Category Archives: Home Automation

HomeZone / Cinema Update 6 – Web App Control

Posted by on 25/11/2012 2 comments

Sorry to ask! but it would be great if you found any of the content on my page useful to check out some of the ads to support my hosting!

So I finally got around to working on my app to control my Cinema, Lights, etc…

I used the examples in Sencha Touch to build this page / app, I am currently running it on an xampp install on my desktop (code and details below). This is the first version… so lots of it is hard coded and its using HTTP GET with the Arduino, in the future I expect to migrate everything to the Arduino / RaspberryPi MQTT… Just not had the time recently due to some personal stuff.

Below are some screenshot of the webpage in Chrome on my Galaxy S2

So check out HZ\app\view\Main.js in the webpage source below… and you can modify the buttom names and the HTTP GET Commands that point to the Arduino (Arduino Code Below)

Below is screenshot of the code with some colour grouping.

The arduino is an EtherTen From Freetronics with some IR LED’s and a 315MHZ Link kit… I am using the RCSwitch / IRremote below is a photo of what it looks like but feel free to check out the older post / schematics.

Code: HZ Webpage, Arduino

If you want more info on how all this fits together… please leave a comment and I will update the post, I suggest you look at some of my other posts as most of the details are in older updates / code / posts.

HumpA

Home Cinema part 4 – custom controls.

Posted by on 24/10/2012 1 comment

I have not had a chance to build my screen yet, so for the moment I am just using the wall… I have to say I am really happy with my custom mount :) … I did some cable management and now I am just waiting for my HDMI extender to arrive from www.goodluckbuy.com which will hook up my Projector to my Onkyo AMP, dreambox, PS3, xbox 360 and Wii etc..

So while waiting for the HDMI extender to arrive I started working on a solution to switch everything on and off from my phone… so I got to work on extending my Arduino DomoticHome Transmitter to include Infra Red support.

I pulled apart an old IR helicopter and salvaged the IR LEDS and the IR receiver, I then hooked this up to my Arduino and used the IRremote library to capture and retransmit the signals from my remotes with DomoticHome using my Samsung Galaxy S2. The 315HMZ transmiter is from the previous project but here is the link if you are interested.

Here is the updated code, Schematics and a video of it in action

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HumpA

RaspberryPi, MQTT, Mosquitto & Arduino

Posted by on 10/06/2012 4 comments

Here is some examples / sample code for the RaspberryPI / MQTT / Mosquitto / Ardunio.

SSH to your RaspberryPi, with mosquitto installed, if not already running execute the command “sudo mosquitto” to start the broker.

Now your mosquitto server is running, run the command “mosquitto_sub -d -t HomeZoneCH“, what does this do? it subscribes the RaspberriPi to the topic HomeZoneCH

Open a second ssh session to your Pi and run the command “mosquitto_pub -d -t HomeZoneCH -m “CellarLightOff”” you should see the message below.

On the first SSH session you have open you should see the message below appear!

Now with the code runnning on my Arduino after a reset I receive the following message on the first SSH session.

Now I know this is super simple and your asking yourself what value does this have? it’s just a simple demo of the messaging system… I will be sharing all my final code with Webserver, mosquitto interface etc… as soon as I feel it’s ready. I am moving house soon and will not have much time to focus but I hope to have a good update next month regarding my progress

Have a look at some useful links here, here and here

HumpA

RaspberryPi and MQTT Mosquitto

Posted by on 08/06/2012 7 comments

How to install Mosquitto on the RaspberryPi

Download the latest tar from http://mosquitto.org/download currently mosquitto-0.15.tar.gz

The following instructions are for the Debian install

  1. sudo apt-get install libwrap0-dev
  2. tar zxf mosquitto-0.15.tar.gz
  3. cd mosquitto-0.15
  4. make
  5. sudo make install
  6. sudo ldconfig

Install Instruction Source

And while your waiting for it to install, get the MQTT Library for your Arduino!

HumpA

MQTT and RaspberryPi

Posted by on 08/06/2012 No comments

So I have decided to build a web server and MQTT to further atuomate my house … I installed my Pi last night with Apache, PHP and now looking at Mosquito for MQTT.

Updates to come, all details, config and source will be published.

HumpA

More Home Automation / Light control…

Posted by on 27/05/2012 No comments

So I wanted to have cheap and simple E27 light sockets with 315mhz… before going off on an adventure to make them I managed to find a pack of 4 with a remote for $24US!!!! I picked them up from shopledlightings.com but looks like they are made by www.zsgeer.com.cn

Remote

They work as advertised, but the build quality is not great… can’t imagine they are rated over 30Watts… and I don’t think they are legal in Switzerland or Australia…

I updated my DomoticEthernetListenter code with support for rc-switch, I used rc-switch library to detect and retransmit the codes from the remote which came with the devices.

HumpA

Temperature over 315/433mhz – WIP for Domotic Home

Posted by on 19/05/2012 2 comments

So I wanted to find a cheap solution for transmitting the temperature from around the house to my DomoticHome Listener running a RXB1 (specsheet)… so I have started working with the FreeTronics LeoStick, DS18B20 Digital Thermometer… and the TXC1 (specsheet). I plan to move off the TXC1 & RXB1 and onto the cheap 315MHZ link kit but currently i do not have any extras. (Photo below)

Here is the transmitter code running on the LEO stick with the DS18B20 and TXC1 + a simple receiver code on a Freetronics EtherTen… I plan on merging all of this onto the DomoticHome Listener as soon as I have time.

HumpA

HomeZone Update: Now controls my DomoticHome 315mhz Transmitter!

Posted by on 17/05/2012 2 comments

So I wanted to remove the 315mhz transmitter from the HomeZone screen without losing the ability to switch my lights on and off with DomoticHome / 315mhz wireless…

So I got to work on a DomoticHome listener… an Arduino Ethernet with 315MHZ transmitter + a DS18B20 Digital Thermometer…

So I updated the code on the HomeZone, removed the DomoticHome support directly from the HomeZone screen… I then built in support to trigger a the DomoticHome Listener when I tocuh a button on the HomeZone screen…

PS: I now power most of my arduino’s with the Freetronics POE injector which means less cables!!!

Yes it all works … here is the code for the HomeZone Screen.. and the code for the DomoticHome Listener

HumpA

 

HomeZone Hardware / code Update – Domotic Home

Posted by on 09/05/2012 No comments

I was recently asked some questions regarding the pins used by the touch/LCD.. if there were any conflicts…. in short No.. The EtherMega 2560 from Freetronics and the Tocuh Screen / LCD from boxtec.ch worked without any pin modification…

The only issue that I had was the Ethernet port hitting the LCD shield and not sitting correctly… so I did some filing / sanding and it all worked out! Check out the pictures below.

I also added a small heat sink which I ripped off a voltage regulator to put on the ATmega as it was getting a little warm… unfortunately this LCD doesn’t have sleep mode so it’s always on … but for the price one can’t complain.

A close up of the board from the back.

Shot of the shield and the Ethermega together.

The wires are from the additional 315MHZ transmitter i added from boxtec.ch

Updated code which supports DomoticHome

HumpA

Domotic Home with 315MHZ / RemoteSwitch Library

Posted by on 07/05/2012 No comments

yes i am lazzzy and created this so i wouldnt have to get off the sofa to switch the lights off!!

So I thought I’d update you on my current project using DomoticHome via Android… I have been creating Power point plugs (3 so far) which can be controlled wirelessly from the Arduino over 315MHZ (RemoteSwitch Library) which I use to turn on/off floor standing lights or anything I want actually… I have case modded some old 433MHZ plugs I had around the house…. below is a picture of 2 of the plugs!

So whats inside? I have used the wireless learning 315MHZ relay from www.boxtec.ch and to power the relay I tried two low amp 12v power supply’s from www.goodluckbuy.com here and here (both work just fine)

I am using the Arduino Ethernet with the 315MHZ link kit (just the transmitter connected to Digital pin 7… you can find the sample code here

HumpA