Tuicemen's Off grid setup!

[Tuicemen]

I'll help as much as I can, your not much newer to HG then me.
I created a tool (Alex10) to help configure HA-Bridge for X10 but it uses the AHP SDK so the scripts would be different for HG.
I've managed to get X10 on/off scripts figgured out to send to HG but the Dim Script is eluding me (most likely because I'm not to interested in Dimming with Alexa).

[mike]

So I will switch over to hg club site to continue this discussion.  Anyone else willing to follow along or help, please join us there!

https://homegenie.club/t/homegenie-for-dummies-document-x10-centric/150/15

[Tuicemen]

The other day I got started creating macros for my PTZ IP cameras.
I have two of these out doors and one indoor type. I wanted to enable HG to turn the cameras to a point on a door/window sensor trip.
I attempted to use the macro wizard but for what ever reason it wouldn't turn my camera using the preset program code I created in HG.
The program works on it's own in HG just not in a macro
I knew HA-Bridge would do this and provide Alexa control of the presets as well so I added the preset code to HA-Bridge then went back to HG and editied my macro to use HA-Bridge instead of the preset code I had in HG. It worked
I don't wish pictures sent every time a camera turns so I just had those set if the security console is tripped when armed.
These macros make sure the cameras are pointed in the direction of sensor detection at all times but more important they move to that location on a security alarm activation.

[mike]

Sounds great!  Hope HG comes along and gets robust enough for others to pick up on and use!  The one fellow left trying to update the HG open source code just can't do it alone.

Personally, last week I gave up on HG/HA-bridge/RM for a while &  went back to AHP for stability I require at my two locations.  I moved on to Wyze Pan Cam cameras for sophisticated movable camera security;  They have very responsive software teams on top of their product.

[Tuicemen]

Out of curiosity what was it you found unstable about HG?
My HG setup on a Pi has been flawless here at my off grid place but I'm not using HG-BE nor Windows.

[mike]

It is near impossible to get HG to come up in a browser window.  Takes 10 minutes each time to find the 'sweet spot' that works.  I have to try  all three browsers (edge - works more often than the others but I hate using a microsoft product like it, Firefox, & chrome), then I have to try all 3 ways to call up the server - 127.0.0.1:8516, mk-ssd:8517, and 192.168.0.13:8516).  75% of the time I can get it to show up, 25% I cannot -   on the computer the HG server is installed on.  Add to this I can only get the server to open in any browser on LAN connected machines 25% of the time, making its usefulnes basically nil.  Preset html code like "http://mk-123h-ssd:8316/api/HomeAutomation.X10/B5/Control.Off" also only work sometimes.

RM and HA seem pretty solid.  But HG itself needs help before I can switch to it;  My wife is not happy when the alarm timer does not work (20% of the time) to shut off the alarm in the morning and she trips it.  AHP arm/disarm timered Macros work 100%.

[Tuicemen]

I know you were running it from Windows and the Be version so you might wish to run it from a inexpensive Pi or SBC.
My city place uses a $7 Pi zero w which is located off in an otherwise unusable outlet.
You can remote into HG from any Wi-fi connected device. I've never had an issue with anything you've mentioned using a Pi.
Here the Pi is located behind my LCD TV and doubles as a streaming device I don't need to remote into it but have on occasion and it always pops up. Remoting in from the city to here does take a bit of time to load but this place has a slow internet connection and I have lots on it.

[mike]

$7 Pi zero

Why not?  I had to learn Arduino for business project, might as well learn pi next.

Any suggestions where to find as good a deal as you got?

[mike]

Tnx again.  I am going to bite the bullet and buy one of these ridiculously cheap $ 5 now Pi zero!     Curious how you get your network to talk to it tho as it has no ethernet or wifi connection?

[Tuicemen]

your looking at the zero you need the Zero W
If you get the Zerro you'll need to have an add on board to give you either Wi-fi or extra USB ports so you can add a wi-fi dongle.

[Tuicemen]

You can also use a powered USB Hub to give you extra ports

[mike]

I wondered if one of my little extra powered usb port expanders would work - good to know it would!   so it seems the little pi can communicate via USB to my home network?  It would appear on my network as a computer with an IP address so could contact the HG server in it from my network?

[Tuicemen]

You can use a Wi-fi dongle plugged into your USB hub along with the cm15 and then install HG on the Zerro
Yes! Once installed you can access HG from any PC, laptop, tablet or phone  on your network.

[mike]

let's see...   pi zero $5, pi zero W $10...   I have a dozen little usb/wireless giadjets around here...  i may not have a POWERED usb adapter...    think I will splurge and get the W then!  THANKS!

[Tuicemen]

That's the route I went even though I could have done the other.
I didn't order with the header just the bare board.
This way your only using one outlet and no extras plugged in.
If your feeling creative the Zerro W does fit inside a Cm15.(no soldering required)