This is my PC Interface prototype with blown fuse indicators and selectable resistive/inductive loads for 120VAC house current. The circuit is essentially eight solid state relays using optocouplers and triacs.
The idea is to control up to eight devices (TV, stereo, Christmas lights, etc.) all from my PC or from anywhere in the world via the internet (the beginnings of a "smart home system").
I wrote the controller program in BASIC (don't laugh) primarily because the parallel port cannot be directly accessed with an NT based OS (XP or Vista) so I have a dedicated Windows 98 machine.
An example of my program:
The schematic:
My board layout:
The rest of the pics are all construction:
More pics are here - http://s81.photobucket.com/albums/j230/sparky3489/PC interface/?start=all
Some videos on this project.
In the beginning:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9OMMRkeZnM
Test 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yle1TJiZvQY
Test 2 - to music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bhYVJBRaYI
Final test
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y5QB8ragsI
The idea is to control up to eight devices (TV, stereo, Christmas lights, etc.) all from my PC or from anywhere in the world via the internet (the beginnings of a "smart home system").
I wrote the controller program in BASIC (don't laugh) primarily because the parallel port cannot be directly accessed with an NT based OS (XP or Vista) so I have a dedicated Windows 98 machine.
An example of my program:
The schematic:
My board layout:
The rest of the pics are all construction:
More pics are here - http://s81.photobucket.com/albums/j230/sparky3489/PC interface/?start=all
Some videos on this project.
In the beginning:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9OMMRkeZnM
Test 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yle1TJiZvQY
Test 2 - to music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bhYVJBRaYI
Final test
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y5QB8ragsI