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[dhouston]

Replacing the daughter board restricts the market to just those comfortable with working on the hardware.

Your way likely restricts the market to masons (i.e. those skilled with brickwork).

I see you and I agree like we did on a prior project.

Actually, I agree 100% with the goal. I just think it's too complex and that you'll likely end up like...

[JeffVolp]

Actually, I agree 100% with the goal. I just think it's too complex and that you'll likely end up like...

Yes, it would be a complex project.  We know the hardware is good.  It has to be treated as a totally unprogrammed pieced of hardware, and start from scratch.  I am not volunteering to do it myself due to the amount of work involved.  My WAG is a man year of effort split between firmware and supporting software.  But it may be only way to get out from under the Chinese developer.

Jeff

[Knightrider]

Even if you did all that, you'd have to figure out how to hack the existing software to load the new.

Either than, or open the unit and flash it.

[dhouston]

We know the hardware is good.  It has to be treated as a totally unprogrammed pieced of hardware, and start from scratch.

I agree that the hardware is outstanding. But, it cannot be treated as a totally unprogrammed piece of hardware because you need to know details about the existing firmware before you can upload new firmware. I haven't followed things closely for the past couple of years but most ESP8266 OTA approaches divide the flash into halves with one half active while new firmware can be uploaded to the dormant half. See...https://harizanov.com/2015/06/firmware-over-the-air-fota-for-esp8266-soc/
Which half is available is one of the first questions and that may be unknowable without intimate knowledge of the existing firmware. Even then, you still need to figure out how to OTA the MCU.

Now, if you could open the unit and solder a bit, you might do things this way...https://hackaday.com/2015/03/18/how-to-directly-program-an-inexpensive-esp8266-wifi-module/
Assuming you know how to upload to the MCU, your market is still limited to those adventurous enough to solder. Thus I prefer my earlier suggestion using the RPi Zero W.

[JeffVolp]

Even if you did all that, you'd have to figure out how to hack the existing software to load the new.

I would use the ST Micro Programmer/Debugger just like I used the PickKit3 for PICs for development:

https://www.st.com/content/st_com/en/products/development-tools/hardware-development-tools/development-tool-hardware-for-mcus/debug-hardware-for-mcus/debug-hardware-for-stm32-mcus/st-link-v2.html

I'm assuming that the edge connector on the daughter board provides access to the programming pins.

Once the program is developed, I would hope we could use the current firmware update utility to download the new code into a standard WM100 without requiring the utility to be hacked.  Of course, we don't know how that will work unless someone actually tries it.  And that is likely to brick a few units until the procedure is understood.  The "bricked" units should be recoverable with the STMicro programmer.  Along that line, I wonder if the existing firmware is protected, or can it be downloaded.

Jeff

[dhouston]

What current firmware update utility?

[JeffVolp]

What current firmware update utility?

As I recall, there was already a firmware update pushed by the manufacturer, so there has to be a update utility in the firmware to support that download.

I just logged on with my phone and got a notice that my version V0.0.23 is not the latest, and it asked if I wanted to install V0.0.24.

Jeff

[dhouston]

What current firmware update utility?

As I recall, there was already a firmware update pushed by the manufacturer, so there has to be a update utility in the firmware to support that download.

So how will you get your new firmware onto the Alibaba Server in California?

[Tuicemen]

What current firmware update utility?

As I recall, there was already a firmware update pushed by the manufacturer, so there has to be a update utility in the firmware to support that download.

So how will you get your new firmware onto the Alibaba Server in California?

That may be possible to bypass using a local server. Provided one can achieve that.
I actually have a firmware bin file (think it is the current firmware  or the one prior) though I've not dug into it, I also have a bricked WM100 which may possibly be revived for tinkering.
I also have a proto type wm100 which has no upgradable firmware but the app still sees and initially connects to.
I'm hoping these things will help with rooting out a means of local control or creating an alternate App.

[dhouston]

What current firmware update utility?

As I recall, there was already a firmware update pushed by the manufacturer, so there has to be a update utility in the firmware to support that download.

So how will you get your new firmware onto the Alibaba Server in California?

That may be possible to bypass using a local server. Provided one can achieve that.

It that can be done without modifying the ESP8266 firmware then this might be possible (but extremely difficult).

[HA Dave]

Nobody has mentioned as to who will be owning/controlling/funding and managing the revamped WM-100's cloud connectivity. Or is the plan.... after all the purposed effort... to merely have a fancy palmpad. Or maybe a newer version of a non-internet connected CM15A.... like we don't all have extras of those anyway.

I am honestly and sincerely NOT trying to be critical. But I don't see the vision here. Every X10 user.... lost Internet/setup connectivity when the old X10 servers when off-line. Now more than ever... connectivity means cloud connectivity.

[Knightrider]

The vision here is to dump the cloud.

Maybe not in its entirety,  but preferably not as a primary resource. 

MyHouse Online was a nice function of AHP, but thankfully was an adjunct.

[dhouston]

The goal is LOCAL CONTROL with optional cloudy skies (easy to implement for the past 17-18 years).

Jeff has said he will not create it and I've intimated that I will not create it so I guess that leaves it up to Tuicemen.

[JeffVolp]

The vision here is to dump the cloud.

Yes, that was what I was proposing.  A clean sheet.  No Alibaba.  Nothing required external to your home except access to the US time reference following a power interruption.  The app that currently downloads a firmware update would be rewritten to download the firmware update from your own internal source - maybe running on a laptop instead of a phone.

Yes, this could function like a CM15A on steroids, except for the ability to transmit RF commands.

Of course, it would require a community to develop the open source code.

Jeff

[JeffVolp]

Jeff has said he will not create it and I've intimated that I will not create it so I guess that leaves it up to Tuicemen.

I did say I would not create it myself, but I would certainly be willing to contribute to a shared effort.

Jeff