[clug] [OT] networked remote controlled power sockets

Alastair D'Silva alastair at newmillennium.net.au
Wed Nov 10 14:26:38 MST 2010


I'm currently running X10, and I'm not happy with it. Its a protocol from
the 70s and it shows.

I'm currently considering Zigbee 2007 HA products from www.net4homes.com.
Their products can be found on Aliexpress:
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/202637

For power management of devices like my home theatre (which is now hitting
~60W in standby), I use master/slave boards which shut down the slaves when
the master drops below a certain threshold (normally 10W or so). Use a
device with a low standby draw as the master, and your standby consumption
is reduced to that of the device plus the board.

I haven't had any issues with devices having power pulled from them - they
are already quiesced appropriately as I use Harmony remotes to manage the
systems in their entirety, so all devices are already down to standby before
power gets pulled. The only thing I have noticed is that some TVs take a
while to boot, so when setting up the remote to start up the system, these
devices need to be at the end of the list of things to turn on, and some may
need further delays before they are ready to start accepting IR.

-- 
Alastair D'Silva           mob: 0423 762 819
twitter: evildeece   msn: alastair at d-silva.org
blog: http://alastair.d-silva.org


> -----Original Message-----
> From: linux-bounces at lists.samba.org [mailto:linux-
> bounces at lists.samba.org] On Behalf Of steve jenkin
> Sent: Thursday, 11 November 2010 7:49 AM
> To: CLUG List
> Subject: [clug] [OT] networked remote controlled power sockets
> 
> "'Smart' plugs ready to quash office stand-by power"
> <http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20022360-54.html>
> 
> Questions:
>  - Does anyone think these are a good or bad idea for homes?
>    Esp. how do TV's and other equipment with 'standby' react?
> 
>  - What about in offices? (PC + LCD ?)
> 
>  - At $40-60 for 2 points, would any of you being
>    racing out to buy more than one?
> 
>  - Article says "controlled by a PC", ie Windows. scary.
> 
>  - More for the make/hack/void'ers and those running
>    home control networks - are there cheaper/better ways?
> 
> No information given on the PC adaptor. Bet its expensive :-(
> 
> At first blush I thought "something new", after a few minutes, "just
> another onto the (home network/mgt) bandwagon".
> 
> Any comments?
> 
> --
> Steve Jenkin, Info Tech, Systems and Design Specialist.
> 0412 786 915 (+61 412 786 915)
> PO Box 48, Kippax ACT 2615, AUSTRALIA
> 
> sjenkin at canb.auug.org.au http://members.tip.net.au/~sjenkin
> --
> linux mailing list
> linux at lists.samba.org
> https://lists.samba.org/mailman/listinfo/linux
> 
> 
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 9.0.869 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3247 - Release Date:
> 11/10/10 18:34:00



More information about the linux mailing list