Where to start?

[grawil]

Hi all,
 
Is there an up to date thread describing where to start and what the options are with home automation in 2016?
 
I recently purchased a 3000 sq ft house with an unfinished basement and would like to setup an automation system that integrates lighting, hvac, audio and security/cameras.
 
My linux server currently runs:
- asterisk (phone)
- logitech media server squeezebox (audio)
- plex (video)
- Xeoma (security cameras)
 
I'd love to get some of this to be controlled under a single piece of software.
 
For hardware:
- I would prefer to avoid wireless (zwave/zigbee) solutions for lighting. KNX/EIB isn't easy to retrofit and isn't readily available in North America. What are my options for lighting?
- Can anyone recommend hardware to control HVAC, lighting, security?
- I would greatly prefer an open API.
 
 

 

[pete_c]

Welcome to Cocoontech grawil.
 
Is there an up to date thread describing where to start and what the options are with home automation in 2016?
 
The forum is chock full of information relating to options available with home automation today.
 
Many Cocoontech automation users here utilize both old and new, hardware (firmware) and software.
 
There is no single thread rather many threads discussing just about every option available relating to home automation.
 
I am legacy (old automator) somewhat as I remote controlled my home in the late 1990's / early 2000's with then Palm based / Microsoft based smart phones that used slow GPRS (globally).  I had fun with it back then.  Now it doesn't entertain me much as I am not tethered to my cell phone; but that is me.  Enjoyed cooking up the right tweaked OS for my cell phones. 
 
Personally enjoy tinkering with home automation and have the following that I use today...
 
1 - Homeseer software running today on Ubuntu 14.04 64 bit (lamp server) plus utilizing MS VM's for things like MS SAPI.  Been using HS since 1998.  Digi this or that using 16 serial and 7 USB pieces of hardware.  Talks X10, UPB, Insteon, Z-Wave today.  All my in wall switches are UPB.  Homeseer tablet top touchscreens are running embedded windows, MS SAPI.  Another HS box running on a RPi2. Homeseer touch screen designer lets you design remote consoles in Wintel, Linux, Android or iOS.  It has evolved much over the years with the advent of smart cellular phones.  I personally was in to that home wired touchscreen console thing.  One of the first wireless automation tablets I used / played with was a Microsoft CE based device called the Epod way back when.  I remember always learning stuff from a web site called linux hacker dot com.  Later installed a Kodak touchscreen kiosk computer in to one wall. 
2 - Zone Minder (many years now) - One primary and one test box.
3 - MythTV (many years now) - Logitech Media server combo - Also a VDO server - All LCD TVs using KODI STB's today running KodiBuntu which is my preference for KODI. (HD Homerun boxes, satellite card in MythTV....rebroadcast stuff internally).  There is a PlayOnTV and Plex box in the mix there.  Also played with MS Media center and remotes way back when.  I do not really watch much regular TV these days and prefer movies only.
4 - Leviton Omni Pro 2 combination security and automation panel talking to X10, ZWave, Zigbee and UPB .  Omnitouch screens.  Base security stuff is all wired.
5 - OmniStat 2 thermostat serially connected to OmniPro panel which can be remote controlled from panel or automation software.  Personally a thermostat is a thermostat.  I do not play with it as it just works. 
6 - Audio - Russound zoned connected to Omnipro panel and software (using a serial server).
7 - Text to speech / VR primarily lives in the Microsoft world and recently added a Kinect to the mix.  Tinker with the Amazon Echo and that too has been integrated in to the mix.  Another mix is using the Kinect for SAPI and Alexa applications.
8 - phones at home are copper legacy, VOIP and cellular.
 
Here try to not put my automation dependencies on wireless, internet, tablets, internet hubs or smart phones even though tinker with it all.  I am selfish with the internet taking what I want from it mostly.
 
Mixing both hardware and software let's you try everything.  There is no perfect lighting automation protocol.  That said today my X10 works fine using Jeff Volp's X10 wares, UPB in wall switches, ZWave and Zigbee stuff.  Try it all and see what you are most comfortable with.
 
Ask away relating to automation and you will get answers here with an intense fervor from many Cocoontech'ers of just about any type new or old automaton utilized today.
 
Really though what is automation today in 2016? 
 
There is no unique or singular one methodology that ties all of this together.  Software (stuff like OpenHab) will let you do the most where as firmware / hardware can be stifling; well that too relates to your perceiving what exactly is automation.
 
I personally do not know for sure and hoping sometime in the future it's just an AI entity that lives in my home that I only pay attention to when need be.
 
Much depends on your knowledge base / comfort relating to the the use of hardware, electricity, software (whatever OS, whatever programming). 
 
Recently I have been tinkering with the Home Automation Wiki located here ==> Home Automation Wiki
 
It is a live document.   
 
I am in to history such that while I like all of the new stuff; also like the historicals of how we got to where we are at today in 2016.
 
While we keep moving forward with all of this new automation stuff; I see too we are regressing somewhat (guess that is just human nature).
 
Whatever you decide on; remember too that you are looking to automate and really you do not want your automation to automate you as it becomes somewhat of a paradox when that occurs. (and it does).

 

[grawil]

Thanks Pete. I guess my biggest concern with respect to hardware is that I end up choosing the wrong horse in the race, so to speak. I don't want to choose an Omni II panel and find that it is discontinued by Leviton and then hopelessly unsupported. I've tinkered with zwave lighting/switches and found most don't use the AES security protocol and can be easily sniffed over the air (doesn't everyone own an rtl-sdr dongle these days?). I also live in an area with a fair amount of radio interference. UPB seems like a better solution.
 
As far as software, to tie things together, I'm looking at ago control as it is small and lightweight. I've looked at LinuxMCE in the past but its architecture is pretty dated, it's difficult to develop for and their decade of legacy support makes it feel bloated. Their integration of A/V was slick at the time, but proved difficult to maintain and it hasn't kept up with other packages (Plex, Kodi, etc). Last, the main developer rubs me the wrong way. Their commercial counterpart, Diameno looks to be dying.
 
We have kids and travel a fair bit. I'd like remote access when we travel to monitor/control:
- security
- lighting
- hvac control (heat, cool, ERV, humidifier).
- cameras, doorbell
 
It looks like an omni II would handle the first 3 on this list. I currently 'self-host' remote access via ssh/https and don't foresee myself using 'cloud' solutions for any of this.

 

[pete_c]

choosing the wrong horse in the race
 
This is difficult as much of the rhetoric around puts every or most automation companies a leading horse in the race. 
 
Have a look on the Redditt Home Automation forums.
 
It is up to you to filter out that noise and chose what you are most comfortable with and ideally assume that it will be around for a long time.
 
doesn't everyone own an rtl-sdr dongle these days
 
nah I do not think so.
 
Personally here was in to ham radio in the 1960's.  I did purchase one of those little mini TV tuners to modify for my own use (SDR stuff).  Here using it for NOAA satellite maps. 
 
Last, the main developer rubs me the wrong way.
 
Same here even after I promoted and wrote about the software here on CT.
 
doorbell
 
There are many combo doorbell doo whats around today.  You can also cook your own.  I have DIY'd built a few of my HD IP cameras purchasing the camera boards with a Grandstream OS in them.  They all have SIP these days, USB SD storage, battery RTC, et al. 
 
We have kids and travel a fair bit. I'd like remote access when we travel to monitor/control:
 
Easy peasey stuff to do today.

 

[grawil]

This is difficult as much of the rhetoric around puts every or most automation companies a leading horse in the race.
 
As long as I choose hardware that has a sane API/SDK, I think I'll be okay. Just need to avoid things tied to the cloud. 
 
I have DIY'd built a few of my HD IP cameras purchasing the camera boards with a Grandstream OS in them.  They all have SIP these days, USB SD storage, battery RTC, et al.
 
Yeah, DIY might be easiest. I'm running 2 cisco (SIP) ip phones and asterisk so a SIP doorbell/camera would just be another extension.
 
How do you find the HAI/Leviton hardware? Any complaints about your OmniPro II? Do you know if it is possible to start with an OmniLTe and upgrade later?

 

[pete_c]

How do you find the HAI/Leviton hardware? Any complaints about your OmniPro II?
 
Fine and no complaints.  Note I am biased a bit as I have two OmniPro2's ; old and newer; both over 10 years old now.
 
I did fat finger blow up the newer OmniPro2 connecting the power leads wrong and in the dark when I first purchased it.. 
 
I could see it smoking in the dark.  HAI/Leviton CS was great.  Got it fixed in a matter of days.
 
I did similiar with an OmniTouch screen a while ago. (flipping leads leading to a smoking crash and burn).
 
 
Do you know if it is possible to start with an OmniLTe and upgrade later?
 
Yes.  The board swap stuff is easy.

 

[JonW]

I've had an OmniPro II for many years at home and have loved it.  I needed to do a new alarm at work almost 2 years ago and went with the LTe.  They function identically, just limited on the number of supported devices on the LTe.
 
I've always tried to keep all my automation logic in the OmniPro and that has worked well. I'm now running a server based app that serves as a cloud service for the Amazon Alexa voice interface to allow full control of my OmniPro connected devices, but other than that, everything else is based directly in the OmniPro.
 
A nice thing about doing UPB/HLC with the OmniPro is that the OmniPro is very good at providing status tracking which is nice when using mobile devices or touchscreens.  The UPB function also works completely separate from the OmniPro, so lighting and scenes do not require the OmniPro to function - they are just enhanced with additional logic and control you might add.
 
Edit:  Just a note on the API/SDK stuff.  HAI does put out their own DLL for use with the OmniPro's and it does work well for real-time interaction with the panels.  Additionally, their serial and ethernet protocols are documented and there are a few projects out there with code examples as well.  I run their stuff both on Windows and on Linux with the apps developed in Visual Studio.  The Windows stuff works fine on Linux/Pi using Mono if you want to go the route of using their DLL.

 

[ano]

I used to use CQC with my Omni Pro II but when i downsized I just now use the Omni for everything and it works great. the choice of a "homebrew" system or the Omni really depends on what you like. At first it fun to play around, but when you really want it to work all the time, going with a system like the Omni is best. I also like UPB and if you use Leviton's HLC version of UPB it works well. 

 

[grawil]

Thanks guys. Is there any other hardware that competes with the Omni (ProII or LTe) in terms of functionality and price?

 

[pete_c]

There are only two combination security / automation panels that I know of. 
 
In the late 80's in to the 90's used a combination panel called Excalibur.
 
It had 48 zones built in, text to speech and X10. (only keypads)
 
It was very difficult to program with just buttons and LEDs on the panel.  You would build a command using a sequence of button presses.  You put the words together in bits and pieces at the time.
 
Both companies; HAI and ELK were the first to do this back in the 1990's.
 
The very well built Elk M1 is similiarly priced with added modules.  The footprint is different between the two panels.
 

 
The Omni Pro 2
 

 
Today there are more security panels that implement some automation via X10 / Z-Wave and other automation protocols.
 
Heck ...  it is being implemented these day with touch screen thermostats / cloud applications and smart hubs. 
 
DIY security stuff; proprietary in the cloud monitoring et al....easy button stuff...  It has been years now that you could purchase an alarm security modem with a SIM card and multiple wireless doo whats.

 

[Ing]

Hello.I need help for something.I am a student and also new user of KNX,and I'd like to know if it is possible to make a simulation of a knx installation only with the file exported from ETS4 or ETS5 without physical devices. For example I have realized a very simple project in ETS with a button and an actuator linked to a light.Can i make a simulation without physical device?Thank you