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🖥️ActiveHome Pro => ActiveHome Pro General => Topic started by: martin on April 07, 2005, 08:31:59 PM

Title: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see? [1B of 5]
Post by: martin on April 07, 2005, 08:31:59 PM
On the top of my head (for automation):

- Remote access to all rooms created in AHP.
- More then one Monitored House Code.
- Real-time confirmation of remotely issued X10 commands.
- Remote real-time access to the Activity Monitor.
- E-mail alerts for specific events.


OP:


We're starting work on our next plug-in, which will put control of ActiveHome Pro (including cameras and video, if you have iWitness) on the Internet. We have a number of features in mind, but are looking for more ideas from our users.

What kinds of features would you expect or like to see in an Internet plug-in for ActiveHome Pro?


Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see? [2 of 5] (http://www.x10community.com/forums/index.php?topic=12297.msg30331#msg30331)

Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see? [3 of 5] (http://www.x10community.com/forums/index.php?topic=12298.msg30401#msg30401)

Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see? [4 of 5] (http://www.x10community.com/forums/index.php?topic=12299.msg30458#msg30458)

Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see? [5 of 5] (http://www.x10community.com/forums/index.php?topic=12300.msg31514#msg31514)


[TTA Edit #2: Experiment to determine whether or not DELETING the OP (*AFTER* copying it into Reply #1) in 'Highly-Viewed' / 'Highly-Replied' but currently INACTIVE threads from LONG, LONG AGO (I'm starting with ~2 years) will allow current ACTIVE threads to appear in the Top 10 Topics (by Views) section of the Statistics Center (aka More Stats) (http://www.x10community.com/forums/index.php?action=stats) Page.]

[TTA Edit #1: Experiment to determine whether or not SPLITTING 'Highly-Viewed' / 'Highly-Replied' but currently INACTIVE threads from LONG, LONG AGO (I'm starting with ~2 years) into parts will allow current ACTIVE threads to appear in the Top 10 Topics (by Replies) section of the Statistics Center (aka More Stats) (http://www.x10community.com/forums/index.php?action=stats) Page.

NOTE: I *WILL* address the <BR> problem...]
Title: Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see?
Post by: Tuicemen on April 07, 2005, 08:45:08 PM
Be able to create macros/timers online as
well as execute them.
Title: Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see?
Post by: anonymous on April 07, 2005, 09:31:05 PM
1. Ability to turn on and off flags (without
using a macro for that purpose) in both the
AHP software, OR the Internet-based control,
thereby allowing you to activate and de-
active conditional macros.
2. Ability to access the full AHP interface
from another PC.
Title: Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see?
Post by: Noam on April 07, 2005, 09:35:37 PM
That last one was from me. Sorry.
Title: Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see?
Post by: roger1818 on April 07, 2005, 10:09:08 PM
A couple things that I would want are:
- Ability to send an e-mail from within a
macro.
- Ability to send an e-mail to AH Pro to
send commands/run macros.
- Compatibility with a CM17a so that the
above commands can be sent even if the
CM15a is disconnected.
Title: Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see?
Post by: david k on April 07, 2005, 10:34:15 PM
Access through the SDK to all plug-in
functionality.
Title: Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see?
Post by: julian on April 07, 2005, 10:39:57 PM
All of the above (or rather below) plus a
couple of extra features:
- ability to set triggers (macros) based on
certain events and be able to send snapshots
(and be able to set the delay) to a specified
email address, send an email alert when an
event occurs, stream live video to an
internet location (or localhost webserver as
long as the live video stream is password
protected), remotely control cameras (at
least basic functions - on and off), kill a
running macro and force a halt.
I agree with Roger - compatibility to CM17A
in case we want to keep CM15A out of it.
Title: Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see?
Post by: SteveRF on April 07, 2005, 10:44:50 PM
1. WIRELESS connectivity of the CM15A or next
ver. to the AHP console in local (at home) or
via a browser. (that could solve some timing
issues)
2. CAMERA:Remote viewing and control via the
internet in real time, no time slices.
3. Remote control of the entire AHP desktop
via the internet including the ability to act
as "if you were there" (safely).
4. Intergration with a user owned and
controlled web site to allow "guest" viewing
of a cam.
5. X10 event notification via e-mail. (wireless)
Last and Most Important:
Stable and Reliable Operation is
PARAMOUNT !  (before anything else)
SteveRF
Title: Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see?
Post by: JP on April 07, 2005, 10:52:47 PM
First of all, a CM15A that work
properly !!!!!
Title: Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see?
Post by: mark on April 07, 2005, 11:03:50 PM
I would like to be able to make the
internet connection directly to my other
computer verses going through some gateway
or server located at x10.

I'm mainly interested in remote vanguard
like functions with streaming video and
remote access to the recorded video and
snapshots.  Except this time I would like
it to actualy work and not crash each time
you try to retrive a remote picture from
the history.
Title: Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see?
Post by: coder since cp290 on April 07, 2005, 11:43:05 PM
1) working AHP/CM15A before 1 second of
developer time is spent on this.

2) DO NOT RESTRICT IT to MS IE by using some
MS only stuff...  Also, ALL FUNCTIONS should
be available from a NON MS workstation.
(I.e., if I have a SUN box at work with
Netscape, I should be able to access the
stuff (given firewall/security restrictions).
In other words, NO ACTIVEX.  Also, no Java
Applets!

3) BUILT IN security that can supliment and
fire wall stuff...  If I'm on a broadband
connection, I don't was some hacker turning
on my TV at 3am.  (one more layer of PW at a
minimum, on by default, but can be disabled)

4) a working AHP/CM15a before one second of
developer time is spent on this (oh...  I
said this already....)
Title: Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see?
Post by: coder since cp290 on April 07, 2005, 11:50:21 PM
This also shoud NOT require a MS IIS
webserver, or even a slimed down Apache, but
should play nice with them...  Maybe HTTP on
a port other than a standard one, or the
means to define a port.
Title: Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see?
Post by: carmine pacifico on April 08, 2005, 10:17:38 AM
How about getting the CM15a hardware and
firmware working first, it’s not a problem
for me , my controller is working flawless(
oops!! I forgot I am using PowerLinc
1132CUP now), and while we are on the
subject how about give me an RMA so I can
return this useless piece of junk and get
some money back; it’s not useful even as a
door stop.
Title: Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see?
Post by: Henri T on April 08, 2005, 10:59:31 AM
Hi,

The access of the AHP internet plug-in
should be secure.
Authentification agent should be use to
access the AHP computer.
How the plugin shoul be accessible (local
web server or client/server ???)
Wich port will be be use ?
I'd like to have the opportunity to access
the plugin via dial-up access too !

Thanks.
Title: Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see?
Post by: arf1410 on April 08, 2005, 11:58:27 AM
I too would like to see the X10 engineers
concentrate 100% of their resource getting
the baseline CM15A to work reliably before
using X10's apparently limited resources to
develop plugins or additional features.
Does anyone disagree with this COmment?  If
so, why or what part of my statement do you
disagree with?

PS - You, I do acknowledge that for some
users, it does work well, but for a
significant % of users, it does not...
Title: Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see?
Post by: arf1410 on April 08, 2005, 11:58:35 AM
I too would like to see the X10 engineers
concentrate 100% of their resource getting
the baseline CM15A to work reliably before
using X10's apparently limited resources to
develop plugins or additional features.
Does anyone disagree with this COmment?  If
so, why or what part of my statement do you
disagree with?

PS - Yes, I do acknowledge that for some
users, it does work well, but for a
significant % of users, it does not...
Title: Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see?
Post by: roger1818 on April 08, 2005, 12:21:31 PM
Arf (and others):  I don’t totally disagree
with you.  The X10 developers who are
working on fixing the bugs should not be
distracted with New Product Development
(NPD).  Having said that, the law of
diminishing returns does come into play
here.  Just because having 2 or 3 people
working on a bug is good, doesn’t mean that
having 10 or 20 is better.

Every design company needs to always think
about NPD.  Although it may seem like a
bitter pill for X10 to be working on new
products when there are still bugs to fix
in the old ones, it is normal for one
department to be fixing bugs while another
one is working on new products.

Companies need to remember that, the best
customer is a repeat customer and if you
make your existing customers happy they
will buy more from you if you have
something else they want.  If you don’t
make anything else the customer wants, they
won’t buy anything else from you regardless
how happy they are.  It is a delicate
balancing act.
Title: Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see?
Post by: arf1410 on April 08, 2005, 12:38:47 PM
Roger, if this was a big company with 20 (or
even 10) guys on this project, I would agree
with you, however, I would be surprised if
there were more than 5...I could belive 1 or
2 HW guys, and 1 or 2 SW guys doing CM15A
work.  X10 is not that big an operation...
Title: Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see?
Post by: julian on April 08, 2005, 12:42:48 PM
Roger - If X10 had a vast number of people /
departments working on different plugIns in
addition to those fixing bugs I would agree
with you. However, it seems like X10 uses the
same people for all these tasks, in which
case I agree with ARF - have a solid base and
build from there. Every plug-in is based on
the foundation of CM15A / AHP. Since they are
flaky, the result of a new plugin is most
likely to be detrimental to the overall
product as it uses the same foundation (and,
consequently, promotes bugs), and,
additionally, it introduces new bugs of its own.
Title: Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see?
Post by: X10 Pro on April 08, 2005, 01:42:26 PM
Thanks for the suggestions so far. I knew
that I would get the "no development on new
stuff until old stuff is bug-free" response
as well, and I understand that opinion. We
are going to start work on the new plug-in.

tuicemen: what scenario do you see in wanting
to create new macros remotely?

For the rest of you: would you give access to
other people (family, friends, etc.) to use
your AHP set-up over the Internet, or just
keep at as something you do yourself? Would
that change if you were streaming video?
Title: Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see?
Post by: Noam on April 08, 2005, 01:59:56 PM
X10 -
If we ahve the ability to stream video
through it, then it might be useful to give
others access to it. Either way, the ability
to let others access it is nice. If I'm on
vacation, and am not near a Pc, and I need
my sister to turn on some macro or
something, she can do it with her own login
(perhaps restricted only to that one
function), without me having to give her my
passord (not that I don't trust my sister or
anything - just an example).
Title: Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see?
Post by: PeteK on April 08, 2005, 02:02:04 PM
Might be a stretch, but since the modem in
many PC's can be used to display caller ID
info, it would be cool to be able to have
AHP log it, and display a caller ID history
on request (one can never have enough data!)
Title: Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see?
Post by: martin on April 08, 2005, 02:33:04 PM
Different levels of authority for remote
access would be nice. I my case, giving away
my password / user ID when required is OK as
long as I would be the only one being able
to change it afterwards.
Title: Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see?
Post by: AccessX10 on April 08, 2005, 02:40:49 PM
Yes, I think it would be highly beneficial
to provide other users access to my AHP
setup. Something along the lines of a guest
user, power user, and administrator. Guests
could simply view configuration and
activity, power users might be able to
control specific functions, while
administrator would have full control over
AHP and it’s plugins.

As for the streaming video aspect of the
plugin, it would be nice if we had the
ability to assign rights to each camera.
This way you could limit the cameras certain
users could view and control. For example,
guests might have access to view outdoor
cameras only or none at all. A power user
could view and potentially control certain
cameras, and administrators could obviously
control everything.

http://www.AccessX10.com
Come join the X10 technical community!
Title: Re: Internet Plug-in: what do you want to see?
Post by: h j flynn on April 08, 2005, 03:24:22 PM
Yes access to  other people (family,
friends, etc.) to use  your AHP set-up over
the Internet. One thing this could be used
for is when the security system calls out
or a sensor (if dial out to send voice
message was added) to notify someone of an
alarm allowing those with access they could
view the captured images or use camera to
scan you home / Property. This feature
would be nice if you could use date and
time ranges for access/notification for
differnt users.

What I would like to see:

- Full access to AHP pluggins remotely to
updates CM15A.
- secure live video stream
- Ability to send an e-mail with or without
attached image groups. such send x number
of changed images but if no changes < x
number and x minutes send anyway.
- camera access control, to limit which
camers a user can access.
- Compatibility with a CM17a should be
availabe, even though currently my CM15A is
always attached to PC.
- only worry about supporting current MS
supported O/S XP, 2000.
- I would also encourage a similiar beta
test offer that you gave user with iWitness
to shake out the bugs and cut down on the
negative press and a more stable product
before GA.

On another note, I would hope that this new
development would not impact fixing current
AHP and its current add-ons, or the
enhancement that user are requestion such
as:
- printing of remote control labels for all
that was availabe with CM11A software.
- image capturing of only change images
- delete option of captured images
to mention a few.