Home Automation with GS

[vcs@ix.netcom.com (Vince Scoglietti)]

Hello,
	I just read the home automation with a PC parallel port
article in the September issue of Popular Electronics.......in the
article, there are plans for a PC parallel port controlled board with
8 relays that switch 120 volt AC on/off.  The idea is to set up an old
PC AT/XT with this board, and have it turn on lights, heaters, etc. at
specific times of the day.  The PC issues a hex byte out of the
paralle port, and each of the 8 bits turns a relay on or off (you also
have to build a parallel cable with the appropriate resistors in line
to avoid frying things).   Anyway, I don't have a spare AT or XT, but
I was wondering if I could use the modem port on the back of my IIGS
(which doesn't get much use nowadays). I realize that this is a serial
port, which would fundamentally change the hex byte operation, but
it'd be cool even if I only had one relay wired.  Anyone have any
information, stories, etc?  I'd especially like pinouts of the port, a
routine to read the GS clock from Applesoft, and the POKE's that
operate the serial ports.

	Also, does anyone control model trains from their Apple?  I
think it'd be cool to switch operating lights on/off, semafores, and
perhaps a Apple controlled variable potentiometer for throttle?
That's a stretch (I'm utterly clueless on this one), but novel
anyways.

Thanks,
Vince
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