execute scripts. I instead made my own AppleScript in combination with two small free programs called Apple Video Player and Clip2Gif. Xtension can turn on the light, call my script (to take the picture), then turn the light off. I would recommend using a "lamp module" for the light control as this will avoid the annoying "click" of an "appliance module". This is especially true if you want to take pictures at short intervals. (A loud click once a minute can't be appealing to your parrots). A script could also be written to "archive" the snapshots so that each new one doesn't overwrite the old one thereby giving some time lapse capability. You may be able to accomplish the same thing where Oculus commands Xtension (I like having Xtension as the "commander") but I don't really know. The point is that one way or another what you want to do is absolutely possible with Xtension and some cheap additional software. I think many on the list would back me up on this. Good luck and have fun! Dean Davis EDI Administrator Holland Hitch Company 467 Ottawa Ave. Holland, MI 49422-2099 PH:616-396-6501 x4427 -----Original Message----- From: Don Preisler [mailto:dmpreisler@ucdavis.edu] Sent: Monday, December 06, 1999 1:34 PM To: XTension Discussion List Subject: Firecracker, Thinking Home and Palm Serial Port Adapter Hey All, I'm new to this, but am using one of those mini video cameras to grab still images (dated and time-stamped with some software called "Oculus v2.5.5", running on a Mac 6100 with a video card) of parrots with their chicks in their nestboxes (I work for a veterinary school). Since the Camera X-10 sells is not very light sensitive, I was hoping to use the Firecracker I got as a "bonus" with my X-10 order. I downloaded the demo of the "Thinking Home" software to run the Firecracker. The Firecracker would trigger a lamp module that would shine light through a plexiglas window I installed on the nestbox. I took the serial to ADB port adapter off my Palm Pilot docking station to connect the Firecracker. Problem is, Thinking Home does not do anything. Whether it's not seeing the Firecracker or the Firecracker is not agreeing with my Palm Pilot ADB/serial port adapter, I don' know. Does anyone else have a better combination they'd suggest? Of course you probably ask, why doesn't Mr. Cheapo just buy the Mac software package with the X10/Mac interface. In my case, I need to see if things will work before I lay out the money. Most of my projects are initially designed with my own equipment (all the old stuff my wife keeps asking me to get rid of). If I can prove that the project works, I can get my employer to put up some money. I'd appreciate any suggestions you may have. (by the way, my coworkers are marvelling at Ross Strader's Christmas Tree Cam, it gave us some creative inspiration on a dreary Monday morning). ..don Don Preisler photo@calweb.com _____________________________________________________________________ This message brought to you with the BeeHive List Server Subscription changes: < http://www.bzzzzzz.com/lists/ > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: X10.com in a rut? From: "Gordon Meyer" Date: Mon, 06 Dec 1999 12:02:10 -0800 >> I too have been holding off waiting for x10 to offer a good "freebie" offer. >> I finally couldn't wait any longer and ended up doing a little shopping at >> their site. I was surprised to find that they were offering 12% off and free >> palm pads & socket rockets. (today only!) Niether of these were being >> mentioned in their daily spams. (Maybe they are now, I haven´t been reading >> them lately.) > > You wouldn't happen to have the URL, would you. If it's not their current > spam deal, their site is a little hard to navigate. Sometimes I wonder if > perhaps they would honor any deal at any time - ie, if you keep the spam, > and use a URL from that great TODAY ONLY deal from 3 months ago, if it'll > still work and they'll honor that price. It wouldn't surprise me at all... http://www.x10.com/products/offer88.htm Free palm pad and socket rocket, plus 12% off. Have fun --Gordon ----- Gordon Meyer http://www.g2meyer.com/ p o w e r e d b y m a c i n t o s h ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: RE: Firecracker, Thinking Home and Palm Serial Port Adapter From: "Ned Freed" Date: Mon, 06 Dec 1999 12:17:27 -0800 (PST) > I used Oculus a little but abandoned it when I found out it was not > scriptable, it could only execute scripts. FWIW, the current version of Oculus (2.5.5 I believ) is scriptable. I don't think the documentation talks about the commands that are available yet, but I was able to figure them out from the dictionary once I knew they were there. The program authors are also very helpful if you need assistance. Ned ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Creating Units and Groups From: "Davis, Dean" Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 16:30:08 -0500 Is there a scriptable way of adding/modifying/deleting units and groups in XTension? If there was then one would be able to create an AppleScript that would rebuild a database from a text file thereby helping when the database become corrupt and you have to start over. Thanks, Dean Davis EDI Administrator Holland Hitch Company 467 Ottawa Ave. Holland, MI 49422-2099 PH:616-396-6501 x4427 -----Original Message----- From: Ned Freed [mailto:NED+xtension@INNOSOFT.COM] Sent: Monday, December 06, 1999 3:17 PM To: XTension Discussion List Subject: RE: Firecracker, Thinking Home and Palm Serial Port Adapter > I used Oculus a little but abandoned it when I found out it was not > scriptable, it could only execute scripts. FWIW, the current version of Oculus (2.5.5 I believ) is scriptable. I don't think the documentation talks about the commands that are available yet, but I was able to figure them out from the dictionary once I knew they were there. The program authors are also very helpful if you need assistance. Ned _____________________________________________________________________ This message brought to you with the BeeHive List Server Subscription changes: < http://www.bzzzzzz.com/lists/ > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: Creating Units and Groups From: "Bryn Hughes" Date: Mon, 06 Dec 1999 13:53:00 -0800 Wouldn't it be considerably easier to just keep a backup copy of your database in case anything happens to it? Bryn ---------------------------------------------------------- Bryn Hughes Systems Support University of British Columbia 2016-1874 East Mall Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z1 Canada email: bryn.hughes@ubc.ca email: bryn@ultranet.ca ICQ: 4822816 (Demian) ICQ: 17559864 (Broken) ---------------------------------------------------------- >>> "Davis, Dean" 12/06/99 01:30PM >>> Is there a scriptable way of adding/modifying/deleting units and groups in XTension? If there was then one would be able to create an AppleScript that would rebuild a database from a text file thereby helping when the database become corrupt and you have to start over. Thanks, Dean Davis EDI Administrator Holland Hitch Company 467 Ottawa Ave. Holland, MI 49422-2099 PH:616-396-6501 x4427 -----Original Message----- From: Ned Freed [mailto:NED+xtension@INNOSOFT.COM] Sent: Monday, December 06, 1999 3:17 PM To: XTension Discussion List Subject: RE: Firecracker, Thinking Home and Palm Serial Port Adapter > I used Oculus a little but abandoned it when I found out it was not > scriptable, it could only execute scripts. FWIW, the current version of Oculus (2.5.5 I believ) is scriptable. I don't think the documentation talks about the commands that are available yet, but I was able to figure them out from the dictionary once I knew they were there. The program authors are also very helpful if you need assistance. Ned _____________________________________________________________________ This message brought to you with the BeeHive List Server Subscription changes: < http://www.bzzzzzz.com/lists/ > _____________________________________________________________________ This message brought to you with the BeeHive List Server Subscription changes: < http://www.bzzzzzz.com/lists/ > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: RE: Creating Units and Groups From: "Davis, Dean" Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 16:52:47 -0500 Sure, but we know that backups go bad or we forget. This way, even with a corrupt database you could export it as text, clean up the text file, then run it through an AppleScript to get the units and groups back in Xtension. That would go a long way to helping someone who has to recreate a database. Also, even if you have backups, how do you know how far back you need to go to find a non-corrupt version. Sometimes the corruption goes undetected for weeks or months. You could have added several units or groups in that time. Just seems like it would be useful if it's not too tough to program in. Dean Davis EDI Administrator Holland Hitch Company 467 Ottawa Ave. Holland, MI 49422-2099 PH:616-396-6501 x4427 -----Original Message----- From: Bryn Hughes [mailto:bhughes@nsmail.regi.ubc.ca] Sent: Monday, December 06, 1999 4:53 PM To: XTension_Discussion@lists.bzzzzzz.com Subject: Re: Creating Units and Groups Wouldn't it be considerably easier to just keep a backup copy of your database in case anything happens to it? Bryn ---------------------------------------------------------- Bryn Hughes Systems Support University of British Columbia 2016-1874 East Mall Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z1 Canada email: bryn.hughes@ubc.ca email: bryn@ultranet.ca ICQ: 4822816 (Demian) ICQ: 17559864 (Broken) ---------------------------------------------------------- >>> "Davis, Dean" 12/06/99 01:30PM >>> Is there a scriptable way of adding/modifying/deleting units and groups in XTension? If there was then one would be able to create an AppleScript that would rebuild a database from a text file thereby helping when the database become corrupt and you have to start over. Thanks, Dean Davis EDI Administrator Holland Hitch Company 467 Ottawa Ave. Holland, MI 49422-2099 PH:616-396-6501 x4427 -----Original Message----- From: Ned Freed [mailto:NED+xtension@INNOSOFT.COM] Sent: Monday, December 06, 1999 3:17 PM To: XTension Discussion List Subject: RE: Firecracker, Thinking Home and Palm Serial Port Adapter > I used Oculus a little but abandoned it when I found out it was not > scriptable, it could only execute scripts. FWIW, the current version of Oculus (2.5.5 I believ) is scriptable. I don't think the documentation talks about the commands that are available yet, but I was able to figure them out from the dictionary once I knew they were there. The program authors are also very helpful if you need assistance. Ned _____________________________________________________________________ This message brought to you with the BeeHive List Server Subscription changes: < http://www.bzzzzzz.com/lists/ > _____________________________________________________________________ This message brought to you with the BeeHive List Server Subscription changes: < http://www.bzzzzzz.com/lists/ > _____________________________________________________________________ This message brought to you with the BeeHive List Server Subscription changes: < http://www.bzzzzzz.com/lists/ > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re:ATI video player not working (was X10.com in a rut?) From: "Tom Chiara" Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 19:04:19 -0700 David Carlisle wrote: >I fixed my XClaim video player with the newest version of ATI's drivers. Thanks for the nudge... I had the 4.2 installer on my desktop awaiting installation. Did it, and its fixed. Next step is to get those XCam Anywhere cameras when the price hits $49.99... Tom Chiara tom@amug.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: ASIHome !! From: "Robert Lesperance" Date: Mon, 06 Dec 1999 19:50:32 -0500 Bonjour, I have asked information at ASIHOME without any success. I then tried to placed an order and got an automated answer. I am still not sure if I will receive my order. Does somebody know if that company is still in business ? Thanks in advance. Robert Lespérance Québec, Canada ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: ASIHome !! From: Date: Mon, 06 Dec 1999 23:33:03 -0500 Hello Robert, I understood that ASI was to be maintained as the same company, but under new ownership. Obviously the new management doesn't care as much as Mark Rheault did... I must contact them tomorrow, so I'll ask what is up. michael ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: regularly scheduled ghost From: "Gordon Meyer" Date: Mon, 06 Dec 1999 22:40:40 -0800 I recently moved into a new place and have been re-creating, slowly, my HA setup from scratch. As a result, I´m keeping a really close eye on the Xtension log to try and catch anything unusual. Well, I found someting. Every single day, like clockwork, I´m getting an All Units On Housecode A, All Units on Housecode M, and Hail Request Housecode N. All three events happen in rapid succession, always in the same order, and always at 5:31AM. This has been going on for over a week. I have nothing on those housecodes at all, and I´m sure it´s not my wife playing tricks on me with a mini-controller. Any ideas about what types of things could be occurring so regularly? Does my fridge reboot itself every day, at exactly same time, and send out ghost signals? It´s not much of a problem, but I´m struck by the pattern... --Gordon ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: small amp recommendations? From: "Gordon Meyer" Date: Mon, 06 Dec 1999 22:40:40 -0800 I´ve been using an extra pair on my telco wiring to distribute Speech-to-Text sound from my Xten Mac to various rooms. I bought some cheapo multimedia speakers at Fry´s for this purpose. It works okay, but the signal isn´t strong enough to make the speakers very loud. The further away from the xten mac, the lower the volume. I´m thinking of adding a small amp to give the sound a boost. I guess I´d have to keep the Mac volume very low since the amp will likely expect line-out output. Anyone have recommendations on amps? Ideally, I´´d like something I could mount on the wall in my wiring closet. I´m considering the midiman 6 mixer (www.midiman.com) but wouldn´t mind something cheaper/simpler. tia --Gordon ----- Gordon Meyer http://www.g2meyer.com/ p o w e r e d b y m a c i n t o s h ---------------------------------------------------------------------- End of XTension Discussion Digest _____________________________________________________________________ This message brought to you with the BeeHive List Server Subscription changes: < http://www.bzzzzzz.com/lists/ >