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    (Last Updated: 9 January 2023)
    • MIOS - UI5 web login

      Black Cat

      Can anyone help with the MIOS UI5 weblink? Not the getvera one.
      Still running UI5 on a couple of sensors & lights and need to tweak PLEG but for the life of me I can't remember the link to tunnel back to the trusty machine....

      General Discussion
    • Smart devices and mesh

      J

      The wifi on my router is turned off, and wifi around the house is provided using a mesh - 3 units altogether (one connected directly to the router) that are spread around the house.

      I would like to start automating certain tasks around the house and intend to try adding a few smart sockets to my setup.

      The mesh system I have supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz, and does not provide me with the option to control them - i.e. turn one or both on/off, give each a different SSID, etc.

      The devices I wish to purchase/use only support 2.4GHz.

      Will turning the mesh units off and temporarily turning the 2.4GHz wifi on the router to allow me to set them up be enough? Will I then be able to return to my usual setup and everything will work as it should?

      Many thanks in advance

      General Discussion
    • Smart bed sensor

      C

      Hey everyone, I'm currently working on developing a bed sensor that can detect when you're out of bed. It could be used to trigger other smart home gadgets, like lights or blinds, temperature etc.
      The sensors are placed under the legs of your bed post. Should look and feel like "smart furniture pads" with size 2 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick.
      Before we go any further, I'd love to get your thoughts on this - would a bed sensor like this be something you'd find useful? We're still in the early stages of development, so any feedback you have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

      smart möbeltass.JPG

      General Discussion
    • ChatGPT - finally I can now retyre in piece and quite, knowing everting is in goof hands.

      A

      ChatGPT samples:

      Me:

      Tell me about an iot program called openLuup.

      It:

      OpenLuup is an open source home automation system that is built on the VeraLuup platform. It is designed to be easy to install and configure, and provides users with a powerful and versatile way to control their home automation devices. OpenLuup offers a wide range of features, including support for many popular home automation devices, scheduling, scripting, and integration with other services. OpenLuup is designed to be customizable, allowing users to create their own home automation systems. It is an excellent choice for those looking to create their own home automation system without spending a lot of money.

      Me:

      Write an iot program using openLuup.

      It:

      --openLuup IoT Program-- -- Initialize Variables -- local device_id = "MyHomeDevice" local temperature_sensor_id = "MyTemperatureSensor" local temperature_threshold = 75 -- Create Devices -- luup.create_device("OpenLuup Temperature Sensor", 0, device_id, "D_GenericSensor1.xml", "I_GenericSensor1.xml", "S_TemperatureSensor1.xml", "") luup.variable_set("urn:upnp-org:serviceId:TemperatureSensor1", "CurrentTemperature", 0, device_id) -- Start Timer -- luup.call_delay("check_temperature", 10, "", false) --Function to Check Temperature-- function check_temperature() local current_temperature = luup.variable_get(temperature_sensor_id, "CurrentTemperature", 0) --Check Temperature Threshold-- if current_temperature >= temperature_threshold then --Send Alert-- luup.call_action("urn:micasaverde-com:serviceId:HomeAutomationGateway1", "SendTextMessage", {PhoneNumber="1234567890", Message="ALERT! Temperature exceeded threshold!"}, 0) end --Reset Timer-- luup.call_delay("check_temperature", 10, "", false) end

      Me:

      Write an iot program using openLuup.

      It:

      Write an iot program using openLuup. -- openLuup IOT Program -- -- Variables local lampState = false local lampTime = 0 -- Functions function lampTimer() if lampTime > 0 then lampTime = lampTime - 1 if lampTime == 0 then luup.variable_set('urn:upnp-org:serviceId:SwitchPower1', 'Status', 0, lampDeviceID) lampState = false end end end -- Setup luup.call_delay('lampTimer', 60, 0) -- Main Loop while true do -- Check for motion if luup.variable_get('urn:micasaverde-com:serviceId:MotionSensor1', 'Tripped', motionSensorDeviceID) == '1' then if not lampState then luup.variable_set('urn:upnp-org:serviceId:SwitchPower1', 'Status', 1, lampDeviceID) lampState = true -- Set lamp timer to 5 minutes lampTime = 300 end end luup.sleep(1) end

      What??

      luup.sleep(1)

      Not good - looks like I still have some semblance of a job to fulfill.

      Me:

      An iot program called openLuup was written by akbooer. Who is akbooer?

      It: (note: answer redacted and as I understand it, also incorrect re: AltUI):

      akbooer is the pseudonym of the software developer and home automation enthusiast. He is the creator of the openLuup home automation software, which is an open-source version of the Vera home automation system. He is also the creator of the AltUI graphical user interface for openLuup.

      Me:

      Who created of the AltUI graphical user interface for openLuup.

      and

      Me:

      Who created of the AltUI graphical user interface for the home automation system Vera.

      Names two different people - mmmm.

      Regardless very impressive - give it a few more years.

      General Discussion
    • A topic for self learning...

      CatmanV2

      ...which I'd like to do. I know I go about these things all wrong (namely think of something I'd like to do, then try and work out what I need to know) but that's me 🙂

      Just looking for some pointers on what I should google for really:

      What I'd like is to provide a selection of (basically two word) phases which I can select from randomly (or even pseudo randomly) and pass to Alexa to be spoken. There are 10 such phrases only.

      So what should I be reading up on to get me started?

      TIA for any guidance

      C

      General Discussion
    • Short survey

      P

      Hi,
      I am a student and recently i am working on smart home project and writing a seminar paper about the way users handle and manage IoT devices. I you have 3 min, please fill below survey. Its really short.
      Thank you in advance, I really appreciate everyone's help.

      General Discussion
    • LibraSun's Dashboard Apps Roundup 2023

      LibraSun

      For what it's worth, I've been putting the finishing touches on a much-updated version of my DP Apps spreadsheet -- specifically intended for HE users, at least for now -- and invite you all to take a gander http://bit.ly/hedb23 at the PDF one-page version.

      Corrections and edits welcome (esp. for the HOMEKIT column, just added yesterday)! Thanks in advance, especially because I'm not a big dashboard user myself, but somehow accepted this role as "keeper of the list" as it were.

      General Discussion
    • Separate switching bulb in one ceiling light

      P

      Hello guys,

      I would like to achieve two different things with lights, but I am not sure it could be done. I am starting with smart things, and I am far from any electrician knowledge, wo any help is really appreciated.

      I have dumb switches in my hall, controlled from 3 places. I understood that installing one smart module before first switch will make them "hybrid", both smart controlled and dumb controlled.

      I would like to buy ceiling light with two bulb sockets. What I would like to achieve is I would like to have one bulb for normal daily usage (lets say cold white full brightness), and second for night time (aprox from 10pm till morning) with some red/orange - minimum brightness.

      So question are:

      Is there a way to keep both bulbs turning-on separated? So only one will be on during day, and then only second during night?

      And could that be done with pressing dumb switch? What would I need to achieve it? (maybe another module into the ceiling lights)

      Thank you in advance

      General Discussion
    • How to reset kwh

      B

      Aften some testing I watt to clear KWH how ?

      Regards Bjarne

      General Discussion
    • Need help in finding the right smart switch for my kitchen lights

      M

      Hello,
      I have a kitchen light that can be controlled by two switches, using either to turn it off or on. I have been slowly changing things over to be a smart home but this is the first switch I am attempting to install.
      I am in a double wide modular home (mobile) that was built in 1994.
      At first I thought I would need a 3 way switch but when taking the normal switches apart I realized that was incorrect because the wiring on my switches are different than anything I could find online.
      For one a 3 way smart switch requires 5 wires and there are only 2 wires going into the primary switch with 3 wires going into the secondary switch from the primary switch (at least I think the 3 wires connect the two switches together). Images will be attached of the wiring.
      There are two wires (one black and one white) going into the first switch and 3 wires (black, white, and red) going out of that and into the second switch (I assume). The odd thing is the red wire going to the second switch is connected to the white wire going into the first switch and the white wire going into the second switch seems to be a bridge wire or a traveler wire. Not exactly sure. You will see what I mean in the images.
      I need to know what kind of smart switch I can use in this set up with one remaining a normal switch.
      Note that for some reason the images got switched around when uploading them. The image with 2 wires on one side and 3 on the other is what I think is the primary and the image with just 3 wires is the secondary.
      Primary.jpg Secondary.jpg

      General Discussion
    • OT: Universal Remote

      CatmanV2

      You lot are more likely to have a view than most I know. Our much used Logitech Harmony is (not so) slowly dying.

      And Logitech have discontinued the entire line.

      And no one else appears to be making something similar.

      Was going for a Sofabaton X1, but no numeric keypad. Sofabaton U1, but no favourites.

      Anyone got suggestions?
      Needs to have those features, oh and not be only a phone app.....

      C

      General Discussion
    • The Home Automation Controller Pyramid

      rafale77

      Since one member asked at one point about the "front end" and "back end", I drew this showing the controller from the base to the tip along with what I have found to be the best options from my testing. Almost every controller will try to integrate all elements, especially commercial ones but... they all have strengths and weaknesses so if one can have a medley of the best ones...

      Screen Shot 2020-05-14 at 07.11.06.png

      General Discussion
    • Thread removed - why?

      Black Cat

      I was just going to add my support for a Update Button for the bare bones version of MSR and find the thread has been removed.
      I'm wondering what was so provocative that required it's removal?
      Have we become as paranoid as an owner of another forum?

      Anyway +1 for an Update Button.

      General Discussion
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    The Home Automation Controller Pyramid

    General Discussion
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    • rafale77
      rafale77 last edited by rafale77

      Since one member asked at one point about the "front end" and "back end", I drew this showing the controller from the base to the tip along with what I have found to be the best options from my testing. Almost every controller will try to integrate all elements, especially commercial ones but... they all have strengths and weaknesses so if one can have a medley of the best ones...

      Screen Shot 2020-05-14 at 07.11.06.png

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • S
        sender last edited by

        Good picture, but isn't home assistant not also a bit of Front-end?

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • akbooer
          akbooer last edited by

          You could argue the same for the Z-way, since there the possiblilty to create virtual devices and scenes.

          @rafale77 said in The Home Automation Controller Pyramid:

          Almost every controller will try to integrate all elements

          ...so there's bound to be some fuzzy edges.

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • rafale77
            rafale77 last edited by rafale77

            The controllers on the drawing are the best ones in that box in my opinion. As I said, almost every controller actually tries to fulfill the pyramid. Home Assistant has a pretty good GUI now though its controls of automation from the GUI is poor and the automation logic itself is pretty incomplete causing some people to run node-red as the front end for Home-Assistant. I run openLuup... 🙂
            For the Integration layer, I run both Home-Assitant with all its integration component and openLuup and its many vera plugins, manually bridged together.
            For the backend, I run z-way into openLuup and Bellows into Home-Assistant.

            All boxes are important but each box depends on the box below it. As an illustration, when I start my system, I have to start it from bottom to top. When a controller is built and tested, it should be done from bottom to top as well in order to make sense and be effiscient.

            The z-way-server also does all three and each API: the zwave API, JS API, Automation API, pretty much corresponds to each of the APIs I drew in order from bottom to top. It is just very good at the bottom layer but not as good as others as you go up the boxes. The best part of vera was the middle box with the community plugins and pretty complete virtual device set and is what openLuup has improved on.

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • rafale77
              rafale77 last edited by

              From my reading of different forums it doesn't look like Homeseer is doing all that great with their HS4 release. So between them and vera going down dead ends, it looks like Z-way and the in beta openzwave-QT will soon be the only contenders for zwave and I would slide in hubitat as third in spite of their lack of S2 support... Pretty sad to see good choices get smaller and smaller.

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
              • CatmanV2
                CatmanV2 last edited by

                I think part of the problem is that there are too many standards to chose from. None of them have a complete offering in terms of the hardware, the big boys have tried to create closed ecosystems (also not complete, or lacking in some other way) and very few (none) of the current offerings are succeeding at supporting the whole shooting match.

                Feels like there are no decent devs / architects out there with a focus on a clear end model and some decent funding that's not making bad technical decisions.

                C

                The Ex-Vera abuser know as CatmanV2.....

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • rafale77
                  rafale77 last edited by

                  I think also that there is a business problem issue. The controller is absolutely critical and getting the right hardware and software is a lot of work. However they are being sold as a very low cost to attract new customers into the ecosystem while the real business is actually in the devices. The controller is only an enabler. Homeseer was the only one selling theirs at a high price... And then there is open source... Vera tried very hard to differentiate from the rest, attempting self maintenance and trying to get a lot of smart in the zwave management, taking control away from their customers. It tanked because not only was it mostly unnecessary but above all, it was very poorly designed. Let's see how the others do...

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • CatmanV2
                    CatmanV2 last edited by

                    @rafale77 that's a good point.

                    However, I fear that seeing how the others 'do' is pretty much how they've 'done' I had a X10 system running off a USB 'thing' and Indigo automation software. That was about 15 years ago. If anything it was easier and more reliable than stuff today (let's talk about how my magnetic door sensors don't un trip if you don't have the door open for more than about 3 seconds).

                    There is a significant difference that I have more money to throw at it than I did then, but progress seems, well, erratic. What do we have? Switches, dimmers and thermostats really.....

                    C

                    The Ex-Vera abuser know as CatmanV2.....

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • S
                      sender last edited by

                      I run QT-openzwave... beta but very steady and very easy! After the holiday it will by bye bye vera... almost all logics are already transferred to home assistant and node-red just some pleg and the "garaga door plugin" running on vera... I moved all problematic devices to QT and since then it's rock solid. Even Vera is fast. And since zwave devices are included (secure) in qt zwave I did not even know they were also so good and fast 🙂

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • therealdb
                        therealdb last edited by therealdb

                        Vera’s zwave is a mess and I’m giving them a compliment.
                        I still think the idea behind Vera was good, the execution made it what it is. With more attention to details and the ability to really fix bugs, it could have been a good solution.

                        I still want a plug and play solution with easy customization, but maybe we’re just at the beginning and this market needs to reach its peak to become more mainstream.

                        --
                        On a mission to automate everything.

                        My MS Reactor contrib
                        My Luup Plug-ins

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                        • rafale77
                          rafale77 last edited by

                          The closest to a plug and play local all in one is probably Hubitat at this point but they have their limitations in each area. For a large system with a lot of plugins, it seems like the RAM and CPU on their unit is a limiter.
                          Home Assistant is also going through some strange strategic changes and is really not plug and play... though that's what they aim towards but the rate of breaking changes and tedious "templating" for automation has me much prefer openLuup at this point. It is a bit of pitching lua vs. python+yaml...

                          akbooer 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • akbooer
                            akbooer @rafale77 last edited by

                            @rafale77 said in The Home Automation Controller Pyramid:

                            much prefer openLuup at this point

                            AT THIS POINT ...? 😮

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                            • rafale77
                              rafale77 last edited by

                              haha... yeah and for the foreseeable future. I just started learning a little python because all the machine learning libraries seem to have a python API so it makes things much easier... But for home automation, I for one am way too invested in lua and two, don't see python as being suitable... which is, I am guessing, why Home Assistant has supplemented it with yaml. Gosh and I am not even a coder/developer by trade... I just am enjoying the learning.

                              akbooer 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • therealdb
                                therealdb last edited by

                                to be fair, ezlo seems to have implemented Zwave (and Zigbee) stack in a modern way. but I'm not convinced at all by their new programming environment. they're adopting an approach very similar to HA's, where you can launch scripts to intercept events, instead of having services always executing. So, openluup it's probably the safest bet in terms of features and stability for luup refugees.

                                --
                                On a mission to automate everything.

                                My MS Reactor contrib
                                My Luup Plug-ins

                                CatmanV2 rafale77 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                • therealdb
                                  therealdb last edited by

                                  and yes, I don't like python neither. I learned LUA quite easily (being a dev for the latest 25 years helped) and I was really tempted to build my own engine running C# (on Linux, it's xplat now thanks to .NET Core) at some point, and move all my logic there, and use some hub just to send ZWave commands. I have already tons of code doing integrations with Vera, MiLight, OpenSprinkler, MQTT running in my own C# service, but it was just for fun.
                                  The real problem is more about building a compelling UI, today, and offer side services (Alexa/GoogleHome, remote access, etc) than anything else.
                                  A couple of friends approached me (because you know, home automation addiction has grown in me) because they wanted to build something and I always told them to not do anything like I did, because it needs maintenance. I dream of a day when we'll get a real plug&play system. We're not there, clearly.

                                  --
                                  On a mission to automate everything.

                                  My MS Reactor contrib
                                  My Luup Plug-ins

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                  • CatmanV2
                                    CatmanV2 @therealdb last edited by

                                    @therealdb said in The Home Automation Controller Pyramid:

                                    to be fair, ezlo seems to have implemented Zwave (and Zigbee) stack in a modern way.

                                    But what they (appear) to be shipping a beta seems way too immature. When would you think there's a production product? Feels to me like 2021 some time?

                                    C

                                    The Ex-Vera abuser know as CatmanV2.....

                                    therealdb 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • therealdb
                                      therealdb @CatmanV2 last edited by

                                      @CatmanV2 said in The Home Automation Controller Pyramid:

                                      But what they (appear) to be shipping a beta seems way too immature. When would you think there's a production product? Feels to me like 2021 some time?

                                      yes. current system is barely usable. They are targeting next September, and they can improve fast, because they want to release a new build every 2 weeks. The real problem is their priorities: in order to migrate, you have to unpair and pair again all your devices. It's impossible for me (70+ devices, sometimes buried into boxes I really don't know where, since they were first installed by my electricians when building the house) and for many more people.
                                      The concerning problem is that it's quite impossible for them to have plug-ins ready, because their new runtime is completely different and porting is not easy. But from a Zwave standpoint, they seem to have learned the lesson, by decoupling devices from implementation, and by allowing device definition to be updated separately. We'll see, it's probably too early and a lot of customers will migrate to anything better when the product will be really ready.

                                      --
                                      On a mission to automate everything.

                                      My MS Reactor contrib
                                      My Luup Plug-ins

                                      CatmanV2 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • CatmanV2
                                        CatmanV2 @therealdb last edited by

                                        @therealdb said in The Home Automation Controller Pyramid:

                                        next September

                                        2020 or 2021? 2021 seems more likely. Short sprints only means lots of progress if you're actually capable of writing code. Given the number of recurring issues, this seems something that may be beyond them.
                                        And who's going to hang around for 2021?

                                        C

                                        The Ex-Vera abuser know as CatmanV2.....

                                        therealdb 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                        • akbooer
                                          akbooer @rafale77 last edited by akbooer

                                          @rafale77 said in The Home Automation Controller Pyramid:

                                          I just started learning a little python because all the machine learning libraries seem to have a python API so it makes things much easier... But for home automation, I for one am way too invested in lua and two, don't see python as being suitable...

                                          My view entirely! Python is a huge language compared to Lua. Its real plus is the vast number of libraries, but the huge minus is the size of the system. Parts of openLuup (the Historian's graphite_cgi module, and the Whisper database were translated from Graphite's Python code, so I had to learn it a bit.

                                          @CatmanV2 said in The Home Automation Controller Pyramid:

                                          I think part of the problem is that there are too many standards to chose from.

                                          Indeed... always the problem with 'Standards'.

                                          CatmanV2 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                          • CatmanV2
                                            CatmanV2 @akbooer last edited by CatmanV2

                                            @akbooer

                                            Indeed... always the problem with 'Standards'.

                                            Of course, we only need one. TCP/IP would do just dandy! 😉

                                            C

                                            The Ex-Vera abuser know as CatmanV2.....

                                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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