Windows CE Doorbell... | Tech Off

IceVan
Now where's that dancing paperclip?

Now heres an idea.

Wouldn't it be cool to build:

Windows CE doorbell, strapped to the back of your front door. Incorporating a door camera and switch to the front door bell switch.

When the doorbell rings, we could take a picture of the person at the door and play a WAV or something.

& lets send the picture to other PC's on the home-network.

First challenge to me, is to work out how to set a pin on the serial port high when the doorbell button is pushed.

jcarter
All Your Base Are Belong To Us

I'm not very good with hardware, but if we're using C# then I can at least help with the software end. Smiley

Count me in...

:// 13one

mVPstar
I'm white because I smelt an onion.

Look into x10 and home automation. You can buy an x10 doorbell/switch that when pressed, will send a data stream through your electrical lines and to a receiver attached to your computer (main computer/server). Then your computer can do something like tell a video camera (using x10 model) to take picture, etc...

IceVan
Now where's that dancing paperclip?

Im thinking old Ipaq on wireless network (similar idea to my caller id project)

Doorbell switch can just be something attached to the serial port. Not sure what pin I can use as the doorbell switch? rts/cts? dtr?

+ next question is what camera? Looking for low cost device that can be driven from an old Ipaq???

NeoTOM
OMG WTF REDESIGN

IceVan wrote:

Im thinking old Ipaq on wireless network (similar idea to my caller id project)

Doorbell switch can just be something attached to the serial port. Not sure what pin I can use as the doorbell switch? rts/cts? dtr?

+ next question is what camera? Looking for low cost device that can be driven from an old Ipaq???

...X10?

mVPstar
I'm white because I smelt an onion.

NeoTOM wrote:

IceVan wrote:
Im thinking old Ipaq on wireless network (similar idea to my caller id project)

Doorbell switch can just be something attached to the serial port. Not sure what pin I can use as the doorbell switch? rts/cts? dtr?

+ next question is what camera? Looking for low cost device that can be driven from an old Ipaq???

...X10?

My thoughts exactly.

IceVan
Now where's that dancing paperclip?

I'm still thinking along the self contained, single box solution that just fits neatly to the back of the door.

My current plan, is to take an old Ipaq (or similar) and re-box it. Using one of the action button hardware buttons as the input for the bell switch.

I've just written the main application using the Opennet CF for playing a nice DING-DONG when the bell rings.

Happy to share the source with anyone interested,

mVPstar
I'm white because I smelt an onion.

And what will you do about the camera part of the project?

ZippyV
Fired Up

idea: Doorbell awaits response from the user who is at home. You could choose between some standard responses like: "Not at home", "busy, go away", "I'm outside", "On the phone", "Come on in "(door opens).

jsrfc58

ZippyV wrote:
idea: Doorbell awaits response from the user who is at home. You could choose between some standard responses like: "Not at home", "busy, go away", "I'm outside", "On the phone", "Come on in "(door opens).

As long as it doesn't become something like a scene out of Ferris Bueller's Day Off:

Rooney: "This is Ed Rooney, Ferris. I'd like to have a word with you."

Ferris' Voice: "I'm sorry I can't come to the door right now. I'm very ill and I'm afraid that in my weakened condition, I could take a nasty spill down the stairs and subject myself to further school absenses."

[Rooney presses intercom button again]

Rooney: "B.S. Come down here."

Ferris' voice: "You can reach my parents at their places of business. Thank you for stopping by. I appreciate your concern for my well-being. It will be remembered long after this illness has past."

[Rooney presses intercom button again]

Rooney: "I'm not leaving until you come down and talk to me."

Ferris' Voice: "Have a nice day."

[Rooney presses intercom button again and script repeats...]