VoxCommando

General Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: sainf on December 20, 2015, 06:34:56 AM

Title: Open source home automation software
Post by: sainf on December 20, 2015, 06:34:56 AM
Have a look at this. Like this one.
http://www.openhab.org/
Title: Re: Open source home automation software
Post by: nime5ter on December 20, 2015, 02:49:51 PM
Yeah, there are a few free (and open source) home automation options that should all work with VC because they all have REST-based APIs (http://voxcommando.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=FAQ#Home_Automation).

Nodo, here on the VC forum, has posted a number of helpful threads on using Domoticz (http://www.domoticz.com/) with VC.

e.g. http://voxcommando.com/forum/index.php?topic=2405.0

Looks like OpenHab has some pretty good documentation.

https://github.com/openhab/openhab/wiki/REST-API

If you're already using OpenHab, I'm sure other VC users would be grateful if you could post some sample commands using OpenHab with VC.
Title: Re: Open source home automation software
Post by: sainf on December 20, 2015, 04:30:08 PM
Yeah, there are a few free (and open source) home automation options that should all work with VC because they all have REST-based APIs (http://voxcommando.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=FAQ#Home_Automation).

Nodo, here on the VC forum, has posted a number of helpful threads on using Domoticz (http://www.domoticz.com/) with VC.

e.g. http://voxcommando.com/forum/index.php?topic=2405.0

Looks like OpenHab has some pretty good documentation.

https://github.com/openhab/openhab/wiki/REST-API

If you're already using OpenHab, I'm sure other VC users would be grateful if you could post some sample commands using OpenHab with VC.

Not yet am busy loading software onto pi as soon as I test will let you know. Will upload what I use and source.
Title: Re: Open source home automation software
Post by: Haddood on December 21, 2015, 02:58:29 PM
Hi Sainf,
I started to experiment with openhab last week ... however, I did not make up my mind which way to go ... there few options out there .. and each has points for and points against. for me there are 2 points are must have in any engine ... first is InsteOn support and Bluetooth for presence detection ...

till now my experience with openhab is very limited ... since it does not have a GUI for building up the system quickly ...
anyway I will share any findings....
Title: Re: Open source home automation software
Post by: sainf on December 21, 2015, 04:41:02 PM
Hi Sainf,
I started to experiment with openhab last week ... however, I did not make up my mind which way to go ... there few options out there .. and each has points for and points against. for me there are 2 points are must have in any engine ... first is InsteOn support and Bluetooth for presence detection ...

till now my experience with openhab is very limited ... since it does not have a GUI for building up the system quickly ...
anyway I will share any findings....
What operating system you using?
Title: Re: Open source home automation software
Post by: Haddood on December 22, 2015, 10:44:54 AM
windows 7 ... openhab to be on the same PC as VC ...
Title: Re: Open source home automation software
Post by: Haddood on December 24, 2015, 07:15:44 PM
just curious, are you going with openhab 2 or openhab?
Title: Re: Open source home automation software
Post by: sainf on December 27, 2015, 05:20:58 PM
just curious, are you going with openhab 2 or openhab?
well im using the linux version as I have rasberry pi with rasbian loaded as os, I am still waiting for my camera and sound module. Still have to buy temp, and humidity hat for rasberry. Once I have everything will set up and let you know. I will use openhab first then try 2. 2 is just a more user friendly UI.
Sorry for late reply.
Title: Re: Open source home automation software
Post by: Haddood on December 28, 2015, 03:25:31 PM
no rush ... I am taking it slowly myself ... BTW, I installed Dashing from http://dashing.io/ ... that is what I settled for as UI ... and I believe integrating it with VC will give VC a great UI and feedback interface (ie. having a widget that shows VC state and last recognized command or las t few of them... another showing system volume...etc.)
now I am wondering if I really need openhab ... I mean in a way everything can be done in VC ... though VC is not destined as HA server ... but I think it can handle it due to its flexibility ...

I would love to hear what James, nime5ter, and other hardcore voxteers think
Title: Re: Open source home automation software
Post by: jitterjames on December 28, 2015, 04:00:11 PM
I still think using some kind of software designed for Home Automation makes sense.  If you are using VC anyway, then I would consider using whatever is the easiest, best solution that either runs on Windows, or runs standalone.  In my case I use a Vera and some Hue lights, and although the Vera has some issues it works fine for us.  VC does crash sometimes especially since we are always testing out new betas and crazy test commands for users so it's nice that the home automation stuff keeps on ticking until I restart VC.

Also, although my HTPC does not use a lot of electricity, I do like being able to turn it off at night so again the standalone solutions for home automation (assuming they are energy efficient themselves) are attractive.

DomoticZ looks interesting to me but I don't own any hardware that would really make using DomoticZ a good choice for me personally.

Obviously I'm always happy to hear about new ways that people are using VC though and the more you can integrate it with everything the better!
Title: Re: Open source home automation software
Post by: sainf on December 30, 2015, 09:15:35 AM
no rush ... I am taking it slowly myself ... BTW, I installed Dashing from http://dashing.io/ ... that is what I settled for as UI ... and I believe integrating it with VC will give VC a great UI and feedback interface (ie. having a widget that shows VC state and last recognized command or las t few of them... another showing system volume...etc.)
now I am wondering if I really need openhab ... I mean in a way everything can be done in VC ... though VC is not destined as HA server ... but I think it can handle it due to its flexibility ...

I would love to hear what James, nime5ter, and other hardcore voxteers think

Looks interesting. I will look into this looks cool. Thanks for that it is good to look at all possibilities. I actually use all types by integrating different options into each other. Have a redundant server I can remotely access with Hyper v which runs on server 2012. So i ad virtual instances in linux, windows. I know windows will be the most suited one for most users. I just like tinkering with different models.

But I must add Between all you guys You have the brains so I follow a lot what you say. Peg leg tv... is well Interesting.
Title: Re: Open source home automation software
Post by: Haddood on January 13, 2016, 01:39:45 AM
finally I settled on using Dashing and VC since all OpenHab does is giving interface (which Dashing do) and couple of services ...
Title: Re: Open source home automation software
Post by: sainf on January 14, 2016, 06:01:51 AM
finally I settled on using Dashing and VC since all OpenHab does is giving interface (which Dashing do) and couple of services ...
Yes I like dashing as well. Although at the moment im building my 5 mg pixel pi camera with a hat the measures temp etc, as well as a add on for osd ii support for the canbus of a car.