Mailing Lists
The xAPAutomation mailing list is hosted on Yahoo! It is a relatively low volume list, typically with a few messages a week, and is a great place to raise any xAP related development questions and share your xAP related successes!
For more general Home Automation discussion, with a UK focus, join the UK Home Automation mailing list. This is a high volume list, peaking at a hundred messages a day, and covers many of the home automation aspects that are of peripheral interest to those using xAP.
Links
The xAP Automation web site is the official home of xAP. The site includes a comprehensive list of xAP related links which I won't duplicate here.
The UKHA mailing list has an affiliated web site which covers news and includes links to a wide variety of more general home automation related information.
Vendors
General
Laser. Supplier of all things HA related, including the more esoteric items (such as second hand barcode scanners).
Let's Automate. Another HA related supplier.
Electronic Components
Rapid Electronics. Part of the Farnell group of companies. Efficient next day delivery, reasonable prices on most items. Very willing after-sales service; they respond efficiently to data request via e-mail too.
Farnell Electronics. Monster supplier with a vast range of stock, sadly saddled with a diabolical web site. Paper catalogues are available, but hard to come by. Guaranteed next day delivery, will accept orders with credit card payment from individuals.
Radio Spares ("RS"). Even bigger than Farnell, with a catalgoue that spans about 6ft of shelf space. Tend to be more expensive than Farnell and Rapid for everyday items.
Crownhill Electronics. Very competitive prices for PIC microcontroller parts. I don't recommend their PIC programmers though.
PCB Pool offer a high-quality PCB prototyping service. CAD software for board layout is also available for free download from their site.
Microcontrollers
Microchip manufacture the PIC microcontroller.
Rabbit Semiconductors manufacture the ethernet enabled Rabbit core.
Bare-Bones Control Boards etc.
Control Anything. Suppliers of bare-bones control equipment (such as audio and video switchers) which are ideally suited to xAP use.
Milford Instruments. UK source of LCDs and other low-end control gear.
Phaedrus Electronics. Purveyors of the very useful Versatile IO Module (VIOM).
Quasar Electronics. Main claim to fame is their cheap temperature sensing board. They also have a number of other board level devices, aimed at the education market, but still of interest to the HA enthusiast.
PC Related
LinITX. UK suppliers of the compact VIA motherboard, powersupplies and cases. Their hardware formed the basis of the xAP-in-a-box controller.
Surplus
John Bull Electrical. Miscellaneous electrical rather than electronic surplus.
Display Electronics. Vast range of computer related and electronics surplus.
Second User PC Hardware
Laptop Bits. Good source of second user PC hardware.
Morgan Computers. A mix of reconditioned and second user PC hardware. The occasional bargain to be had, but not as competitive as they were once.
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