Re: [mh] Fast IO into Misterhouse?

[Eloy Paris <peloy@ch...>]

On 03/18/2011 04:14 PM, Marc MERLIN wrote:

[...]

> I actually thought my 1-wire hobby-boards 8 channel IO was going to be the
> fastest way to get a signal back, but I'm not sure if you can get owfs to
> trigger an event or if you have to keep polling it.

Since no device on a 1-wire can talk unless instructed to do so by the 
master I think you have to keep polling it.

There is an "alarm" directory at the top level of an owfs-mount 
directory, but I don't know how that is used.

Cheers,

Eloy Paris.-

Re: [mh] Fast IO into Misterhouse?

[Marc MERLIN <marc_mh@me...>]

On Fri, Mar 18, 2011 at 12:35:54PM -0500, Greg Moeller wrote:
> I'm in need of some fast(ish) lines into misterhouse.
> This would be for things like doors N such, triggering lights or events.
> I have a one wire based IO board but I don't think I can get very good 
> response time from it.  (and it doesn't latch so could totally miss a 
> door opening and closing)
> 
> What're folk using to detect someone opening a door and closing it 
> again?  (like the small door into the garage)

I use the cheapo DS10 that uses X10sec(RF). Unfortunately it's RF, so if you
miss the code, that's not so good.

I actually thought my 1-wire hobby-boards 8 channel IO was going to be the
fastest way to get a signal back, but I'm not sure if you can get owfs to
trigger an event or if you have to keep polling it.

Insteon IO would work, but it could still take 1sec for you to get the
signal.
Would that work?

Marc
-- 
"A mouse is a device used to point at the xterm you want to type in" - A.S.R.
Microsoft is to operating systems & security ....
                                      .... what McDonalds is to gourmet cooking
Home page: http://marc.merlins.org/  

Re: [mh] MH stops looping; suggestions?

[carl mcgrath <cmcgrath5035@co...>]

Matt

Were the OS diagnostics or MH diagnostics about memory?
What log file?

Thanks for the hint

On 3/18/2011 1:51 PM, Matthew Campbell wrote:
>
> My Insteon installation was reliable earlier this year and has been 
> static for a couple of months.  Last month the server started to die 
> every few days with out of memory diagnostics.  Don't know if it's 
> related to these other reports.
>
> Matt
>
> On Mar 18, 2011 10:33 AM, "Carl McGrath" <cmcgrath5035@... 
> <mailto:cmcgrath5035@...>> wrote:
> > I am running trunk, USB PLM and 30 Insteon clients.
> > Running on Debian.
> > MH runs as a daemon on a headless appliance (NSLU2).
> >
> > The only tasks I have for MH are
> > 1. Stay alive
> > 2. Run some light on/light off tasks periodically.
> >
> > For over a year, I have had very stable operation.
> >
> > Recently, and now with increasing frequency (12-48 hours), MH stops
> > looping, the web server stops serving, but the mh process stays 
> alive(ps
> > -A). In the captured output log, the per minute "Saving object state"
> > message stops and the lighting control stops too, consistent with the
> > loop stopping.
> > I have Debug for Insteon and Serial turned on.
> >
> > I have not made any updates to MH code in quite a while (I know I 
> should
> > probably update to latest svn).
> > I do periodically update the Debian files (apt-get) so some updates to
> > Perl could have happened.
> >
> > I see nothing in the various MH logs, nor anything in the Debian logs,
> > to hint at what might be happening.
> >
> > I do see what I perceive to be more MH pauses than I think I used to,
> > but gave never paid a whole lot of attention.
> > Some of the "mh stops looping" events have been at mh pauses, but 
> not all.
> >
> > Any debug thoughts out there?
> > Thanks in advance.
> >
> >
> > 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Colocation vs. Managed Hosting
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> > for your organization - today and in the future.
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> > To unsubscribe from this list, go to: 
> http://sourceforge.net/mail/?group_id=1365
> >
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Colocation vs. Managed Hosting
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> for your organization - today and in the future.
> http://p.sf.net/sfu/internap-sfd2d
>
>
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>

Re: [mh] MH stops looping; suggestions?

[Matthew Campbell <dvdmatt@gm...>]

My Insteon installation was reliable earlier this year and has been static
for a couple of months.  Last month the server started to die every few days
with out of memory diagnostics.  Don't know if it's related to these other
reports.

Matt
 On Mar 18, 2011 10:33 AM, "Carl McGrath" <cmcgrath5035@...> wrote:
> I am running trunk, USB PLM and 30 Insteon clients.
> Running on Debian.
> MH runs as a daemon on a headless appliance (NSLU2).
>
> The only tasks I have for MH are
> 1. Stay alive
> 2. Run some light on/light off tasks periodically.
>
> For over a year, I have had very stable operation.
>
> Recently, and now with increasing frequency (12-48 hours), MH stops
> looping, the web server stops serving, but the mh process stays alive(ps
> -A). In the captured output log, the per minute "Saving object state"
> message stops and the lighting control stops too, consistent with the
> loop stopping.
> I have Debug for Insteon and Serial turned on.
>
> I have not made any updates to MH code in quite a while (I know I should
> probably update to latest svn).
> I do periodically update the Debian files (apt-get) so some updates to
> Perl could have happened.
>
> I see nothing in the various MH logs, nor anything in the Debian logs,
> to hint at what might be happening.
>
> I do see what I perceive to be more MH pauses than I think I used to,
> but gave never paid a whole lot of attention.
> Some of the "mh stops looping" events have been at mh pauses, but not all.
>
> Any debug thoughts out there?
> Thanks in advance.
>
>
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Colocation vs. Managed Hosting
> A question and answer guide to determining the best fit
> for your organization - today and in the future.
> http://p.sf.net/sfu/internap-sfd2d
> ________________________________________________________
> To unsubscribe from this list, go to:
http://sourceforge.net/mail/?group_id=1365
>

[mh] Fast IO into Misterhouse?

[Greg Moeller <hauto@ga...>]

I'm in need of some fast(ish) lines into misterhouse.
This would be for things like doors N such, triggering lights or events.
I have a one wire based IO board but I don't think I can get very good 
response time from it.  (and it doesn't latch so could totally miss a 
door opening and closing)

What're folk using to detect someone opening a door and closing it 
again?  (like the small door into the garage)

Greg

[mh] MH stops looping; suggestions?

[Carl McGrath <cmcgrath5035@co...>]

I am running trunk, USB PLM and 30 Insteon clients.
Running on Debian.
MH runs as a daemon on a headless appliance (NSLU2).

The only tasks I have for MH are
1. Stay alive
2. Run some light on/light off tasks periodically.

For over a year, I have had very stable operation.

Recently, and now with increasing frequency (12-48 hours), MH stops 
looping, the web server stops serving, but the mh process stays alive(ps 
-A). In the captured output log, the per minute "Saving object state" 
message stops and the lighting control stops too, consistent with the 
loop stopping.
I have Debug for Insteon and Serial turned on.

I have not made any updates to MH code in quite a while (I know I should 
probably update to latest svn).
I do periodically update the Debian files (apt-get) so some updates to 
Perl could have happened.

I see nothing in the various MH logs, nor anything in the Debian logs, 
to hint at what might be happening.

I do see what I perceive to be more MH pauses than I think I used to, 
but gave never paid a whole lot of attention.
Some of the "mh stops looping" events have been at mh pauses, but not all.

Any debug thoughts out there?
Thanks in advance.

Re: [mh] Insteon Fluorescent Lighting control

[Marc MERLIN <marc_mh@me...>]

On Thu, Mar 17, 2011 at 10:55:04PM -0400, Eloy Paris wrote:
> I only have an old X10 appliance switch that I use for outside holiday 
> lights (so I am not using it right now) so I can't comment much on 
> mixing INSTEON and X10. I can say that my holiday lights work fine 
> during holiday season, though.
> 
> I am aware of a few people in the list that are mixing both successfully.

It kind of works, but only kinda.

My A16 X10 devices were being turned off pretty reliably (annoying for
garage doors) when I know for sure I never was sending A16 off.
I am convinced that some insteon traffic just ended up looking like A16off
from time to time and was triggering an off on X10.

I also had quirks on my insteon light switches when I gave them an X10 code:
they inexplicably turned on or off from time to time, likely for a similar
reason. It's just too easy for random powerline traffic to look like an X10
command.

I still have some X10 devices that never turn on or off by themselves, but
you may have to find a code that doesn't look like other traffic that might
flow through your wires.

X10RF is a different animal and works totally fine at the same time than
insteon RF (they likely don't even share the same RF frequencies).

Hope this helps.

Marc
-- 
"A mouse is a device used to point at the xterm you want to type in" - A.S.R.
Microsoft is to operating systems & security ....
                                      .... what McDonalds is to gourmet cooking
Home page: http://marc.merlins.org/  

Re: [mh] Insteon Fluorescent Lighting control

[Eloy Paris <peloy@ch...>]

Hi Paul,

On 03/17/2011 08:10 PM, Paul Caccamo wrote:

> Hi Everyone; Now that I've got MH up and running with my status
> monitoring board (Ethernet I/0),

Curious to know more about this Ethernet I/O board you mention ;-)

> I'm ready
> to start implementing some lighting control with motion sensors.
> Most of my house lighting is fluorscent (CFL's) or regular tube style.
> My first thought is Insteon hardware...
> I'm planning to buy a 24413U as the interface, 2876S or 2876SB as my
> switches, and 2420M for the motion sensors.

I use the ICON relay switches (2876SB). I went with them because most of 
my lights are CFLs so I couldn't use the dimmer version of the switches 
(there's a chance things would have worked, but I didn't want to take 
any risks). The SwitchLinc Relay switches (2876S) will also work.

My PLM is a 2413U and I use it under Linux.

I also have a couple of the 2420M motion sensors. I like them a lot 
although they are pricier than their X10 counterparts.

> (I have a 3 way switch in one hallway, but I understand in reading the
> docs that it is possible to set up 3 and 4 way
> switching fairly easily).

Yes, n-way switch configurations are not a problem at all. You create 
"scenes" where toggling one switch tells many other devices to toggle as 
well.

> I might also buy some appliance modules 2856S3B (a 5 pack) for assorted
> other devices that will be on
> MH timers (block heaters for the vehicles etc).
> My house is about 20 years old, and in all of the light switches I've
> checked, they all have a neutral wire present.

Yes, having a neutral wire is key for INSTEON although I understand they 
now have a product that does not require a neutral wire. I have no 
experience with that, though.

> Is there anything else anyone can suggest - perhaps I should get a phase
> coupler right off the bat as well?

Phase coupler as in phase bridge? If so, then yes, you definitely want 
to have an access point or other dual-band device that can bridge your 
two phases.

> My MH computer is behind a UPS, so the interface will be plugged into
> the wall where the UPS is plugged in.
> (Should I get a filter as well?)

Yes, get FilterLincs for everything behind an UPS. They actually 
recommend to put anything with a switching power supply behind a 
FilterLinc, although I just have my UPS' since otherwise I'd have too 
many FilterLincs.

> One thought I had was to replace the insteon motion sensor units with
> the X10 variety(MS16A),
> and purchase an RF501 transceiver to interface with the insteon. Is that
> feasible (sense with X10 and control insteon?
> - or should I also get and set up an X10 powerline interface for MH as
> well?

An INSTEON PLM will be able to talk to your X10 powerline devices so I 
don't think you'll need an X10 powerline interface.

> Is it a problem to mix and match or should I stay with one family of
> devices?

I only have an old X10 appliance switch that I use for outside holiday 
lights (so I am not using it right now) so I can't comment much on 
mixing INSTEON and X10. I can say that my holiday lights work fine 
during holiday season, though.

I am aware of a few people in the list that are mixing both successfully.

Before you buy anything I highly recommend that you read this page very 
carefully from top to bottom since there is a lot of good advice there:

http://misterhouse.wikispaces.com/Insteon

There are several sections that provide great insight into some of the 
questions you have -- "Should you use X10 with Insteon?", "Insteon and 
filters", "Insteon for the X10 user", "Dimming CFLs support", etc.

> Any thoughts are welcome from those who have gone before... ;-)

There are two MisterHouse branches you should be aware of -- "trunk", 
a.k.a. the "stable" branch, and the "insteon" branch were MisterHouse 
developer Gregg Liming is developing the next generation INSTEON stack 
in MisterHouse. I'd recommend that you start with the trunk because 
linking works there. Once you are comfortable and have a working setup 
you could give the "insteon" branch a try. A few of us here are running 
the "insteon" branch and are happy with it. It is still under 
development, though, so you must be aware that some things may break or 
not work at all.

Cheers,

Eloy Paris.-

Re: [mh] Insteon Fluorescent Lighting control

[carl mcgrath <cmcgrath5035@co...>]

Hi Paul

I plug my 2413U PLM into the front of a 1626-10 FilterLinc (the 
unfiltered pass thru from the socket).,
then plug my UPS into the bottom port (filtered).
I also filter all other UPS units in the house.

I also have a 2406H hardwired coupler installed

I have 26 insteon elements in my home, get "2 hops left" on nearly all 
communications (that means good signal).

If you are new to Insteon, I suggest you consider a whole home surge 
protector for your breaker box - I live in South Florida, summer 
lightening has taken its toll. May not be an issue for you.

On 3/17/2011 8:10 PM, Paul Caccamo wrote:
> Hi Everyone; Now that I've got MH up and running with my status 
> monitoring board (Ethernet I/0), I'm ready
> to start implementing some lighting control with motion sensors.
> Most of my house lighting is fluorscent (CFL's) or regular tube style.
> My first thought is Insteon hardware...
> I'm planning to buy a 24413U as the interface, 2876S or 2876SB as my 
> switches, and 2420M for the motion sensors.
> (I have a 3 way switch in one hallway, but I understand in reading the 
> docs that it is possible to set up 3 and 4 way
> switching fairly easily).
> I might also buy some appliance modules 2856S3B (a 5 pack) for 
> assorted other devices that will be on
> MH timers (block heaters for the vehicles etc).
> My house is about 20 years old, and in all of the light switches I've 
> checked, they all have a neutral wire present.
> Is there anything else anyone can suggest - perhaps I should get a 
> phase coupler right off the bat as well?
> My MH computer is behind a UPS, so the interface will be plugged into 
> the wall where the UPS is plugged in.
> (Should I get a filter as well?)
> One thought I had was to replace the insteon motion sensor units with 
> the X10 variety(MS16A),
> and purchase an RF501 transceiver to interface with the insteon.  Is 
> that feasible (sense with X10 and control insteon?
> - or should I also get and set up an X10 powerline interface for MH as 
> well?
> Is it a problem to mix and match or should I stay with one family of 
> devices?
> Any thoughts are welcome from those who have gone before... ;-)
> Anyone else in Northern Ontario playing with this?
> Thanks..
> Paul
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Colocation vs. Managed Hosting
> A question and answer guide to determining the best fit
> for your organization - today and in the future.
> http://p.sf.net/sfu/internap-sfd2d
>
>
> ________________________________________________________
> To unsubscribe from this list, go to: http://sourceforge.net/mail/?group_id=1365
>

Re: [mh] Tsunami Warning through Email

[Garry Doucette <garry.doucette@sh...>]

Ralph and Marc
 
That certainly gives me some things to look at...
 
Thanks for taking the time.
 
Garry

  _____  

From: Ralph Mitchell [mailto:ralphmitchell@...] 
Sent: March 17, 2011 4:36 PM
To: The main list for the MisterHouse home automation program
Subject: Re: [mh] Tsunami Warning through Email


On Thu, Mar 17, 2011 at 3:54 PM, Marc MERLIN <marc_mh@...> wrote:


On Thu, Mar 17, 2011 at 12:47:12PM -0700, Garry Doucette wrote:
> Hi Guys
>
> I live in an area that needs to be concerned about Tsunami. My mother
in-law
> is in her 70's and lives in an inundation zone. Last week we had to go and
> get her from her house and move her to higher ground while the Tsunami
> Warning was in effect. I did actually receive emails of the warning but it
> was 3:00 am and the family was sound asleep. It would have been nice to
have
> been woken up.
>
> I'd like to have Misterhouse monitor a Gmail account (already set up) for
> messages from the West Coast Tsunami Warning Center and announce when a
> warning is in effect. This is something I've wanted to do for awhile now
but
> obviously in light of recent events it seems much more urgent.
>
> I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction. Is there some code
> that will get me started that will check an email account and have
> Misterhouse read the contents of an email.


If it were me, I would use fetchmail to download Email via imap while
leaving it on the server, pipe it through procmail and have procmail run any
command on pattern match.
Said command could then be to trigger an mh event with mhsend.

Mind you, there are other ways to do it, but that one sounds the easiest to
me because it involves as little code writing as possible :)


I'm part way through setting up an email responder for something completely
different, but the same approach would work here.  I have an old PC running
openSuSE with sendmail listening on port 25.  I can put an alias in
/etc/aliases:

   bigfatwave:   "|/usr/local/bin/tsunami.sh"

then sign up for email alerts with "bigfatwave@..." as the
address.  When email comes to that address it will be piped through the
script.  The email is delivered into the script on the standard input
stream, with the email headers (From, To, Subject, etc) first, then a blank
line, then the body of the message.  Obviously the script can do pretty much
anything, and in any language.  This approach has several benefits:

  1) The email comes in right after being sent, so I don't have to poll an
external server regularly
  2) I don't have to pattern match on the email headers.
  3) In fact, I don't actually need to evaluate the email at all, because I
*know* I've only used that address for the tsunami warning emails...

Ralph Mitchell

[mh] Insteon Fluorescent Lighting control

[Paul Caccamo <paul@ci...>]

Hi Everyone; Now that I've got MH up and running with my status monitoring board (Ethernet I/0), I'm ready
to start implementing some lighting control with motion sensors.
Most of my house lighting is fluorscent (CFL's) or regular tube style.
My first thought is Insteon hardware...
I'm planning to buy a 24413U as the interface, 2876S or 2876SB as my switches, and 2420M for the motion sensors.
(I have a 3 way switch in one hallway, but I understand in reading the docs that it is possible to set up 3 and 4 way
switching fairly easily).
I might also buy some appliance modules 2856S3B (a 5 pack) for assorted other devices that will be on
MH timers (block heaters for the vehicles etc).
My house is about 20 years old, and in all of the light switches I've checked, they all have a neutral wire present.
Is there anything else anyone can suggest - perhaps I should get a phase coupler right off the bat as well?
My MH computer is behind a UPS, so the interface will be plugged into the wall where the UPS is plugged in.
(Should I get a filter as well?)

One thought I had was to replace the insteon motion sensor units with the X10 variety(MS16A), 
and purchase an RF501 transceiver to interface with the insteon.  Is that feasible (sense with X10 and control insteon?
- or should I also get and set up an X10 powerline interface for MH as well? 
Is it a problem to mix and match or should I stay with one family of devices?

Any thoughts are welcome from those who have gone before... ;-)
Anyone else in Northern Ontario playing with this?
Thanks..
Paul