Anyone used/using AgoControl home automation software?

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Anyone used/using AgoControl home automation software?

SumnerBoy

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#116250 23-Apr-2013 11:43

My next project is looking like implementing some home automation, probably using Z-Wave wireless hardware since I will have to retrofit into my existing house. Unless there are other suggestions?!

I have been looking for some controller software to run on my Ubuntu home server that will interface with Z-Wave and came across AgoControl.

It looks to be still early days but the framework seems quite simple and robust from what I can tell.

It will even run on a Raspberry Pi apparently!

Anyone had a play with this or had any experience?

Cheers,
Ben

KShips

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#810173 2-May-2013 14:18

Hi Ben,

Yeah I've been running it for a while now and monitor the project very closely (as well as doing a little bit of dev work).

I have a couple of installs, one on the RPi and other an old laptop. I'm only running 1-wire temp sensors at the moment but will be getting z-wave more than likely over the next few months. Both have no problems running.

Z-Wave support is pretty good, I think aeon labs stuff is well supported which is pretty much all we can get over here.

If you have specific questions etc jump on their forum or irc #agocontrol, devs are very helpful getting things sorted. Very quick and easy to install (including virtual/test devices). New web interface is not far away from being released from what I have heard.

Cheers,
Kerry

SumnerBoy

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#810183 2-May-2013 14:26

Hey Kerry,

Yeah I managed to get it installed on my spare Rpi and had a go at developing an XBMC device type. I posted a question on the forum but didn't get an answer after 4 days so decided to move onto something else.

I came across openHAB and have been thoroughly impressed so far. It is a very powerful piece of open source software, plus it is written in Java which I am very familiar with.

They only have a Z-Wave binding in development - nothing released yet - so that is one downside, but I don't think it will be long till there is something available.

I am pretty sure there is a One-Wire binding already.

The iOS and web UI interfaces are quite powerful out-of-the-box and all the scheduling logic is cron based, so pretty powerful.

For example I just wrote a simple script to remind me every Sunday at 7pm to put the rubbish out. Here in ChCh we get recycling collected one week and general waste the next, so my script will send me a nice Google Talk reminder of which bin it is each week.

Worth a look IMO.

I can see agoControl will become a lot better with time, it just seems openHAB is far more advanced at this stage.

Thanks for your comments,
Ben

KShips

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#810207 2-May-2013 14:45

Hey Ben,

Sorry to hear for the delay, I know there is only a handful of devs and IRC does get much quicker response.

Interesting you mention openHAB as one of their devs has been discussing stuff on the agoControl IRC channel so we might see some link at somepoint.

I've looked into it a little but keen to get invloved with agoControl as some great/fast progress being made, especially since I also have LinuxMCE which is a semi linked project.

Will be great to see how both these projects progress.

Kerry

SumnerBoy

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#810215 2-May-2013 14:55

No need to apologise - I realise there are only a few devs involved, and to be honest that was part of the reason I decided to try something else - figured it would be fairly slow moving with only a handful of active devs.

Will definitely keep an eye on things tho - agoControl certainly has potential.

Good luck.