x10 cellphone hack with added stuff

[CataKlysmiC]

Hiho, for a school project, me and a couple of guys are trying make sort of a "digital home" where things are controllable in a more hightech/nerdy fashion.  I quickly remembered my beloved shows pilot episode when we chose the subject. . .  now I need a little help.

The x10 Cellphone hack involves that you can control the household lighting from any computer/mobile/pda with internet access.  We have the needed PHP code along with the proficiency to make it all work, but the "Firecracker" and the x10 Lamp Module have become increasingly expensive and we only have a limited amount of cash :?

Does anybody know of any other electronic products that we can use or perhaps other ways to acheive the effect of an "intelligent home".  We are also interested in monitoring heat/controlling the temperatures of radiators and setting up a webcam like Darren and Wess did in the second episode of season one.

Ideas are more than welcome, we have a total of just under 100 USD to use on the project

Thx for all your responses

[Xqtftqx]

well the webcam is very easy, ive seen lights controlled difrent ways. did you try a google search.

[puredistortion]

Here are some Ideas,

I am building my house at the moment and I am looking at having a few Geeked out things to show my non computer friends just how leet I am LOL

These are a few of the devices that I am looking at and may be of some help to you. These are from a electronics store in Australia called Jaycar, but I am sure you could order online or have a place that does similar where you are.

DC Relay Switch Kit

http://jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=KC...mp;SUBCATID=392

PC Link for Automatic Control Kit

http://jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=KV...mp;SUBCATID=432

PC Controlled Stepping Motor Kit

http://jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=KV...mp;SUBCATID=432

This is one that I ma definatly using and will begin to play with soon.

4 Channel Relay Board With IP Control

http://jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=KV...mp;SUBCATID=432

AND THIS ONE

USB Experimenter's Interface Kit

http://jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=KV...mp;SUBCATID=432

Hope this helps.

[CataKlysmiC]

wow puredistortion looks like you have been doing a lot of hacking lately, thx a bunch. Just not sure what all of these things can be used for? What are you exactly planning on doing with the different parts and are you following tutorials?

I have been looking into some open source software called Motion - Does anyone have experience with this?

I am also looking for an alternative to the Light script originally used, since it's windows specific. Any help there? (The more cross-platform the better) :)

Thank you for your quick replies, I hope some of you more advanced hackers can help us three young hacklings.

[puredistortion]

I am looking to use these as triggers for larger relays to control 240v current devices in my house (240v is standard voltage for housing in Australia) I am looking at doing basic things like turning things on and off. Though I wil lbe building a nice web interface with all of this.

I am hoping to do all of it on Linux so that will mean all custom code as most of the devices software is for Windoze. So in the case of the IP/Ethernet devices it will be just writing simple apps in something like Python using TCP sockets and sending the data, the stuff that connects via USB and parallel may be a bit trickier.

[CataKlysmiC]

Python is made of win :o

I would love to hear more about your home project as soon as you are finished, may I pm you for help during our school project? (Code examples are welcome)

We are located in Denmark and the standard voltage (in practice) here varies between 220v and 240v.

I am currently researching several guides on the interwebs, one favorite of mine:

Set-up a Ubuntu webcam security system - It uses the previously open source app called motion.

I am an amateur electrician, so things get confusing when discussing all of the different electronic components... which basic pieces of hardware are needed if we as an example want to switch the lighting of our house from a web page (accessible from cell phones)

and what if we want to just dim the lights? (mood lightning)

Thx for the effort :)