[mgbouma]

Is XPL an option? That way you would have an universal home automation interface. Can be used for both sending and receiving data.

[xtermin8r]

never heard of xpl, so i have no idea about it.

[waldo22]

Here's some info on xPL

and some more...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XPL_Protocol

-Wes

[peteyboy100]

Hey xtermin8r,

I think a bunch of people would be interested in your script. How easy or hard would it be to use your script with consumer home automation products (ie. X10, Insteon, Zwave)?

I just bought a house and I'm looking at LinuxMCE to do my home automation bidding, but it is ugly and doesn't have as nice of a scraper as XBMC. So if XBMC could control my home... that would be amazing.

[Soju]

Is it possible to have a forum area where requests for $ are made- to accelerate dev of certain obscure features or perhaps stuff not on the roadmap? Maybe via donation mechanism, and some small amount goes to XBMC core team in any exchange?

[althekiller]

The last time I remember bounties being brought up, there was a resounding, "FUCK NO!" from most of the team. I'm pretty sure that feeling is still strong. Bounties only promote feature creep and poor coding. They have no place in FLOSS.

[Jezz_X]

Is it possible to have a forum area where requests for $ are made- to accelerate dev of certain obscure features or perhaps stuff not on the roadmap? Maybe via donation mechanism, and some small amount goes to XBMC core team in any exchange?

This has actually been discussed before.
My personal opinion on it is its a bad idea. Basically because it means things that should get done / fixed don't because everyone is busy trying to do the money items instead. Its also no fair to the other devs who will probably end up having to maintain the code after the person who got the original money gave up after they got the cash. And it also means that normal users don't get any of their features because the rich people who donate lots of money get all the time spent on them
It also means XBMC starts getting features only .01% or users might use just because they had the money adding to bloat and slow down

[Soju]

Well that does make sense. sorry for the suggestion.

[xtermin8r]

Hey xtermin8r,

I think a bunch of people would be interested in your script. How easy or hard would it be to use your script with consumer home automation products (ie. X10, Insteon, Zwave)?

I just bought a house and I'm looking at LinuxMCE to do my home automation bidding, but it is ugly and doesn't have as nice of a scraper as XBMC. So if XBMC could control my home... that would be amazing.

its definately possibleI have figured out a way. how it can be done.,but its not going to be easy.

[Gamester17]

The last time I remember bounties being brought up, there was a resounding, "FUCK NO!" from most of the team. I'm pretty sure that feeling is still strong. Bounties only promote feature creep and poor coding. They have no place in FLOSS.

What we have said on this topic before was basically this; sure, people may put up bounties for new XBMC features/functions on third-party websites (such as bountysource.com, or similar, etc.), but they may not promote the bounty / bounty collection in the XBMC Community Forum or other official XBMC channels.

This because Team-XBMC does not want to be directly associated or affiliated with bounties, as they will probably be more trouble than they are worth for the XBMC project, ...but that does not mean that we would decline a good patch that was the result of a bounty driven feature. Just as we would not decline a good patch that comes from a commercial fork of XBMC such as Boxee.

To sum up; patches are welcomed, however we do not want to get involved with bounties on this site. So anyone can go ahead and start a collection drive if they insists, but please make it clear that the collection drive is not associated or affiliated with Team-XBMC of the official XBMC project, and that the bounty collection drive is entirely driven and handled by a third-party that is not working with Team-XBMC. if I hope that clarifies things.

[Powderhound]

That's a very sensible policy on bounties.

Regarding home automation... Now I know that's not in the published vision. But, I just came over from LinuxMCE, and home automation is 50% of my wants/desires. The other 50% is the media viewing (which XBMC would appear to do much better, but I'm yet to do my first install...).

I have a bunch of Z-wave devices, and an Intermatic USB Z-wave controller. I want to control some lights, both directly and on timers (and, later, as a result of a PIR tripping on my security system). Has anyone done this? Z-Wave support on LinuxMCE is currently very flaky (I had lights randomly going on and off, and the Z-Wave driver repeatedly crashing).

Also, I'm installing a GE CaddX security/fire alarm. It has a serial interface for bi-directional control/reporting to a computer. Has anyone integrated one of these into XBMC?

If not, or if partially, I'm happy to do what I can to help. Just give me a while to get up to speed.

Thanks!

[Gamester17]

All home automation control related topic threads in the XBMC Community Forum that I know of can be found with the "home automation control" tag:
http://forum.xbmc.org/tags.php?tag=home+...on+control

[alanchow]

Hi guys,

I represent Convergent Technologies (Control Distributor in Australia) and i am the software developer for the XBMC/Control4 interface. I have been a long fan of XBMC (ever since i was in university) and have always wanted to contribute to the community. The Control4 XBMC interface utilises XBMC's HTTP API to do transport commands, discrete volume control, play media, etc.

This allows you to utilise Control4's range of user interface devices such as its zigbee based remotes, touchscreens or even keypads. By utilising multiple XBMC systems and/or by using video distribution systems you can achieve true multiroom video. Ie select this movie in this room.

Its been a while since i've updated my youtube channel but here it is anyway.

http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&source...3YKhdMxIvw

Lately i've been working on other projects apart from XBMC however i am constanting revisiting it to see what other cool features i can add to make the system even better.

Please visit http://www.control4.com for more information about Control4 Home Automation.


--

Alan Chow
Technical Development Manager
Convergent Technologies

161 Grange Road,
Fairfield Victoria 3078
Ph: +61 3 9490 5888
Fx: +61 3 9490 5899

[Powderhound]

Thanks Gamester17.

[alanchow]

Hrm i just noticed that you are trying to integrate these from scratch. Good luck with it. Especially with security systems.

Alot of manufacturers require NDA's signed before they hand over API's. I personally haven't done the GE CADDX but we have integrated the GE Networx NX-8, GE Advent, DSC Powerxxx, DSC IT-100, DSC Maxsys, Elk M1, HAI Omni/Omni Pro, Honeywell Ademco Cista & Honewell Apex Destiny.

In regards to lighting we have our own zigbee based lighting devices for dimming & relay based on/off control. We also integrate 3rd party lighting systems such as Lutron, Clipsal Cbus, Dynalite, HPM iControl.

AV devices are relatively simple to integrate. Whether it be IR based, RS232 based or IP based. IP based AV devices are a bit harder to integrate but its just a matter of time.

Personally i have created Control4/XBMC powered cinema's where the lights turn down, curtains open, projector turns on, receiver turns on and sets itself to the right input and XBMC plays the movie you've selected on your touchscreen remote.

I could rave on forever about what you can or can't do with the system but at the end of the day its really upto you imagination.