CHAPTER 7 ■ CONTROL HUBS 263 Figure 7-7. A simple network configuration This allows you to reuse the router as a network switch and employ servers with only one network port, such as the majority of small low-power mini PCs on the market. If this configuration is too limiting, such as when you want to use Linux as the router itself, then you can adopt a configuration like the one shown in Figure 7-8. With this setup, you will need two network cards and a separate network switch. Figure 7-8. Using a Linux server to separate the two network domains CHAPTER 7 ■ CONTROL HUBS 264 In either case, you use a remote server, such as a colocated server or a virtual machine located in a data center, to accept and process all traffic thereby hiding the identity of your home machine. Figure 7-9. Using an external server Wiring Looms Whole-house audio and video with media accessible in every room can happen in one of two primary ways. The first is by using small PCs in each room, connected to the network to decode the audio locally. This is easier to upgrade and allows audio and video data to be streamed and controlled locally with very little effort. It is, however, expensive because of the hardware needed in each room. It is also inconvenient in those cases where you want to move between rooms while watching or listening since you have to manually restart it. 7 The cheapest way of distributing AV data is by running cables to each room. This involves a combination of amplifiers and switchers, as shown in Figure 7-10. 7 The software to manage this is currently minimal to nonexistent. CHAPTER 7 ■ CONTROL HUBS 265 Figure 7-10. A simple AV distribution network In all cases, the generic term of AV is used to refer to audio and/or video data, according to your needs. You will notice that distribution among the rooms upstairs is easier, since the cables can be run up into the attic, across the attic space in any haphazard manner you please, and down into the other rooms. Here there is a single set of AV cables running down the downstairs, giving full control to the living room. The primary limitation with this setup is the single AV channel coming from the Node0 server, meaning that any media not held on Node0 cannot be distributed or used elsewhere. The PVR, for example, can be controlled and viewed only in the living room. This is solved in Figure 7-11. CHAPTER 7 ■ CONTROL HUBS 266 Figure 7-11. Placing all the AV in Node0 In this environment, all the AV equipment is placed physically within Node0, making for short cable runs and easy-to-install IR transmitters. And there is still only a single AV cable to lay into each room wanting media. This is both a benefit, because the installation is much cheaper, and a hindrance, because only the same media can be experienced in each room. This is solved with a matrix switcher, shown in Figure 7-12, which allows any input to be sent to any room. Figure 7-12. The benefits of a matrix switcher Note that in all cases, the placement of the particular amplifiers will be determined by the amps themselves. Some provide two power outputs, allowing all speakers to be passive (that is, unpowered), while others provide only a line-out level requiring an additional amplifier (and therefore power socket) for each room in which they’re installed. CHAPTER 7 ■ CONTROL HUBS 267 Conclusion As you’ve seen with the example using the teakettle, there are comparatively few pieces of software needed to smartly automate a house. Once you can process incoming e-mails or text messages and issue an X10 command, then the task of “e-mailing your teakettle” becomes a simple matter of combining the two scripts in a trivial (almost banal!) fashion. The next level of interest is generated from the usability features and the specificity of function. Usability is something you can add only after living with the configuration for a while—having Festival use speech synthesis to say “the teakettle has boiled” is an easy technological change but is something so uniquely specific that only a geek living in the environment could actualize it with such effortless precision. Make the most of the opportunity. 269 Index ■Numbers & Symbols 10-foot user interface, 106 24-hour rolling news, 201 433MHz range, 4 5812 series plug adapters, 30 802.11 wireless protocol, 31 ■A abcde tool, 86 abstractions, 222–225 access files, 168 active distribution, 107 AD10 module, 82 Add-a-Motor 80 (CM80), 15 addminervaapplet script, 256 addr directory, 226 addresses assigning, 5– 6 network, 32–35 for X10-controlled devices, 2 administration applets, 249 aerial cable, IR relays over, 42 albumart tool, 200 aliases, 25 all-in-one remotes, 42 AM12U module, 8, 12–13 AM12W module, 81 AND gate, 8–9 Apache server, 166–174 apcupsd package, 134 APIs, data through, 189–190 applets directory, 251 appletUtils class, 256 appliance control, 1–48 C-Bus, 28–31 infrared remote control, 41–48 networked devices, 31–41 X10, 1–27 about, 2–3 computer control, 23–27 device modules, 6–15 gateways, 20–23 general design, 4–6 stand-alone controllers, 15–20 appliance hacking, 49–83 hardware hacking, 58–83 Arduino, 61–78 input controllers, 80 ■ INDEX 270 joysticks, 79– 80 laptops, 80 Lego Mindstorms, 60–61 Linksys NSLU2, 58–59 mains-powered devices, 81–83 software hacking, 49–57 developing on the Slug, 51 game consoles, 52–57 Linksys NSLU2, 49–51 appliance modules, 12–14 AM12U, 8 , 12–13 AWM2, 11, 13 C-Bus, 30 X10, 2 application abstractions, 223–224 Arduino as I/O device, 61–78 benefits, 62 communication with PC, 70–72 creating audio outputs, 70 Dictaphone (example), 76–78 hardware, 72–73 installation and setup, 62–63 reading analog inputs, 67–68 reading digital inputs, 64–66 sending analog outputs, 69 sending digital outputs, 68 shields, 72 software, 63–70 Welcome Mat (example), 73–76 Arduino Diecimila, 61 Arduino Duemilanove, 61 Asterisk, 151 at command, 213 Atmega168 chip, 61 Atmega 328 chip, 61 attic, as location for Node0, 122 Audacity, 90 audio cabling, 146–147 audio mixer, 244 auth directory, 226 authentication certificates, 169–171 enabling, 168–169 automated devices, assigning addresses to, 5–6 automation, 210 error handling, 213–214 teakettle example, 216–218 timed events, 211–213 AV connections, 146 AV distribution, 107–108, 119 splitting and merging, 108 switching, 108 wireless, 110 AV source selector box, 108 AV switch box, 108 AWM2 module, 11, 13 ■ INDEX 271 ■B back-EMF, 13 backups, 93, 136–139 bandwidth, 124 bayonet lamp module (LM15EB), 8– 9 Bearskin, 222–223, 260 Bearskin commands, 224, 240–244 bedroom, as location for Node0, 121 binary messages, 180 BitTorrent clients, 41 Bleb, 191 Bluetooth address, 113 Bluetooth communication, 113 Bluetooth control apps, 113 Bluetooth monitor software, 236 Boxee, 57 bridges, 22 broadband adapter (BBA), 52 broadband modems, 118 ■C c1–c8 scripts, 239 cable modems, 118 cables audio, 146–147 Cat5, 119, 143–145, 147 in ceiling, 142 installation of, 142–143 pulling, 142 star configuation, 142 wired networks and, 143–145 caching, 256 calendars, 204–206, 246 cameras, 38–41, 147 camserv, 41 cassette tapes, 90–91 Cat5 cables, 119, 143–145, 147 C-Bus, 28–31 about, 28 appliance modules, 30 compared with X10, 28–29 controllers, 30 devices, 29–30 dimmers, 30 gateways, 31 installation, 28 remote control using, 29 wireless, 28 C-Bus Toolkit, 31 CCTV cameras, 38–41 CD data, 199–201 CD player, 243 cdplayer abstraction, 223 cdplayer command, 243, 258 Centre for Speech Technology Research (CSTR), 161 certificate authorities, 169 cineDISK NAS, 95 CM11 control, 5, 23–24 ■ INDEX 272 cmd directory, 226 cocktail party effect, 163 combination devices, 14–15 communication, 149–184 between Arduino and PC, 70–72 e-mail, 151–157 IP telephony, 150–151 messages location-based, 236 relays, 234 receiving, 231–233 time-based, 234–236 transmission, 229–231 methods of, 149–150 Short Message Service (SMS), 174–183 two-way, 10, 24 voice, 157–165 Web access, 165–174 compact discs (CDs), 86 compact fluorescent lamps, 7 computer controls, 23–27 computer interface, 5 computer names, 35–36 computer-to-human communication, 150 conduits, 226–234 administration of, 228 building, 233–234 directory hierarchy, 226 echo, 227 email, 227 infrared remote control, 227 input, 226, 231–233 logging, 227 message relays, 234 output, 226, 229–231 sms, 227 twitter, 227 vox, 228 web gateway, 240 weblog, 228 winalert, 228 conf directory, 251 consumer electronics bus (CEBus), 28 contacts applet, 247 control direct, 112 local, 112 relay, 113 remote-control methods, 112–115 server, 114–115 control codes, for IR transmission, 46 control hubs, 215–267 Cosmic, 237–239 integration of technology, 215–216 Minerva, 218–262 topology, 262–266 web applets, 239–256 controller modules, physical size of, 6 cookery applet, 247 copyright, 185 . all traffic thereby hiding the identity of your home machine. Figure 7-9. Using an external server Wiring Looms Whole-house audio and video with media accessible in every room can happen. CONTROL HUBS 267 Conclusion As you’ve seen with the example using the teakettle, there are comparatively few pieces of software needed to smartly automate a house. Once you can process incoming. network configuration This allows you to reuse the router as a network switch and employ servers with only one network port, such as the majority of small low-power mini PCs on the market. If