CBus Touch Screen Questions

Discussion in 'C-Touch/HomeGate/SchedulePlus/PICED Software' started by ado_civon, Jun 9, 2009.

  1. ado_civon

    ado_civon

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    I've heard somewhere that PICED won't be needed anymore for designing an interface on the touch screens, instead it will be web site based like HTML or something? That True?

    I've heard that the HomeGate software will also become obsolete as you'll be able to communicate to cbus through a server device that will go to your network.

    If this is correct in any way, whats the licensing prices going to be for making your own custom pc/touch screen devices that will interface to cbus?
     
    ado_civon, Jun 9, 2009
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  2. ado_civon

    ashleigh Moderator

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    Neither of these things are true.
     
    ashleigh, Jun 9, 2009
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  3. ado_civon

    ado_civon

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    so basically i'll need homegate still on a pc if i was to run a custom computer/touchscreen to communicate to the cbus network?
     
    ado_civon, Jun 9, 2009
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  4. ado_civon

    Darren Senior Member

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    You have several choices to control C-Bus from a PC:
    1. Use HomeGate/Schedule Plus
    2. Use Wiser Home Controller and a web browser on your computer
    3. Use one of the third-party software products (Clipsal provides no support or recommendation for these)
    4. Write your own software, using C-Gate or the C-Bus Module DLL to communicate with C-Bus
     
    Darren, Jun 9, 2009
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  5. ado_civon

    ashleigh Moderator

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    PICED is the commissioning tool, used for ALL touchscreens, the WISER, etc. It is not going away. It is used to design the interfaces. The interface design process on WISER is very different to other products but it still uses PICED.

    This is not true. The "server device" is probably WISER. Both WISER and Homegate have a place. It depends on what you want to do.

    If you want to make your own product, you can write whatever software you want. You can make that product directly connect to cbus (via a PCI, for example) using the FREE protocols that are published. Beware: this is a very big task. You can also write software that talks to C-Gate (and run that on some other device). This requires the other device (to run cgate) but cgate also does a vast amount of drudgery for you. C-Gate is free. You can also use the Cbus Module DLL. This is less work than fiddling the serial protocols, but not as powerful as cgate. This is also a FREE download.
     
    ashleigh, Jun 9, 2009
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  6. ado_civon

    ado_civon

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    thanks for the detailed reply, but to custom pc/touch i was referring to using my own pc/touch hardware but combining it with the clipsal software HomeGate and the hardware required to hook up the pc to the cbus network.

    so what hardware/software from clipsal do i need to connect my pc up to the cbus network? What licensing do i need to purchase if i was to sell the product to a client?
     
    ado_civon, Jun 12, 2009
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  7. ado_civon

    ashleigh Moderator

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    In both cases you need a copy of HomeGate, and you need to purchase a HomeGate license.

    What you on-sell the homegate license for is your business.

    Bear in mind that such a solution will leave up to you the issues of software update, and more particularly, brightness control of the screen.
     
    ashleigh, Jun 12, 2009
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  8. ado_civon

    ado_civon

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    brightness control shouldn't be an issue if you use a 3rd party tool, yes it wont have the light sensor but worst case you can bring up a screensaver of your last years trip to somewhere :) that would be nice to see on a 15" touch screen.

    what about hardware to interface pc to cbus?

    a pc interface with usb capability sufficient or is there something else?
     
    ado_civon, Jun 12, 2009
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  9. ado_civon

    ashleigh Moderator

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    Automatic brightness control is very important. The amount of light emitted from an LCD screen that can be seen in daylight, will light a room at night so badly that customers will be howling for blood. (Here be the voice of experience). In general you need a brightness turn-down ratio of well over 100:1, and 1000:1 is preferable if you can get it.

    For the interface to cbus, use a thingy (PC-thingy) with a plain ole serial port, and plug that into a PCI.
     
    ashleigh, Jun 12, 2009
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