Tis the season... Home Automation Season. New ideas?

[petera]

@petera - Thanks for chiming in. I too will be following this closely. I believe his goal is to have the pi control the CM15A so he can retire the laptop. But the only software that programs the CM15A is AHP which is windows based, obviously. HA Dave says he's getting help from me...not really, last time I typed a command line was in DR-DOS.

I tried HomeGenie on windows and it was painfully slow and difficult to wrap my head around. Is it easier/better on Pi?

Although Homegenie is in fact a Windows based program it's runs far better on the Raspberry Pi or in any other flavour of Linux.

I'm running the CM15 with x10 and the sky is the limit with scripts, events, timers macros. I'm based outside the US so for convenience I was thinking that someone more local to HA Dave could image a working system for him. If not we could organise a solution for him.

If you've typed a single DOS command in your day the terminal environment in Linux should not pose an issue. It's the generation who grew up in the GUI world that struggle the most.

[racerfern]

But are programming (sending macros to) the CM15A with homegenie? Or just running everything in homegenie? Is your CM15A plugged into the Pi or are you running AHP on a separate pc?

[HA Dave]

HA DAVE, that version of Raspbian Wheezy is two versions back ....Your NOOBS SD card should have the latest version of Raspbian installed. ....
Get Windows out of your head and start thinking Raspbian Theres life after Windows, believe me 

That's great news petera. I just spent a couple hours trying to get Mister House to install and run on my RBP. No luck. But if you think Homegenie  will work... I'll give it a try tomorrow (or later tonight).

I am an old Microsoft guy.... but I've also worked a little bit with a bunch of other stuff. Including apple and android.... and even basic at one time. But the directions all seem to be worded like: Create a script file point the executable in the appropriate or desired folder. And I just have a hard time trying to imagine what the author expects me to do... or why. I can read HTML but never learned much DOS.

[HA Dave]

....... transfer that image to the blank SD card and return the card to you.

I'd like to try the windows core (to try AHP), as well as some of the Linux based programs like HomeGenie and/or MisterHouse. I've read about compiling the files on a memory card.... and then just slipping it in the RBP and letting NOOBS install everything.

If I could just see a image, a pic, nice sized .jpg of what such a file system should look like. I have a flashcard/memory slot built-in (as well as accessory units) that I could create the files on. I assume there is a format...

[Tuicemen]

You mean an image of windows core desktop?

[bkenobi]

HG is actually run on Mono which is not Windows.  Mono is an open source implementation of .NET which was originally written for Windows.  Anything that has the Mono environment available can run any Mono code.  That makes it similar to Java in that it's a single language that's cross-platform compatible without any extra code.

I would say that HG was faster on my laptop than the RPi when I tried it a few years ago.  I stopped using the PC and only have it installed on an RPi now.  I just purchased a new RPi3 and will be upgrading it as people on the HG forum have indicated that the new hardware is much faster.  I personally have found that running off the RPi and connecting the free Android app even from home is very slow.  Once I get the new hardware up and running, I'll have a better idea of performance.

All that said, if you haven't picked a HA software yet, you should also consider Domoticz.  I looked at it initially and opted for HG (don't recall why).  It's a free HA software that is multi-system compatible and should work with the CM15A.  HG is open source, but only one developer was working on it.  That dev has stepped way back and no releases have been made in months and nothing is likely to be upgraded unless a user does it.  The software is fully functional for X10 and really doesn't need to be updated anyway, so this is not a huge issue for me.

[petera]

....... transfer that image to the blank SD card and return the card to you.

I'd like to try the windows core (to try AHP), as well as some of the Linux based programs like HomeGenie and/or MisterHouse. I've read about compiling the files on a memory card.... and then just slipping it in the RBP and letting NOOBS install everything.

If I could just see a image, a pic, nice sized .jpg of what such a file system should look like. I have a flashcard/memory slot built-in (as well as accessory units) that I could create the files on. I assume there is a format...

I think you mean a screenshot of the files on the Raspberry Pi Raspbian SD card image. Would that be it.

[petera]

....... transfer that image to the blank SD card and return the card to you.

I'd like to try the windows core (to try AHP), as well as some of the Linux based programs like HomeGenie and/or MisterHouse. I've read about compiling the files on a memory card.... and then just slipping it in the RBP and letting NOOBS install everything.

If I could just see a image, a pic, nice sized .jpg of what such a file system should look like. I have a flashcard/memory slot built-in (as well as accessory units) that I could create the files on. I assume there is a format...

I think you mean a screenshot of the files on the Raspberry Pi Raspbian SD card image. Would that be it.

This is a screenshot of the Raspberry Pi Raspbian files on the SD card when viewed on an SD card reader in Windows. Not really of much use to you in a Windows machine but it will give you an idea what is on the SD card.
http://www.google.ie/search?q=screenshot+of+files+on+a+raspbian+sd+card&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari#imgrc=hZGttNcoQA6-AM:&spf=1516144417862

I think I remember seeing Bkenobi on the old HomeGenie forum. I imagine he may be closer in location to you so maybe he may be of help here. If you had an image made of a basic working x10 Homegenie put on an SD card it really would save you a lot of time.

[HA Dave]

The whole thing is very frustrating. It reminds me of the old days before window 95.

I tried to DL/install HomeGenie.... but the system warned it was a dangerous software... required password to install (which I hadn't changed). I changed the password. Now the system doesn't remember either the default or the new password.

I may need to get a new loaded card with noobs (which I think may offer an option to install window10 core). Reformat my original card... and copy the new one after I install raspbian all over again.

[racerfern]

@HA Dave - check your email before you jump off the bridge you're on.

[petera]

But are programming (sending macros to) the CM15A with homegenie? Or just running everything in homegenie? Is your CM15A plugged into the Pi or are you running AHP on a separate pc?

Sorry didn't see your post earlier.

The CM15 is plugged directly into the USB port on the Raspberry Pi. After installing the Raspbian Operating System on the Raspberry Pi you then download the Homegenie software from the link I supplied earlier.

Once the software is installed, you access the program from a browser either on your Raspberrry Pi locally or any other device that can load a browser. All your macros,scripting, timers and events can be configured and accessed from this browser page.

It really is that easy. All the work you need to do at the command line can be cut and pasted from the various sites that supply installation instructions. Very little chance of getting the typing/syntax wrong.

The NOOBS SD Card that HA Dave received had the operating system installed already. All that is required is to download the Homegenie software.

Remember AHP is Windows software that has its own proprietary x10 drivers. Nothing to do with Homegenie which uses completely different drivers.

[petera]

Could I suggest starting a new post covering this subject. Those in the "know" can step you slowly through the installation and configuration process. I'm no Linux expert but followed very clear steps I found on other sites to get Homegenie up and running. Once it's running it will all make sense to you.

I haven't used Homegenie in quite a while so as a test today I started with a blank SD card and had Homegenie running x10 in just over 2 hours.

[HA Dave]

@HA Dave - check your email before you jump off the bridge you're on.

Thanks for emailing me the obvious and simple solution.... that I completely missed. Holding shift at startup gave me an opportunity to recover/rebuilt again... completely new from NOOBS. This time I added some other software OS's including Windows 10 core. (Woo Hoo)

Could I suggest starting a new post covering this subject. Those in the "know" can step you slowly through the installation and configuration process. .....

Great idea! I had started this thread with hoping to get forum members to share their winter projects.... and/or inspire others to begin projects they've been thinking about. I know I was inspired. But then.... I am easily inspired to start a project.

I am moving my Raspberry Pi conversations HERE.
But this is still a good thread to continue thought ideas and actual new winter HA projects.

I haven't used Homegenie in quite a while so as a test today I started with a blank SD card and had Homegenie running x10 in just over 2 hours.

That is so cool. Thanks for taking the time. Really... I really appreciate that! Did you just install it on Raspberry pi 3/raspbian? Or on the windows 10 core? Other?

Homegenie is nice... if I remember what I've heard. I don't know anything about it's ability (or not) to pair with Alexa.... but it could replace a PC.

Time to get out a notebook and sort through any and every opportunity available now..... while taking good notes. I need a good plan(s).

[petera]

@HA Dave - check your email before you jump off the bridge you're on.

Thanks for emailing me the obvious and simple solution.... that I completely missed. Holding shift at startup gave me an opportunity to recover/rebuilt again... completely new from NOOBS. This time I added some other software OS's including Windows 10 core. (Woo Hoo)

Could I suggest starting a new post covering this subject. Those in the "know" can step you slowly through the installation and configuration process. .....

Great idea! I had started this thread with hoping to get forum members to share their winter projects.... and/or inspire others to begin projects they've been thinking about. I know I was inspired. But then.... I am easily inspired to start a project.

I am moving my Raspberry Pi conversations HERE.
But this is still a good thread to continue thought ideas and actual new winter HA projects.

I haven't used Homegenie in quite a while so as a test today I started with a blank SD card and had Homegenie running x10 in just over 2 hours.

That is so cool. Thanks for taking the time. Really... I really appreciate that! Did you just install it on Raspberry pi 3/raspbian? Or on the windows 10 core? Other?

Homegenie is nice... if I remember what I've heard. I don't know anything about it's ability (or not) to pair with Alexa.... but it could replace a PC.

Time to get out a notebook and sort through any and every opportunity available now..... while taking good notes. I need a good plan(s).

No HA Dave it was just Raspbian. Purely a Linux man these days. Its running the CM11 or the CM15 now. All the timers, scripts (macros to you) and schedules you could ever want. Just plugged in a couple of cheap IP cameras and they are working away too. The options are endless and controlled from the home and away from the home too.

You have the general idea here now. petec has just chirped in and no better man to get you on your way. He is Stateside so a very good man to have on board to help.

We will get this system up and running if you promise not to mention Windows again 

Btw you can set up Alexa on the same Raspberry Pi too so it will cover all your needs here

[HA Dave]

..... We will get this system up and running if you promise not to mention Windows again 
Btw you can set up Alexa on the same Raspberry Pi too so it will cover all your needs here

I am just beginning to understand how cool this little device is!