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Some of you may know that I took at shot at building an alternate geofencing solution for Vera. The core of it was system agnostic, using the OwnTracks application and AWS lambdas to track devices and keep a central data, then disseminate that to the Vera via a websocket-based plugin. It worked with other apps as well, including Tasker and GPSLogger, but of the dozen people that were testing it, most used OwnTracks.
A lot was learned in the process, not the least of which is that the success of any such solution is highly dependent on the phone and its settings. Phone manufacturers love to set things up for the longest battery life, of course, but that's usually very anti-geofencing behavior. In the case of at least one brand, it was unusable and the settings could not be modified. It was also cost-prohibitive to maintain on Amazon, as AWS grabs a dime here and a dollar there and before you know it, it added $100/month to my AWS bill, which my wife deducted from my Scotch budget. Unacceptable.
But it's quite reasonable to use OwnTracks to a local endpoint, and I could pretty easily replicate the functionality as a local application, or maybe even as an additional endpoint built into MSR's API (still separate port and process, but in the package).
So the question really is... would you do it, or would you be too concerned about the security risks associated (e.g., dynamic DNS and NAT mapping in the firewall necessary for the phone to contact the service when not on LAN)?
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Installed Sitesensor yesterday. Defined a http request towards yr.no for the weather.
Default it only sends requests when the device is armed. When I armed the sensor both of my sirens started bleeping. Not funny with at night with two kids asleep.Simultaneous with arming the device, the first http request probably is send and my first http request did not have the Useragent http header so the result was a 403; this probably made the sitesensor device being triggered.
I unchecked the box "only send requests when armed" and disarmed the sitesensor. This works ok but only one slight mistake with thick fingers and I have armed it again.
I see the sitesensor device is being configured as a SecuritySensor (as it implements the securitysensor serivce?). This makes that sirens react when the sitesensor trips. I have a leakage sensor as well and I know this one triggers the sirens as well. Do not have any doorsensors right now but hope these will not trigger sirens as well.
Is there a way to tell Sirens to ignore Sitesensor and/or other specific devices. Or should sitesensor not be configured as a security device?
Is there an easy solution?Grtz Swiddy
Some details:
-Vera Secure box with built in siren (siren is a separate device)
-POPP Smokedetector with siren
-Upto-date with Vera firmware and Not on Openluup yet but don't think this would make a difference here -
Yet another attempt to create the one standard to rule them all. "The ring of power".
What Is “Project Connected Home Over IP” for Smart Homes? What Is “Project Connected Home Over IP” for Smart Homes?Project Connected Home over IP is a new industry group announced by Apple, Google, Amazon, and the ZigBee Alliance. The group will create a new unifying standard for smart home devices, and that’s a big deal. Here’s why.
I am very skeptical about this. I don't feel it is needed and I think it will only add to the confusion but I am probably not a typical consumer. Thoughts? It seems to want to do the same thing as what a lot of us have already achieved through open source but commercializing it. It's not so different from Apple's HomeKit.
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Evening (at least here)
2021-02-12 18:05:02.869 luup_log:0: ALTUI: runLua(local GardenTemp = math.floor(0.5+luup.variable_get("urn:upnp-org:serviceId:TemperatureSensor1", "CurrentTemperature", 20415)) luup.call_action("urn:dlna-org:serviceId:DLNAMediaController1", "Say", {Text="The temperature outside is" ..GardenTemp.. "degrees.",Volume=40,GroupZones="Everywhere"}, 22)) 2021-02-12 18:05:02.870 luup.call_action:: 22.urn:dlna-org:serviceId:DLNAMediaController1.Say 2021-02-12 18:05:02.870 luup_log:22: VeraAlexa: addToQueue: added to queue for 22 2021-02-12 18:05:04.035 luup_log:0: ALTUI: Evaluation of lua code returned: nil
Alexa TTS has suddenly stopped here (mid afternoon)
Normally I'd replace the cookie.
When I went to the domain, I was forced to change my password. Did that and exported the cookie. But still no voice.
I can't see anything at all in the logs:But I'm sure I need to look somewhere else and damned if I can recall where. Someone give me a pointer?
TIA
C
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Hi all. Well winter is coming and temperatures are below freezing. I currently have this snippet of Lua:
local GardenTemp = math.floor(0.5+luup.variable_get("urn:upnp-org:serviceId:TemperatureSensor1", "CurrentTemperature", 20415)) luup.call_action("urn:dlna-org:serviceId:DLNAMediaController1", "Say", {Text="The temperature outside is" ..GardenTemp.. "degrees.",Volume=40,GroupZones="Everywhere"}, 22)When we turn the house on. Anyone help me to get it to say 'negative' or 'minus' when the temperature is actually sub-zero?
TIA
C
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I've only recently read that ZLR is not a mesh network, below is quoted from Dr Zwave, which I found interesting and opens up a range of questions. I had assumed that ZLR was similar to ZWP, but it isn't.
Z-Wave Long Range supports FLiRS types of devices but it doesn't support Associations. Z-Wave Long Range is a star network so all communication has to go thru the hub. Then the hub forwards the message on to the FLiRS device after Beaming to wake it up. There is no way for a Long Range end device to send a frame to another end device, it has to go thru the controller.
I found it interesting that Associations have been given the 'flick'
My question is regarding the compatibility of ZWP & ZLR in the same network.
From my understanding ZLR devices can't communicate directly with ZWP devices, this could get interesting as it seems to indicate that there is no backward compatibility.
Perhaps Z-Wave has abandoned Mesh networks and is working towards simpler systems?
Any thoughts? -
Hi,
I hope this is the correct place to ask. I wanted to start with developing smart home systems where I use a raspberry pie as a server and communicate through a phone or tablet.
But I do not know where to and how to start, I have knowledge in developing Web Application, Java and a bit react native.But which Development Language is good for smart home development? Would it be possible to achieve smart home projects with Webapplication and smarthphone app if they communicate with the same server?
Which additional knowledge do I need except development language? I looked on the internet a bit, but kinda got lost with all the information in it right now about smart home.
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Hi
Go with me here... I recently pick up a unresponsive Vera Secure from eBay for next to nothing, thinking I’d could have a go at trying to restore it, if only as a play thing..
Situation - The power led comes on, but the internet and service leds just flash - no connection made (and even using a direct cable and Wireshark, I can’t see an arp request being made to see if it has a default in address) - I’ve also tried various reset button combinations - no luck.
Perhaps this post is a long shot, but seeing so many familiar ex Micasaverde/Vera forum names - i thought I’d at least ask - just in case anyone had any guidance/advice etc. I could use ..
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Hi!
I was tipped off about this forum while bitching about my Vera on the Vera forum, as I had grown accustomed to over the years. I know that's not very nice, but that thing brings out the worst in me (and has even driven me to drink on occasions 😉 )!
Anyway, how about a little intro in case anyone is actually interested? I did odd jobs, saved up for and built my first PC from components by the time I was 15 (back when you had to know how to get around a DOS prompt and a 120Mb hard drive was a big deal). Within 6 months I had my own BBS up and running. The internet wasn't really a thing back then -- did AOL really count? I only really discovered home automation almost a decade later, again before it had really taken off. Back then I was using X10 because it was still one of the only consumer options and I had no electronics background. Over the years I have experimented with several home automation technologies, 90% of them ending up as useless scrap and a waste of money. Today I feel like not much has changed, but things are moving in the right direction (wide scale adoption -> more money invested in improving tech to try to get us to part with our money, am I right?). I've never really had the funds to go all out or to get the more expensive gear, but I've found some products that have been worth sticking with -- namely my Elk-M1G and one or two other obscure devices. I recently was "renovicted" during the pandemic and decided to move from my modest apartment in the city to a house out in the woods in the middle of nowhere.
So here I am, with an almost clean slate, looking to set this place up better than ever. The internet access sucks out here, but the house is mine to do what I will with it. I envision a keyless entry system even better than the last one I devised, walls that literally talk and eventually even roboticized structure & furniture (eg. Aquarium lids that rise for maintenance, hidden doors that slide open, a table that transforms into a bar, etc.).
For the moment, though, I'd like to figure out how to replace this *&$%ing Vera. Funds have been tight lately, but at the moment I have several pieces of hardware I can start with: The Elk (as mentioned), ~20 LIFX bulbs/strips, a handful of Amazon Echos, a few Zwave devices, some IR and audio stuff, the Vera, a few other odds and ends.
Ultimately, I'd like to set up a low-power system like a NUC or something that will always be on, running automation as well as handling audio (most likely multi-zoned). I built my last PC as a gaming PC, but I can use it to experiment until I'm ready to purchase an HA system.
Where do I start if I want to learn about OpenLuup? I skimmed through the forums, but they seem quite advanced and are a little beyond my abilities. I do CAD/CAM, not programming, unfortunately!
Thanks!! -
654a0b44-6cec-4466-8701-3566067abbd0-image.jpeg https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fpanic.com%2Fblog%2Fpanic-status-board-2013-edition%2F&psig=AOvVaw1ERsyah34ZkmLnpWaYLgu-&ust=1600418906446000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCODol5Xn7-sCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE
I’ve always liked the idea of having a screen, located somewhere in the house that would allow me to see the status of pretty much everything. (Hardware wise I’m just think of a basic Rasp Pi, fixed to a vesa mount, screwed to the back of an old monitor screen)
I’ve tried a number of tools/apps over the years, one of which was PanicBoard (where the above image comes from) - which seemed to have some potential, but the owners stopped developing/investing in that a while back.
What are people using ?
Is there something, perhaps a single tool/app that this community would collectively support/promote, one that no matter what HA you used, you could submit information to and have it displayed ?
**** Just to be clear, I’m referring to status/information boards, not a touch based, control board where you can turn things on/off etc..***
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General discussion on all things MQTT.
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Not sure this is in quite the right place (again) but I have a device that exists in z-way that I simply cannot remove. It seems to be a zombie. I have no idea what it was.
It claims to be a routing binary sensor that has not woken up since August
I go through the 'Only do this if your device is broken' and it simply will not go.
Any ideas (apart from ignore it)?Cheers
C
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Hi all
Possibly a long shot - but does anyone know of a way, (maybe you have some code or know of an app) that can help you discover the IR codes of a device when you’ve lost the remote?
Looking online there seems to be a growing number of IR banks, yet I can’t find anything on the market that could cycle through a huge set of different codes (e.g just the power on/off) to let me know which ones are compatible ?
When you consider so many things these days are made in the same place, and often thing can just be re/badges versions of other items - it’s likely that a sets of codes for one branded product will work in the most part with another ..
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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...
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Hi all. Looking for some guidance as ever
This
luup.inet.wget('https://api.telegram.org/bot1225075966:AAHS5rwhCpOx0hwq3mOnNjtCSKiDeAS6B4/sendMessage?chat_id=@Coalport58&text=House mode is home')Works fine
This
luup.inet.wget('https://api.telegram.org/bot1225075966:AAHS5rwhCpOx0hwq3mOnNjtCSKiDeAS6B4/sendMessage?chat_id=@Coalport58&text=House mode is Home')Throws a 400 error:
openLuup.client:: WGET error status: 400I have munged the bot key to post here, but just changing the 'h' to 'H' breaks it. Any ideas why?
C
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We are a smart home startup based in England, we are looking for a co-founder/advisor who is good at iot software development.
Many thanks -
What are the projects you're working on?
Summer is over, and that (unfortunately) means more time indoor and (luckily) more time to build things.
I have almost nothing in my backlog and it's boring 🙂
I appreciate a couple of (crazy) ideas.
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Is there one? I know TTS is working but suddenly woke up at 0300....
...or does it just use Vera. That seems unlikely from what I know of the architectureTIA
C
Starting with smart home development
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Hi,
I hope this is the correct place to ask. I wanted to start with developing smart home systems where I use a raspberry pie as a server and communicate through a phone or tablet.
But I do not know where to and how to start, I have knowledge in developing Web Application, Java and a bit react native.But which Development Language is good for smart home development? Would it be possible to achieve smart home projects with Webapplication and smarthphone app if they communicate with the same server?
Which additional knowledge do I need except development language? I looked on the internet a bit, but kinda got lost with all the information in it right now about smart home.
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Are you looking to implement a smart home as a user, or learn about developing a smart from (either from scratch or as developer)?
Welcome BTW!
C
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Hi what do you mean with "developing a smart"? I wanted to learn how to develop smart home systems but with my own application and not predefined ones.
For that I wanted to learn which language would be prefereable for smart home systems, and which additional skills do I need? For example is networking needed or anything else like that.
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It's a big question you are asking here and you seem to want to start from scratch.
My question to you is why? Some of your ideas have been explored and executed for years and there are also already commercial offering in that direction with various levels of success.
I will give you just my opinion:
Development cycles for me go in this chronological order:- Make it work (design)
- Make it reliable (debug)
- Make it fast and efficient (optimize, often skept these days)
Now with more freed resource, you can have new ideas and repeat the cycle.
What language you want to use is up to you. There is no right or wrong answer. It ranges from Java/JS on NodeJS to Python to lua to C. There are examples of all of them and it is all a matter of taste and support.
JS example: iobroker
Python: Home Assistant
lua: openLuup
C/C++: many others mostly commercial solutions.The raspberry pi with a web server is one of the most common platforms and a good, but not great place to start: As you grow your system beyond the phase 1 of "Make it work", You may start finding limitations of capability, reliability and efficiency.
Also, the mobile app ideas are pretty common but... I am partial to eliminate them as much as possible because there are too many of them already and ideally, for the sake of efficiency, you would not need them if the home was ultimately "smart". Any configuration would have to be done on the server but mobile apps would be too limiting/small to handle the complexity. I see the mobile apps as a patch/addition maybe temporary convenience and not anything I would base/develop my system around. I am trying to eliminate the need for them and have been pretty succesful. If you need a dashboard, it can be done through a mobile page on the webserver.
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@rafale77
I wanted to make this commercial so start doing business with it, thats why I wanted to implement my own systems. What would you recommend insteat of a raspberry pi? And what would I need alongside development? In order to achieve what I want ? How could I make my raspberry pi, smartphone app and for example a door lock communicate with each other? Would that be
Networking?What would be alternatives to control the smart home systems? if not by phone
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So you mean like use a webapplication which communicates with the server and is just displayed on the phone/tablet right?
My biggest question is which skill I need to learn for comunication between the devices is it Networking or anything else?
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My smarthome system has very little interaction with my phone/tablet except for the localization and voice control. I use no apps for these. In case of other failures only do I need a display but this can be done through a web browser on the mobile device though I use Homewave for convenience. Under normal conditions, I would not need any display on my phone or tablet.
For device, you can look at nVidia's Jetson or celeron based mini PCs. Skills you need are both around networking and also the various wireless stacks and APIs for smarthomes: Zigbee, Zwave, Thread. You could also just stick with wifi devices which seems to be the trend lately but I see this as less secure, more cloud prone, less efficient but more convenient.
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@rafale77
Hey thanks you helped me a lot I at least am a bit smarter now
I have just a few more questions haha if I may.- What are wifi stacks?
- And do you know which skill is needed to assembly your own smart device? I would think a small pc like raspberry pi or an alternative with modules like wifi, bluetooth etc right?
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wifi stack is a standard (802.11a/ac/ax) and you probably don't need to learn much about it. The wireless stacks I was speaking of were the others: zwave and zigbee in particular. For wifi, devices usually have a local API you can work with.
I don't know how to answer your second question... You can buy these all made and use USB modules for them.
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Thanks for the answer you really helped me out
Is it ok to contact you if I have further questions? -
You are welcome. Not sure if I can answer all of your questions but it doesn't cost anything to ask. This forum has a lot of folks who started with a commercial solution which ended up being a dead end and decided to go off on mostly open source platforms, many developed, discussed and shared here.
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@rafale77
Thanks I will keep that in mind Of course it is never guaranteed to succeed but trying is something important I think -
Do not underestimate the amount of effort and time this is likely to take... especially when you get a few users on board.