I finally create an activity-based UI

[IVB]

Well, I finally got off my butt and created an activity-based UI for my setup.

My kids have now woken me up 30+mins before CQC started the HVAC for the last 3 days. 2 days ago I tried starting the heat manually from the 3400, but the dang buttons were too small for my half-closed eyes.

I just coded up this screen with some seriously huge buttons, so even i could hit it with my eyes closed. Intentionally put the "heat+5deg" at the bottom, so I can reach over, tap the power button to pull it out of hibernate, then push this button. Now to figure out how to remember to leave it on this screen before I go to bed.

Frankly, this to me is getting more to the point of an HA system. Up until now, i've pretty much had a "gee ma, looky here, i can control it through my computer" type setup. Controlling more than 1 device per screen, furthermore custom-creating screens and embedding custom logic in there is what this HA thing ought to be about.

 

[dbinaz]

cool. how long did it take you to do it all?
I got the CQC special, but don't have anything to automate yet, but want to start figuring it out.

 

[IVB]

Can't really count this one - all I did was copy/paste buttons from my existing templates. Hence I began and ended it inside of 20mins.

But, if I were to start from a complete blank canvas, figure 1-3 mins per widget. 3 is pretty high, assumes you're not exactly sure what you want, so let's say 2mins on average. That screen has approx 25 widgets. Hence, I could build that screen from scratch in <1hr.

What I think you'll find is that it's much like the "real world". It won't take long to do the actual coding with CQC, however to decide _what_ to code may take longer.

For example, I initially took 5mins and created a "goodnight", "heat on", "heat off", and "lights off" button. Then I looked at it, decided it would be nice when I was in the MBR to see "which" lights were on. So I copied that over. That type of iteration could take a while, primarily b/c I'm not a graphic designer and have no idea what "good screen design" looks like.

 

[sic0048]

Have you thought about automating this by using your ELK and the motion detectors?

For example, have the heat come on at the regular time OR if there is motion detected in any of the bedrooms (or perhaps the hall way instead) for 1 hour prior to the regular start time, then automatically start the heat on that motion.

 

[IVB]

no can do, it's too variable for an automated program. Kids & wife move around too much to determine if it's a wakeup or just tossing/turning. Plus, my daughter has been getting up every morning anywhere between 6:15->6:45am, but I can usually give her some water or milk and get her to go back to bed. She'll usually sleep until 6:45->7:15am, at which point she's up.

Right now the HVAC comes on at 7:15am, but I need some manual way to address those random 6:45 wakeups where she's then waking up her sister (who she shares a room with) and then they're both up and my wife is *not* good if she wakes up early so I gotta deal with it.

 

[Jim Doolittle]

no can do, it's too variable for an automated program. Kids & wife move around too much to determine if it's a wakeup or just tossing/turning. Plus, my daughter has been getting up every morning anywhere between 6:15->6:45am, but I can usually give her some water or milk and get her to go back to bed. She'll usually sleep until 6:45->7:15am, at which point she's up.

Right now the HVAC comes on at 7:15am, but I need some manual way to address those random 6:45 wakeups where she's then waking up her sister (who she shares a room with) and then they're both up and my wife is *not* good if she wakes up early so I gotta deal with it.

I have had good luck with motion sensors in bedrooms by strategic location. I have found that if you locate a motion sensor on wall several inches from ceiling at the head of the bed, you do not pick up tossing and turning YMMV.

I have also located sensor near floorlevel just about baseboard. That also avoids picking up tossing and turning but ends up covering less of an area.

Usually best to work with several sensors if you can get them cheap (like X10 HawkEyes) and use a combinaton of motion sensing from them to take action.

 

[TonyNo]

I sort of went through this, too, and ended up using two motion detectors next to each angled a bit apart. This senses entry and exit of a room since "A then B" is in and "B then A" is out. Works well enough for me!

 

[lathanm]

Switching to activity based makes some things so much easier. To get around the remember to set the scene thing I have a timer on my server that switches some of the screens to heating and lighting control as specific times of the day. So bedroom one switches to light/temp an hour I wake up. Controlling the screens handles the randomness of a busy household without effecting anything directly.

The motion sensor idea is a good one but I have a big dog so low mounting sensors wouldn't do me any good. If I can get my RFID stuff working I may look into it since I could use it as a check against false triggers.

 

[IVB]

Well, for me personally in my setup, motion or rfID based simply will not work. Keep in mind that one day, my 2yr old daughter could wake up at 6:45, and I can give her milk or water and she'll go back to sleep until 7:30.

Other days, she'll get up at 6:45, wake up her sister, and then i'm screwed.

On the days she goes back to sleep, I do NOT want the HVAC coming on.

Hence, for me, in my situation, this is something that will never be able to be automated, no matter how smart or advanced the program. In the end, it must be manual, be it touchpanel or switch or whatever. I just need my sleep far too much