Home Automation, where to begin?

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Home Automation, where to begin?

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reven

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#817253 14-May-2013 10:38

yeah I'm leaning towards ninjablocks again, just due to the price of the sensors etc compared to z-wave. $16usd compared to $90 AUD.

where did you buy a pressure mat for under the front door mat? that sounds like a pretty cool idea that I want to steal :P

also what are the range like on the ninjablock sensors/actuators? my base unit will be about 35metres away through several walls from the farthest sensor/actuator. (the z-wave ones are great how they all act as extenders)

qyiet

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#817262 14-May-2013 10:53

I got the mat from DSE, its a Swann Doorbell. It has a button, a pressure mat, and a chime. If you change their ID jumpers you can use them as 3 separate devices with the ninjablock.

The temp sensor has a crap range, although one member of the ninjablock forums got decent range out of it after resoldering a new aerial onto the block. I've not had any issues, but the longest range sensor I have is 20m.

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reven

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#817316 14-May-2013 11:52

i suppose i could always put the ninja block in the middle of the house in the roof space.

is the mat doorbell you have?

basically do most 433mhz stuff just automatically work with ninjablocks? well most PIR sensors etc (stuff like weather stations i know dont all work, or any...)

qyiet

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#817358 14-May-2013 12:48

That's the one. Not all 433MHz devices use a protocol that the ninjablock knows, but a lot do, including at least one weather station. The wiki will tell you confirmed devices, but there are more in the ninja forums than have been added to the wiki.

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reven

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#817362 14-May-2013 13:00

do the current ninjablocks kit come with the required 433mhz accessory module ? the wiki states its needed, but cant find it on their purchase paid (so i'm assuming this was for the original kickstarter ninjablocks)

qyiet

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#817383 14-May-2013 13:14

Its built onto the ninjablock itself. The block is a beaglebone running custom ubuntu tied to a arduino with a 433mhz radio, and a USB WiFi card. The reason the wiki is talking about that is because a bunch of people run their ninjablock on a raspberry pi, which of course didn't have the arduino etc.

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reven

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#817385 14-May-2013 13:18

thanks for explaining, i really appreciate it, this stuff can be a little daunting at first :)

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qyiet

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#817482 14-May-2013 15:51

No Problem, glad I could help.

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reven

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#817948 15-May-2013 10:40

ordered a bunch of lights and the starter kit from limitlessled
and ordered the ninajblock kit and a few additional components from ninjablock.

ill write up a blog post once ive got it all configured.

the trees for the gardens are going to have to wait another month, spent too much on home automation :P

networkn

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#818912 15-May-2013 10:58

reven: is this the camera you are talking about? want to make sure I buy the right one :)

I'd also like to hear from any others who have this camera and know how good/bad it is.

reven

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#819917 15-May-2013 11:28

bugger i forgot about the camera, that will have to wait until next month as well, probably get the PoE one as well, so need a switch that supports that..... this is an expensive hobby....

Jeeves

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#820183 15-May-2013 16:27

You can get PoE inline injectors if you don't want to fork out for a new switch.

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