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[JimH]

There is a lot of talk in the press about the Internet of Things, devices of all kinds that are connected to the Internet and can be controlled over a network, often with a phone.  We're going to see a lot more of these devices.

Others on the forum may remember when MIT had a coke machine that could be queried over the network to find out how many Cokes it had and how cold they were.    Now that seems unsurprising.

I've seen a few posts about people doing interesting things in their homes to automate lighting, etc, so I thought I'd ask a few questions about it.

If you're doing some of this, what have you tried and what do you like?  Types of projects, brands, models, prices, etc.

Thanks for sharing what you know and what you think.

[JimH]

Here are a couple projects that I've done recently:

Testing Light Bulbs

Garage Door

[rlebrette]

Hi Jim,

I'm playing with home automation for 6 years now. I own several devices:

Z-Wave Based: Multi power plugs, In-wall Dimmers and Switches, RGB LED Strip controller, Air Conditionner controller, Multi-sensor (humidity, light, temperature) - (mainly from AEON, Evergreen & Fibaro)
RF-433 Based: Motion sensors, Temperature sensors, Dimmer and switches (plugs), mainly from Chacon
Wifi Based: Web cams, Gas boiler thermostat (Netatmo), IR emitter (Orbivo), Android tablets and phones.

Everything is acting together to react to the different stimuli I can generate with the main controller, depending on detection or scheduling.

If you're interested in some specific device feedback, let me know.

[jmone]

I've looking forward to where it will end up as here is a simple scenario that I want to automate that currently requires far to much faffing around

From a MC Remote (Android and iOS) play to "Whole House"
- Turn on 2 smart power points (amp / electronics)
- Wait till the equipment goes online
- Switch on the airplay endpoints in TuneBlade / Airfoil app
- Change Zone in MC to "Whole House" (to output to TuneBald / Airfoil)
... then play / stop / vol control and finally turn it all back OFF (to the way it was).

If I wanted to get fancy, it could do a "Teenager Party" mode when were are away that would (based on Day and Time of Day)
- Send an alert to my phone that the "While House" had been activated
- Turn on the outside lighting,
- Turn off the Sprinklers
- Change settings for the outside CTV and the one in the Wine Cellar to always record!
- Lock the Cellar Door!
and thenafter a certain time of day:
- Turn off or down the AV equipment according to the noise deadlines and turn on the Sprinklers!

I so far have:
- NESS Smart Bell IP intercom (can lock / unlock front door and gate as well as video intercom from these points and audio intercom to 8 more Andriod/iOS devices).  Can be expanded with an M1 Automation Controller - PDF
- Ubiquity networking and CTV gear and they also have a range of smart sensors (Current, Contact, Motion, Temp) as well as smart power points (but no AU plugs unfortunately)
- Homeboy IFTTT CTV
- Irrigation Controllers x 2 - Smartlink upgradable for Web based mgt.  Don't like that it is only cellular however (no WiFi version at this stage).

[BradC]

Hi

I use a Ness Ez8 for garage, watering, aircon, ventilation system.

I use PC scripting for hue lights, amp, projector switching.

I would really like to be able to script or control scripts from within jriver

Brad

[WinoOutWest]

I farted around with x-10 way back but found it too unreliable.

Been using Z-Wave network with a VERA controller.

Have a bunch of lights, door locks and thermostats in my setup.
Also have some z-wave relays controlling my irrigation zones.

Perhaps my proudest accomplishment is that I got tired of draining my CO2 tank on the beer keg when I would inevitably develop a leak in the system so I hooked up a simple solenoid valve driven by a relay that schedules my CO2 to come on at 4pm everyday for 10 minutes only to enjoy the taps are ready. 

:-)

Also looking for an easier way to integrate JRiver into my setup.  Currently using a Eventghost plugin (for JRiver events) that trigger my Vera (Z-Wave commands) (dim lights when a movie is played etc)

Fun Stuff

[jjazdk]

I am using Philips Hue lights and EventGhost.

Further plans are USB controlled relays, to switch on/off my soundcard & amplifiers and the aquarium lights.

[mwillems]

I'm currently working on a Pi-based home thermostat along these lines: http://www.nooganeer.com/his/projects/homeautomation/raspberry-pi-thermostat-part-1-overview/

The hardest part will be convincing the boss to actually let me hook it up 

[v_erich]

I have an PC in my cinema with JRiver 21 and I want to control the power (on/off) of my beamer and receiver via RS232.
Also I want to control light and the screen (16:9 21:9) via RS232 from the  PC.

BR
Erich

[WinoOutWest]

I have an PC in my cinema with JRiver 21 and I want to control the power (on/off) of my beamer and receiver via RS232.
Also I want to control light and the screen (16:9 21:9) via RS232 from the  PC.

BR
Erich

I've been doing that with a combination of Eventghost, and Global Cache's iTach RS232 devices which work quite reliably if your serial devices are not connected directly to the PC.
Also use iRule (along with WebGizmo) to bring whole home automation into one interface but iRule has been frustratingly buggy with little to no development to address the issues so I am now transitioning to Imperihome as my unifying app.

http://www.eventghost.org/
http://www.globalcache.com/products/itach/models2/
http://www.imperihome.com/

[fitbrit]

I've been doing that with a combination of Eventghost, and Global Cache's iTach RS232 devices which work quite reliably if your serial devices are not connected directly to the PC.
Also use iRule (along with WebGizmo) to bring whole home automation into one interface but iRule has been frustratingly buggy with little to no development to address the issues so I am now transitioning to Imperihome as my unifying app.

http://www.eventghost.org/
http://www.globalcache.com/products/itach/models2/
http://www.imperihome.com/

This new product from GlobalCache makes the others almost redundant:
http://www.globalcache.com/files/docs/datasheet_itach_flex.pdf

[Edit] Lots of bugginess reports on the iTach Flex though.

[eddyshere]

I use home automation products since several years. My complete audio/video throughout the house is managed by a RTI system (zigbee 2-way, IP, RS-232). Regarding Home Automation (light, shutters, doors, etc...) the heart of the system is a Homematic CCU2 (2-way RF 868.3mhz) which is a fun piece of hardware if you like a full and complete customizable platform. Homematic also has a complete range of actors,  sensors etc...the CCU2 is then also driven by the RTI system. I use RTI remotes and RTI App for iOS and Android having each tablet/phone connected.
An interesting new automation unit is called Mediola. It is easier to use than the CCU2 if you don't like to go to much into programming and supports way more brands than other similar solutions.

Also I clearly do not want to take home automation solutions from big names which are often locked down, support their own "things" or offer to, for example "add surveillance capability in adding a cam where the live stream can be seen from anywhere.....which should read.....your images are stored on our cloud which you can consult from everywhere". The more they are advertized as easy to setup and implement to more I refrain from using it.

Al last, My HTPC is controlled exclusively by IP (with an excellent little tool called MCEController) and JRiver is then mostly controlled by MCWS commands all sent by the RTI system. It's far more customizable and reliable than IR - solutions

[v_erich]

Thanks @WinoOutWest

BR
Erich

[AudioBear]

I use Irule and a Global Cache IR Tach and a SerialTach plus Network commands that have IP network capability with my home entertainment system.  I find I rule to be pretty flexible and very customizable.  Though the customization does come at the price of time and effort to set-up.  I would like to see some Amazon Echo integration.  The Echo needs to be more scalable though as of right now if you have two Echo units they operate independently.

just a couple $.01

cheers

[Castius]

Just started to playing around. But this is what i have.

Hub:
smartthings

Devices:
belkin wemo
2 lights (F7C033)
1 switch (F7C027fcAPL)


I decided to go with belkin lights vs philips because the lights were brighter.
I also didn't want to be locked into belkin entirely. So I skipped the starter kit.
And got a smartthings hub.

pros:
I like the smartthings android app
It's a very open framework.

cons:
i've had to deal with compatibility issues with wemo switch

[flac.rules]

I control:

Ventilation
Heating
Lights
TV and projector via rs232

via home automation, and i use

Temperature
Humidity
CO2
Movement
Status of doors (open/closed)
Computer status

as input to control it. I use KNX mainly, and some of the led-lights are controlled via DMX.

[mhwlng]

I have :

-zwave : lighting, rgb led strips, keyfob, and motion detectors
-dmx : some lights
-wake up alarm clock (and wake up light)
-central heating (opentherm)
-caller id
-phone geo-fencing (home/away detection)
-denon av-amplifier (via ethernet)
-tv (via infrared transmitter)
-RF 433Mhz (energy/gas meter and weather station)

I use web based screens to control everything.

Lights, heating, alarm clock etc. are all automated using motion detectors.
The lights (or central heating) don't turn off, if you sit in a room and don't move for a while.

The fewer buttons, the better.

There isn't even an off or mute button needed for the alarm clock.

There are no on/off buttons needed for the central heating. (and no time schedule)

So, I only need a single screen to configure everything.
(I don't need to switch on/off stuff, by pressing buttons. That is all automatic) :

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mhwlng/11728700773/

When I press play on mediacenter, the av-amplifier is switched on and switched to the correct input.
The tv is switched on and switched to the correct input.

When a phone call comes in (caller id) then the av-amplifier is automatically muted.

15 minutes before the alarm time, the bedroom lights will be slowly turned on over a period of 15 minutes.

When I leave the room or press off on the remote/tablet, the av-amplifier and tv are automatically switched off.

When I go to bed, the central heating is automatically switched off.

currently the automation stuff is spread over PC (girder), raspberry Pi (node.js) and domoticz on synology NAS (http://www.jadahl.com/).
I am slowly moving everything to domoticz on the synology NAS.

[JimH]

Thanks for posting that.  I agree that a system that follows what you're doing is ideal.