New Home Control Box for Xanura

Post by **Bwired** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 3:22 pm

On the "Vakbeurs Elekrotechiek 2005" a prototype of the home Control Box (HCB) has shown by Eaton Holec. The HCB contain all functionalities of the Xanura computer interface and has many connections for external devices and systems. The HCB has connections for Ethernet, USB, multiple serial ports (RS-232 and RS-485), DTMF and several digital in and outputs. THE HCB can be connected to the power-line and communicates by means of built in A10 controller (X10 Compatible) with all connected Xanura devices. THE HCB has been tested already considerable time in a project of house construction association Vestia in The Hague. The Vestia-project includes several apartments in which this has been installed. The communication of the HCB with both Xanura-modulen and remaining domotica - systems work to full satisfaction. The Home Control Box will be available around august 2006.
http://www.xanura.nl
http://portal.homeautomationeurope.com/hae/hcb
http://www.homeautomationeurope.com

www.bwired.nl Online Domotica, Home Automation house.

Post by **Bwired** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 1:05 pm

Hi all
I have got the official documentation of the new Home Control Box which will be available soon from Eaton Holec Xanura. The PDF files are in English and dutch. There are a lot of connectors on the box so many combinations are possible. This box will be a great step for the HA community in the Netherlands.
Pieter
www.bwired.nl Online Domotica, Home Automation house.

Download Attachment: [img]images/icon_paperclip.gif[/img] Homecontrolbox English.pdf 193.25 KB
Download Attachment: [img]images/icon_paperclip.gif[/img] Homecontrolbox Dutch.pdf 370.25 KB

Post by **remcok01** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 9:36 pm

http://www.homecontrolbox.com !

Post by **Bwired** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 10:05 pm

Hi Guys,
I have to Homecontrolbox for a couple of weeks now for testing!
It looks great, running on linux and only consuming 4 watts.
I will post a topic about the Home controlbox versy soon.

Pieter Knuvers
www.bwired.nl Online House in the netherlands. Domotica, Home Automation.

Post by **remcok01** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 11:14 pm

Can't wait the read about your experiences. Pre-ordered one...

Post by **remcok01** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 8:32 am

Hi Pieter,

Any update yet...

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Bwired
 Hi Guys,
I have to Homecontrolbox for a couple of weeks now for testing!
It looks great, running on linux and only consuming 4 watts.
I will post a topic about the Home controlbox versy soon.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Post by **Bwired** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 11:08 pm

I will check home automation Europe if I can reveal some specifications of the HCB. I think the box is still in Beta and I find it appropriate to ask them first. So this topic is not yet closed

Post by **Bwired** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 12:09 pm

Hi all
check here for some more info about the home control box. You can see screens of devices and macro's and all the manuals can be downloaded. http://portal.homeautomationeurope.com/ ... 2/show/0/0?

Post by **Henk** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 2:51 pm

I’m using the Home Control Box in my home in an operational setting for more than one month after a testing period of several months.This controller is so far very stable and running 7x24 operation without any interruption.
The HCB is Internet connected with remote access for maintenance and control including PDA or GPRS support.
Also a classic analog dial-in access is possible so controlling the house by telephone is also possible. It will send Email or SMS messages in case of specific events occurs. Also camera supported has been included.
About thirty five A10/X10 devices are connected – including digital input/output and running about 20 different home applications. It will process a heavy X10 load of 1500 messages each day generated by the RF-remote X10 based PIRs.
The control technology is based on IF .. THEN macro’s including testing parameters like time , date , sun up/down, periods, variables and timers. So far about 70 macros has been implemented and this will be expanded.
The HCB is very easy to configurebased on WEB technology - no special know how is required.
Future development will allow to connect other domotica technology like EIB (KNX) ,all kinds of RF technology (including Zwave / Zigbee) . It is a new generation controllers not exclusive for one technology it will integrate different existing technology with future developments.

In case you are a real domotica addict – this controller may has it limits and shouldn’t be compared with the flexibility of a PC and all kind of software tools. Also pricing is different but you should consider all the add-on functionality like 16 I/O ports (saving on additional X10 devices) support of GSM and Email. Also power consumption of only 4W will save on the electricity bill in case of runnig a PC of 60Watt (each 1 Watt will cost more than 1Euro/yr) . There is no cost of software licenses only the Email and SMS functionality will require a small annual fee.
The HCB is an attractive technology to automate your home in an easy and not time consuming matter and supporting future developments.

Post by **MindBender** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 3:37 pm

Eaton offered me one for evaluation after my negative experience with their products, but that never got a follow-up. I have considered buying one, but I find the possibilities too limited and the price (much) too high.

As for the possibilities: What I (and you) need is 'decoupling': If a PIR sensor is triggered, I want a timer to be postponed. In a separate task I need the timer to be evaluated and if it has expired the light must be turned of. The HCB (nor many of the PC applications) offer this possibility.

As for the price: Sweex offers a broadband Ethernet router with similar hardware specifications for 23(!) Euro, complete with power adapter, booklet, box etc. I can imagine the HCB to cost 230 Euro because of the lower volume and the software engineering. But >700 Euro is far beyond my imagination. Perhaps they spent a lot of budget in developing the hardware, but that's a waste because many embedded platforms are available complementary of the hardware manufacturer.

The alternative: A Sweex router (or an Edimax if you don't want to add USB yourself) has a 175MHz MIPS32 on board and it can run Linux without any problems. On top of that it can run an Apache web server and Mr. House. It's serial interface can be connected to a CM11 X10 interface and if you're not afraid of a little soldering you can reuse it's 12 LEDs as General Purpose Input/Output pins. You could even hook up a USB CM10 instead of a serial one to make it a software-only modification. I'm working on it, but I have extremely little time. If I'm done I'll post instruction here

Post by **Willem4ever** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 12:38 pm

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by MindBender
 Eaton offered me one for evaluation after my negative experience with their products, but that never got a follow-up. I have considered buying one, but I find the possibilities too limited and the price (much) too high.

As for the possibilities: What I (and you) need is 'decoupling': If a PIR sensor is triggered, I want a timer to be postponed. In a separate task I need the timer to be evaluated and if it has expired the light must be turned of. The HCB (nor many of the PC applications) offer this possibility.

As for the price: Sweex offers a broadband Ethernet router with similar hardware specifications for 23(!) Euro, complete with power adapter, booklet, box etc. I can imagine the HCB to cost 230 Euro because of the lower volume and the software engineering. But >700 Euro is far beyond my imagination. Perhaps they spent a lot of budget in developing the hardware, but that's a waste because many embedded platforms are available complementary of the hardware manufacturer.

The alternative: A Sweex router (or an Edimax if you don't want to add USB yourself) has a 175MHz MIPS32 on board and it can run Linux without any problems. On top of that it can run an Apache web server and Mr. House. It's serial interface can be connected to a CM11 X10 interface and if you're not afraid of a little soldering you can reuse it's 12 LEDs as General Purpose Input/Output pins. You could even hook up a USB CM10 instead of a serial one to make it a software-only modification. I'm working on it, but I have extremely little time. If I'm done I'll post instruction here

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hi MindBender,

Can you give me some more info on the Sweex/Edimax rebuild.

Cheers, Willem.

Post by **MindBender** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 4:18 pm

This might get you started (Dutch):
http://gathering.tweakers.net/forum/lis ... es/1059423
Ported Linux version are Midge and Amilda. I have ported the U-Boot boot loader for this platform:
http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/Adm5120
Drop me an email for more info.

Post by **Willem4ever** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 11:43 pm

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by MindBender
 Dit is een goed startpunt:
http://gathering.tweakers.net/forum/lis ... es/1059423
Aangepaste Linux versies zijn onder andere Midge en Amilda. Zelf heb ik de U-Boot bootloader naar dit platform geporteerd:
http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/Adm5120
Mail me maar als je meer info wilt.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Top, hier ga ik eens verder naar kijken.