Aquacontroller III ?

[JB NY]

How long can you have the "phone cords" to join them together? Likely 15' hey

I've got a 50' cord on one (it's what I had lying aroung) it works fine.

I gather each of the four plugs in the DC4 are individually controlled, similar to the X10 - just give them an address?

Exactly how it works. But the only address you can give them are A-D 1-16. No biggy.

I'm wondering if I can control them outside of the ACII's X10 controls.

No it has to be hardwired into the AQ2. It won't accept commands from a remote.

 

[Fishysan]

Thanks for the replies JB - very helpful!

Reasuring that I can get the controller, and if I have problems with X10 interference, etc. I can opt for the DC4.

So the ACII will not recieve X10 commands from other things, and react acordingly? (say with "macros" a la X10 software).. That's too bad. Would have allowed for some funky settings.

Thanks, & take it easy.

 

[Fishysan]

PS: you have a superb website, I just looked at it to realize that I've looked it over quite a bit in the past, and am doing so again.

I'm setting up some live cultures based on your site and Flame's details..

Thanks for sharing your experiences!

 

[vmiller]

The aquacontroller has it's own programming language and issues x10 commands based on it. You can also use their aquanotes software.

Or you can write your own software and have it directly issue the x10 commands to your equipment. This is what I am doing. I only use the Aquacontroller to read the tank parameters and get them to the pc. My software controlls the equipment independently of the aquacontroller.

 

[Fishysan]

cool vmiller, that's what I'm hoping to do as well with the controller after i've set it up. I am hoping to have the chance to code some monitoring/controlling via a PC and have data also available via the web and/or have some sort of notification (email/cellphone/pager). I'm not interested in buying their software, darn expensive - as long as I can put together what I need. I'm likely to use the controller to control things for a while as I setup, and possibly it will control a few more critical things - in case the PC crashes, etc.

what did you code your work in and on? I'm thinking of getting some exposure to linux (been off unix for too long) and likely using perl/cgi. Might teach myself Java if there isn't enough library info for what I want in perl.

ciao, & thanks.

 

[vmiller]

You'll need a rs232 (serial communication) and x10 api. The serial communication api will be needed for both the aquacontroller and the x10 since they both use serial ports.

I'm doing everything with linux and java. Although not necessary, I'm using tomcat for a jsp server and postgres for a database. I haven't gotten this far yet, but I know it's possible to send emails with java.

This is the serial api I am using. The most recent version includes sun's comm api.
http://www.frii.com/~jarvi/rxtx/

Either of these x10 api's will work. They will both work with the active home CM11A X10 transmitter.
http://x10.homelinux.org/
http://www.jpeterson.com/rnd/

I don't have much experience with perl, but I know java well. Send me an email if you need any help.

 

[Fishysan]

Great, thanks much for the info vmiller. Hopefully I can find equivalents in perl to get me going, if not, Java in 21 days books here I come!

If you want to be quick and dirty for email via Java for your tools, since you are running Linux, can you just run a shell app like "sendmail" with some arguments for a quick & dirty email? Check that, might be a good quick stop-gap till you do it in Java.

And thanks for the help offer! I might take you up on it in a month when I'm actually in the midst of playing with it. I think I found a good deal on an ACII, so I'll be buying soon.

Quick question re: backlight, is it really worth 10% more of the unit cost? I think I might go for it for ease of use, is it on all the time type thing? Any comments on it anyone?

Thanks!

 

[Mako]

I didn't think the backlight was worth the extra bucks when I bought mine. Had to do over again I would get it. PITA trying to look at the thing when the lights are out.

 

[Fishysan]

Cool, thanks mako.. I'm just having trouble justifying 70$ (CAN$) extra for the backlight, but, you are right - if I'm viewing in low light, it will suck.. I'll need a little reading lamp!

 

[barebottoms]

Great, thanks much for the info vmiller. Hopefully I can find equivalents in perl to get me going, if not, Java in 21 days books here I come!

There is plenty of PMs for Perl. Check out http://www.misterhouse.net if you want a complete solution and or for ideas.

Cool, thanks mako.. I'm just having trouble justifying 70$ (CAN$) extra for the backlight, but, you are right - if I'm viewing in low light, it will suck.. I'll need a little reading lamp

Thought you were looking at a webpage I didn't go for the backlight because I look at the data via webpage (eventually, telnet console now). If you're a hardware hacker, not too hard to backlight it either

And since you're going to need a PC somewhat near there, I would rather spend the money on a Orbital Matrix VFD display and use lcdproc to tail my log file.

 

[Fishysan]

sweet bare - hadn't checked for PM's yet, but I just looked at the link, that will make it easy for me indeed. Thanks!

Good point about the backlight, if I'm going to PC it, etc. etc.

What exactly do you mean by:
"Orbital Matrix VFD display and use lcdproc to tail my log file"
Give me some ideas!

(or do you mean that as a "screen" for the PC?)

Thanks!

 

[barebottoms]

Here is the Matrix Orbital site for their VFD series:
http://www.matrixorbital.com/

Its like an LCD display, but its vacuum flourscent display. Which means its very crisp and BRIGHT.

I run one on one of my servers to look at Network load, Server Load, and Current MP3's its playing

http://lcdproc.omnipotent.net/

Since its a server, I run it headless (monitor), so LCDProc gives me system health without having to fire up a monitor.


I do this all through LCDProc, which just runs a script to trigger the display.

If you were logging the AQII anyway, its very easy to add a tail statement to LCDProc to make it display your AQII status too. I haven't done this yet, but I might get to it one day

The Matrix Orbital is a very nice display.

 

[rcaston]

AquaController III

AquaController III

I have it on good authority that the AquaController III will be released in June/July of 2003 which is the begining of the next fiscal year for their company.

I can't wait to see it.

 

[kelhuffman]

Ah HA! My patience may bear fruit!

 

[K. Lee]

What if any changes do you see in a proposed or not D) AC III?

I've been eyeing the AC for awhile, but as of now have not been able to justify the price for the tech/auto.. I am usually, but not always more reliant than a machine. That is stretching it a bit, tho.

So what changes do you think would occur on a stepped up model (if they don't pull a "dumb-down" --that is make less friendly user features and decrease price for a larger market.

 

[newkie]

Basically if they would go back to a 4-line LCD display and get a less ugly box I'd be happy. Can't imagine them introducing much in the next version that will make me actually care if I don't have the latest model.

 

[barebottoms]

802.11 a,b please

 

[Fishysan]

AC III hey? Cool! Of course, just as I was about to order an ACII!! Woah! Hmmm.. now the question is, can I wait till July now that I've decided to do it?

I wonder what it will do, and, if it's too much $$, will it drive the ACII's down in price. hmm.

Hey barebottoms, what Matrix screen you usin'? That LCDproc is very cool, thanks for the links! That would be a great way to have a remote display attached to my light hood, with the actual controller in the basement with the sump & attached to the PC for it all.

Toys toys toys!

 

[Desert Fox]

^

 

[Typhon]

I am considering purchasing a AC. But I am worry about the issue of the X10 device not completely shutting off items such as a solenoid. I have heard that the X10 controls actually has a power leak, requiring something additional to drain the power leak such as a powerhead?? Does the DC4 have the same issue??

Thanks,
Typhon