Google Voice SMS to control X10 devices

[joeperegrin]

I can't speak for others but I am personally waiting eagerly for the updated release.  I have installed the application in December on the off chance that it would work with the USB device that I have.  My disappointment was apparent because I believe that this concept is awesome.  Home control via Google Voice.  Internet is nice, but this is Uber-Geekdom at its finest.  I know of many fellow geeks that I can impress with the fact that my home has its own phone number.

I wish I had a spare USB controller to help you test. 

Looking forward to the updated software release.  This is where I toss in an obligatory "if there is anything that I can do to help," knowing full well that that won't be possible until at least the second week of July due to professional demands.  But the offer is there. 

[jrwhit]

jimpster,
Consider me yet another X10'er interested in your CM15A support. I was sorely disappointed when I couldn't control my setup via Windows Messenger using X10Dispatcher any longer. This software sounds like it may be able to do this. Please keep us posted.

[shuggins]

Jimster,

I d/l'ed the software and got it all set up.  I can text my Google Voice phone number, and I see your program picking up the text as "lights on" just fine!!!  Alas, I have a CM19a (usb) so nothing happens.  IF you'd like, I can send you a cm19a in the mail (I have two extras I don't use) to test with.  Shoot me pm if interested.

This rules and I can't wait for next release!!

Scott

[Tuicemen]

Both the CM15A and CM19A will work for the program if using the SDK.
The only difference is the Cm15A will also send and recieve PLC.

[Fan of Zappa]

I installed starbotcontrol. I could not get it to work with CM15a. although I did find the following:
The log works! It logged correctly each and every time I text my Google voice number!
The Starbotcontrol matched my text only for lights on and lights off. I added another entry to the starbotconfig.csv file, where I found the lights on and lights off.  it did not recognize it.


It did not connect to com3 at all.
The error was "unable to open serial port com3".

Do I need to change the com3 port?
This looks like a great app!

Bob

[shuggins]

Guys-  in it's current state StarbotControl will ONLY work with the CM17A firecracker device.  It plugs into Com1, Com2, Com3, etc.   You can get them for $4.95 in a lot of cases on eBay.  X10 pretty much quit on that thing and went with the USB stuff (CM15A, CM19A).

So.....if you use CM15a, CM19a.....out of luck.  You need to have CM17A.

PS: You can use CM17A on your same computer that has the CM19a (or Cm15a) hooked up.....since it uses the Com port (which no one uses for anything anymore).

Software was written in Python (bizarre)....but it works....very well...

Think about this.... ANY cell phone...you text your Google Vm #, and bingo....  lights, cameras, anything..  Setting up a Google Vm acct (and phone #) was free for me.  I can help anyone needing to know what to do to get set up.

Good lord I like the possibilities of this thing....   

[Noam]

Guys-  in it's current state StarbotControl will ONLY work with the CM17A firecracker device.  It plugs into Com1, Com2, Com3, etc.   You can get them for $4.95 in a lot of cases on eBay.  X10 pretty much quit on that thing and went with the USB stuff (CM15A, CM19A).

So.....if you use CM15a, CM19a.....out of luck.  You need to have CM17A.

PS: You can use CM17A on your same computer that has the CM19a (or Cm15a) hooked up.....since it uses the Com port (which no one uses for anything anymore).

Software was written in Python (bizarre)....but it works....very well...

Think about this.... ANY cell phone...you text your Google Vm #, and bingo....  lights, cameras, anything..  Setting up a Google Vm acct (and phone #) was free for me.  I can help anyone needing to know what to do to get set up.

Good lord I like the possibilities of this thing....   

What about a CM11A? That ran off the serial port, too.

[jimpster]

Hey guys...

Sorry I haven't been around -- I wasn't getting these forum updates in my email inbox.  The next version is taking a while because I'm adding a lot of new features -- that and I haven't had much free time.  I'm happy to say my dev version works with USB devices.  I'm using a different way to communicate to the computers X10 device which restricts this to a Windows only product.  Out of curiosity, do most of you use Windows?

I also found that querying google voice needs to be throttled (like 1 every 10 seconds).  More reason for twitter support but thats not in the upcoming version.

Anyways, I'll keep you posted and will let you know when the next version is ready.  Meanwhile, let me know what platform you guys use, Mac, Windows, Linux, pogoplug??

Cheers

[Knightrider]

....  Meanwhile, let me know what platform you guys use, Mac, Windows, Linux, pogoplug??

Cheers

Win XP and OSX, but mostly XP.  I'd love to jump into the Linux world, but haven't worked up the nerve yet.  Been mulling it for the last decade.

[HA Dave]

.....Been mulling it for the last decade.

No reason to jump into anything too quick.

[dbemowsk]

....  Meanwhile, let me know what platform you guys use, Mac, Windows, Linux, pogoplug??

Cheers

My main computer that I use daily is a Fedora Linux box, but my HA PC is an XP box. 

Software was written in Python (bizarre)....but it works....very well...

I have not yet looked at the program but will soon.  Being that it is written in Python though could mean that it could be ported to work for the Linux/Heyu users out there.  Cross platform software...Gotta love it.

[dbemowsk]

OK, here is my feedback on this from what I had tested so far.  I luckily had a CM17A and an MR26A from years ago.  I plugged it into com1 on my HA PC.  I then edited the comport.txt file to read "com1" (no quotes) and saved it. Next I ran the StarBotControl.exe file and tried entering my GV username and password.  I apparently typed my password wrong, because I got the message below:

Code Select Expand


Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "StarBotControl.py", line 9, in <module>
  File "StarBotControl.py", line 5, in main
  File "Star10Bot.pyc", line 43, in Run
  File "googlevoice\voice.pyc", line 78, in login
googlevoice.util.LoginError


So we'll start here.  In this instance I would do some checks here in your code and provide some sort of error message with a return to the "Enter your Google Voice username:" prompt so that the user can make another attempt. 

Next, once the software successfully logged on to google voice, there was no prompt letting me know it was ready.  I just made the assumption that it was, so here you may want to prompt the user that the software is "Listening..." or something to that effect. 

I then texted "lights on" to my GV number and bingo bango within about 20 seconds I saw:

Code Select Expand


matched lights on
Trying to send command a4 on


This did nothing for me since I do not use HC A, so I edited the starbotconfig.csv file and set "bar lights on,i4 on",  and when I texted "bar lights on", voila, my bar lights came on.  You may want to send a text message response indicating that the command completed, or at least give the user that option with a configuration file.

All in all, the program needs some tweaks, but it has much potential.  It reminds me a bit of this YouTube video for project jarvis which is someone that has integrated a Mac mini into his twitter account and can do similar things.

Keep up the good work

[jimpster]

OK, here is my feedback on this from what I had tested so far.  I luckily had a CM17A and an MR26A from years ago.  I plugged it into com1 on my HA PC.  I then edited the comport.txt file to read "com1" (no quotes) and saved it. Next I ran the StarBotControl.exe file and tried entering my GV username and password.  I apparently typed my password wrong, because I got the message below:

Code Select Expand


Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "StarBotControl.py", line 9, in <module>
  File "StarBotControl.py", line 5, in main
  File "Star10Bot.pyc", line 43, in Run
  File "googlevoice\voice.pyc", line 78, in login
googlevoice.util.LoginError


So we'll start here.  In this instance I would do some checks here in your code and provide some sort of error message with a return to the "Enter your Google Voice username:" prompt so that the user can make another attempt. 

Next, once the software successfully logged on to google voice, there was no prompt letting me know it was ready.  I just made the assumption that it was, so here you may want to prompt the user that the software is "Listening..." or something to that effect. 

I then texted "lights on" to my GV number and bingo bango within about 20 seconds I saw:

Code Select Expand


matched lights on
Trying to send command a4 on


This did nothing for me since I do not use HC A, so I edited the starbotconfig.csv file and set "bar lights on,i4 on",  and when I texted "bar lights on", voila, my bar lights came on.  You may want to send a text message response indicating that the command completed, or at least give the user that option with a configuration file.

All in all, the program needs some tweaks, but it has much potential.  It reminds me a bit of this YouTube video for project jarvis which is someone that has integrated a Mac mini into his twitter account and can do similar things.

Keep up the good work

Thanks for the feedback.  I captured them in the feedback forum of starbotcontrol.com so that I won't lose them!

[jimpster]

USB version of starbotcontrol:

Instead of waiting to jam pack the next build with a GUI, etc., I built an interim version of starbotcontrol with usb support instead of com. 

Try it out:
http://starbotcontrol.com/index.php?option=com_phocadownload&view=category&id=1&Itemid=5

After you unzip

1. Edit the macros in .\utilities\starbotcontrol.csv
2. Launch the exe from a command window.  You can double click the exe too, but you may not get to see all the messages if it exits unexpectedly.
3. Don't delete or move the utilities folder
4. Enjoy and give me some feedback, enhancement requests, beer, $, prayers

Cheers

[shuggins]

Jim,

Awesome to hear!  I willl give it whirl tonight.  I assume this ONLY uses usb and we cannot use CM17a at all anymore?   Was just curious...

I will give feedback soon.


EDIT:  Nevermind, I noticed you have BOTH (com and usb) versions on your download page.