Just wondering if any Brisky members are into home Automation?

I'm just starting to build my system, so fairly basic stuff with a few remote power switches, lights, and sensors for motion / doors etc.

As far as the controller, I've gone for a hybrid of a Vera Edge Z-wave controller coupled with a RFX 433Mhz transmitter.

This allows me to use all the Z-wave products plus LightwaveRF, Philips Hue and Nest products by using plugin software apps. So most of the products from the main players can be controlled and set into scenes using the Vera Edge controller.

So far I'm impressed, but just wondering what other people have done, and whether some good ideas / products can be shared

Edited 21 March, 201610 yr by 999pooch

Like Auric, i've had one for a number of years . In Yorkshire tongue, it's called "the WIFE". She does all the clothes in th washer, on an auto program, cooks regular mealy on something similar basis / shops within a budget and keeps me warm.

Like Auric, i've had one for a number of years . In Yorkshire tongue, it's called "the WIFE". She does all the clothes in th washer, on an auto program, cooks regular mealy on something similar basis / shops within a budget and keeps me warm.

But how do you stop the feedback and the interference from nearby similar systems?

I just taught my 3 y/o how to do it, it should keep her happy, and me on the couch, for another few years.

Yup, got 90% of my house lighting controlled by Fibaro Z-wave dimmer modules, controlled by a Vera Lite.  Living room and kitchen have some RGB strips on (again) Fibaro modules and a Hue light behind the TV controlled by a plug-in.  Also using a Logitech hub/remote with a plug in, so when I change to the 'watch movie' activity, the living room lighting dims, etc...

But how do you stop the feedback and the interference from nearby similar systems?

 

Washing- throw something red into an all white wash/ pester her on what programs /temperatures a WM needs to be on . Ironing, just act helpless, and get the seams ( best on her favourite dress ) on the wrong places .

Cooking- forget to turn off gas to a ring after cooking. Once and a kitchen ban for DANGEROUS washing /cooking ,by the kitchen Police will entail a lifetime ban. In short, just act the helpless male. Do unto them , what they'd do unto you if they were faced by a PC /CAR problem. Be a "helpless male". And when they accept that, do as I've done for years. My Wife has problems with Yorkshire puddings ( and not things from other parts of the country )  rising ( and I don't know why, in Auric speak :p ). So I've inherited  the Yorky pud maker in our family.

 

Now for the educationalists- our kids could count to three, and read the clock  ,long before they went to school, or even these days ,nursery. TV in their days had no remote- it was all button pressing, and clock reading. At a set time, one of their favourite programs would be on a set channel. They might not be able to read the paper, but they would ask "when is *** on TV". We'd give time and they'd check the clock, and ask "what channel"---"1/2/3".

I've got the following setup which includes: (Talking Head, Voice Recognition, Home Automation, Mobile App and Website)

 

Full list of budget technology outlined below. If I had the time/funds I'd probably push this to the next level which would aim to be like 'Jarvis' out of Iron Man.

 

Xampp - 1.7.7 (Webserver Apache for Linux)

Linux Server - xubuntu 8.04.1 (Hardy Heron - Server)

Arduino Smart VR Module (Chipset for speech synthesis and voice recognition)

Hey U - 2.10 rc3 (Open Source Console Controller for X10 devices)

Domus Link - 2.0.1 (Hey U Front End - Website & Mobile)

Smart VR IDE - 2.0.7 (IDE Arduino development)

Easy VR Commander 3.2.5 (IDE for speech development)

Quick TSI Lite 3.1.7 (IDE for voice libraries)

Samsung Laptop

 

Be wary about ongoing support

 

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/04/06/nests_bricking_of_revolv_a_wakeup_call/

 

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/04/05/nest_bricks_revolv_home_automation_hubs/

Edited 7 April, 201610 yr by Aspman

Its not just support, if you read those reports, when NEST switch off the service, all your gear turns into paperweights; it wont work at all..

I've just gone down the Philips Hue route. Got 3x colour bulbs, 2x white lux and 2x living whites and a remote.

Also got a Logitech Harmony remote.

Next on the list is a smart thermostat of some kind. Thinking about the Nest.

If you want some decent priced smart bulbs the philips LivingWhites are a good buy. They're a standard energy saving spiral and come with a remote and they can connect to hue or zigbee lightlink stuff. £20 for two with a remote on ebay.

My hue lux bulbs were a bargain at £7.50 each from tesco reduced to clear!

Edited 7 April, 201610 yr by Phil-E

Until recently I had a number of lights automatically controlled by X10 micromodules (fitted behind switch wallplates).

These were controlled from my combined alarm/automation controller, based on inputs from the alarm PIR sensors.

So if anyone walks through a hallway etc, the lights will come on and then automatically switch off after X seconds of non-movement.

However - I was getting fed up of X10 unreliability. More and more often, the lights would randomly switch themselves on for no reason - annoying, and a little unnerving in the night!

Then recently, the X10 interface packed up completely.

I've started moving to Z-Wave.

I've fitted a Z-wave interface to the alarm, as a secondary controller to control lights.

My primary controller is an Aeotec Z-stick, fitted to a Raspberry Pi, and running Domoticz.

So far I've only one Z-Wave controller - a Fibaro FGD-212 "Dimmer 2".

Having some issues with it at the moment - however not a lot of alternatives that'll work without a neutral wire.

Am liking Domoticz - completely free, and can interface to all sorts of technologies.

As well as controlling (and logging use of) my Z-Wave controller, I can also use it to control our telly (mainly to annoy the kids) and am also logging some temps with 1-wire sensors.

Edited 11 April, 201610 yr by muddyboots

I must say that is my only gripe with the Hue system at the moment... the lack of ability to control other devices. I would really like to have a remote socket/plug for the garden lights. At the moment they are just on a timer switch but the ability to add them to the Hue system would be great and create a rule to turn them on at sunset then off at a set time is not possible at the moment.

 

Just bought a couple of Hue Dimmer switches as B&Q are selling them for £20 then got 10% discount. I've started dabbling with the API coding too and customizing what the buttons do.

I just taught my 3 y/o how to do it, it should keep her happy, and me on the couch, for another few years.

GG- years ago, when colour TV first came on line, channel changing was done on buttons on the front of the TV,

as it had been on B & W.

Eldest had learned that her favourite programs were on one channel at certain time, so we got her to learn 1,2,3 to pick her channel . Next came second eldest, who learned likewise. After a few years abroad, we returned to find that TV & video were on remote, but the three kids learned this fast.

I must say that is my only gripe with the Hue system at the moment... the lack of ability to control other devices. I would really like to have a remote socket/plug for the garden lights. At the moment they are just on a timer switch but the ability to add them to the Hue system would be great and create a rule to turn them on at sunset then off at a set time is not possible at the moment.

Just bought a couple of Hue Dimmer switches as B&Q are selling them for £20 then got 10% discount. I've started dabbling with the API coding too and customizing what the buttons do.

This is where the hybrid system of Vera & the RFX module I've got is good.

It can control most major technologies / brands via the one controller - Z-wave, Hue, Nest, LightwaveRF etc etc

I haven't got any Hue lights as yet, but they're on my list. Quite fancy the sync with music option

however not a lot of alternatives that'll work without a neutral wire.

If you are able to add the RFX module to your system (not sure which zwave controller you've got), you can then use the LightwaveRF switches which are very good & relatively cheap, and are 2 wire compatible

http://www.vesternet.com/rfxtrx433e-usb-433-92-mhz-transceiver-with-antenna

http://www.vesternet.com/lightwaverf-2-gang-dimmer

Edited 2 May, 201610 yr by 999pooch

GG- years ago, when colour TV first came on line, channel changing was done on buttons on the front of the TV,

as it had been on B & W.

Eldest had learned that her favourite programs were on one channel at certain time, so we got her to learn 1,2,3 to pick her channel . Next came second eldest, who learned likewise. After a few years abroad, we returned to find that TV & video were on remote, but the three kids learned this fast.

 

I am actually old enough (just) to remember colour TV coming in; we were one of the first, as Dad worked for a big department store and got it cheap.

 

I can remember complaining about the Moon landings being in B&W, when we had just got the new colour telly!!

 

Mind you, there was bog-all colour TV to watch on it for several years; I seem to remember the BBC News was still in B&W up to the mid 70's.

 

We were also bemused by it having SIX channel buttons, who would ever be able to use all of those!!?? Mind you, that TV lasted up beyond Channel 4 being launched, so with the VCR, 5 of them were in use.

I run an Intel NUC (poverty spec Celeron one) with a Aeotec Z-Stick USB Zwave Interface. I run Domoticz on it. Very happy with it.

 

I've got 5 Fibaro multisensors (http://www.fibaro.com/en/the-fibaro-system/motion-sensor). These are amazing little things.

 

I've got Yale keyfree connected locks with Z-Wave modules. I can unlock them from our phones attached to the system. I can also see reports of their state - locked / on the latch / open.

 

Also got an Aeotec Z-Wave siren. I'm going to add another siren too.

 

Some of my lighting, including the LEDs in my Solatube light pipes is on LightwaveRF. My Herschel FAR heating panels are also on Lightwave RF. I need to add an RFXComm to my Domoticz controller to run the Lightwave stuff.

 

I've got some bargain 1080p DBPower C300E outdoor wi-fi cameras.

 

The best thing I've done is attach Domoticz to Slack so I can get notified of activity in the house or the alarm going off and get stills pushed from my cameras when moton's detected.

 

I still need to get the NUC on a UPS and add a 3G card so we can see what's happening if someone cuts the power / phone line. Until then, I just have to rely on a hint from remote ping monitoring.

Edited 12 June, 201610 yr by Nick P

I run an Intel NUC (poverty spec Celeron one) with a Aeotec Z-Stick USB Zwave Interface. I run Domoticz on it. Very happy with it.

 

I've got 5 Fibaro multisensors (http://www.fibaro.com/en/the-fibaro-system/motion-sensor). These are amazing little things.

 

I've got Yale keyfree connected locks with Z-Wave modules. I can unlock them from our phones attached to the system. I can also see reports of their state - locked / on the latch / open.

 

Also got an Aeotec Z-Wave siren. I'm going to add another siren too.

 

Some of my lighting, including the LEDs in my Solartube light pipes is on LightwaveRF. My Herschel FAR heating panels are also on Lightwave RF. I need to add an RFXComm to my Domoticz controller to run the Lightwave stuff.

 

I've got some bargain 1080p DBPower C300E outdoor wi-fi cameras.

 

The best thing I've done is attach Domoticz to Slack so I can get notified of activity in the house or the alarm going off and get stills pushed from my cameras when moton's detected.

 

I still need to get the NUC on a UPS and add a 3G card so we can see what's happening if someone cuts the power / phone line. Until then, I just have to rely on a hint from remote ping monitoring.

Quick question, Nick?

 

What bloody language is that?