Home Automation Hub

[hawsey]

Looks like a good little project to loose a few hours

Using a hacked Orange Livebox as a controller and a Joggler to operate .

http://www.homeautomationhub.com/

Also the little vid that led me to this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JBmlpjOBqw

I know you do something like this Pete (home automation) , what set up do you use ?


Happy Joggling

[johnnygal]

Yep, got one of these about 18 months ago, I think when the project was in it's infancy. Other commitments/interests took over and I never really put it to any use other than playing about. I will probably get back to it at some point. It's good to see that it is still an active project as there are a few changes since the last time I looked.

Just checked and there are still a few kicking around on ebay - think I got mine for about £10.

[pete]

Hawsey,

I use automation software called Homeseer (over 10 years now). Kind of pushing it a bit with 14 touchscreens each with 30 "pages" of variables. Works OK with the Joggler. I'm no artist so my pages are more functional than aesthetically pleasing.

A new project which is loosely part of the above project utilized XAP for HA transport on your network. You can create flash based automation screens with variables based on XAP. This works too. You can have HA "appliances" receiving and sending HA XAP commands to a touchscreen. I'm playing with the Seagate Dockstar (sheevaplug) doing similiar. One project completed and will be utilized next season is my sprinkler system. It is connected hardware wise to two Rain8Net zone controlllers. The Sheevaplug (seagate dockstar) is getting live weather data (from Davis weather instrument) via XAP. It is running ArchLinux (and the other run is running Debian Linux). You could run the application on the Joggler and have an "all in one" setup with the touchscreen and the controller.

The pictures below are in my garage. First picture is first gen with the TS application running connected to the "mothership". Second picture is of the seagate dockstar inside of the sprinkler box; being the only control now (appliance like) of the sprinkler system. Next step would be to just install everything on the Joggler and utilize the Joggler for the controller (combo touchscreen, application and hardware control). You could then run the streaming audio, video (security), sprinkler automation and have a touchscreen as an "all in one" configuration with a smaller footprint just using the Joggler versus a separate touchscreen and Seagate dockstar (sheevaplug).

There are RFID "tags" (cheaper RFID reference) in the automobiles which trigger events when they are in the vicinity.

[hawsey]

Wow Pete that is some set up love the way your cars dock back in to the mothership after a mission lol
The Sprinkler set up is brilliant idea although we could do with an automated sunshine device over the pond here rather than that .
Homeseer , just had a look on their website , looks very good , more of a comercial operation than what i posted above , now i only need to win the lottery he he .
So thats why you have been collecting jogglers lol
What sort of things are you controlling in the home Pete?
Keep us updated

Happy Joggling

[pete]

Mostly into weather here. I have the following direct serial/USB connections to the "motherships"

1 - CM11A - X10 - X10 lighting control
2 - Maxim 9097S X 3 (1-wire sensors)
3 - Midon Temp05 and two Midon Temp08's connected to 1-wire sensors
4 - Insteon PLM - Insteon Lighting control
5 - AB8SS - serial 8 speaker pair switcher
6 - NetcallerID boxes (2) - Caller ID to serial boxes on two phone lines
7 - WGL W800 (X2)- wireless X10 stuff - serially connected
8 - RFID receivers (3X) serially connected
9 - Way to Call device (X1) - phone line / call center management box (kind of overkill for one phone line).
10 - UPB serially connected controller (lighting control)
11 - HAI OmniPro II panel (autonomous with a serial connection)
12 - Russound CAS44 - serial on and off 4 zone 4 source audio amplifier with serial / Keypad control
13 - Leviton Z-Wave controller

Something like 800 variables (which always change) and about 200 events / scripts running on the "mothership" and another ~ 50 events running on the alarm panel. So the touch screens can show any of the variables or run any of the events.

The mothership today controls the Jogglers displays (dim, bright, screensaver or what screen is displayed or just shutting them off remotely).

Outside motion is using PIR's, Geophones and video. Geophones are neat little devices used for mine detection / very sensitive to even footsteps on grass/cement or asphalt. Also utilize conventional "driveway" sensors - "motion tubes" buried on both sides of the driveway.

Two of the vehicles have CarPC's and can tether their connection to the internet running the above screens such that you can remote your home via the automobiles or your cell phone if you choose.

You can get into the world of Home Automation with the Joggler by using a "free" flash based front end with connects to another piece of software which is also free utilizing XAP. Adding a couple of devices on your network like arduinos you can be into the world of home automation for less than say $100 USD. This is similiar to your post above. The Joggler could be the heart or the mothership of your home automation.

http://www.arduino.cc/

http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulleti ... php?t=2854

[hawsey]

I think i am shell shocked lol ,
My appetite is definately wetted now
think i would probably start off with an external vidcam , possibly a weather sensor ,
music is my thing , so i am interested in that side of things also , what sort speakers do you use ?
I had my eyes on a topping TP 30 amp , JBL control speakers and another joggler for the bedroom / kitchen area , but have never really considered this sort of multi room set up
The beauty of using the joggler as control centre is its small footprint / power consumption .
Thank Pete

[pete]

About 10 years ago came across a deal on in wall Pyle 6" speakers; so I purchased a few cases of these. That said every room in the house has a pair of stereo speakers. The audio "zones" are subdivided such that the master bedroom / bathroom has two subzones connected to the MM in the bedroom (separate MM receiver etc) plus the whole house MM (either via the Russound zoned amplifier or an 8 pair RS-232 speaker switcher connected to multiple single audiosource amps). The other bedrooms are set up the same way; such that my kids could play their MM locally or just hear what is being sent from the main audio source in the house.

Recently added the garage and deck sound zones (12 audio zones now). I used externally mounted Russound speakers for the garage and deck. The garage is also subdivided in a local zone and a house zone.

The family room MM set up though is a mix of speakers for 7.1 surround sound. (JBL, Bose front L R Center, different mfg subwoofer and center L and R rear and externally mounted L and R rear speakers).

[hawsey]

Sounds like gadget Nirvana Pete 12 audio zones , there were some rock look speakers on sale at Richer Sounds here a while back.
I would love a wander round your place to see how you set it all up
you haven't got a spare room / want to adopt do you? lol
You have a serious set up there Pete .

[pete]

Thanks Hawsey.

Gadgets keep me busy these days.

I was a bit spoiled many years ago in school as I had a friend who owned a stereo shop and he would give me a new stereo just about every month; selling the old one after showing it off to friends in the school dormitory.

That said I prefer music to video stuff. In the 1970's my favorite speakers were the Altec Lansing Stonehenge III which I kept until the 80's.

http://www.lansingheritage.org/images/a ... page07.jpg

Neighbors have rock style speakers around their pool. They sound nice.

Let me know in advance when you come to Chicago; mi casa is su casa....lol

[danfoshizzle]

Pete's house would definitely leave you with some gadget envy lol sounds like a techies dream home!

[hawsey]

cheers pete ,will do
i need to get myself a few more jogglers and stop playing around
Those speakers looked good its a shame you got rid ,i am a bit of a horder ,i have a loft full of hi fi /gadgets .Have just retired a pioneer a 400 amp and mourdant short ms55ti speakers due to 2 year olds fingsrs lol

[pete]

I did own a Pioneer SX-1280 at one time. It weighed a bunch and it was large. Some car sales shop wanted it for his dealership; wanted "big" I guess and paid for the shipping of the receiver cross country freight. The receiver did blow the horn tweeters on the Altec Lansing Stonehenge III's a few times. Altec Lansing had a refit kit and it was easy to replace the pieces to the horn tweeters. I remember sometime back then having a Thorens platter with an audio technica needle (geez I remember cleaning/wiping my record albums for like 10 minutes before I would play them for fear I would damage either the record album or needle). Big thing with the Bose 901's was using the resonance ports to blow out a candle. One of my favorite speakers was the Klipch Heresy's. Very well built speakers. Today the MM room has a hodgepodge of speakers for the 7.1 sound. JBL mini towers in the front and a bose center speaker, Polk audio in ceiling speakers for the side back and Russound rear externally mounted speakers. Plain and simple. I do recall the very old JBL studio monitor speakers I used to have; they were much nicer back then than todays JBL's. I still have an old stacked Akai reel to reel with all day radio recordings from the 1960's that I kept. Its still in the box stored; but most likely the drive belts are shot. I did just have an old Marantz SD9000 rebuilt; not that I use it; but always liked its look. I still also have an old Nakamichi Dragon; haven't checked to see if that's still working though.