On your nice domotica forum I believe an item is missing
and I like to introduce that item to you,
although my opinion is hardly objective.
but I will do my best to prevent it being too promotional
CER is a Dutch manufacturer of a product line so called FieldCommander devices.
A FieldCommander is an embedded and fanless linux computer
packaged with some tools and support for several interfaces and communication technologies.
A FieldCommander application is configured basically with 3 tools
- an embedded SQL database
- logic and event handling is configured with the FieldCommander-script tool
- HMI (user interface) with html/php-pages
is supported with a built-in webserver and PHP-server
A FieldCommander device support many different interfaces.
Because this forum is mainly domotica focused I will adress some domotica protocol.
- KNX/EIB; an important domotica technology
Your partner probably likes KNX because the components are available in many colors and designs
from white plastic, alu-like, square, round; glass.. whatever...
and the real estate project development people likes it
because it is currently the only technology that is compatible with the European
domotica standard (European standard Cenelec EN50090 and international standard ISO/IEC 14543-3.)
- EIBnet/IP (the IP-versions of KNX; so now 1 domotica project; including several separated school buildings
can now be easily implemented).
- EnOcean; a wireless technology that operates battery less.
- ZigBee; a wireless technology that allows a meshing network
- Kadex; another wireless technology
- soon X10 support
- DMX512 (a protocol for controlling light equipment, popular in theaters, popgroups, disco's
and also for the growing application area of LED-based lighting)
- support for the many Adam-, Nudam, Idam-modules or how these low cost I/O modules are being
called in your area that support basic input- or output, analog or digital.
So using a device like FieldCommander an engineer can easily setup a complete solution,
for example for a product like a data logger, an access control system
or for implementing a project.
So using a device like FieldCommander you can create a domotica application.
And this has already being done and that application is called FCDomus.
The FCDomus application is available free and even contains the source code.
And if the members of this forum are interested,
I'm even willing to extend the support for the HPDM (Heino Peters Domotica Modules) protocol.
This will support an simple basic domotica application for those HPDM-units
making control and visualization easy
and it will allow the user to extend it with own web- or PHP-pages to create his own application version.
and this proposal even makes integration with the other domotica technologies, like X10 easy.
Just let me know if you like this suggestion....
FieldCommander is not perfect and it can't do everything
just like cars.... many brands and models are required to satisfy everybodies taste and preferences.
So let's skip the idea that 1 brand/type of domotica technology can be the only solution
and I hope you like the idea that a flexible device like the FieldCommander gives
you freedom, freedom to select the technology you like most
and even supports integration of a mix of domotica technologies.
Hopefully I didn't create too much commercial talk while being enthusiastic.
Detailed info can be found on http://www.cer.com.
Also all manuals are available there (when registered)
I'm looking forward for your response and comments.
Ad van den Broek
email: domoticaforum-at-cer-dot-com
