[TriEmbed] Anyone done much work with home automation?

[Kevin Gunn]

I have an Insteon-based system (
http://www.smarthome.com/_/INSTEON/_/23b/land.aspx ).  The controllers are
a bit pricier than something like X10, but the reliability is high.  I have
one of their older PowerLinc controllers that has a built-in web interface,
so I run all my time-based events simply by using cron and curl on a
Raspberry Pi.  The system runs the pump on our garden pond, a few lights
around the house, the ceiling fan in our bedroom (it cuts off just before
our alarm goes off -- always enough to wake me without jarring me out of
bed) as well our our HVAC system.  Back when I started I was stuffing hex
codes to the system over a serial connection...  things have definitely
gotten much easier.

If I was getting started with Insteon now, I'd get the Insteon
Hub<http://www.smarthome.com/2242-222/INSTEON-Hub/p.aspx?green=2B042E67-18C5-5B91-0448-4CB93BD461D9&utm_campaign=site_recs&utm_medium=site_recs&mbpage=prod>for
$129.  After that it's just a matter of adding Insteon controllers.
 The outlets and dimmer switches are about $50-$60 each.  Just swap out an
existing switch or outlet and link it to the Hub, and you're good to go.

Downsides:  pricier than some solutions.  Upsides:  Really easy, high
reliability in communications, lots of devices for multiple purposes.

Kevin


On Sun, Oct 13, 2013 at 11:36 PM, Charles West <crwest at ncsu.edu> wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I'm thinking of doing a Linux command line/home automation project for my
> Spoken Dialogs System class.  I think I am going to base the system off of
> ROS and try to link with a existing home automation system for low level
> control of house stuff using X10 and others.  Preliminary research has
> dredged up the following links (which might be of interest).
>
> An interesting and well supported home automation solution written in perl
> Mister House
> http://misterhouse.wikispaces.com/
>
> A (large) Linux home automation link list
> http://home.comcast.net/~ncherry/
>
> Power plug control via TTL
> http://www.powerswitchtail.com/Pages/default.aspx
>
> Another power plug control option
> http://www.phidgets.com/products.php?category=9&product_id=1014_2
>
> A complete graphical open source home automation solution
> http://www.linuxmce.org/
>
> If I may ask, has anyone worked with these (particularly Mister House)?
>
> Thanks,
> Charlie West
>
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>


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