Linux Home Automation, my recommendations

One person has noted that I have no recommendations or preferences listed. To answer that I've created this page.

As of December 2005 I'm no longer on this setup. I've instead switch to Misterhouse and a new server (burned out a power supply). I'll update this when I get a chance.

I am running Linux 2.4 (UP) on an AMD K6 3D 400MHZ PCI board with AGP video and 256M of 100MHZ RAM and Linux 2.2.5-ac6 on a 486DX 100 MHZ ISA board with 16M of RAM. The reason for the 2 systems is that most of the boards I have are ISA boards. My PCI system was filled and I found I needed more serial ports. I have a Digiboard 8 port serial card in the 486 to handle that overload. I also have a LAN so that any one on my network can access either machine. The K6 is the central server. I've currently added 2 Tivos (a series 1 and a series 2 with 1 more busted series 1 in the works), 2 Audrey's, a non working VirginConnect web terminal, and a bunch of other stuff which justifies having a DJB DNS server, local ntp, print servers, terminal servers, a firewall/NAT/Router and a couple of switches. Yes, I have a test lab and I just finished getting the cross-compiler working for the Series 1 (Power PC).

I'm currently running MisterHouse as my central HA software. It's not that I don't like Dan Lanciani's X10d or Karl Denninger's HomeDeamon it's just that I now have lots of controllers and things to monitor and control. The Perl code is easy to whip together and Mister House gives me one place to put it. I realize that Perl can be slow because it's interpreted but today's faster machines (400MHz works fine, really) and considering that only we only use about 7% of the CPU I figure it's not a real big deal. My main controller is the ADI Ocelot (IR & X10), my HCS II (digital and analog I/O) with my CM11A as backup. I've recently added LIRC & a Creative Infra-Receiver and the CM17A (aka Firecracker) on line. I'm also waiting for my order of 20 DS18S20's (one for every room, one out front, one out back and a few extra) and I've just gotten my DATAQ Instruments DI-194RS up and running (weak serial ports). I've probably got more to hook up but I'm running out of spare time. :-/

If you have other links to X10 software of Unix please email me and I'll try to include the links here if they appear to be interesting. You may email me at ncherry@linuxha.com.

Last updated: Tue Feb 18 00:26:01 EST 2003

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