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So cool to find the forum of all the banned vera gurus!
I've had a Vera Plus for about 6 years now, and have had a fairly problem free time with it compared to many other stories. The last years have however been lacking in progression in many fields i'd like to explore, so now i'm looking closely at Openluup.
Other systems have been tested as well, but i find that the community and plugins made for vera is kind of special, and something i'd like to contribute to as well. (getting older and not wanting to change to new stuff probably plays a part too!)So, my stab at opeluup starts with an HP Chromebox 1 i got for free. Its a fairly powerfull thing, but as google wants to sell new ones, its now EOL.
I wiped it clean and installed debian, as it seems to be the closest thing to raspberry which many use for openluup.Openluup installed fine, and i got the vera bridge working fairly well by bothering ppl at the vera forum with questions. Its now running OK, but there seems to be an issue with Icons?
f0e29622-0397-4b84-819c-f1b632daab41-image.png
Also at the devices tab:
2892faff-a3ee-4f21-9db8-2a03f604fc74-image.pngI did the "GetFiles", and I see the /icons/ is populated, but no icons. In the luup log says that its trying to GET the icon, but returns no packages.
2020-09-15 17:04:30.818 openLuup.server:: GET /cmh/skins/default/img/devices/device_states/dimmable_light_off.png HTTP/1.1 tcp{client}: 0x55eca8d90cb8 2020-09-15 17:04:30.819 openLuup.server:: request completed (0 bytes, 0 chunks, 0 ms) tcp{client}: 0x55eca8d90cb8I do have a UZB stick on the way, but before i go down that road i'd like to be sure that the installation is stable and sound.. Do I have all the nessecary packages/background processes? I did install cjson which helped on some things..
Also fairly new at linux in general, so bear with me. 😉
Roadmap:
Get the openluup/AltUI running smoothly
Transfer Z-wave devices
Transfer 433 devices (RFXtrx plugin)
Transfer Zigbee devices (Vera or mabye ezlo plus? zigbee stick?)more questions will follow!
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Well here we go. A slow, considered migration from Vera to something (I hope) more reliable.
Hopefully we'll end up with a decent documented process for people as right now I'm still not quite clear 🙂
Starting point:
I have a 'mature' Mios set up running on an extrooted Vera Plus with roughly 100 devices, both physical and virtual
Integration with Alexa both voice control and TTS
iPhones for Geolocation
Volumio devices for music playing around the house.
I have no user defined scenes, all automation is run from Reactor.My impetus is final dissatisfaction with the quality of UI7 software delivery and operational rigour (for full disclosure I am a senior IT Operations leader with circa 20 years experience delivering properly stable systems, so I probably have un-realistic expectations 😄 )
So initial steps:
Raspberry Pi 3 B+ (I think this is my 5, and 6th Pi in total. I may have a problem) Raspbian OpenLuup VerabridgeThat I think is stage 1
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...but I now only have house mode scenes left on Vera. All other automation is by Reactor and Switchboard / Alexa routines.
WAF may be low tomorrow if it doesn't work 😄
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I am a Electrician. I installed hundreds of smart devices for others prior to having my own home automation. In 2013 I bought a new house and decided to make it smart. I did some homework and settled on Z-wave and VeraPlus.
My installation comprises of
25 Z-wave dimmer/switch inserts
3 Z-wave door sensors
10 sonoff devices(basics,TH16 and Mini) ,
4 Tuya(lamps and RGB strips) ,
6 shellys(connected to motion sensors and 2 controlling dead DIY bolts )
3 Amazon Dots(gen2)
2 Broadlink (RMPro's)
4 DIY RF Venetian Blinds
2 Multi button DIY remotes
1 NVR
1 Network drive/Media server/ftp server.
1 smart thermostat heating and hot water
4 wired 240v/battery Aico smoke and heat detectors (connect to zwave via Relays)
1 robot hover.
1 Siren
Node-red server running on android.
Testing openluup on android.
Automate App running on andorid Boxes/phones.
All tv's are connected to android boxes.
No windows PC.
Debian running on android box.
Plugins Reactor, AlexaTTS, Switchboard and Virtual HTTP Switch.I can control all of my devices from anyone of these platforms Vera/OpenLuup, Node-red, Automate(phone/tv box) or Alexa.
All devices have a standard/manual switch for anyone to control, and can be controlled even if my VeraPlus stopped working or internet out. My system is stable and may get a luup reload every couple of weeks.None of my sonoff's or tuya have been flashed. I found Shelly very late into game and will be using these more now i found them, as they offer local control.
I have some coding knowledge from the 90's, but have never worked in the industry.
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Well, if I see further, it's because I stand of the shoulders of giants. I've got where I got because of the experts here. I started about 15 years ago with some really basic X10 stuff. When we moved in 2011 for some reason it simply would not work in the new house, so z-wave was the thing. Vera lite then Vera Plus.
I'm a child of the 70s. I want the car on the drive to be KITT and my lounge a cross between the bridge of the enterprise and the Lars farm on Tattoine.
Not there yet, but with about 250 devices (virtual and real) things are fun (when they work!)
The absolute killer app for me is Alexa bi directional speech. To the extent that I've walked into hotel rooms and said 'Alexa turn the lights on....'
I'm within a spit of never buying another control and doing everything via Alexa and Reactor (had to drop that in)So that's pretty much me.
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Let start maybe something useful for others. Maybe it will give you some idea!
Here's a summary of my setup!
I'm having :
VM#1 that runs openLuup VM#2 that runs Zway 1x raspberry that I use to connect the RaZberry board using socat/ser2net to send "raw data" to the VM#2, this setup allow me to have all my stuff in the data center in the basement while having my zwave antenna on the first floor and send back the data! A couple of pine64 and raspberry around the house, most of the pine64 are use for "smart display" around the house that show data from various source (will post picture later). I have also a raspberry that I used for openSprinkler in the "Shed" Each room in the house + Garage + on the patio is having a SONOS speaker that I use for music of course but that I use with the TTS to send some notification around the house based on the presence!For example, I can welcome people on the front door based on motion detection + IP camera motion!
I decided a long time ago that all "sensors" will be handle by the DSC alarm. Currently I'm having over 40 sensors in/out divided in 5 partition (main/2nd floor, basement, office and shed and a partition for non-alarm sensor)I connected my DSC using the DSC plugin from Vera to handle all that traffic that of course is send to openLuup!
On the zwave network, I would say that I'm having every room in/out done!
I'm using also this setup to welcome kids in the morning based on motion detection in each room and I have some time-based reminder using TTS mostly for the kids.
We also "named/called" our Home, SARAH, based on the TV Show Eureka that means "Self Actuated Residential Automated Habitat".
** openLuup handle ALL the logic, I have no scene and logic in Vera and Smarthome/Zway
More to come...
That's our main screen in the center of the house!
IMG_20200428_110740.jpgInside the main screen, I'm having a bunch of stuff, like 2 Veraplus, and a RaZberry and of course a pine64 for the screen!
IMG_20200428_110755.jpgThat's an uncomplete setup in the kitchen for screen #2, need to finish the "wood" part!
IMG_20200428_110846.jpgThat's the touch screen monitor in the basement, so kids can use the Sonos app to play some music in the basement! The wood part is done, need to finish some "paint"!
IMG_20200428_110824.jpg
Another transition from Vera to OpenLuup - PerH
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@PerH said in [Another transition from Vera to OpenLuup - PerH]
One issue i'd like to sort out, I have a Heatit/namron/Sunricher Z-push 8 button that refuses to assiciate with Fibaro dimmer 2 and wall plug. I read somewhere that this may be because of what secure level they are included with?
That is very possible:
- Many Fibaro devices are notoriously not conformal and use some exotic zwave implementations. They are problematic in almost any controller but theirs. Don't worry about the interview not completing. You can check which command class failed to complete. I am fairly sure it is the version class which has no functional impact.
- You can see that the heatit device was included with S2 security while the fibaro devices included with S0 and no security from the little logo next to the name. S2 security, for as old as it is and all the improvements that it brings has only been supported by 2 controllers... z-way is one of them. No, vera is not... I have never looked at security within association groups but I suspect that it is the problem.
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I've personally had only good experience with Fibaro, they have treated me well..
Solution was to include the switch and the dimmer "unsecure". all thats left in the interview are "security" and "security S2" interview..
Any issues to think of when using unsecure?
The heatit thing still shows as S2 in the Z-Way GUI though.. anyway, it works!..And how well it works! feels like a transition to from (a badly set up) apple device to a proper Android phone!
So much more direct control and insight to the z-wave system!All the reactors are transferred as well, and the chromebox is idling at a calm 6.7% CPU..
Regarding association in Z-way, the choice between Plain association, 0, 1 and 2 was a bit confusing, Plain was the one that worked. Anyone know what that is? This was a Fibaro Dimmer 2..
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BTW: Any good way to mass-delete the "Room101" devices?
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Well, yes.
The openLuup plugin has an action EmptyRoom101 which requires a ‘yes’ answer to the AreYouSure parameter (to avoid accidental deletion.)
Use it from the plugin’s Actions page.
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@PerH said in Another transition from Vera to OpenLuup - PerH:
Any issues to think of when using unsecure?
Other than the fact that they are insercure, no...
@PerH said in Another transition from Vera to OpenLuup - PerH:
The heatit thing still shows as S2 in the Z-Way GUI though.. anyway, it works!
..And how well it works! feels like a transition to from (a badly set up) apple device to a proper Android phone!
So much more direct control and insight to the z-wave system!All the reactors are transferred as well, and the chromebox is idling at a calm 6.7% CPU..
Glad it's working for you and I agree with the feeling, not so much with the comparison.
To me it rather be "feels like a transition to from properly setup Android device to an out of the box iphone!" No more random stuff all over the place with half of them not working as expected... -
The reply is expected offcourse..
My imression is probably from never actually getting a out-of-the-box apple device that just works.. My work pushes them on me, and i give them to my wife..What's so unsecure about it? how could they be compromised? OK, i could just read up about it..
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Regarding security of zwave:
The issue with non secure zwave is that one could use a zniffer and figure out what your network homeid is and spoof a controller with that id and then take control of your device. This won't happen with a security encoding which requires a key exchange (and 4x the number of packets exchanged to execute the same command). I actually experimented with it, having discovered my neighbor's homeid. If it is a light switch, big deal... I don't care, if it is a lock or security sensor... that's a different story. S2 security improves both the encoding and streamlines the security key exchange making it much more efficient, effectively cutting the traffic by half... impactful when it is a battery operated device (battery life) and knowing how tight the zwave bandwidth is.
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Thanks, I'll take my chances that noone with do a hostile takeover on my living room lights.
Noticed that i have some "system error" and "Heat alarms" that is triggered on some switches/dimmers, dimmers that are running 10 watts.. no visible problems with them, so i wonder why? When will they reset?
I'd like to decipher these to full sentences, as the codes' meaning are explained in the manual.. any way to give the code to i.e. Reactor?
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@PerH said in Another transition from Vera to OpenLuup - PerH:
I'd like to decipher these to full sentences, as the codes' meaning are explained in the manual.. any way to give the code to i.e. Reactor?
If they’re available to the API that the ZWay plugin uses, then this should be possible. There is already a module in openLuup which is used for fixed text lookups (mime types, HTTP error code, ....)
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Well done. Glad it's worked out for you!
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Anyone here using ZiGate USB? in my search for an easy way to a functioning zigbee system, that seems like a good solution?
ZiGate USB-TTL - ZiGate
ZiGate permet d'interfacer vos objets compatibles ZigBee® à votre ordinateur ou box domotique. !!! Les expéditions se font en 2-3 jours ouvrés !!! Compatibilité :
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I have one and tested it. It's very immature and doesn't work well. There is even a zigate plugin on openLuup which... doesn't work. As French as I am and really wanted it to work... it was a disappointment.
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I went ahead and gave it a shot. Can't really see any better ways to zigbee in openluup right now.. Vera is hopeless, ezlo plus equally hopeless (probably for years), HASS has no real bridge for interaction.. Have you looked at domoticz? That at least has a bridge plugin available?
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domoticz is similar to home assistant on the zwave side since it uses the openzwave library as its zwave controller. It is not nearly as developed as Home Assistant though and yes I installed it to play with it at one point thinking about using the existing bridge but decided, given the fact that I have only a dozen devices to bridge over, to skip the bridge and just to call the Home Assistant API manually.
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@PerH said in Another transition from Vera to OpenLuup - PerH:
Can't really see any better ways to zigbee in openluup right now..
the best solution is to write a bridge for deconz. I started to take a look at the docs, lately. https://github.com/dresden-elektronik/deconz-rest-plugin
The responses are remarkably like the Hue server's one. This is an extremely easy to integrate protocol format.There's also a WebSocket implementation, so real time updates instead of polling should be possible.
I've not invested into ZigBee beside a couple of Hue ligths and I'm ok with their hub (mostly because it's the only way to update the firmware), but I'm toying with this idea. In my mind, this should equally work on both Vera and openLuup.
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Sounds promising!
It would be a good thing to get access to the more broadly used code out there, it doesn't look like ZiGate is very much used at the moment..
I would like to be able to help with some coding too, but always runs into a wall trying to figure out the layer hirearchy in lua/luup/java etc..In my world, there was a fierce battle yesterday.. The RFXtrx plugin (maybe in collusion with openluup) decided to delete my 40 devices, and preventing me from setting them back up by deleting the child device list twice..
I ended up deleting all RFX files, and installing an older version (1.41). Much better! Auto-create works, I can use sensors with the correct device files, not just as binary lights..When this finally was sorted, i discovered that all z-wave devices was gone after a reboot. looking in z-wave smarthome UI, they were gone as well! just the main devices, no child devices.
No error messages anywhere. I restarted z-wayserver.service, and things fortunately came back.. -
Has anyone looked at Zigbee2Tasmota? It is supposed to work with the Sonoff ZBBrigde which looks ok and is quite cheap. The bridge seems to be easy to flash with Tasmota.
I have been playing a bit with Tasmota on ESP8266 lately for sensors and is quite impressed. It seems quite capable and stable.I have so far avoided zigbee due to the lack of easy integration into my system except a few Hue light on a Hue hub and AltHue.
The upside of zigbee as I see it is that there are a few rather nice sensors such as Aqara that could be interesting to use.
//ArcherS
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Interesting, but i'd prefer to run it without the ESP! If I understand this correctly, the result is a Wifi to zigbee with coordinator onboard? neat idea, but i think all I need is a coordinator that reads all cluster types..
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The system has been running well for a while now, and with the latest firmware and updates on Z-Way its looking good!
I also have 3 UI's in the shape of old pads/phones wearing 3d printed frames around the house, running Imperihome. (WAF just shot upwards exponentially!)The vera on the other hand.. I've kept it on duty for geofencing and zigbee, and both of them are not working well.. ZiGate is in the mail, but geofencing is still an issue i'd like to sort out.
On another thread i got the tips IFTT and Automate, does anyone know of good set-up guides for this?
Any other geofencing suggestions? I'm running Iphone Locator for my wifes phone, but its restricted to home and away (right?).. -
On geofencing with iPhoneLocator, you can write anything you want with it using a variable watch on the distance... I trigger vacation mode, preheat/cool the house and all sorts of various scenes with this.
