What's New with Comfort?

December 22nd
Comfort to Clispal 'Ulti' Radio Interface

Clipsal's Ulti lighting system is now supported with Comfort using the UCMULTI interface board. The ULTI Serial Interface provides a connection to the ULTI (RF1) wireless lighting
control system, allowing for the following benefits

November 14th
Comfort Dealer Conference

15 of our Comfort dealers attended our first day long Conference in Leatherhead which we were please to welcome Comfort designer L Y Chiu. Chiu was visiting distributors in Europe during November and spent a day with us at the London hotel to introduce the new Comfort 2 product due to be released in March . Other demonstrations including Andrew Roberts from Comfort Home Controls introduced the new Companion touchscreen C8 and C6. Visitors were invited to ask questions and it was felt that the day was very rewarding.

5th June
KT01 KeyTouch LCD Touchscreen Keypad Now Available!

l The KT01 KeyTouch is a touchscreen interface for Comfort. It has a backlit black and white LCD which acts as a keypad and is able to display zone and alarm information from Comfort. It includes a speaker and microphone to record and announce voice messages, as well as an infrared receiver to activate any Response in a similar to KP02 and KP04. The LCD display can be set to rotate 180 o to allow for the choice of the user to have the IR receiver positioned above or below the LCD (requires [RC01] Remote Control or Philips [Pronto]). The graphics and icons can be customised to indicate Lighting, Airconditioning, Heating, Audio-Visual equipment or any home appliance. Each button or icon can be programmed to activate any Response in Comfort, and can also show the real time status of the device.

See part number KT01.

In stock from Middle May .

5th June
Comfigurator 1.6.0 Released

Comfort's programming software 'Comfigurator' has been enhanced and is now available to existing users for download in our technical area. This includes bug fixes and some new features :

- Add UCM types GSM and Dynalite
- Support in Response Wizard for Dynalite UCM
- Add Ulti command "Set Remote Unit ID"
- Add Smartfit command "Query Time/Time Synchronization"
- Allow terminal input in monitor mode
- New dialog for selecting template on File New
- Support 16 X10 housecodes for Ultra
- Allow response execution from Control Menu screen, and display feedback status
- Add support in Response Wizard for X10 functions Hail Request, Hail Acknowledge,
Status On, Status Off, Status Request, Original Preset Dim
- Allow X10 function code and unit code to be 0

* Always make sure you have the latest version.
[Download Comfigurator]

5th May
Comfort Firmware Reduced Prices!

All Comfort firmware has been reduced in price, so if you have been thinking of upgrading to Comfort Ultra with 1023 Responses now is a great time to do it. Additionally UCM firmware has also been reduced in price.

You can purchase the firmware [here]

16th April
Comfort new LCD Keypad Now Available!

The new KP04 LCD keypad is a 2 line x 16 character and will show time, date, security mode (away, off, day, night), the current alarm, the last zone active. While arming the open zones will be shown, like what is announced. The event log will be displayed instead of announced. The voice menu will still work the same way, except in event log when you use the same buttons to step through and navigate. Control menu will not be displayed. The IR receiver LED will be built-in and will look much better than it did in the KP02, that was just a hole drilled into the KP01, there will be no version without the IR receiver. The speaker will not be quite so powerful as in the old KP because the LCD takes up the space in the housing The KP01 and KP02 will continue to be sold. You can mix KP04's with KP01s and KP02s in the same system, with a maximum of 8. If you used the KP01 or KP02, you will immediately know how to use the new keypad. For those who do not want to hear the voice, they can now turn down the volume. I think most will find it a more attractive alternative to the KP01/KP02 which has been around for a long time (since 1998).

We are bundling Pro or Ultra firmware with the keypad because they need firmware 4.226 or later to work.

See part numbers KP04Ultra and KP04Pro.

In stock from 12th May.

20th December
Comfort User Interface for PC - WizComfort

WizComfort is a software user interface for Comfort. It works with a UCM01 or UCM/Audio or UCM/Ethernet. It reads the settings from a Comfigurator ccl file, so no programming is required. Free software, no licence fees required. WizComfort is adapted from Ace-Comfort from Custom Automation Technologies. This is a beta version so please do not use if you are not comfortable with beta software.


Download WizComfort for free [here]

30th August
Comfort at the Homebuilding and Renovating Show

Comfort Home Controls is exhibiting the Comfort Home Control System at the London Homebuilding and Renovating Show . [More...]


This is an event open to public, click the banner for your free tickets.

August 27th
New Products Now In Stock


Comfort GSM Module
The UCM/GSM provides a cellular phone connection to Comfort. This gives Comfort the following abilities;
1. Acts as a backup for alarm dial-out when the land line is faulty or cut.
2. Allows the user to dial to the GSM number instead of the land line to access Comfort menus. There is no voicemail on this line.
3. Allows Comfort to report alarms to the users cellular phones via SMS (Short Message Service).
4. Allows users to send commands to control home appliances and the security system via SMS.
Requires a SIM card to be inserted, just like with a cellular phone.

IRD01 Infrared Dome - Infrared Infrared Send and Receive
The IR celing Dome connects to a RIO-01 and includes 8 IR transmittters and one IR receiver. The IR receiver recognises Comfort and X10 codes only.

Require Firmware Outside 4.166+ or Ultra.

May 24th
Comfort at the Cedia Show - 2nd - 4th June

Comfort Home Controls is exhibiting the Comfort Home Control System at the Cedia Expo in [ICC , Birmingham]. [Map]
We are in Hall 8, J12 , This is a trade event.

[ Register Here]

pic - Andrew Roberts (MD) and Nigel Harding (Training Facilitator)

April 19th
Comfort at the UKHA Show - 15th/16th May


Comfort Home Controls was exhibiting the Comfort Home Control System aswell as the new Companion screen which is to be launched in July. [More...]

March 10th
Comfort on Sky Discovery Channel - 'Houseboat'

In the recently aired 'Houseboat' series on Discovery Home & Leisure, the subject of the 12 episode program was a £30k Thames Barge conversion project. The barge now on permanent mooring in Putney, was stripped bare and converted over a 2 year period into a unique dream home having stunning views of the Thames and was kitted out with the latest in home automation technology by surrey- based [Household Automation]. The Comfort Home Control system was at the heart of the £350k boat's concealed high tech infrastructure. The Comfort system is controlling everything from the dialout doorphone intercom, through to the remotely controllable intruder alarm and automated lighting scenes. "We integrated a range of functions into the Comfort system and there is plenty of scope for for future enhancements, if the owners want to add new features, such as the new Comfort Companion Touch screens, then it's quite a simple task" said Nigel Harding, Household Automation Consultant. Now complete the boat is worth some £750k , the project cost a total of £350k. The Houseboat series will be re-run on Discovery channel '134' in the near future.

See the website here. [www.houseboat.tv]

February 12th (Products )
Comfort 'Ultra' for power-users

Comfort is now available as 3 models, Entry, Pro and Ultra. The main difference is the amount of responses, Pro has 255, Ultra has 1023, this makes so much easier knowing you don't have to juggle with the available space. This is especially useful when programming long CBUS responses. Ultra is continuing to develop and so will remain in Beta for the foreseeable future, that said, it is very stable and is now available as an upgrade at a reduced price [here]. Any Comfort Entry or Pro can be upgraded by just replacing two IC's.

January 6th (Products )
Control Comfort using our own Remote Control

Comfort now has it's own remote control, when used in conjunction with with receivers connected to the RIO-01 or KP02 , the remote enables you to operate any pre-defined Comfort response from various rooms in the house. Requires firmware later than 4.202 (Pro, Ultra)
More...

October 22nd 2003 (General News)
X10 Files for Bankruptcy Protection - Chapter 11

The company behind the very popular X10 range of products (X10 Wireless Technology) has run into trouble after being found guillty of breaching the copyright of a small US companie's 'popunder' advert design. This combined with unpaid bills to some major household names, it has forced the company into filing for Chapter 11 protection in the US. To make a quick buck in the UK, X10 Wireless Technology opened a UK DIY based website under-cutting prices of all existing X10 retailers . Well they still appear to be producing and selling their products, but for how long remains to be seen. We've dropped their DIY range and decided only to stock the X10 Professional range. So Clipsal CBUS is now the obvious choice for Lighting Controls.
News Item at CNET..

July 3rd 2003 (Products )
Control Comfort and the Home using Philips Pronto RU950

The popular Pronto RU890 we all know and love has now been superceded by their next generation RU950. This remote enhances the best qualities of the RU890 and also offers a radio transmission system. The screen provides increased bitmap resolution and new up-to-date styling, whats more, the RU950 can import the .CCF files from previous projects, you then save them as the new .PCF file type.
More...

March 14th 2003
Comfort at Ideal Home Show - London - April 2003
Comfort is in one of the exhibits showing now at the London Ideal Home Show from 6th March - 6th April. Comfort is used to control a CBUS lighting sequence in the Linda Barker 'Futurehome' room within the 'Tower of Time', but is not an explicit feature (ie not a 'hands-on' situation). The system has been installed and comissioned by 'Techaus' of Oxford.

February 2nd 2003
Comfort UCM with IR learner
The long awaited UCM with Infrared learning is now available!

The UCM01/IR/CF Can be used to Program the Comfort system directly from PC and also learn Infrared codes directly into the IR library within the /ifr folder using Comfigurator software. The infrared codes (up to 32) may then be used to send infrared control signals from any Comfort output or RIO-01 using a response. Comfigurator Software comes with the UCM and will run on Windows 95/98/NT/XP.

January 22nd 2003 (Products )
Comfort new Touchscreen Gets the Go Ahead

We have now instructed the screen manufacturers to proceed with the CSC development program.

The work is mainly involving firmware work because the hardware is already in place. Recently a Home Theatre facility has been added along with the inclusion of a Audio/Video bridge, which enables the control of A/V equipment using IR emitters or RS232. We expect the work to take around 4 months, so hopefully by May/June 2003 we should have some news for you.

Here is a link to the new photos and comments:

October 13th 2002 (Products )
Comfort now Controls EIB Systems

The Comfort Home Control System can now interface with the EIB (European Installation Bus) via the UCMEIB.

This allows Comfort to talk to the EIB via Group Address and opens up limitless possibilities to the Installer. Read our EIB Manual here

June 18th 2002 (New Products )
We have a number of exciting new products available very shortly which dramatically expand Comfort's power and functionality. http://www.comfort.org.uk/products/index.html

RIO Remote input Output Board with IR transmit and Receive using IRR01
RIO- 01 8 inputs and 8 x 12-Volt outputs. The RIO connects to KA/KB /12V/0v and provides additional outputs and inputs for Comfort. Each input can receive Infrared code via IRR01 or can activate a response using a switch contact. Up to 8 x RIO's may be connected to Comfort to provide 64 inputs and outputs.

IRR01 Infrared Receiver
IR receiver when connected to a RIO input can receive Comfort IR codes which activates IR received Responses and can 'pass through' X10 codes using UR24 or Pronto Remote Controls.

SCS01/IR - + IR Rx Scene Setting Switches
The Comfort Scene Control Switch is a multipurpose switch with 4 buttons, each with its own LED indicator. Each button activates a Comfort Response which can send X10 signals through the power line, or infrared signals to home entertainment equipment and airconditioners, activate comfort outputs in pulsed or latched modes, dim external lighting systems or perform any combination of functions programmable in Comfort, for example, arm the security system into Night mode and turn off the downstairs lights, close the garage door and turn on external lights. Model SCS01/IR has an infrared receiver is able to receive any of 128 Comfort IR codes to activate any Response, similar to a KP02, or any X10 Infrared signal from a handheld remote control like the Philips Pronto.

RLY02 8 x Relay Module
Relays boards provide 8x 12v d.c. Dry N/O contacts. For switching cameras, gates and garage doors.
Max. current through contacts 500mA DC. DO NOT USE FOR DIRECT SWITCHING OF 240V MAINS VOLTAGE!!
Relay modules can be fit within 8001 CPU and SEP02.

ADM01 - AUX Distribution Module
Convenient distribution board providing multiple terminals for distribution of power, voice , mic and Data KA/KB. Alleviates the problem of too many wires and too few terminals. Mounts within Comfort CPU or SEP02.

RGR03 Higher Power Ringer Module
Select RGR03 for ability to ring more phones and select ring frequencies matching, especially useful for DECT phones.

Firmware / Software Requirements
RIO's and SCS01 require Outside 4.166 and Comfigurator Software for programming.

March 12th 2002(Trade Area )
Comfort Dealers Training Course - April 2002
We are running some Comfort 'Trade' Training in Chester (UK) on Wed April 4th and Thurs 5th 2002. Book your place here: Password required

February 5th 2002 (Products Area )
X10 AWM2 16Amp Module Arrived!

X10 'Retrofit' module probably, one of the most useful X10 modules to be produced yet! The AWM2 appliance module is an extremely small X-10 receiver and transmitter, small enough (45 x 45 x 16mm) to fit within walls, cavities and behind switch pattresses. You can use it to control lights, sockets or even a Comfort function such as open the gate! The AWM2 connects up to two momentary or maintained switches by wire leads. more...

February 1st 2002 (Technical )
Technical Support Premium Line 'Dropped'
We have decided to remove our technical support phone line because it was hardly used, (either it's due to our good manuals or we've got some pretty smart customers!). We will now only have email support for our Retail customers. Customers needing technical support should join our technical egroups as soon as possible. Comfort-Technical Group and Comfort CWI Group

December 20th 2001 (Products Area )
Honeywell Smartfit Heating
Probably the first mainstream UK product to offer heating control over the telephone. The first prototypes of the UCMSF for Honeywell Smartfit are being tried on live systems in the UK. The Honeywell Smartfit is a single zone heating control and links to Comfort via our UCMSF RS232 module. This integration now provides the ability to control the heating and hot water set-points and to interrogate the temperature from the telephone locally or remotely.
More...

November 1st 2001(Products Area )
X10 Pre-Set DIM command now in Comfort
(ver O4.139+)
Comfort now supports the Pre-Set DIM command for X10 LD11 DIN module. This means that exact lighting levels or 'Mood Lighting Scenes' are now possible. For more information on the implementation, read the Late Action Code Addendum.

Sept 12th 2001(Trade Area )
Comfort Dealers Training Course - October 2001
We are running some Comfort 'Trade' Training in Chester (UK) on October 9/10/11 and 30/31 Oct and 1st November 2001. Book your place here: Password required

Sept 6th 2001(Products Area )
New Cable Manufacture BT3002
We are proposing 3 Plans for Integration of Comfort with PC, TV, VCR and HI-FI. This involves manufacturing a special 4 x coaxial core cable called BT3002. If you think it's a good idea and want to say something about it, please visit this page:
Comfort BT3002 Structured Cabling Concept.

August 14th 2001 (Products Area )
New Slave Expansion and Power Supply Panels

We have now replaced the SEP01 witrh the SEP02/230 (UK and Europe Only)
see the Products area. This panel is an enhancement upon the SEP01 in that the PCB used is the SEM02, which has fully operation siren terminals and includes the ability to 'piggy- back' the LEM01 PCB to expand the zones and outputs further. This allows for more space in the panel. Additionally, the PSU provides 3 Amps DC at 13.6 Volts and includes a battery cutout facility which will protect the battery during an extended mains power failure.

It is also possible to purchase a separate SEM02 PCB and LEM01 PCB to provide 32 zones and 32 outputs in the same enclosure.

July 2nd 2001(Trade Area )
Comfort Dealers Training Course - August /Sept
We are running some Comfort Training in Chester (UK) on August 28/29 and September 2001. Book your place here: Password required

June 2nd 2001 (Technical Area )
Updated IR Encoder and IR Library
The The IR Encoder program (infrared.exe) has been updated, this is the one which extracts pronto IR codes and appends to the CSXpress program. There is also a new library of IR codes for CSXpress. See here 'Infrared Resources' Password required

June 2nd 2001(Trade Area )
Comfort Dealers Training Course - June /July
We are running some Comfort Training in Chester (UK) on June 20/21 and July 11th 2001. Book your place here: Password required

May 25th 2001 (General )
Comfort CPU and SEP01 now sprayed with Logo
Comfort has changed colour of the metalwork to a Computer grey shade and is has been subtly silk-screened with the Comfort name and logo in a slightly deeper shade of grey. Looks pretty nice if you like that sort of thing, and we do! Pics coming soon!

May 8th 2001 (Products Area )
New Products
We have added some new Optex and Detection Systems Cameras and PIR's in the Products area.

April 8th 2001 - (Products & Technical Area )
New CWI Version 1.5.0
We have just released a new Comfort Web Interface version 1.5. This may be purchased from the Products area. For existing users, this is available for download from our Technical Area (to enter, use the name & password which came on the paper with the CWI CD). This version has enhanced looks and better FTP options. Trade site.

April 4th 2001
All New Comfort panels are supplied with 'Outside' Firmware
All panels are now shipped from UK with the firmware which supports RS232 commands for the Web Interface or for communications with other RS232 programs. Additionally, this version firmware also supports 16 user timers and has additional buffer for sending larger IR codes.

January 16th 2001 (Products Area )
KP02 is now in stock!
Get it here: Retail or Trade.

January 8th 2001 (Trade Area )
New Trade Pricelist
The new UK trade price list is now available at the Comfort Trade site.

December 29th, 2000
Infrared Keypads KP02 with Receive IR to trigger Responses
Comfort's talking keypad now has Infrared 'receive' allowing you to control up to 128 of Comfort's 255 Responses from Phillips Pronto . KP01's and KP02's may be mixed on the same system. Firmware Master or Outside 4.101+ is required.

Expected in stock middle of January 2001.

December 22nd, 2000
Comfort Web InterfACE Dolls House Demo
We now have an online demonstration facility allowing you to test drive the Comfort Web InterfACE from your own PC browser. You can choose between 4 colour cameras allowing you control the lights and see them 'switch on'. You can also phone into this system and simultaneously control over the phone and see changes on the web.

December 14th, 2000
Infrared Learning for Comfort via Pronto
We have been working with the Philips Pronto to provide an IR learning capability to Comfort. So that the codes may be transmitted from Comfort's outputs. A program is available in the tech area under 'Infrared Resources' for converting Pronto CCF's into Comfort IRF's and then to update the infrared.cfg file in CSXpress. This is now available: http://www.comfort.org.uk/technical/ (password protected)

December 7th, 2000
Infrared Control of Comfort via Pronto and X10 (IR543AH)
We are now stocking the brand new Infrared to X10 Controller which can control the full 16 housecodes A - P! and we also sell the Philips Pronto! It is called IR543AH we also sell the Single house code version IR543 too. Infrared to X10 - IR543AH - All Housecodes Version Use the Philips Pronto LCD remote to control the full 256 X10 codes and compatible devices with the IR X10 Command Console. It responds to infrared signals from Philips Pronto and can transmit X10 codes along the 230V ring main wiring.

The modules can be either switched on/off or in the case of lights, dimmed and brightened. There is also the facility to switch everything on or off from the built-in buttons. http://www.comfort.org.uk/products/index10.html Supplied with 3-PIN UK-Plug and Pronto .ccf file on floppy disk. The opens up many possibilities for both Comfort control (using X10 received responses) and direct X10 control, and not to mention controlling your audio video gear using Pronto.

November 26th, 2000
Technical Manuals Revised
We have added some new technical manuals and updated the existing ones: http://www.comfort.org.uk/technical/ (password required) Including a new Ringer Manual and SEP/Unibox Manual. .

October 31st, 2000
X10 Products and UCM are now in stock!
If you have been waiting for our X10 product stocks to get back to normal and for the UCM (RS232 Module) to arrive in along with the Comfort Web Interface, the wait is now over! In case you were wondering what the X10 problems were all about (we certainly were!), it was due to a takeover of the UK and European X10 distributors by a Swedish Company called Daltek, this was very messy and left stocks short for about 20 weeks!.

The UCM may be used with the new CS-Xpress 3 local Comfort programming software, available for free download from the Technical BETA pages. (password required) As a result, it is now expected that X10 products should be more 'free flowing' which also includes European versions eg. French, Spanish, Italian etc. when purchased through ourselves (this may remain to be seen! though) You can find these products from the main products pages: Additionally, we also have the 12V Slave Expansion Panel SEP02 (8 zone in/ 8 Outsputs) UNIBOX which can house the UCM PCB safely for proper installation and can be used to mount relay board RLY01 for termination and switching of cameras via responses: Here is the main site navigation menu

June 30th, 2000
We are busy working on a few projects:

Comfort Web InterfACE (using UCM01)
Slave Expansion Panel SEP02
Central Doorphone for multi-ocupancy dwellings.
CS-Xpress Version3.

We also are BETA testing CSXpress3 using the new UCM module, you can now purchase UCMUpgrade to start using CSX3 for programming your system.

New 2800 Water Leak Detector: Undetected water damage, such as that caused by leaking pipes or corroded water heaters, costs homeowners and businesses dearly each year. These repairs and replacements are time consuming and costly to correct. By installing the WD-2800 Water Sensor in such locations as computer room sub-floor areas, telephone equipment rooms, bathrooms and any area adjacent to a water tank, will help in drastically reducing the effects caused by an un-detected water leak..

The detector can be screwed to a skirting board at floor level and connects directly to a Comfort zone input without the need for a separate power supply connection, it gets it's power from the zone.

April 23rd, 2000  Java Interactive Keypad Demo (Products Area - Keypad KP01)
Last year we experimented with a java applet representation of Arming Comfort via the keypad. This was put to one side until now. We've provided a link to this demo above and it is also on the Comfort 8001 CPU page and the keypad pages. It's not perfect, but it may just help in understanding how the keypad sounds. It may be possible to do other demos using this method.

April 22nd, 2000  New Defaults Manual (Technical Area - Password Required)
We have written a brief guide to understanding Comfort standard defaults which are loaded into each system. Additionally, there is other updates to the navigation and a new combined zip file (205Update) containing all the defaults in one convenient download. Look for the items marked: New

April 10th, 2000  New X10 Products Area (Products Area )
We have now added further X10 Module pages, which is intended for customers wishing to purchase without waiting for the extra detail on each module to download. We'll be adding some more wall switch fascias (chrome and brass) for use with the LD10 soon.

March 20th, 2000  New 'Faster Loading' Products Pages (Products Area )
The Products area has been improved for speed of download. This is done by provding individual pages for each item so that greater detail is only downloaded when requested. This should speed up the process of your browsing of our site. Some further work is required to complete this area. We have also included more manuals and technical information on-line within each of the item pages.

February 19th, 2000  New Firmware Versions Update (News Area )
We have updated the versions pages along with a new Versions.PDF file which provides the download of all versions in one file. The latest version is M4.82. Select Firmware Versions in the opposite margin.

February 12th, 2000  New Applications Genie (Technical Area - Password Required)

Our Technical Area now contains a special Comfort Application Resource Library for security and automation designers called the Applications Genie. We have compiled a selection of responses and instructions describing how to create unique functions in Comfort systems. The pages have been saved using the superb Adobe Acrobat Reader, which helps keep downloads to a minimum. If you have some useful applications, please email us with the details.

February 6th, 2000  New Comfort Schematic Wiring Diagram (PDF - 650 KB)

A new diagram schematic has been drawn to help illustrate the relationship between all the main components in a Comfort installation. This is to be the centre pages of our revised Catalogue due in the next week.

January 22nd, 2000  Digital Video Products and UK Pagers

We have added some new products to the Comfort Shopping Cart. Please 'Refresh' your pages when you arrive at the Products area. Digital Video RF Modulator Infrared Video Activator with Date & Time Gen and Pagers for use with Comfort (UK Specific).

January 1st, 2000  Best wishes for Year 2000!

On behalf of Cytech Technology and Comfort Home Controls we would like to wish you all a happy and a peaceful new year. Thankyou for your custom the past year and for your encouragement and best wishes. Well, we're still here! No Y2K problems reported with Comfort systems at the turn of the millenium, but we knew that would be the case anyway. Comfort is embedded with a calender that runs up to the year 9999!

December 1st, 1999  NEW DIN Rail Enclosures

We now have added DIN enclosures on the Comfort Site and available to order on-line through our shopping cart and a new Catalogue covering Comfort products(please note, new product codes .

November 14th, 1999  NEW COMFORT '2000' PRODUCT Catalogue (PDF Brochure)

The Comfort catalogue has been revised and includes a variety of new products. This coincides with our ability to receive electronic payment with automatic clearance, making comfort easier to buy. You can download the brochure here (PDF - 770kb)

November 7th, 1999  TRADE ONLY Sales Area (Password Required)

We now have a special area devoted to the dealers and professional installer. Here the trade can purchase Comfort at trade prices and even offers 4% discount for on-line credit card purchases. The trade should use the Apply for Access form to obtain a password, the Technical Password supplied allows access to the trade area only for the trade, and not for users.

October 30th, 1999  CD ROM Has finally arrived!

Our interactive CD ROM has finally arrived but it's 12 months later than planned! We apologise for the wait. Most of those who responded in May 99 to re-request the CD ROM have now received them by now. We have had such a large response that we have now had to introduce a small payment for the CD to slow the flow down a little. You can order it here for just the price of postage.

October 31st, 1999  Comfort Home Controls Shopping Cart

We are pleased to inform you that the new Comfort Home Controls Shopping Cart is now On-line here: (All transactions are SSL protected) To celebrate the launch we have some special offers running for the month of November (Click the Hot Items button) on Comfort CPU, X10 modules and DECT phone. You'll need to make sure that java is enabled in your browser to shop on-line.

October 28th, 1999  Comfort on London Tonight TV News 18.10.99

Comfort was seen on UK TV News on Monday 18th October. This item highlighted the rise in house burglaries in London and included interviews with the Police, Victims and perpetrators of these crimes. It presented Comfort and X10 control as a major deterrant in reducing the risk of being targetted by burglars because of it's ability to make a house look 'lived-in'. You can see part of this item via the link below. http://www.londontonight.co.uk/

Many thanks to Raj Narula from 'Optix Systems' for setting it all up and to Roger for letting us into his home and Bob King from 'Crozet Alarms' for being on standby. You can now view the short extract in real format if you have Real Player you can view the (220kb) file. Thanks also to Mark McCall for converting the Video to Real.

October 1st, 1999  Comfort Sites move to New ISP - NILDRAM.NET

On the 1st October 1999 we moved our web site to our new host Nildram.net. This is to improve the overall performance of the Comfort site to help cope with the increasing amount of visitors Comfort is now attracting. Nildram have servers with some of the fastest throughputs and Independant testing is showing Nildram's network performance to be amongst the best in the UK. You can see their results here: webperf.zeus.co.uk . During the changeover you may have experienced the ocasional 'missing page' or domain name, this should now be ok. We are still waiting for our .com domains to come across to the new ISP so you may find that information on thoses domains is a little out of date.

August 30th, 1999  Product News, UCM RS232 module - Your Gateway to Convergence

We are soon to see the release of Comfort's Universal Communication Module (UCM). This is a new RS232 interface which allows PCs and other devices to communicate with Comfort and acts as Program Transfer module which allows the copying of a config NVM(U4) to a another chip and vice versa.

August 19th, 1999  Announcment by Home Controls PLC, RE (X10) LD10 problems

Posting in UKHD and Comfort egroups - LD10 interference problem
A recent observation made by Mark McCall appeared in the above egroups regarding problems experienced with LD10's in his home installation where some modules seeemed to Dim & Brighten of their own accord. We asked Home Control PLC to comment. They issued this statement on 19th August 1999:
"We have received a response from X10 over the problem with the operation of the LD10 modules over the length of cable longer than 10 metres. The fault lay with a capacitor, which has now been changed for one of a different value. The modules will now operate correctly over a length of up to 40 metres. I hope this will alleviate your problem, and restore both your customers and your own confidence in the product." (Ross Orton).

For full details of the symptons and Mark's advice, follow the above link.

August 8th, 1999   Products Area, New Company Name

Comfort Home Controls - New August Price List - New phone number!
We are to trade in future under the name Comfort Home Controls. This is to help advance our marketing efforts and the brandname of Comfort as well improve rankings on search engines. Unfortunately we have also had to bring the prices of all 'Cytech' products up to a more realistic level, this will help finance new products, however, we hope to reduce the price of X10 equipment shortly. Should you wish to place an order or require Technical Support, we have two new telephone numbers. All previous voice numbers will be discontinued, except for the fax.

Sales number is 44 (0) 1244 680675

Fax number is 44 (0) 1244 671455

We expect the CD ROM to be completed in the next few weeks and will be mailing copies out to all who have made requests.

Security Installer Review (June 1999)
We have now provided the trade review of Comfort for you on-line which you may have heard about. This was conducted by Security Installer Magazine. Some of the issues raised are in need of our comments and we will do so very soon. If it's quality you need, download the PDF.

Reviews Security Installer (UK) Magazine Review (June 1999) Download as a ZIP / PDF Sec_Inst_Rev99.PDF (5 pages) 2.3Mb Sec_mag_Revw99.ZIP ( JPEG's) 392Kb Website Reviews AutomatedHome Review Nov 1999 Web Interface Review August 2001

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We have a number of exciting new products available very shortly which dramatically expand Comfort's power and functionality. http://www.comfort.org.uk/products/index.html

RIO Remote input Output Board with IR transmit and Receive using IRR01
RIO- 01 8 inputs and 8 x 12-Volt outputs. The RIO connects to KA/KB /12V/0v and provides additional outputs and inputs for Comfort. Each input can receive Infrared code via IRR01 or can activate a response using a switch contact. Up to 8 x RIO's may be connected to Comfort to provide 64 inputs and outputs.

IRR01 Infrared Receiver
IR receiver when connected to a RIO input can receive Comfort IR codes which activates IR received Responses and can 'pass through' X10 codes using UR24 or Pronto Remote Controls.

SCS01/IR - + IR Rx Scene Setting Switches
The Comfort Scene Control Switch is a multipurpose switch with 4 buttons, each with its own LED indicator. Each button activates a Comfort Response which can send X10 signals through the power line, or infrared signals to home entertainment equipment and airconditioners, activate comfort outputs in pulsed or latched modes, dim external lighting systems or perform any combination of functions programmable in Comfort, for example, arm the security system into Night mode and turn off the downstairs lights, close the garage door and turn on external lights. Model SCS01/IR has an infrared receiver is able to receive any of 128 Comfort IR codes to activate any Response, similar to a KP02, or any X10 Infrared signal from a handheld remote control like the Philips Pronto.

RLY02 8 x Relay Module
Relays boards provide 8x 12v d.c. Dry N/O contacts. For switching cameras, gates and garage doors.
Max. current through contacts 500mA DC. DO NOT USE FOR DIRECT SWITCHING OF 240V MAINS VOLTAGE!!
Relay modules can be fit within 8001 CPU and SEP02.

ADM01 - AUX Distribution Module
Convenient distribution board providing multiple terminals for distribution of power, voice , mic and Data KA/KB. Alleviates the problem of too many wires and too few terminals. Mounts within Comfort CPU or SEP02.

RGR03 Higher Power Ringer Module
Select RGR03 for ability to ring more phones and select ring frequencies matching, especially useful for DECT phones.

Firmware / Software Requirements
RIO's and SCS01 require Outside 4.166 and Comfigurator Software for programming.