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Home Automation Control GUI interface in XBMC with API - Dimming the Lights and such? - Printable Version

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- JabberwockPL - 2010-03-28

I'm glad that you succeeded! I am still building my system (actually, I am still building my house Smile ) so it will be some time before I implement anything...

As you said, internal support would be great, but it is good to see another solution working!


Home automation system - user123 - 2010-05-20

You can find some interesting home automation system at http://www.homesystem.com


- giantpopples - 2010-05-23

Hi !

It's actually pretty simple to make XBMC interacts with simple home automation. Big Grin

You have 2 possibilities (both Free), I tried both in xbmc Windows and xbmc Live.

I use one server running windows that do home automation stuff and 2 xbmc boxes (xbmc live or windows), but you can achieve the same thing on one computer.

So, the easiest way i think is using the fantastic program EventGhost (I use it as the central application for my home automation), you simply use the XBMC event listener plugin and you'll get message when xbmc plays a file, pause or resume. Then you link these events to action. I use this to control lightning (dim lights when a movie plays but only at night).

Or you can use xPL softwares to send specific messages to the network upon an xbmc actions. You have to write a script in python and make it autoload.

At the moment my only drawbacks is the lack of information on what can be broadcast through UDP by xbmc. For example i'd like to know the duration of the file that is playing to have different actions based on duration.

I'm new to this udp broadcast (i used xPL on my linux box before) so i may not have looked very well... Huh


- retret66 - 2011-01-02

I bought the usb-irt, does it work with eventghost and xbmc? thanks


- XMBC_FREAK - 2011-10-14

Nice work the only thing i would recommend is getting a serious server.

Don't take this wrong but windows 7 isn't a server its a workstation which you have turned on sharing. I could do into a lot of detail why this isn't an ideal setup or secure system but I wont. Unfortunately for me win7 doesn't cut it when you have mutiple XBMC stations through out the house as well as automation.

I currently run a windows 2k3 server for shares, IIS server, light control, sprinklers, and camera security system. I built my own UI to make it all come together in HTML. I have full control of my home including all of my tv's. Fortunately the amplifiers, plasmas, and LCD's I own have serial inputs for control. Through the serial connection I can control every function of my tv's and sound equipment.

Control comes with strategically place tablets one the wall and a docked Viewsonic v210 tablet on the coffee table as well as newer android Viewsonic G tablet from the kitchen.

I will say the entire thing would have not been possible without the httpapi commands available from XBMC and eventghost software. Once you figure out the communication it opens another world with XBMC. Also a note api's are usually available for different networked devices.

The hardest part is keeping up with language support when you have multiple devices in the house.


- Livin - 2011-10-15

retret66 Wrote:I bought the usb-irt, does it work with eventghost and xbmc? thanks

If you mean USB-UIRT then yes... many EG users (including myself) have them.

XBMC_FREAK Wrote:Nice work the only thing i would recommend is getting a serious server.

Don't take this wrong but windows 7 isn't a server its a workstation which you have turned on sharing. I could do into a lot of detail why this isn't an ideal setup or secure system but I wont. Unfortunately for me win7 doesn't cut it when you have mutiple XBMC stations through out the house as well as automation.

Sorry brother... that statement is just plain false.

In general, the core API set of Windows 7 and Win Server 2008 R2 are nearly identical.

Win7 has some hard coded limitations to make sure people are not getting around license models. It has nothing to do with capability.

As for networking/connectivity...
Win7 has a maximum of 20 users and over 16K open files PER SESSION.
- I highly doubt anyone in a home situation reaches that limit.

AND, as for the IP stack in Win7... it is the same as in Windows Server 2008 R2... and rock solid. This is no way you can say Win7 is lacking in a home situation.


- XMBC_FREAK - 2011-10-15

Everything looks good on paper have you pushed win7 running a variety of services from streaming to a bunch of clients at the same time. Also run a security cam server streaming to mutiples devices as well. My server is running eventghost and a large variety of macros and a couple serial ports control lights wireless devices and 2 zone amplifier.

Network equipment becomes important and real throughput on the server OS is a must. Also don't want to get into a d%ck match but your statement is like comparing a tangerines to oranges just because they are a fruit. MS makes a specific server OS why because like you stated its nearly same but its not.

My opinion is from personal experience windows 7 was not successful in my setup I have not tried w2k8 server at home yet but my system works flawless and why break it.

If it works for you great just my two cents and btw win7 Is still a workstation OS.


- XMBC_FREAK - 2011-10-15

Everything looks good on paper have you pushed win7 running a variety of services from streaming to a bunch of clients at the same time. Also run a security cam server streaming to mutiples devices as well.

Network equipment becomes important and real throughput on the server OS is a must. Also don't want to get into a d%ck match but your statement is like comparing a tangerines to oranges just because they are a fruit. MS makes a specific server OS why because like you stated its nearly same but its not.

My opinion is from personal experience windows 7 was not successful in my setup I have not tried w2k8 server at home yet but my system works flawless and why break it.


- Livin - 2011-10-15

XBMC_FREAK Wrote:Everything looks good on paper have you pushed win7 running a variety of services from streaming to a bunch of clients at the same time. Also run a security cam server streaming to mutiples devices as well.

This statement is another example showing you don't understand the OSes you are talking about.

XBMC_FREAK Wrote:Network equipment becomes important and real throughput on the server OS is a must. Also don't want to get into a d%ck match but your statement is like comparing a tangerines to oranges just because they are a fruit. MS makes a specific server OS why because like you stated its nearly same but its not.

My opinion is from personal experience windows 7 was not successful in my setup I have not tried w2k8 server at home yet but my system works flawless and why break it.

Since you keep pushing without backing up your statements with fact or evidence...

What exactly is your "personal experience"? What makes you the expert?

My personal experience, you ask? Sure...

5 years at Microsoft, 3 of them in Redmond.
- worked exclusively with Fortune 500 & 1000 companies as a consulting architect, operations specialist, and critical issue support
- worked directly with the Windows Server team, Exchange team, and several other app teams.
10 years as a Consultant for over a dozen Fortune 500 companies
- designed core infrastructures, large scale server and application design and deployments, etc
Currently focused on Business Intelligence (large scale databases) and Virtualization
- just spent a week in Redmond with Microsoft engineers and architects on these subjects, including specific reference architectures encompassing Windows 2008 R2, SQL 2008, Hyper-V including server hardware and storage.

... and much more.

I'm fine with people making statements they can backup with fact and/or evidence (as I did with API and IP stack statements) but if you have no real expertise on the subject matter, at least make your statements not sound like think you are the expert. Start them with "I think but I'm no expert"

I have a ton of experience and I don't call myself an expert. Even my signature on this forum pokes fun at it.

Will Windows 7 perform as good as Windows Server 2008 R2... yes, no, maybe... it depends on the workloads and hardware configs.

With the trivial stuff you are talking about... Yes, Win7 will perform perfectly fine and you'd be very unlikely to notice any difference between the two. If you turned off some of the Win7 services you did not need there would be no decipherable difference.