Yes, I am!!! ;-)


Actually, yes and no. Yes, to get some of the ideas, no because it's too costly. You can, of course, buy 'cheap' systems, but then you also have a limited functionality.


Believe me, Sasha, I've been through a lot of investigation regarding this. And I know that there are a lot of interesting 'solutions' off the shelve. But my main concerns are the following:

• all have 'standard' solutions for quite a reasonable price, that's true. But if you ask a little bit more, then the (also) standard answer is: "Oh yes, sir, that's certainly possible. Then you need this and this module, that and that sensor, and this and this modification in your software that, of course, we can do for you".
  And before you can even take a breath, they present you the extra cost. If you're lucky, then you still stand upright some seconds later, otherwise you make an angle of about 90 degrees, a result from the (after)shock of the price ticket they 'glue' on those so-called small extensions.
  Another result would mostly also be a serious headache from both the price as well as the fall on the ground... ;-)
  
• no 'tailor made' solutions are available, unless you want to pay even more money for the system.
  
• what I have in mind, is maybe next to impossible to pay, when using a commercial system. I really want to have the max. flexibility, not only now, but also in the future.
  
• if I buy such a system, then I'm hooked on the supplier. Even the smallest extention, change, modification, I would be completely dependant on his knowledge, time, price, ...
  I have no idea about the hardware used, the software used and so on...
  And that's something I want to avoid.
  
• if I make it myself, I make it the way I want it
  
• if I make it myself, then I know both the hardware as well as the software. Changes can be done by myself, since I know the system.
  
• if I make it myself, I have the joy and pleasure (but not always...) too. I can put a part of my 'soul' in the new house, by doing a lot (for example, the home automation) myself...
  
• I'm going to use I2C as the 'standard communication protocol' for my system, since I have a reasonable knowledge about this protocol. It's simple, it's robust and it's reliable.
  

Maybe I can give you more reasons, but I thing you get the picture by now...



I know, and I will definitely give them a look, even if it's only to know what they're offering.


I heard this remark already a few times, and for people who don't really know what I'm having in mind, I can understand this.
But on exhibitions, I sometimes hear this more because of the 'envy' of the sellers (also understandable, of course).

But thanks for the links, I'll have a look at them.

Best rgds,

--Geert