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[Tuicemen]

I'll start off with a list of equipment and software:

Stand alone controllers:

• CM15A(1)w/ ActiveHome Pro v3.318
• CM15A with PI zero W and HomeGenie inside
• CM19A with PI zero W and HomeGenie (used for Alexa and Zwave)
• MT13A Mini timer
• Wm100( X10Wi-FI module)

Plugins:

• SmartMacros
• iWitness with converting to IP cameras and a newer OS this no longer works(not in use)
• MyHouse Onlinewith servers down this is not working (never relied on it anyways) (not in use)
• On Alert[/color]

Other Software:

• Lola ( HomeGenie has now replaced this)
• VanGuard Control center(replaced with HomeGenie)  )
• Firecracker (no longer installed)
• Xray Vision (no longer installed)
• Remote mouse
• Max x10, remote mouse software
• BVC(Alexa has now replaced this)
• TAC( running on my Airpad)Alexa and Google assistant have replaced this(not in use)
• X10WIfi (x10 Smart phone app to control the WM100)
•   ihc app and Skill to allow Alexa/Google control over all X10, RF and IR devices via the RM Broadlink PRO
• Alex10  for Alexa control of X10(HomeGenie )
• HA-Bridge to emulate a hue bridge allows many devices even the Broadlink RM to be controlled via Alexa
• SmartCloud (web request listener) for Google home and Cortana to control x10 devices
• Home Genie running on 2 Pi ZeroWs
• The TriggerCMD Smarthome skill handles specialty Alexa voice controls

Computers:

• PC1: i5 3.3GHz w/12GB RAM, 10 Pro 64 bit
   - Apps: (none)this has no interface connected used for programing & to remote into Pi boards
• PC2: Toshiba 17 in. laptop 1.70 GHz w/4GB RAM, Windows 10 64 bit - Apps:  AHP with smartmacro and OnAlert plugins , PcCompanion  this is used both in the city and the off grid place
• Assus Eeebox mini PC  w/3GB Ram running Linux & HomeGenie CM15A permanently connected
• 1 Pi Zero W mounted inside CM15A
• 1 Pi Zero W with Zwave dongle & CM19A

Devices:

• Transceivers:
    - TM751(not in use)
    - PAT03 (not in use)
    - CM15A
    -
  
  
• TRANSMITTERS-WIRELESS:
   - 3 Unit + Dim (SS13A)
   - Palm Pad (HR12A)
   - Pan 'n Tilt(CR14A) (not in use)
   - keychain button type battery (KR19A)(not in use)
   - keychain credit card type (not in use)
   - Serial port Firecracker (CM17A) (not in use)
   - USB firecracker (CM19A)
   - WM100 (Wi-Fi to PLC x10)
   - Broadlink RM Pro
   - Zwave (usb dongle)
  
  
• CAMERAS
   - wide eye
   - cam anywhere(picture finally is unviewable after 15 or more years in use)
   - lowlight B&W (now only out as a decoy)
   - Astak night vision (IR lights failed, not in use)
   - Pan 'n Tilt base (2,4) (not in use)
   - Microsoft Xbox 360 Kinects (currently used for Voice recognition with PC)
   - Foscam indoor IP this is mounted so it can view any entrance ways on the main floor
   - Airsight HD PTZ IP cam (mounted over looking driveway and street as well as ability to view front and side doors)
   - EasyN outdoor PTZ IP cam (mounted to watch back door and rear yard)
   - Airsight  indoor IP cam  setup as baby cam for when gran daughter is over.
  
  
• Modules:
  - Heavy Duty Appliance (HD243)(not in use)
   - Appliances(AM486)
   - 3 Pin Appliance module (AM466)
   - lamps(LM465)
   - wall switch (0,3)
   - XPS3 (new silent switch prototype)
   - XPS4 (new revamped XPS3)
  
  
• MOTION SENSORS:
   - 2 Flood light Motion Sensor(PRS11)
   - security ones (see below in additional notes)
  
  
• UNIVERSAL REMOTE CONTROLS:
   - IR10A (1/1) (not in use)
   - UR24A (not in use)
   - JR20A(remote mouse)(not in use)
   - Icon Remotes
   - Lola Remote (not in use)
  
   
• SECURITY:
   - DS7000 Protector Plus Security System
   - Door/Window Sensors
   - Motion sensors MS10A(replaces ActiveEye Motion Sensor and  HawkEye Motion Sensor now at the cottage)
   - SH624 & Security Keychain Remotes(3,3)
   - 
  
   
• MISCELLANEOUS:
    - Remote Mouse JR21A receiver (not in use)
    - IR Commander (not in use)
    - Powermids (Broadlink RM Pro now replaces them)
    - Phase Coupler (hard wired)
    - SR751 RF repeater (extends RF range to my hard to hear from locations)
    - PLC01 Power Line command repeater X2(not in use)
    - XTBM-Pro signal analyzer
    - USBUrit (rarely used now with the Broadlink RM in the mix)
    - Amazon Dot (2) allows voice control over smart devices and provides voice  responses to queries
    - Google Home mini (1) currently experimenting with to compare with Amazon Dot
    - RM Broadlink pro this has replaced the powermids and USBuirt
    - We-Mo switches
    - Zwave modules & Door lock
  
• Voice Assistants:
   - Alexa (2 dots & 1 phone)
   - Google Home (1 mini & 2 phones) rarely used
   - Cortana (3 PCs & 1 phone) rarely used
   - PC Companion (1 PC)
  

Additional Notes:

• Replaced all motion sensors in My house with security ones (when OnAlert was released)
• I'll add to the list as I acquire more
• Note: not all of the above is in use so the setup looks larger then it is!
• I've added a floor plan to show placement of some modules ( I'll update this from time to time)

Note: Edited to update setup and floor plan pic (3/22/2015)

[Tuicemen]

The house is a small brick 2 storey home built in the 1910s.
Upstairs in a small bedroom (converted to office) is the brains of the system (AHP)
I really only have a few things that are setup for 24/7 use (other then x10 remotes) .
Have a night light in the upstairs bathroom triggered by a security motion sensor. (Saves a lot of stumbling in the dark!)
Have a living room light which is on a timer to go on and off and is also triggered by the security sensor mentioned above to activate a Shift workers macro
I have a x10 motion sensor flood light in the driveway which also triggers the above lamp to come on and one other in the living room!
This sensor also (based on conditions set with the shiftworker macro) will turn on my office lamp at night. A timer turns it of which acts as a reminder to get off the PC and go to bed 
In the office I have another security motion sensor which activates the lamp and triggers PC Companion to look up the current weather and read it to me as I enter. It also checks my e-mail.
AHP also triggers PC Compaion every hour I'm up to speak the time (Talking clock) via a batch file
My DS7000 security is also located here. All entry points have sensors attached and when on is tripped I can compare the address with AHP  to see exactly what it is (that's if a sound file hasn't been triggered and played with PC Companion)
All my cams are triggered via AHP timers and based on conditions from the "shift workers macro",  macros will upload pics or e-mail them!That's it for what I have set to run daily!
I'll get into other stuff I have set which I use only during certain times of the year or when the mood strikes me! Most of the other stuff (I'll post about later)  I played with, used, but is disabled at present!
Like voice recognition with BVC, it is something I have fun with but unlike some I don't use it daily!

[Tuicemen]

Many of you know I dabble with Visual Basics and have created a few  home Automation programs!
All of these can be found by looking in the thirdparty Software section or here!
Besides my own software I do use X10Dispatch and BVC though not as others.
I Just haven't found the right Microphone set up that works for me (Yet)!
I had thought Blue tooth was the way to go and probably still is but my device (Motorola SoundPilot S705) ordered from E-bay got lost in the mail
(long story)
I use a Bluetooth ear piece to talk to BVC all over the top floor but once I go down stairs the Mic fails to send the distance!
I can still hear any PC Sounds and alerts anywhere on my lot so I just need the more a powerful bluetooth device.
Most of my setup is set to timers so the only time I would need voice control is to check on something or if a timer failed (very rare occurrence here).
For now the remotes work for that.

At the moment I have a few cameras laying around but only 2 hooked up it the back yard. These cams I just view from the PC I have a security sensor in the shed which on tripping triggers the cams to record! ( or it did  ) Never actually needed it yet!
I Just Added a X10flood light to the back yard although one of the Cameras has IR the extra light will help the other one and keep the IR one more clear( that is the hope)!
The Floodlight isn't wired in yet I'm waiting on this white stuff to leave so I can get under the deck.
I figure this will boost my WAF (if it works the way I have it envisioned)
I have PIP on the TV so I'll add the video feeds to one of the inputs and use PIP to display (can always switch if a bigger pic is needed)
I'll have the floods trigger a lamp to come on and turn on the cams. Don't want the dog triggering video capture so I'm not going to add that into the mix unless we're not home! Lots of raccoons in the area so I have enough wildlife footage 
when the light comes on I'll know the Cams Have been activated, I have a wireless speaker which also will inform me of many things but my wife and daughter keep unplugging it.
(Guess the speaker Idea wasn't a good one  )
I know I can set the VCR commander to do some automation with the TV but my wife and I don't like those emitters and the wires.
So I've picked up a Powermid set so the VCRCommander can be in the office (with the rest of the mess) and I can send the info to the TV!

Charles Sullivan spent much time putting together a command line program which will control many hidden features of the VCRCommander
Allthough it doesn't run under Windows I'm hoping to code something in VB so it uses the AHScript.dll instead of the AHCMD. Actually this has been a plan for a long time I Just haven't gotten to it.

Depending how this goes I may added it as a plug-in for PC Companion or as a stand alone app.
(Done added as a PC Companion Plug-in)
It is always easier to code for personal use!

 

[tom j]

Hi Tucemen, did you ever finish testing Lola? bought one a while back but never got around to setting it up. I read on the Lola forum that most folks couldn't get it to work and the software was buggy what has been you experence. It would really be a nice inexpensive alternative to the Logitech Squeeze Box which I will still probably purchase. Give me your overall impression, looking forward to one of your excellent reviews. Thanks!


Tom j.

[Tuicemen]

Hi Tucemen, did you ever finish testing Lola? bought one a while back but never got around to setting it up. I read on the Lola forum that most folks couldn't get it to work and the software was buggy what has been you experence. It would really be a nice inexpensive alternative to the Logitech Squeeze Box which I will still probably purchase. Give me your overall impression, looking forward to one of your excellent reviews. Thanks!

Tom j.

Tom j. I did finish testing Lola!
The software is very limited to say the least! Since I have a few X10 remotes laying around I found all worked better with PC Companion!
Also I had much more options with PC Companion (unlocked version)
(I hate tooting my own horn!  )
Before you purchase the Logitech Squeeze Box give PC Companion a test run it works best with A CM15A but has limited use with a CM19A!
Best part it is much cheeper!

[tom j]

Hi Tucemen, did you ever finish testing Lola? bought one a while back but never got around to setting it up. I read on the Lola forum that most folks couldn't get it to work and the software was buggy what has been you experence. It would really be a nice inexpensive alternative to the Logitech Squeeze Box which I will still probably purchase. Give me your overall impression, looking forward to one of your excellent reviews. Thanks!

Tom j.

Tom j. I did finish testing Lola!
The software is very limited to say the least! Since I have a few X10 remotes laying around I found all worked better with PC Companion!
Also I had much more options with PC Companion (unlocked version)
(I hate tooting my own horn!  )
Before you purchase the Logitech Squeeze Box give PC Companion a test run it works best with A CM15A but has limited use with a CM19A!
Best part it is much cheeper!

I'll check out PC Companion I found a link see below, but were you able to access your MP3's looking at the remote were you able to use any of the features like Artist Album Track ect I mean did any of it work?  It's just that I already bought this thing and I was going to install it until I read all the horror stories. Thanks

Tom j.


http://www.angelfire.com/in2/ontkoi/X10AHP/PcCompanion.html

[Tuicemen]

With Lola I wasn't able to import my playlists maybe cause I didn't tinker with it long enough!
It did however pull up most of the sound files on the PC and made playlists from the folders it found:
It wouldn't see media player playlists again maybe a setting I missed.
Since you already have it, install it and give it a try, it may meet your needs. If not make a list of what you like about it and I'll try to add it to PC Companion (Link you show is the correct one)

PC Companion doesn't do what Lola is suppose to do either but that's mostly because I've been busy adding HomeAutomation features to it instead of the sound options.
Many times a option will get put on the back burner as I get sidetracked with other options.
Companion will play any media file windows is capable of playing even DVD movie files.
Perhaps I'll get back to working on the music/media side of PC Companion if there is enough interest! The possibilities are almost endless with IR and RF capabilities something it has both of now. Although it only sends IR not receives them(using the VCR Companion Plug-in).
Using RealVNC I can access (view & control) PC Companion from any PC in the house! Sound must still come from the main PC (though realVNC is working on this) With the use of wireless speakers or a audio/video sender that really isn't a problem since I can configure any X10 RF remote even a keyflob for audio control. Provided I can get a RF signal to the CM15A(which seems to be a problem with only the credit card style keyflobs for me). I can pipe sound from the PC to the sound system or just turn on my receiver and listen to the radio.

Since I'm now semi retired I have much more time to devote to this and Maybe now my HA system will start to grow.
I tend to drive my wife off the deepend playing with entertainment devices! had her thinking she was hearing voices the other day as I switched the TV on/off in the livingroom by the time she went to check it was off!
While she is home I tend to limit my tests to my office area of the house.
The worse setback for a Home Automater  is a bad WAF!
 

[tom j]

Thanks OK I'll probably give it a try then. So it didn't crash on you like some reported? And yes I will make a list hopefully it might help you improve the software. I'll help in anyway I can!

Tom j.

[Tuicemen]

Lola never crashed on me but to be honest I don't play alot of music from the PC so I never ran it for a great lenght of time!

[Jim Clark]

Tuicemen,
Nice X10 set up. What software did you use to do the layout contained in your first post?

Tom J,
I have also used Lola without any computer problems and my computer is not that new. It is only an 866MHz running Windows XP. I am not currently using Lola as, Like Tuicemen, I don't use the computer for playing music much.

[Tuicemen]

Jim Clark
Thanks,
I actually used a few programs!
1: First program used was free version of SmartDraw for the initial floor plan drawing.
2: Second was Windows paint (wasn't thinking here I should have used Photoshop but it worked) I removed the watermark left from free program and any unwanted text,and measurements.
I then re-sized it so it would fit my wide screen monitor and utilize as much of the screen as possible.
the resizing took a few attemps.
3: Third I pulled it into PC Companion and added the devices to their correct spot.
Clicking these now turn the device ON/OFF.

I've since Used PhotoShop to split the pic into 3, one for each floorplan.
Rotated, Re-sized (again  ), and added a background image. I then re-sized the device graphics in PC Companion and repositioned them.
The new size is easier on the eyes and allows more room for devices as each floor has it's own screen.
See attached pic.
 

[tom j]

Tuicemen,
Nice X10 set up. What software did you use to do the layout contained in your first post?

Tom J,
I have also used Lola without any computer problems and my computer is not that new. It is only an 866MHz running Windows XP. I am not currently using Lola as, Like Tuicemen, I don't use the computer for playing music much.

Say Thanks!! did all the functions work for you or maybe I should say the functions you tried like Artist, Album, Track ect wonder why so many people were complaining about it so much must of been operator error I guess.

Tom j.

[Jim Clark]

Tom j,

It has been several years since I played with Lola but from what I can remember All of the functions you ask about Artist, album, track, genre all worked. I did have problems, and I can't remember exactly what, with adding and removing albums. I did not think that the software was all that user friendly but then again I did not play with it all that much so a lot of my problems, I am sure, were operator related.

Sorry I could not be of more help.

Jim

[tom j]

Thanks guys really appreciate the help!! Say think x10 will every support Vista, doesn't seem like any of their software does fortunately I'm still running XP. 


Tom j.

[Tuicemen]

I finaly got my back yard Flood lights wired in!
Should have thought of doing this years ago!
Man my WAF just went threw the roof!
They trip a inside light (if dark) and we can see what is going on in the backyard via the TV see post: How do you use your VCR Commander?
My wife never needs to wonder if the dog got out of the yard. A quick button press on the remote allows a full view of the rear yard with a wide eye cam!
Of coarse thats not much good at night (even with the floods On)!
Looks like I'll need to switch my astak nightvision cam to display on the TV!