Basic Home Automation

I have two home automation projects going on concurrently:

- The basic HA project allows simple remote on/off control using an iPhone app over the wireless network.
- The advanced HA project does more complex event driven tasks based on multiple inputs and time based calculations.

This blog covers the basic approach and covers a working example where I turn my espresso machine on in the morning from bed using my iPhone.

Hardware needed:

• WinXP machine with available serial port
• iPhone or iPod Touch
• Wireless network
• Insteon 2414S PowerLic Controller (PLC) Note: Do not confuse with 2412S (PLM)
• Insteon ApplianceLinc
• Serial cable (Comes with PLC)

Disclaimer - If you only want to buy one controller and want to eventually do more sophisticated projects than described here, I recommend buying the PLM. The PLM however will not work with the software described here.

Software:

• Smarthome Device manager (SDM) running on PC (free download)
• iLinc iPhone app running on iPhone/Touch ($10)

The iLinc support page has information on configuring SDM and the iLinc app. Follow the Insteon instructions to linc the ApplianceLinc to the PLC.

Advanced Home Automation

I have two home automation projects going on concurrently:

- The basic HA project allows simple remote on/off control using an iPhone app over the wireless network.
- The advanced HA project does more complex event driven tasks based on multiple inputs and time based calculations.

This blog covers the advanced approach that will allow me to define actions based on events such as sensor inputs and time of day using Insteon HA devices and a Linux server.

Hardware needed:

• Linux machine with available serial port
• iPhone or iPod Touch
  
• Wireless network
• Insteon 2412S PowerLic Modem (PLM) Note: Do not confuse with 2414S (PLC)
• Insteon devices such as ApplianceLinc
• Serial cable (Comes with PLM)

Note - You don't really need a controller for simple event driven tasks. For example, an Insteon I/O Linc can be used to turn a light on/off when a door opens. The PLM and control software is only needed for more sophisticated control.


Software:

• MisterHouse open source project. (also runs on WinXP and OS X) (free)

Links:

- Setup howto for MH
- The configuration file is /opt/misterhouse/mh.private.ini (edmhc to edit)
- The device definition file is /opt/misterhouse/code/insteon.mht (edmhd to edit)
- Use the mhsend commad to execute commands from command line.
- Perl scripts in /opt/misterhouse/code get executed as part of the "big run loop".
- Log file is /opt/misterhouse/data/logs/print.log
- MH Perl syntax

Accomplished so far:
MH running and several devices configured.
Able to turn devices on/off through web interfce
Able to turn devices on/off from command line
Wrote basic perl script to turn on light at certain time. It worked.


To do:
- Get iPhone interface working
- Configure motion sensor
- Garage light turns on when door opens (done)
- Wine cellar by motion sensor
- Front outside lights by motion sensor
- Stair light by motion sensor
- AppleTV reboot
- AV equipment controlled by iPhone remote

Creating Linux file server for use with MacOS and WinXP machines

- Starting with this guide.
- Several related links here.
- Used hparted to partition and format drive.
- Sudo fdisk -l to list all drives.
- Setting up Samba on Ubuntu server.
- sudo gedit /etc/samba/smb.conf (workgroup)
- Another useful Samba tutorial.
- Good information on WINS

Hacking my bike trainer

I have a new bike trainer made by an Italian company and sold by Performance under the name Elite Real Tour. For the money I paid ($340) it does quite a lot since it monitors power and does video simulations. But the videos available are somewhat limited and I'm exploring the possibility of getting the Real Axiom videos to work and also creating my own videos.

So far I've worked out that the video simulation consists of a video file (.avi) and a database file (.rxvp) that contains information synced with the video that passed information about distance and grade to the trainer. I've already established that a different video file can be substituted with the same name and the simulator will play it. But what about the database file? Can it be hacked so that the trainer can be tuned to respond appropriately to my own video files?

It seems that some crazy Swedes have been working on this and so I'm going to try to leverage their work.

Redirecting email to our domain to Google Apps

1.  Add a domain alias at google apps site.

2. Log into godaddy w/ cust  #9028633. Password is long.

3. Go to domain manager, choose domain, total dns control and MX records.

4. Modify MX records according to Google instructions.

5. Create custom URLs at Google site.

6. Modify or create corresponding CNAME aliases at godaddy.

Cross Man buys an iPhone

GPS tracking powered by InstaMapper.com

AppleTV Hacking Take 3

After successfully hacking the 1.1 version of Appletv, and 2.2 versions, I'm now ready to try the new 3.0.2 revision.

What I've done so far:

1. Create a USB patchstick from ATVUSB Creator to open ATV to ssh and install Boxee
   
2. Install XBMC FAQs and other documentation
   
3. Install NitoTV my preference for watching ripped DVDs. Also enables drive mounting on USB port. You need to do Smartinstall from the NitoTV menu.
   
4. The iPhone/iTouch keyboard interface works with NitoTV app. Boxee has their own great iPhone remote.
   
5. Disabled ssh password
6. Change host names so that I can tell the two ATVs apart.
   
7. Downloaded vim from link on this page. Struggled to download without corrupting binary. Had to do it on a Windows box in the end.

How to disable ssh password:

Run ssh-keygen -t rsa on server

Copy id_rsa.pub to .ssh/authorized_keys on the atv.

Edit .ssh/config with following

Host appletv.local atv

Hostname appletv.local

User frontrow

How to change host name:
http://wiki.awkwardtv.org/wiki/Change_Hostname

What I have after doing the above is:

• An AppleTV that can play rippd DVDs and other video file from an external USB drive.
  
• The ability to play ripped DVDs and other video files from USB drive or AFP mount.
• Streaming video from Boxee
• Pandora from Boxee
  

Sources:

• AwkwardTV
• NitoTV
• ATVUSB Creator
  

Cross Man and Zoey collaborate on the next ATV feature.