Need a little guidance and advice

[daves12]

I'm thinking of using a tablet pc to control a small z-wave setup to control lights, components and a screen masking system in my home theater. Currently i'm using a Philips Pronto 6000 remote with activity-based macros to control the components and simple one button remote rf appliance modules to turn the power on and off.
Is there a way to combine activity-based macros with the automation of a z-wave system using a tablet pc and do away with the pronto?

Any help is appreciated.

 

[Rupp]

Is there a way to combine activity-based macros with the automation of a z-wave system using a tablet pc and do away with the pronto?

Any help is appreciated.

If I'm understanding your question, then I do this with my new iPad and HomeSeer's iPad interface. You build your interface screens for your touch screen of choice and HomeSeer handles the rest in the back ground. The interface for building the screens is HSTouch which is a drag and drop GUI that allows you to quickly and easily build your screens. Here's an example screen and many others are at the second link:
http://board.homeseer.com/showpost.php?p=8...amp;postcount=4
http://board.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t=131697

 

[daves12]

Homeseer looks like it will do the trick. However, i'm a little foggy on how to control my home theater equipment with it. What is needed to pass the remote commands from an ipad running homeseer, to the actual media device? I understand z-wave will only be used for powering on electronics and controlling lighting.

 

[Rupp]

Homeseer looks like it will do the trick. However, i'm a little foggy on how to control my home theater equipment with it. What is needed to pass the remote commands from an ipad to the actual device?

You would need an IR interface such as an Ocelot, USB-UIRT, Global Cache, ect and the associated plugin. Then a way to send IR commands from your interface to your equipment. I personally use an Ocelot and the wireless powermids to transfer my IR from the HS PC to my equipment scattered around the house.

 

[daves12]

Ok, so if I was to use a Global Cache Wi-Fi to IR device I could place it near my equipment and run ir emitters from it to the components.

The Global Cache device only has 3 IR ports, i'm assuming I could run dual emitters, so that would let me control 6 devices. Would it be possible to attach an amplified connecting block to increase the IR ports?

 

[Rupp]

Ok, so if I was to use a Global Cache Wi-Fi to IR device I could place it near my equipment and run ir emitters from it to the components.

The Global Cache device only has 3 IR ports, I'm assuming I could run dual emitters, so that would let me control 6 devices. Would it be possible to attach an amplified connecting block to increase the IR ports?

Dave,
I'm not 100% sure about this device but you could try asking about this in the Global Cache forum on the HomeSeer message board and hopefully someone that is more familiar with the hardware could possibly help.

 

[daves12]

Thanks, i'll check it out.