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May 2005

By Cliff Millward, Editor cliffm@xmission.com

Disconcerting . . .

What a time! This month I decided to again try to put Linux on my computer.

I have a computer with one main hard drive and two removable hard drives. I chose the oldest (removable) hard drive and deleted the C drive (it contained a corrupted old Win95 OS) which amounted to about 5 gig.

Don Nendell (see review on page 6) came over to my house with a rather new Novell Desktop 9 powered by SuSE Linux. He informed me that Novell had done some great things and Linux was now a snap to install.

He was right! The Novell Linux installed without a hitch. It even allowed me to set the video resolution before the complete installation. Unfortunately, I chose the KDE desktop instead of Gnome (Gnome is newer and I like it better.) However, the real reason Don came over was to try to install on my computer a new desktop shell called Win4Lin Pro.

This shell actually puts Windows (XP or 2000) on your computer running under Linux. You must have your original Windows installation disk and put in your serial number as you would during a regular Windows installation. I assume Win4Lin (or is it Linux) installs Windows on your computer without the Windows operating system.

Unfortunately, Windows failed to install in the final phase. It said it was shutting down the computer, but because it was running in Linux it did not shut down my computer. All it did was close the window Windows was running in!

However, because in was an incomplete installation of a shell, when I attempted to start Linux at a later time, it would not accept my password because it was trying to start Win4Lin in which I did not have an opportunity to choose a password. I could start Linux at a “DOS” prompt but since I was not familiar with Linux commands I was stymied. I reinstalled Linux and everything came up again without any problems.

To make a long story short, Don and I tried two more times to install Win4Lin Pro and both time it bombed out. We even talked over the phone long distance to a Linux guru, but even he could not understand why it failed to install.

Mulling over this dilemma for a couple of days, I remember installation problems I had in the past and it suddenly occurred to me that late aborted programs occurred because there was not enough room on the hard drive (or in the specific drive) to load the program.

I got brave and went to the Linux “DOS” prompt and succeeded in finding that, indeed, this was the problem. When Linux installed, I only allowed it 5 gig. I have since corrected this by copying Windows files to my other hard drive and nuking the old partition. During the next install, it will have 52 gig. If you want to install Linux on your computer, I have since been informed that you must have at least 10 gig free space. We live and learn!

Stay tuned, I will inform you as soon as I can if I finally get everything up and working.

Let me end this report by stating it was not the fault of Linux that Win4Lin bombed. Win4Lin needs a script that looks at Linux partition and informs you if there is not enough space to install.

Finally, I have not tried all the new Linux installations, but the Novell Linux installed easily and with the Gnome interface it is a real winner! Try it, you’ll like it!

Something to think about

Our group is the Utah Computer Society. It does not say the Utah IBM or Windows Computer Society. In the beginning we concentrated on IBM computers and, after a time, evolved into a Windows centered organization. Perhaps we should expand and become Linux experts in order to assist people switching to Linux.

Another thought -- why are we completely ignoring Apple? The Macintosh is also a computer. Would you attend a meeting if we offered instruction in Linux or Apple? Let us know.

Finè

Index

Presidents Corner

If this is the May issue, it must be time for the first column by your new president. Up until now, I’ve managed to avoid or evade writing anything other than product reviews, so be gentle with any criticism!

In looking back at some of the past President’s first columns, I found that not much has changed in some ways:

• May 1996: no President’s column this issue, but the closing of the downtown rental office space and the relocation of the BBS (remember that) to Bob Beaudoins’s house was noted.

• May 1998 (James Alexander): he mentions “tech shows, meetings and auction” and “working committees [for] specific areas”

• May 1999 (Dave Otterstrom): “toughest thing about this job is trying to figure out what you guys want”

• May 2002 (Stuart Gygi): “membership has been gradually declining..We also need help with the SIGs. They are not well attended.”

Does this all sound familiar? It certainly will to anyone who has been on the Board anytime recently. Trade shows? Auction? Working committees? Declining membership? SIGs not well attended?

Let’s see: Hot Technology Showcase had a name change and has not been anything like its former self. Also, it’s pretty much beyond our control.

Auction of surplus, used equipment by members has not been done for at least three years! We auctioned a single NEW computer last December, but this was hardly the same type of event. Is there any interest in holding auctions on some regular schedule? Can we involve people outside UCS in this event? Doing so would help promote the organization. If done well, it might even add funds to our bank account and members to our rolls.

Working committees was an effort to involve more members in organizing things for UCS. Certainly more members offering suggestions for programs and SIGs would be helpful see Dave and Stuart’s comments above.

Declining memberships seem to be a problem for many organizations such as ours. The ready explanation is The Internet. I don’t want to discount that has having an impact, but there may be other reasons. These “other reasons” we might be able to elicit from Former UCS Members. Anyone have questions they would like to ask of former members? If so, please send them on to the Board, board@ucs.org.

Low attendance at the SIGs may be part of the previous problem. Are the topics not of interest? Not according to previous member questionnaires. Are the SIGs not offering what is desired within the broader topic listed? Remember the packed rooms for the Entertainment SIG. Was it only the drawings for free stuff that brought members out? Cynics will say ‘yes,’ but as I recall, they were usually a really fun hour or so, regardless of whether you actually played any of the games presented (or won anything0.

Meeting are free to everyone, member or not, and meeting attendance is a significant factor in recruiting outside presenters. Meeting attendance has been 30_40 the last few months; over the past three years, the meeting pulled in 40_60 each month. So what do WE do? Suggestions have included more marketing/advertising and greater variety in programs. Other possibilities might be to offer programs that would appeal to Linux and Mac users as well as Wintel “Blue Chippers.” Not trying to be heretical, just noting that 30_40 at a meeting would be considered a SIG in some places....

What do YOU, the UCS membership, suggest? The Board has no known mind_readers, so expect to see some member (and non_member) surveys in the future. If you have suggestions, let me or another Board member know. Again, that’s board@ucs.org or check the magazine for our phone numbers.

Almost forgot! A big thank you to everyone who is remembering to provide the UCS program numbers when purchasing at Staples, OfficeMax and Office Depot. And if you forgot, all three will credit your purchases after_the_fact through their toll_free telephone numbers.

__ Rick Gregory

Index

Win4Lin Pro 6
That’s One Small Step for...Mankind

Reviewed by Don Nendell

(aka Sgt. Shultz)

System Requirements

Win4Lin Pro has the following system requirements (and specifications) for a successful installation.

Installation Requirements:

• Linux operating system

Note. Most 2.4.x or 2.6.x kernel based Linux distributions. Examples include Red Hat Linux and Fedora Core, Novell SuSE Linux, Linux-Mandrake, XandrOS, Gentoo, Debian, and many others. Virtually all available 2.4.x or 2.6.x kernel based Linux distributions should be able to host Win4Lin Pro.

64-bit kernels: Win4Lin Pro is capable of running on 64-bit Linux kernels for x86_64 architectures, provided the CPU meets the Hardware Requirements listed below. At present time, there is no special optimization for 64-bit hosts, but Win4Lin Pro has been reported to work well as a standard 32-bit application on these platforms. Optimized 64-bit host support is planned in the near future.

• Licensed copy of Windows 2000 (early support for Windows XP available)

• Ability to install a program as the root user

• Ability to install a .RPM or .DEB package

Processor Recommendations

• Intel Pentium 4 or Xeon, running at 1.4GHz or higher (2.0GHz or higher is strongly recommended)

• Intel Pentium “M”/Centrino running at 1.3GHz or higher (1.5GHz or higher is strongly recommended)

• AMD Athlon XP or Athlon 64 2000+ (2500+ or higher is strongly recommended)

Additional Software Requirements

• X Window system configured for at least 1024x768 resolution in 16-bit color

Memory Requirements

• 256MB of RAM (512MB, or higher, is strongly recommended)

Disk Space

• At least 10 GB of free disk space for Guest Operating System and Applications is strongly recommended

Hardware Requirements

• CD-ROM drive

• 20MB disk space for Win4Lin Pro

• 700MB-1.2GB additional disk space for Windows media installation

Administrative User Requirements

• Root user access is required for certain parts of the installation.

Supported Guest Windows Versions

Win4Lin Pro 1.0 generally supports bootable Windows 2000 Professional and Windows XP Professional CD-ROMs. However, please refer to the product Release Notes for the most up-to-date list of supported Windows versions, as well as any information related to specific Windows versions.

Target User:

Linux Business (and) Power Users, Users who require Windows 2000 or XP
Price: $99.99 (Intro offer through March 30th, $139.99 after that)

CAVEAT . Win4Lin Pro End User License Agreement (Read the EULA very Carefully)

Re. Use of Microsoft® Windows® : Win4Lin does not supply a license for the use of Microsoft Windows. You are required to have a Microsoft Windows license and access to Microsoft Windows installation media to use the Win4Lin Pro Software.

Re. Audit Right : Win4Lin has the right to audit your use of the Software to ensure compliance with the terms of this Agreement . (Comment. This is the first time I’ve run across this particular “Big Brother” approach)

Terms You Should (Must) Know

If you are an experienced Linux user, you will probably be familiar with the terms used.

Caution.However, if you are somewhat new to Linux (like me), please take a few minutes to read over all those important technical terms which are used throughout the manual(s) and instructions.

Benefits In a Nutshell, Win4Lin Pro Lets You...

• Run Windows and Linux applications at the same time

• Run most Windows applications at near-native speeds

• Create, save, and delete files in the familiar Windows environment

• Navigate Windows in a window on your Linux desktop

• Sharefiles, directories, and folders between Linux and Windows

• Boot Windows quickly and easily by starting Win4Lin Pro

• Reboot Windows quickly just by re-running the Win4Lin Pro application

What is Win4Lin Pro?

Win4Lin Pro is a Linux application that installs the Microsoft Windows 2000 and XP operating systems into your Linux environment. Win4Lin Pro uses the X Window system to display the familiar Windows desktop on your Linux desktop (e.g., GNOME or KDE) .

After installing Win4Lin Pro and a supported version of Microsoft Windows, you are ready to install your favorite Windows applications. You can then run Linux and Windows applications at the same time - no need to dual boot or create separate disk partitions.

Win4Lin Pro provides a fast and stable way to run the Windows operating system and Windows applications in your Linux environment. With Win4Lin Pro you can avoid many Windows corruption problems and recover quickly from Windows errors. The result is a system that is easy to use, with low overhead and good performance.

My Dilemma – A “Windows-like” Review?

An awful lot of the pieces of a real, and to me, a personally vexing, puzzle fell completely into place for me at the 21 st Annual Novell BrainShare last week - wow, my 8 th already. To give you a small indication of what I’m getting at here? For so very long now, it’s been kind of like fretting over one of those captivating, totally intriguing 2000+, itsy, bitsy, teeny, weenie, every piece looks exactly the same kind of a puzzle. You know, the type of puzzle that drives you absolutely nuts, but you can’t really walk away from it - a “you’re just plain hooked on it kind of puzzle.” Well, that’s what I’m referring to here.

Not coincidently, I’m writing this on April 1, 2005 , but it’s not a joke! Really! Blue Chips Magazine has always been a Windows-based magazine, right? And so, this is supposed to be a Windows “ thingy, or something” review, right? You’d certainly think so! Yah! Me too! But then, maybe you haven’t seen the writing on the wall yet either? A couple of descriptive terms here just might help get you to raise your eyebrows a tiny might - say like a 2x4 gentle nudge to the side of the head? Things like: BSD? Virus attacks? Security Breaches (and their belated patches) every week? SP1? SP2? Activate again with change(s), Monopoly? Big Brother? And, the straw that might have really broken the camel’s back - no more free Win9x support? Lord, when will it ever end? Possibly.

Background

A very interesting thing happened at the BrainShare I was attending 3-years ago; Novell shifted its complete emphasis to Linux, and in doing so, at the same time, working hand-in-hand with Windows, no less. Gad! There I’ve said that dreaded “L-word,” and in the same breath, “Linux . . . working . . . withWindows?” This is not a joke, I assure you. “Don,” you say, “Did you really mean that?” Yep! I sure do.

Note . Novell plays a very big part in this review and my attendance at the last 8 Novell BrainShare Conferences has given me a unique historical perspective of the computer O/S wars of recent times. Seems Novell came within an eyelash of becoming the next O/S 2-like candidate destined for the bone yard. The next dinosaur? The next M/S “Squishee?” Not likely.

Important Background Note . Novell bought SUSE Linux outright last year; SUSE being the Linux O/S competitor to Mandrake, Red Hat, etc. Novell reports that “Moving to (the ‘free’) OpenOffice.org (alone) yielded immediate and substantial savings in Microsoft Office license-replacement costs, as well as in training, support and time spent on document interchange.” BTW You can get your free copy of the Novell Migration to Linux: Real Business Value white paper by visiting <www.novell.com/linux/migration>. You might even decide to pick up your own “free” Novell Linux Desktop 9 Evaluation Kit:Full Version, with free updates for 60 days, while you’re there too. Could be a real eye opener for you, too!

As I mentioned, at BrainShare last week a giant piece of the puzzle was solved for me. I had a “free,” yes, a FREE, Novell SUSE Linux Desktop 9 program put on my beautiful Laptop – and in a dual-boot capacity yet. It was installed “free” by a great Novell Tech Support person, Joe Harmon, and I now have 60 days of “free” product updates. Such a country!

I’m thinking, “Yikes! Now that I’ve got it on my laptop, what am I going to do with it? How am I going to get all my Windows programs to work on, or even with Linux?”“Should be impossible,” you say, “especially for Sgt. Shultz, who knows absolutely ‘Nothing!’”“Shake your head, let’s hear the rocks rattle,” you say. Right!

Lo! Seemingly as an answer to my prayers, I ran smack dab into a product called, Win4Lin Pro 6 (W4LP), at a BrainShare exhibitors booth? Windows for Linux? Praise be! Can you imagine the possibilities of being able to run your favorite Windows applications “safely” on a/your Linux operating system? I could.

Story: Win4Lin Pro and Don

As you may recall from many of my previous BCM reviews, my immediate needs (which would (and should), quite naturally, include Linux) involves a couple of very critical security protocols? When the opportunity presented itself at last week’s BrainShare, I was also exceptionally fortunate to meet face-to-face with the editor of LinuxWorld, Mark Hinkle. It was he who introduced me to Win4Lin Pro. Very definitely intrigued, I desperately wanted to see if my patented “Windows-based” dynamic identification, authentication and verification, and security program that I carried with me around my neck on a USB Flash Drive would work on his Linux “Box,” as “ They” call it ;-} During Mark’s demonstration of W4LP, his USB ports somehow completely malfunctioned, for some unknown reason, and we (I) ultimately didn’t get the answer I so desperately wanted at that sitting.

Undaunted, I immediately went straight back to my BrainShare Techie who then helped me to find out (using the SUSE Linux wireless connection and Firefox browser) that out of the four (4) other Linux programs that are supposed to work with Windows, Numbers 1, 2, and 4 (Wine, CodeWeavers CrossOver Office, and VMware, respectively) didn’t work, the way I’d hope they would, with USB Flash Drives either. Shucks!

Caveat . Right about now, you must, repeat must, go see: Mark Cappel’s, December 4, 2002 LinuxWorld article, 4 newbie questions about Linux answered: Trying Linux has never been easier, which can be found at <http://www.linuxworld.com/story/32810_p.htm>

The one (1) major question Mark addresses in his article pertinent to us herein is: “1. Can I run any Linux app of Windows and any Windows app on Linux? If yes, how?” Important Note. The other three (3) questions Mark answers in his article are well worth your time as well, if you have any interest in Linux at all?

But then, now that I have Win4Lin Pro 6, the missing number“3” program in Mark’s article, we’ll see for ourselves, that’s for sure. Ever Onward!

We Begin

Imagine being able to run you favorite Windows applications on your Linux operating system? Well, very quickly, I enlisted Cliff Millward, the BCM editor, aka “Colonel Klink,” to go along with me on this adventure, as he has been trying unsuccessfully for years, like me, to get Linux on his PC. I happily gave him my extra “Free” copy of the Novell SUSE 9 Linux Desktop (with its accompanying 60 days of free tech support) that I had brought with home with me from BrainShare XXI, and he was certainly a “Happy Camper.” Trouble was, he installed the KDE version instead of the Gnome version, and he ran into some problems as a result. Shoulda, woulda, coulda! Whew, he had some problems. Got it straightened out later, however.

Win4Lin Basics

Win4Lin, Inc. is focused on providing infrastructure using virtual computing technology that enables Windows to run on Linux as well-behaved processes within virtual computing environments (VCEs). Win4Lin Pro is advertised as, the newest addition, and the flagship product to their Win4Lin product family. Getting the best of both worlds, the desktop package supports users who choose Linux as their primary environment, but still require access to standard Windows applications not available natively on Linux.

Using Win4Lin’s high performance virtual computing environment (VCE), Win4Lin Pro runs virtually any Windows 2000 or Windows XP application as intended, without the need to patch the host operating system (e.g. no need to patch the Linux kernel). This next generation product is the perfect solution for the technical workstation, home, or enterprise Linux user. Organizations wishing to migrate to Linux need wait no longer because they can now run those Windows legacy business applications that until now have prevented them from moving forward.

Win4Lin Pro runs as a well-behaved Linux process sharing Linux memory and file system without surrendering control to the Windows “guest” operating system. Because of the Linux highly stable architecture, PCs are no longer at the mercy of Windows viruses and other malware. A system failure or security flaw in Windows is now limited to only the virtual sandbox which contained these unavoidable Windows problems. The inevitable Windows malfunction is now insulated from causing system-wide failures.

The shipping release of Win4Lin Pro fully supports execution of Windows 2000 applications on Linux and limited support for Windows XP (See the latest release notes. Win4Lin plans to aggressively issue enhancement releases to add additional features for Win4Lin Pro, including enhanced support for Windows XP). Bottom line. You can now get all the advantages of running both Windows and Linux “simultaneously.” The stability, security, and administrative capabilities of Linux are now partnered with the vast number of Windows applications on which you have come to depend.

Note . The Win4Lin Home and Win4Lin 9x (formerly Win4Lin 5) products give Linux desktop users the ability to run Windows 9x as a process under Linux with fast performance and tight integration between operating systems.

Here’s How to Do It?

1. Obtain a License code

To install Win4Lin Pro 6 download version, you must first obtain a valid license code. If you do not already have one, license codes may be purchased from their online store.

2. Download the package

Download either the RPM or Debian package format at:

<http://www.win4lin.com/index.php?
option=content&task=view&id=120&Itemid=153>

Note . The above address is a real tough one to find on their web site,unfortunately.

3. Read the Users Guide for installation instructions

Please consult the product Release Notes for the most up-to-date information as well.

4. Then Register W4LP

You have to Log into their web site, create and activate an account in your name, and then you must also register W4LP, before you can really get started with the actual installation.

The bad news . As excited as I am about the prospects of W4LP, I must warn you beforehand that the program has a considerable number of limitations in its current iteration. The good news. Any customer who purchases Win4Lin Pro will receive free updates to the version with official XP support when it becomes available.

Installation

I have about four (4) pages of notes I took while installing W4LP on my new Toshiba Satellite A75-S229 WideScreen Laptop - a real beauty. I have to say overall, however, it was not an “easy” 3-stage installation: 1) Package Installation, 2) Guest Media Installation, and 3) Guest Session Installation. The first 2 stages require “root” access on your system, while the 3 rdrequires “user” (non-root) access.
Note. The term “Guest” refers to the guest operating system, or Windows. The term “Host” refers to the host operating system, or Linux.

Be forewarned, the major obstacle you are faced with in stage 2, is the exceptionally long time it takes to install the required Windows XP Professional program (with minimum SP 1 absolutely mandatory) onto the host W4LP program itself. Installing W4LP itself (stage 1) only took about 10 minutes, and was actually pretty straight forward. I tried to get some screen captures of the installation, but truthfully, I didn’t even know how to at the time? I was, and still am, that dumb, ergo, call me “Sgt. Shultz!” You know the guy who says to Col. Hogan, “I knownothing!” I even bought a Dummies for Lunix (sic.) book. Ha! It’s huge and complicated. Looks like what I need in reality is a ‘Dummies’ Addendum for the Dummies for Linux book. Alas!

1. Package Installation

Win4Lin Pro for Linux is currently distributed in both RPM and Debian package format. I downloaded the RPM package as it is used on most major Linux distributions such as RedHat, Fedora Core, (my) Novell SuSE, and Mandrake. Note.Most others will have to download the .deb package.

To install the (2.1 MB) Win4Lin Pro RPM, login as “root” and use the following command:

rpm -ivh Win4LinPro-<version>.i386.rpm (where <version> is currently 6.0.01)

Caveat . Linux is “case sensitive” so be extra careful here. Also, make sure you know exactly what <version> you have and where you downloaded the “package.” Cliff and I found out the hard way about this kind of “stuff.”

2. Guest Media Installation

Guest media installation must be performed before any “guest” sessions can be installed. This stage is used to load the CD-ROM components of the guest operating system onto the host. Note that you may load more than one guest operating system’s media, as long as it is supported. To load the guest media, login as “root,” insert the media in the CD-ROM driver, and use the following command:

loadwinproCD [-r] [<device>]

Caveat . This is the place where we got into the most trouble. As mentioned, W4LP required us to have XP Pro with at least SP1 on it. We didn’t have it, naturally. Instead of sending off to Microsoft to get one - and you can do this - Ryan, Cliff’s son, who works at the University of Utah, helped us get a “Slipstreamed” copy of XP with SP2 on it. To find out how he “Slipstreamed” a Windows XP CD/SP2, including “How to create the CD along with burning instructions for Nero and Roxio go to:

<http://www.theeldergeek.com/>

Very interesting! Indeed!

Note . Re.Mouse cursor synchronization: During stage 2 installation, the “guest mouse cursor” (not only) may ( but will) lose synchronization with the desktop cursor, resulting in unexpected positioning of either mouse cursor until a user logs into Windows. What this really means is that the mouse cursor seems to have a “mind all of its own.” In actuality, you may have to know some of the Windows “hot-keys” to acceptcertain criteria during the actual Windows XP Pro installation, if the “guest mouse cursor” can’t actually “click” on a proper Windows Setup response. Oh well! Don’t sweat the small stuff, it’s all small stuff. Note. NBA rules: No Blood, No foul!

3. Guest Session

Installation

Guest session installations must be performed as a “non-root” user.

To install a guest session, login as a “non-root” user and use the following command:

installwinpro

Now this is when the fun actually begins. All that waiting you’ve been doing will be greatly rewarded. Windows XP Pro finally appears on the same Desktop screen as Linux. E-ha! You can actually go between them real easily. Fun! However, I can’t wait for some of those initial limitations to be removed from W4LP while operating WinXP Pro, especially where you can drag ‘n’ drop between programs, as well as, being able to fully operate an application (like my patents do) from a standalone USB Flash Drive.

Technical Support

There are only two ways to obtain technical support from Win4Lin, Inc. The first method is to use the web-based support system, located at <http://www.win4lin.com/support>. The second method is to e-mail <support@win4lin.com>. Win4Lin, Inc. does not offer telephone support at this time, but they will make every effort to respond to your questions via web and/or e-mail very promptly.

Got to Run

There’s lots, lots more to learn about Win4Lin Pro 6, but, I’ll “try” to keep you up to date in future issues of BCM as I also learn about Linux. Have fun! I definitely am. Always remember that, “Happiness is a working computer. This time it’s a Linux ‘Box’.” Look Ma! I’m dancing on the moon with my Linux Box.

Ciao

Index

Submitted by Stuart Gygi

April 13, 2005

The meeting was convened by President, Rick Gregory at 7:10pm . Rick announced that at the previous Board meeting, new officers had been elected. The results of the election were:

Rick Gregory, President
Sean Wolsey,V. President
Lowell Kennedy Secretary
John Witzel, Treasurer
Also, Jerry Henson was appointed to a vacancy on the board.

Rick mentioned three websites that might be of interest to members. Two, www.gasbuddy.com and www.gaspricewatch.com provide lists of low price gas stations around the Salt Lake area. The third, www.HDtune.com (freeware.) is a hard disk utility the members might want to check out.

During Open Access, Sean Wolsey mentioned that the parts included in the Intel PC build project have been verified to work together.

The Imaging and Genealogy SIGS were held last month. Attendance was very small.

The main presenter was Jeff Thomas of Control 4, a recent entry into the home automation market. Crestron and MX are the largest players in the market, but are mainly interested in expensive solutions for the expensive home($1 million?). These upscale homes typically include a home theatre, lighting control, garage door control, home security system and any other gadget that tickles your fancy. The cost may run as much as 10% of the home value if installed when the home is built. This is done in many new homes, today. Updating an existing home may cost even more because of problems with running the wiring through the walls.

Control 4 is addressing the less expensive home market and the retrofit market with much less expensive solutions. Their idea centers on using wireless communications between a central control module and remote switches and entertainment units such as video and audio players. Wireless communication is provided by ZigBee radios built into the various devices. ZigBee is an alliance of companies providing wireless devices for control applications. It is based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard and uses the same modulation scheme as the IEEE 802.11.a standard, which is Jeff described as bullet-proof against interference. It is a low power standard so that battery powered units can use it. The ZigBee units are interconnected in a wireless mesh where any unit may communicate with any other device. This scheme provides automatic relay of signals (repeaters) to the final destination, thus allowing communication around any surfaces that would block the radio signal from penetrating directly from source to destination.

The system is designed around a central controller that is programmed for the devices in the home. There are four different controller configurations. All four can control

Low-end home theatre controller $600 – controls an already installed home theatre.

Media controller with hard drive (80Mb to be 120Mb) $1500 – stores all your MP3 files.

Zone controller for multi-zone audio $1500 Home theatre receiver controller $3000 – provides a high quality receiver, inaddition to home theatre control.

everything in the home including full lighting control and simple audio distribution. The differencesare in home theatre control and special audio distribution. Each controller runs Linux and has powerful, but simple to use configuration software. The user interfaces through an on screen TV display with a hand held remote, a touch screen which can be carried anywhere in the house. There is a mini-interface that can be mounted on the bedroom or other wall. Control 4 is also looking at remote access (outside the house) through the Internet. Online upgrades for software are generally free, but major feature releases will cost.

The configuring software has built in debugging. That is, you can test the devices while configuring. The configuration wizard has a large list of devices it knows about as well as an online database for drivers. It even has a device creation wizard that works through an IR capture device. The controller is not a media PC, but it can network your PCs with the network provided by Control 4.

Device control allows attachment of almost anything you can think of using serial I/O, Infra Red, contact relays. One interesting device that Control 4 will probably come out with in the near future is a motion detector which could be programmed to turn on the lights in the bathroom (at a low power level) when someone walks in. The devices are completely plug and play allowing the controller to be configured very easily with lots of control on how the devices operate. They are also protected against static shock and power surges. You can also use many devices from vendors other than Control 4.

Existing speakers in remote places can easily be connected by using a speaker point which communicates wirelessly with the controller. Just attach the speakers and plug the speaker point into the wall for power. Also, since a device can be programmed to turn on automatically in states, you can start with music in bedroom to wake up to, followed later by the TV or lights, thus, you don’t need an alarm clock.

As a simple example of cost, a 4000 square foot home would typically have 45 lights. The cost to automate a home theatre, control the lights and lawn sprinklers would be $40,000 to $50,000 dollars. With Control 4 automation, the cost be closer to $5,000.

For more information, go to www.control4.com.