🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <200@et.UUCP> mike@et.UUCP (Mike Graham) writes:
#>
#>  I am looking for a box that connects to a serial port, and has
#>  an alarm (buzzer, bell, not ^G) and a lamp. The lamp should be
#>  easily visible from say 20-30 ft and the alarm should get your
#>  attention from the same distance. By sending a sequence to the
#>  box the light comes on (or alarm or both), send another and
#>  they goes off. (pretty simple stuff eh !)
#>
#>  I know how easy it would be to design one of these, but we need
#>  one or two of these to be connected to a vax for resale. If anyone
#>  could mail me any pointers I would appreciate it. WE CAN NOT USE
#>  A TERMINAL BECAUSE WE DO NOT WANT TO DORK WITH THE USER INTERFACE
#>  OF OUR CODE FOR THE ONE OR TWO CUSTOMERS THAT WANT THIS. 
#>
#>	( I am only interested in boxes with $$ <= 0.6K )
Well, it's not exactly "a box" but DAK (Drew A. Kaplan), the consumer
electronic stuff place, sells an RS-232 BSR X-10 controller for $19.95 
+ $4.00 shipping (note that it's not in their latest catalog, but they
do still sell them).  With this and a BSR X-10 appliance module for about
$15, you can control the light/noisemaker(s) of your choice (up to 15 amps
worth) from an RS232 serial port.  If you order the IBM PC version, it
comes with standard RS232 25 pin connector.  You need to be able to send
8-bit characters (it uses all 8 bits) and it only speaks at 600 baud!?!

I don't know how BSR X-10 stuff works in commercial/industrial environments
and it's kind of "comsumerish" to put in a product you are going to sell,
but it works great for me at home.

	pete peterson
	{decvax,linus,wjh12,mit-eddie,masscomp}!genrad!rep