New Controller ... recommendations

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  • JonS
    Automated Home Guru
    • Dec 2007
    • 202

    New Controller ... recommendations

    I've run my HA on a Dell D600 centrino based laptop for several years, but it has developed a hardware fault (Can only see 512MB RAM) so while it still works it labours a little which causes occasional Cortex issues. As I am expanding my network I think its time to consider an upgrade ... but what?

    Currently the laptop runs:
    Cortex, incl webserver, email commands
    Squeeze Centre
    printer for all in workgroup
    fileserver for workgroup
    Remote Desktop

    In the next few months I'll be adding another third to the Cortex network and in the foreseeable future I would like Cortex to handle a CCTV camera for the front door.

    One of the great things about the Centrino laptop is that its low power (~17W IIRC with screen off). I bought a duplicate D600 to make 1 good one but it has other issues so an upgrade is required as SWMBO is getting fed up with the glitches on what was a solid install :-(

    While the current system is memory limited (network timeouts occur while its paging), I think the extra nodes in the network will add to the CPU load, as would CCTV. I've looked at CPU benchmarks here http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu_list.php and am becoming blinded by data!

    The choice seems to be between something v low power - Single Core Atom.
    A Dual core atom with D525 looking like best on power and performance combined
    Another Laptop T4400 based - lowish power built in UPS, ~£400
    Or given articles like http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/25w-pe...iew-31816.html or http://www.servethehome.com/intel-co...da-ion-review/ go for some real grunt banking on the fact its low Watts at idle.

    Given people have run cortex on some fairly lowly Via C7 solutions I know Cortex doesn't need that much but add Windows 7, a machine acting as a music & file server - how much grunt will I need?

    On Windows7 - anyone using it ? How much memory is needed? Does it come with Remote Desktop on Starter / Home Premium?

    Advice much appreciated
    Last edited by JonS; 15 September 2010, 10:15 PM.
    JonS
  • Karam
    Automated Home Legend
    • Mar 2005
    • 863

    #2
    Can't comment about other applications but Cortex and 1x camera should be fairly ok to handle even with an atom. Additional network nodes are not generally likely to tax the system significantly compared to say adding a camera.

    Windows 7 is not yet officially supported in the sense that we are still in the process of testing it out on various platforms. I can say that our experiences (and some customers) so far are that Cortex can run under Windows 7 but there are some issues that have been encountered though typically not critical (so far). Examples of such: UAC having to be turned off to allow Cortex updates, though can be turned back on after. Audio sliders schemes don't exist in same way in Windows 7. Our recommended 4ch video digitiser card (though it is a 3rd party product) does not as yet support Windows 7 so we're still in process of looking for alternatives. One important issue though is that Windows 7 cannot be used with a PCA or PCD as direct access of the PC UART is no longer possible. So it has to be a USB interface (PCU-001).

    One lowish power and cost platform we are using is the Acer Aspire Revo

    Comment

    • JonS
      Automated Home Guru
      • Dec 2007
      • 202

      #3
      I had a late night brain wave (don't know why it didn't occur ages ago) to take a 1GB stick from the newer laptop and put in the working slot in the old one. Done - PC much better but still noticably slower (same CPU and RAM) than one with fresh install. Installed Cortex onto faster machine, but it wasn' stable - hardware troubles... So I've moved the disk from the faster machine into the trusty old one and hey presto much much faster and no lock-ups.

      On the new PC front I think I will purchase when W7 is supported, the older Atom's haven't appealled as they are more power hungry than my Pentium M laptop, looking forward, Atom D525 with Ion GPU looks good, e.g. http://linitx.com/viewproduct.php?prodid=12880 with latest lower power Atom chipset but linitx don't sell W7 so it would be a Retail licence £££. Add a screen, UPS, keyboard etc and the Core i3 laptops at around £450 could well cost in.

      W7 will mean a new USB interface tho. Latest WHS is due ~ Christmas so that also worth considering for me, if supported.

      So the aged laptop soldiers on and apart from the main board I have a lot of spares!


      Still interested in power (W) measurements for any recent machines running Cortex.
      Thanks
      JonS

      Comment

      • chris_j_hunter
        Automated Home Legend
        • Dec 2007
        • 1713

        #4
        how about a Mac mini with Parallels 6 ??
        Our self-build - going further with HA...

        Comment

        • toscal
          Moderator
          • Oct 2005
          • 2061

          #5
          Or how about a Zotac
          IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
          Renovation Spain Blog

          Comment

          • chris_j_hunter
            Automated Home Legend
            • Dec 2007
            • 1713

            #6
            looks good - 'though it looks to be (what we call) a wheels-are-extra device - have you costed it fully-equipped ?

            could be wrong, but our Mini-ITX Via controller caught us out this way - grrrrh !
            Our self-build - going further with HA...

            Comment

            • toscal
              Moderator
              • Oct 2005
              • 2061

              #7
              £252.63 inc. VAT then you just need the OS of your choice. For that you get Dual core 1.6GHz Atom N330 processor and powerful but low power consumption NVidia ION graphics processor featuring PureVideo™ HD Blu-Ray/HD DVD acceleration, CUDA™, PhysX™ and nView™ multiple display support for up to 2 monitors.
              Integrated 8 Channel Audio and built-in 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi. 2GB of DDR2 800MHz RAM; 160GB 5400RPM HDD; Gigabit LAN; VGA, HDMI graphics outputs; Fully Vista and Windows 7 Compatible.
              The slot under the VGA connector is for a 3G sim card. Apparently Zotac may make the feature available in regions where such an internet connection are commonplace. Don't know if the hardware is there or not. So it could be either a firmware upgrade, or a small daughter board and firmware upgrade.
              Last edited by toscal; 17 September 2010, 09:04 AM.
              IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
              Renovation Spain Blog

              Comment

              • chris_j_hunter
                Automated Home Legend
                • Dec 2007
                • 1713

                #8
                the bigger HD might be good, plus the OS ('XP would be best, if it's compatible) and an optical drive - so might be getting close to £450 - but still pretty good - 'though 'couldn't make-out if it could accommodate the recommended video capture card (the IVC-200) (?)
                Last edited by chris_j_hunter; 17 September 2010, 11:33 AM.
                Our self-build - going further with HA...

                Comment

                • toscal
                  Moderator
                  • Oct 2005
                  • 2061

                  #9
                  It can't accommodate any thing other than the HD and memory. So the optical drive would have to be external. And unless there is some sort of USB version of the video card then thats out the window too. These units can be mounted behind a monitor.
                  IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
                  Renovation Spain Blog

                  Comment

                  • chris_j_hunter
                    Automated Home Legend
                    • Dec 2007
                    • 1713

                    #10
                    thanks ...

                    choosing a controller is a tricky business - anyone have a good check-list ?

                    'wonder if another option would be to have a core controller (such as the Zotec) and a second one for image processing (the CCTV etc) ... if (not sure) Cortex could cope with that ??
                    Our self-build - going further with HA...

                    Comment

                    • Karam
                      Automated Home Legend
                      • Mar 2005
                      • 863

                      #11
                      Running Cortex on one PC and multiple cameras on another is something that is indeed done on some installations. The two can be 'Cortex bridged' meaning that you can pass automation functions and images between the two.

                      Comment

                      • chris_j_hunter
                        Automated Home Legend
                        • Dec 2007
                        • 1713

                        #12
                        great, that's a good flexibility & insurance-policy to have !
                        Our self-build - going further with HA...

                        Comment

                        • Paul_B
                          Automated Home Legend
                          • Jul 2006
                          • 608

                          #13
                          Chris is right when choosing a controller PC (or Mac if you mst ) you have quite a few decisions to make. It maybe best to note them down.

                          Are you going to run Cortex on a dedicated machine?
                          Will the Cortex PC be running other functions, camera capture?
                          Will the PC running Cortex also act as a home server?
                          Will the PC running Cortex be ripping or streaming video?

                          In the past I've run Cortex on a home-server setup using a Mini-ITX based PC, the machine was just about adequate.

                          However, now I'm thinking of getting a very low power PC just to run Cortex. Currently Fit-PC is ticking quite a few boxes and runs at less than 10W.

                          For my other functions, email, file sharing, print sharing, audio streaming. I'll continue to use a Mini-ITX machine with a Atom processor. From experience these come in around 40/50W. Then I have a beast machine that I use for DVD ripping and streaming live TV as well as a home lab for new server software (obvioulsy not everyone will requires this type of setup). The beast is a quad core with high performance graphics card, etc, etc; it consumes 120/150W.

                          So my thinking is Fit-PC running 24x7, Cortex is isolated from other programmes (although I may include a piece of email software to store and forward for when the email server is off). The home server will run during the day only when I am at work and at home, but whilst we sleep it'll be off. Then the beast will only fire up when it is needed. This setup will also allow me to turn off the core Linksys Gigabit switch overnight which takes another 50W. All of this functionallity is possible because Cortex can control the power to the other machines.

                          The above is my own example and thought process that I have gone trhough. It is therefore difficult to make a general recommendation on the PC for Cortex.

                          HTH

                          Paul

                          Comment

                          • chris_j_hunter
                            Automated Home Legend
                            • Dec 2007
                            • 1713

                            #14
                            hmm, Mac would have been nice, but of course such thoughts are not realistic, long-since ... OTOH, hope (dream) the guys are working on an iPad option - as a screen and/or remote and/or controller, perhaps with an iPod touch or two to help, second-hand perhaps, it might be a good match (good UPS & the 30-pin connector offers a lot of options, and there's rumour of a 7" version, too) ... !


                            Last edited by chris_j_hunter; 18 September 2010, 11:37 AM.
                            Our self-build - going further with HA...

                            Comment

                            • chris_j_hunter
                              Automated Home Legend
                              • Dec 2007
                              • 1713

                              #15
                              >streaming live TV ...

                              this is a bit OT, but ... not sure what you're doing this from, but the EyeTV stick that we use (plugged into a laptop) to get the signals into the network started having difficulty maintaining signal quality on either & both channels ... fiddling with the leads & connectors seemed to have some effect, but the cure turned-out to be putting the stick in the freezer for an hour - since which it's been working perfectly again ! Not sure if this is a standard technique, but it was that or buy a new one (reluctantly) & it seemed worth a try ...
                              Last edited by chris_j_hunter; 18 September 2010, 12:17 PM.
                              Our self-build - going further with HA...

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