Home Automation and WAF

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54 posts

Master Geek

#803264 21-Apr-2013 20:45

SumnerBoy: Shimmer,

Just wondering if you have come across Z-Cloud?

<snip>

Just wondering if you disregarded this option and chose a dedicated Homeseer server approach for any reason?

Cheers,
Ben

Hey Ben,

Hadn't come across Z-Cloud. The were a few reason I went down the path of building my own PC based controller instead of buying an appliance. The main reason was I had plenty of plenty of spare PC parts laying arround and I originally decided to build myself a NAS (pic below).

Seemed a waste to not to use the processing power available as it spent most of it's life idle. It also meant I could start out on the cheap and build and upgrade as I wanted. I had concerns with the hardware appliances that I would be locked into a particular software version. With a cloud solution two things I would watch out for, the first being if your internet connection went down you've lost your home automation (if your dsl is stable not so much of an issues). The other is the latency to the datacentre so motion based events might be lagged by few hundred ms. It doesn't sound like much but I suspect you will notice the additional delay when walking between rooms.

I originally started with incontrol (http://www.incontrolzwave.com/page/Download.aspx). It was free (paid option available) and great app to start out with but it didn't support some of the devices I had so went on the look again and finally decided on homeseer after using under 30 day trial.

To confirm an earlier question I'm using the USB Aeon Labs Z Stick.

Regards
Mike

SumnerBoy

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#803355 21-Apr-2013 22:40

Hey Mike,

Yep, I am in the same boat. I have a home server running 24/7 which has Ubuntu and a 2TB HDD containing all my music, movies and TV shows. I stream to the TVs in my living room and bedroom via a couple of Raspberry Pis running Raspbmc. I have a DVB-S tuner in the server and run TVHeadend - which I use to stream live Freeview to my two TVs as well as a basic PVR. I also run Squeezebox Server on the box, Sickbeard and Couchpotato, along with Crashplan+ which backs all my important data onto their Australian servers.

So ideally I would like to utilise this for my home automation as well. I think my best bet is to buy the USB stick and a single controller and start playing around the software available. It has taken a bit of reading but I am starting to understand how everything hangs together I think.

I found what looks to be a pretty good bit of open source software for configuring home automation but it is Windows only unfortunately. Would love something like this for Ubuntu!

The only other cheap/free solutions I could find where the Z-Cloud - but as you pointed out I would rather have something running locally if possible. One nice thing about Z-Cloud/Z-Way is there is an iPhone/iPad app which looks reasonable. I haven't been able to play around with it yet as I don't have any hardware, but I will be hoping to rectify that soon!

I am interested to know how easy you found it to install the in-switch micro controllers behind existing light switches? I have a number of 3-switch + 3-dimmer (6 hole) PDL boxes which are pretty chocka with wiring so I am not sure how I am going to fit 3 micro switches in there - I do see smarthome.com.au have a new two-module micro switch which might help.

My last question for tonight is about the shipping charges from smarthome.com.au? I can't see anything on their site explaining what they charge - is it reasonable? Assuming so, I think I will be ordering a Z-Stick very soon!

Thanks for taking the time to answer these queries!
Ben

SumnerBoy

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#803784 22-Apr-2013 16:38

Just found this - openHab - which looks to be a free open source automation software package (which will run on the Raspberry Pi). There isn't a Z-Wave binder released yet, but they are working on it.

Could be an interesting option...

BlueShift

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#803788 22-Apr-2013 16:46

davidcole:
BlueShift:
Shimmer: * also starting to think about how I can control the cat door so that it blocks the neighbours cat from coming into the house at night and spraying, open to suggestions on that one

I've seen somewhere that someone set up a microchip reader on their cat door to read the embedded chip in their cat to unlock the door.
Also the "Flo Control" project to use image recognition on anything attempting to enter the cat door, and not only exclude other cats and animals (nice photo of a racoon trying to sneak in), but to deny their own cats when they have something in their mouths.

Why reinvent the wheel, when those magnetic cat doors do the trick.

Depends if your cat has a habit of ditching collars, or is small and gets weighed down by magnetic brick around neck, or keeps turning up at home with assorted ferrous junk stuck to their collar, or you're a big giant geek, etc, etc

Shimmer

54 posts

Master Geek

#804550 23-Apr-2013 20:31

SumnerBoy:

My last question for tonight is about the shipping charges from smarthome.com.au? I can't see anything on their site explaining what they charge - is it reasonable? As

reasonable? not really. but it is what it is. $30AUD flat rate to NZ so for a single item it's a bit of a rip, but if you are buying multiple items not so bad. You used to search for "Shipping" and there was a product which you added to your shopping cart for shipping to NZ. Just checked now and it seems to have gone so you may have to contact them

KShips

153 posts

Master Geek

#804794 24-Apr-2013 11:34

Checkout http://www.agocontrol.com still fairly new but making great progress. Installs on RPi with no issues.

I have one but only used for 1-wire temp senors until I work out what I'm doing re z-wave.

SumnerBoy

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#804807 24-Apr-2013 11:44

KShips: Checkout http://www.agocontrol.com still fairly new but making great progress. Installs on RPi with no issues.

Yep found this yesterday. Have installed onto my spare Pi and am about to start playing. Apparently there is a ZWave binding written already.

I am still undecided what hardware to go with - leaning towards the ZWave (using the USB stick attached to my Pi) but not happy about paying $100 per wireless switch controller.

Still seems far too expensive...

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KShips

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Master Geek

#804814 24-Apr-2013 11:52

SumnerBoy:
KShips: Checkout http://www.agocontrol.com still fairly new but making great progress. Installs on RPi with no issues.

Yep found this yesterday. Have installed onto my spare Pi and am about to start playing. Apparently there is a ZWave binding written already.

I am still undecided what hardware to go with - leaning towards the ZWave (using the USB stick attached to my Pi) but not happy about paying $100 per wireless switch controller.

Still seems far too expensive...

Yeah the cost is something, while not excessive, hard to justify spending for something that may or may not be very useful. That said, spending the money on z-wave sensors etc instead of a alarm system is a big plus.

I'd be very interested to hear if anyone has gone with a KNX setup. While a lot more involved installation, it is a lot more robust and apparently costs drop if doing house-wide setups. Probably the biggest thing that held me off getting z-wave was investigating more about KNX and the possibility of using it.

SumnerBoy

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#804816 24-Apr-2013 11:54

Yeah I was wondering about KNX as well. Couldn't find anywhere in NZ that quoted prices online tho. I can't run wiring to my switches or fittings so everything will need to be wireless, but in saying that KNX supports RF so it is theoretically possible.

LennonNZ

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#810836 3-May-2013 14:46

Seems e-life.co.nz has gone (Domain name in Pending Release) and the people in AU are out of stock for quite a few things..

I don't want to spend $$ on them if they disappear :-(

It seems Z-wave is dying in NZ/AU at the moment.. only 1 manufacturer and the prices are pretty high

SumnerBoy

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#810837 3-May-2013 14:47

LennonNZ: Seems e-life.co.nz has gone (Domain name in Pending Release) and the people in AU are out of stock for quite a few things..

I don't want to spend $$ on then if they disappear :-(

I placed an order with SmartHome.com.au on Saturday and it was shipping on Wed - that was for a Z-Wave USB Stick + IP camera/sensor + in-wall switch.

Hopefully will be here early next week.

reven

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#810869 3-May-2013 15:19

Shimmer: * using IR to control Roomba vacuum to do it's thing when I've left the house

where did you get the vacuum from and is it good? i'm trying to find one in NZ and would want to use it in a home automation setup.

also does it set off alarm sensors?

Shimmer

54 posts

Master Geek

#811724 5-May-2013 19:15

couldn't find them locally so ended up buying the 760 off Amazon and shipping it via NZPost's YouShop service.

Shipping cost was $88.50 + $121.47 in customs duties.

Had to get a different power supply as well to support 240v (There are instructions online to mod the existing one to 240v if you're up for it).

As for how well does she work....I'm pretty impressed especially with how much it picks up. I was disturbed how much dust it picked when we ran it after I had run the normal house vac. First run you find out where you have to Roomba proof your house, for me it was a side cabinet that was just the wrong height and she would get stuck under it. Other than that she copes well with mats, curtains, cables, chairs and assorted junk. The only thing that's tripped her up so far was the white plastic tie from the black sack rubbish bags which got wound round the brush. When she get's stuck she will auto stop and play an error sound.

We've got pet sensors on the house alarm and can confirm it doesn't trip them. With the z-wave multi sensors on their highest setting it does pick her up, but can adjust the sensor down so she doesn't trip the lights.