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[mmauka]

The Chumby app Total Power Control (TPC) is now available on chumby.com. The app has controls for all 256 house/unit codes plus five programmable macro keys. In addition, there are eight indicators for DS10A and MS10A sensors. The indicators are useful to find open doors and windows at a glance.

TPC requires a CM15A and a USB flash drive plugged into the back of the Chumby. A hub (unpowered is sufficient) may be needed on some models. Chumby devices are small Linux computers so mochad can run on them. A PC is not required.

[Brian H]

That looks very interesting.
Thank you for the information.

[mmauka]

TPC has been updated to v0.4 which adds the ability to connect to mochad/CM15A running on another computer or another chumby. The IP configuration is handled in the app "customize" option when managing apps at chumby.com. Only 1 computer running mochad with 1 CM15A is required to feed a flock of chumbys.

Doc page updated.

http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/mochad/index.php?title=Total_Power_Control

[freedom]

for mmauka

I'm working on a Freedomotic plugin and I've some questions. Can you follow the post on Freedomotic forum?
http://freedomotic.com/forum/12/173?page=0#295

Thanks

[freedom]

very interesting! Chumby is similar to marvel sheevaplug

I posted on Freedomotic forum some questions for you

thanks

[SimonG]

Can' seem to find the TPC app for my Dash. Is there a different app-store for the Dash clone vs. the regular Chumby?

[mmauka]

Yes, app stores are different. Also I think the Dash does not execute programs from a USB stick so the mochad driver will not run. The Sony Dash is a much more secure, closed platform than the regular chumby.

When I uploaded the app, I did not restrict it in any way but different vendors (Sony, Best Buy) may not accept every app in their stores.

[dhouston]

Chumby looks very cool. I looked at doing something similar a few years back with small touchscreens that ran Windows but it was just too costly. Good luck with your app. I've designed a daughterboard for the CM15 (now available in Europe, also) that replaces the Cypress MCU with an Atmel AVR. I use a serial interface but have a design with an FTDI chip if the Chumby can deal with it - the Linux kernel has supported FTDI for some time, now. I really haven't tried to keep up with CM15A developments. Can you access the RF transmitter, now?

One thing you should be aware of if you're not already. From the Freedom discussion it appears you are using the RF commands to X-10 Insecurity Alarms - I call them that because they can all be disarmed in a matter of seconds with a remote that can run through the very limited (256) number of possible Disarm codes (e.g. RF-capable Pronto) or the handheld Chumby.

I took a very quick look at your other thread and see that you're able to send RF so you don't need my daughterboard although it can also report all powerline activity rather than just valid X10 codes.

I probably have more expertise in things X-10 than most. If you need info, ask and I'll try to help although you seem to be doing very well without me.  

[mmauka]

I plugged in an FTDI FT232 board and chumby linux 2.6.28 created /dev/ttyUSB0 so it should work out of the box. If your device can show all power line activity, could it also be used as an X10 signal analyzer? The chumby color screen is nice for graphs.

The KR10A uses a 16 bit security address so it would require a bit more time to send 64K disarm codes. I suggest registering the KR10A or newer remotes and avoiding the older 8 bit remotes (SH624 is one).

mochad is based on information from various sources especially for the RF protocol. I definitely did not figure all this out myself. The mochad Ninja RF protocol code is based on your document, http://davehouston.org/cr14a-rf.htm. I do not even have a Ninja but users have reported the mochad camera commands work. Many thanks for your help.

If you have any questions about the Chumby, I'll do my best to answer them.

[dhouston]

I've been dealing with some major health issues for the past year or so and have not kept up with X-10. It looks like they've made a few improvements.

My device would report the entire PL bitstream in real-time so it could be used for that type of analysis. I could do possibly do more like PL signal strength and maybe even RF RSSI but I'd have to look at the CM15A schematic to be sure - I'm not at all certain off the top of my head whether the RF receiver has an RSSI output or even an analog output that I could use. As is, my board is intended to plug in as a replacement for the Cypress MCU and going beyond it's current capabilities would require making connections to other points on the CM14 board, making it a bit more complicated for DIY installation but the MCU I'm using has a number of unused pins so it's possible to add to its features - it would require a redesign of the board.

I'm handicapped in that most of my X-10 toy-box and test equipment are in storage. Even worse, it was packed away by others who were clueless as to its purposes and relationships between items. I'm 70 years old and had lung cancer surgery a year ago (with a lengthy hospital stay) after which I've had to move in with my son and his family as I'm not really able to live alone now. IOW, I cannot test things as readily as before.

[Brian H]

I actually have two CM15As with 2005 Date Codes where the Cypress MCU was in an IC socket.
I believe that was around the time when X10 was toying with firmware revisions for the CM15A.

[dhouston]

I actually have two CM15As with 2005 Date Codes where the Cypress MCU was in an IC socket.

I have with socket and one sans socket while others reported having sockets with later purchases so there was no clear cut-off - perhaps they were coming from multiple plants.

Those w/o sockets make it harder to replace the MCU so it's not a project for the un-experienced. I recommend trying to save the Cypress MCU so it can be reinserted should the user so desire but it's fairly easy to remove if you're willing to sacrifice the MCU - just clip the pins - the clipped pins are then fairly easy to remove.

Another point of interest is that many non-X10 RF devices use frequencies between 310-315 (in N. America). Some receivers (superregenerative) have fairly wide bandwidth and can report on these other devices. Outside N. America nearly all devices use 433.92MHz so the superhet receiver in the CM15 can hear them which might be a problem if there are numerous non-X10 RF devices within range. (My antenna improvements typically give 300ft+ range.)

[dhouston]

I plugged in an FTDI FT232 board and chumby linux 2.6.28 created /dev/ttyUSB0 so it should work out of the box.

After giving this a bit more thought, I already have unpopulated boards to convert the CM15A to a serial device. I designed it to work with other embedded devices I've designed. Rather than spend more time, money and effort right now to develop an FTDI version, we can just use the serial version with a USB-serial cable. I've used and tested several. Byterunner has some that are very low cost, handle all of the handshaking lines, and are supported by Windows, Linux & OSX. (you have to install drivers for the latter).  I've used both Y-105 and USB-COM-CBL but do not recall whether the latter supported all the lines (which doesn't matter for this application).

• http://www.byterunner.com/byterunner/category=USB+to+Single+Serial+Adapters/exact_match=exact

I have also been developing some Arduino-compatible boards and plan several that are Home Automation related (X10 PLC, X10 IR/RF, non-X10 IR/RF, Insteon, UPB, etc.) allowing users to build a modular system to fit their specific needs. The stack could interface with the Chumby either using the above cables or I can design some system boards with FTDI chips. For these I have not yet had any boards made, so have more flexibility. Things like the serial-CM15A would then plug into the Zarduino stack making for a very interesting and powerful system.

• http://davehouston.org/Arduino.htm

All but Insteon can be open source.

Can you do network time & email? I was planning the ethernet shields for those plus a web server.

Also, can it do WPA security?

[mmauka]

I have also been developing some Arduino-compatible boards and plan several that are Home Automation related (X10 PLC, X10 IR/RF, non-X10 IR/RF, Insteon, UPB, etc.) allowing users to build a modular system to fit their specific needs.

Ok, this will take me some time to absorb. Looks these boards will give a lot of analog and digital I/O.

I was thinking of using Phidgets USB I/O boards for analog I/O but have not gotten around to doing anything. Chumby Linux includes phidgets kernel drivers.

http://www.phidgets.com/products.php?category=0

Can you do network time & email? I was planning the ethernet shields for those plus a web server.

Chumby runs NTP for its date/time. There is a simple SMTP mail sender built-in. Looks like a subset of sendmail. Busybox includes a simple web server (static pages and CGI). If a more powerful webserver is needed, people have built lighttpd and run it from a USB Flash drive.

http://wiki.chumby.com/index.php/Chumby_as_a_web_server

Also, can it do WPA security?

Yes, I am running WPA2 PSK AES. People also use USB Ethernet for higher speed and more reliability. USB Ethernet dongles based on the AX88772 chipset are recommended. I like to give servers a static IP and not have it depend on a DHCP server and/or WiFi router just to boot up.

I have a Chumby One so my comments may not be correct on other Chumby devices esp. the older ones.

The Chumby hacker board costs almost as a Chumby One but is an eval board so no case, LCD, touchscreen, Wifi, or power supply. However, it brings a lot of pins and ports to connectors which are not available on the regular Chumby. I wish it included Ethernet on board. Not sure if this makes any sense for your plans.

http://www.adafruit.com/products/278

The following link is a project interfacing a Chumby to an Arduino and a soil moisture sensor. Would the Zarduino boards be used like this? It is still unclear to me how all the pieces fit together especially when UPB and Insteon are thrown in to the discussion.

http://boconnor.is-a-geek.com/pmwiki/index.php?n=Geek.Chumby

[dhouston]

Look at these two web pages...

• http://davehouston.org/roZetta.htm
• http://davehouston.org/Arduino.htm

Basically, I'm talking about duplicating the functionality of roZetta in 5-6 Arduino-compatible shields. The shields are stackable atop the Zarduino and users could mix & max as needed. The Zarduino-40 has more pins and far more power than a normal Arduino and I'll tailor make the shields to do HA type tasks. The Chumby and your app could serve as a front-end instead of a PC.

My Linux skills aren't strong enough for the hackers Chumby to be of interest.

802/11g is adequate. I don't need to stream video, etc.

Is it possible to embed variables in the web-page and update the values using data passed from my modules to Chumby?

I looked at the CM15A schematic. There is a place to get an RSSI signal for RF and maybe for the power-line. I looked at finishing the FTDI version and noticed something I had not noticed earlier. X-10 does not bring the 5V from the USB plug to the Cypress MCU. The FTDI chip needs that so I don't think an FTDI version is viable.

It might be best to take this to email at this point. You can find one of my addresses on my main web page...http://davehouston.org