HouseAgent - my home automation software

Post by **Mdamen** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 9:10 pm

I've started developing my own home automation software.
Why not use standard software (for example homeseer) I hear you asking..

A few reasons:
<ul><li> I want to be in control of the software. </li><li> It's a nice learning project. </li><li> I want to run this interface on a low power device (Synology DS207+)</li></ul>
In this topic I will keep track of my progress. I've just implemented X10, here's a first screenshot:

Everything you see is running on my Synology.
My next steps will be the following:

<ul><li> Plugwise support (hope the damn package arrives soon) </li><li> RFXCom support </li><li> Floor management </li></ul>
Let me know what you think [:)]

Maarten Damen

www.maartendamen.com

Post by **TANE** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 9:53 pm

Maarten,
good luck with the development.

The only reason that I did not buy Synology DS207+ was the power consumption...how much is it consuming?
in most of the test it was about 30 watt.

Post by **Mdamen** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 10:20 pm

Thanks Chak!

Don't know how much mine is consuming, still waiting on plugwise hehe...
Bwired's Synology is consuming 18,7 watt as we speak.
Which is not bad because I use the device for a shitload of tasks.

--
Maarten Damen

www.maartendamen.com

Post by **Snelvuur** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 10:22 pm

looks nice so far.. although in the end you want to expand and expand and expand.. thats also a reason why most have homeseer. Beside that most cant code..

maybe in the future, domotiGa can have a "daemon" mode with webfrontend.. anyway, good luck.

// Erik (binkey.nl)

Post by **Bwired** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 10:44 pm

Synology 207+ is a great device!
with 2 terrabyte it's consuming less then 20 watt and 10 watt in idle (nothing to do)
There is Emule, Bittorrent, NZB etc on it.
Also a webserver, ftpserver, photoblog and weblog and many more. I use it for all above and more important for daily backup.

Great that Maarten is developing his own HA application which can run on this device, but I guess also on other Linux devices.
Great initiative!

Post by **Mdamen** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 10:57 pm

I develop this application in python, so it's basically cross platform (Windows, Linux and OSX)

--
Maarten Damen

www.maartendamen.com

Post by **Esteban** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 11:14 am

Looks good Maarten! Very clean logo you've got there too. Good luck with the development.

Cheers,
Esteban

Post by **Pieterpaul** » Mon Dec 01, 2008 11:33 am

Looks good indeed. Are you planning to opensource it?

Post by **Shaudh** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 12:40 am

Good question: I would like to know that as well.

Also, which programming language are you using - PHP due to the NAS device?

Good luck!

Kevin

Post by **Snelvuur** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 9:33 am

@shaudh: one of the reply's he's saying he's using python..

// Erik (binkey.nl)

Post by **wwolkers** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 12:29 pm

Would be nice to get some more open source programming going

My first focus will be on getting Plugwise running under linux, I'll see where that takes me from there.

Post by **akhe** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 12:46 pm

Do you think you could support VSCP (Very Simple Control Protocol) in your software? The good thing if you support VSCP is that one API would be able to control/monitor several different devices and also remote devices. For instance a 1-wire temperature reading is received in your application the same way as a Zigbee or Ethernet reading. The abstraction is done in the protocol driver instead of by each application. Just as Windows and other systems abstract peripheral.

For example to turn something on your app. just send an ON event. This is translated by VSCP to the native protocol command (X10, KNX, Zigbee or whatever) and you get a conformance event back when the command has been performed. All techniques can be used alongside without problem and a legacy installation can easily migrate to new technology.

The reason I ask is that we on the VSCP team have very little time for HMI interface at the moment as we try to make as much low level and hardware stuff available as possible to the community,

VSCP is here http://www.vscp.org

Post by **Shaudh** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 4:12 pm

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by snelvuur
 @shaudh: one of the reply's he's saying he's using python..

// Erik (binkey.nl)
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">You are completely right, that's what I get for speedreading.

Cheers,

Kevin

Post by **Mdamen** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 6:37 pm

Eventually I plan to open source it yes. Although the code is far from ready for that right now.

Akhe thanks for you information about VSCP, I'll look into it soon!
Is there a way to get in touch with you if I have any questions?

--
Maarten Damen

www.maartendamen.com

Post by **akhe** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 10:36 pm

I can be reached at akhe@eurosource.se

Cheers
/Ake