Re: The SWMBO is RIGHT! RE: Power triggering

["Mark McCall" <mark@xxxxxxx>]

> We started out looking for a proto, but I am now thinking much more
> seriously about ditching the whole "intelligent remote" idea
as an
> incredibly bad idea for most things.

WHAT!?

> having implemented an IR transceiver, and girder, I am now looking at
using
> One for All "zapper-1" single device remotes as the main
home controller,
> using smarts at th *other* end to do the business..

Ah...right.  As someone who has done it at BOTH "ends" I can
understand.  In
our first house HV lived on the hifi rack and controlled all the IR stuff
(in the pre-Pronto days).  In the new house HV is in N0 (off the garage)
and
a lack or any IR distribution system  (come on Ian & Keith!!!) means
I'm not
using its IR capabilities here yet.  So Pronto is "it" for now. 
Definately
having the IR done by the central HA controller _IS_ the right way to do
it.
But I'm guessing lots of people that have prontos don't have HV etc.

So...the first thing to say is that it's GOOD to have an intelligent remote
control.  But only if it's programmed intelligently :)

My Mrs never used the Home Cinema until I programmed it all into Pronto for
her so she can do it with one button. Likewise my 5 year old daughter would
never be able to set the whole system up for her Dreamcast games without
the
Pronto. And when my Sister and B-I-L come to baby sit they can get a DVD on
the projector by sinply stepping thru the questions on the Pronto.

> I think our house is about as "simple" as can be, but
visitors still have
> problems. Tony's joke about handing visitors a leaflet showing how to
work
> the doorbell is funny, but just think.. how many pages of instructions
would
> you have to give to a housesitter if you went on a long break, of a
month
or
> so? How many support calls would you get for your house?
> I think we need to consider these issues.

Exactly!

There is no point in doing this stuff if it makes life MORE difficult. 
It's
like I was saying a few weeks ago about disabling the automatic lights in
the study.  I was actiually MORE hassle that having to control them
manually - but the Hall, Utility, Kitchen etc are all working great on
auto.

Good points raised!

Thanks

M.