Suggestions for External Panels?

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  • Andrew Millne
    Automated Home Ninja
    • Nov 2007
    • 269

    Suggestions for External Panels?

    I'm looking for an external panel with a built in speaker and microphone and a couple of buttons capable of interfacing with the rest of my Idratek gear, does anybody have any ideas? How would I handle the audio side of things?
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  • toscal
    Moderator
    • Oct 2005
    • 2061

    #2
    Would this be used as an intercom. And how many buttons.
    IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
    Renovation Spain Blog

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    • Andrew Millne
      Automated Home Ninja
      • Nov 2007
      • 269

      #3
      Yeah it would be used as an intercom and ideally have 4-6 buttons. The best solution would be a regular Idratek MFP in an external housing. I suspect the Idratek guys probably have enough on their plates already with the new internal panels though. I would like to be able to control magnetic door locks as well but this could be done indirectly using an Idratek relay module.

      Is the polish idratek panel at http://www.idra.pl/index.php?mid=cortex suitable for outdoor use? something like that would be perfect.
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      • chris_j_hunter
        Automated Home Legend
        • Dec 2007
        • 1713

        #4
        we've tried to sort a solution to this, too ... waterproof speakers & switches are available (eg: Maplin), but while interfacing switches is easy, via digital inputs, doing the speakers is not ... suspect the MFP ones are relatively high impedance (much more than the usual 4 or 8 ohms), 'though the datasheet gives no clue ... an Idratek Cat-5 cable has two cores dedicated to audio, so interfacing via those & digital inputs of the nearest module ought to provide a solution ... but, Googling for door intercoms brought-up nothing attractive or suitable, even goingo via X-10 ... also looked for a flip-up cover that might go over an MFP, but found nothing ... plus we worried that an MFP might provide too-many options for a novice at the door ...

        having a camera might be good, too ... and a link to the front gate (auto-operated, ideally) ...
        Our self-build - going further with HA...

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        • chris_j_hunter
          Automated Home Legend
          • Dec 2007
          • 1713

          #5
          BTW, IIUC, most of the buttons on the MFP can be reassigned, via user-macros ... which could be handy ...
          Our self-build - going further with HA...

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          • Gumby
            Moderator
            • May 2004
            • 437

            #6
            Ages ago I bought an external door/intercom thingy dead cheap at Aldi (you know, "bargain" flagged up in ukha list). Always been thinking that there ought to be a way to hack it onto an MFP, even it's just a case of removing MFP speaker and switch connections and soldering directly onto them. Just need to get one of them Round Tuits.

            Need to be careful with audio broadcast setting though
            ----------------------
            www.gumbrell.com

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            • Paul_B
              Automated Home Legend
              • Jul 2006
              • 608

              #7
              Hey David,

              Good to see you thought you had got bored of HA. Miss your frequent updates to the blog!

              Paul

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              • chris_j_hunter
                Automated Home Legend
                • Dec 2007
                • 1713

                #8
                >removing MFP speaker and switch connections and soldering directly ...

                'did look at doing this (found taking the side-strips off the MFP first, by bending them further, then easing the the back-panel out, the easiest approach) ... but looked like all the buttons etc would fall free if I then took the board out !!
                Our self-build - going further with HA...

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                • Gumby
                  Moderator
                  • May 2004
                  • 437

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Paul_B View Post
                  Hey David,

                  Good to see you thought you had got bored of HA. Miss your frequent updates to the blog!

                  Paul
                  Nah - got banned from posting to the blog until the house is finished. Had to keep a low profile Not that I've finished yet, but definitely on the finishing straight.
                  ----------------------
                  www.gumbrell.com

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                  • Paul_B
                    Automated Home Legend
                    • Jul 2006
                    • 608

                    #10
                    Oh dear not good news! Oh well if it is all nearly finished I am sure we will see a raft of articles on your website

                    Comment

                    • Gumby
                      Moderator
                      • May 2004
                      • 437

                      #11
                      Getting closer, just finished a bunch of cupboards. I've got a whole bunch of half-written articles, looking forward to finishing those and also getting the forum FAQ up to date. I'm a bit fed up with the smell of paint.
                      ----------------------
                      www.gumbrell.com

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