STV Import: HAL Home Automation

[mikejaner]

Has anybody tried this with version 6.3? Just curious to know, since I am beginning my adventure into home automation.

[CollinR]

This is sweet, I have mine up and going.

A little later I will provide some documentation and new download links for you guys.

[rwc]

This sounds great (and I'm just starting to look into home automation)...but the downloads aren't working. Does anybody have updated links?

Thanks,

rwc

[CollinR]

I am planning to redocument and host this but I just got it running on v6.3 last night. So just subscibe to this thread and it'll be here later tonight/tomorrow.

[CollinR]

Okay here are the files at least.

This is not ready for the current GUI, it needs some modifications to match the current (IIRC 6.4+ interface).

I fear it may have a conflict with a couple of existing plugins but I haven't nailed any down. I know it works with most all of the major default interface plugins.

This is what you MUST do to get this working.

Install (your choice)

Home Automated Living's

HAL Deluxe version 3.7 (Most basic install that supports this plugin, I use it.)
HAL 2000 v3.7 (Premium end user install, supports hardware IO and IR.)
HAL Pro v3.7 (Professionally installed by a HAL dealer.)

DO NOT DOWNLOAD/INSTALL HALi APPLICATION!!!

HAL Basic will not work it does not support HALi. If you attempt it's trial you will not be able to trial Deluxe or 2000.

Comparison Chart

Okay install as normal, you need not install to any specific directory. You need not install on the same server as SageTV. As mentioned the correct! version of HALi is already included in HAL* v3.7, the seperate download of HALi will break this plugin. Do not install it.

(If you by chance do install HALi seperately, uninstall HAL and HALi, remove it's directory and reinstall HAL* v3.7 alone. This will not effect the trial time for trial users.)

Okay HAL should be installed and working by itself at this point.

Download the following package.
HALiTS

Install HALiTS on the SAME machine as HAL* v3.7

If you got the wrong Hali file you will know right now as HALiTS will not run.

Now you have your SageTV side:

You must have Dynamic Menus installed.

Download the following package.
Sage-HAL

Install this as any other plugin, stop the service, move the files and restart the service. Then import the stvi. Use dynamic menus to add the HAL menus to your GUI.

If you have HAL and Sage on seperate machines you will need to modify your properties file. This will also require you to stop the SageTV service

halPlugin/ServerIP=HALSERVERIP
halPlugin/ServerPort=3001
halPlugin/VMDir=\\\\PATH\\TO\\VOICEMAIL

and restart it.

By default it will work with SageTV and HAL on the same box, this is probably most common.

-----------


The device controls work via the MVP, no troubles.

I do not have a land line and as such do not see the voicemail options, they may work too.

Hopefully we can find a developer to help us with the updates of the interface.

Here is what you should expect:

[Bohica]

Thanks guys - for watching over this the last year or so. I have been out of touch since the birth of our child, but am now back and have rebuilt my sage server and reinstalled HAL. I now have control over my house again - and am setting up my development environment to update this plugin. The guys at HAL have been nice enough to give me an advanced copy to make sure this plugin will work with the upcoming release, so I will be taking requests on features you would like to see for the hal plugin.

First - I know some will want support for SageMC. I will do it this time, although I want to update the default STV plugin first. I am also planning on adding security system support as well as HVAC - so no need to ask. I am also going to take a more in-depth look at voicemail control through this application. Any other requests?

I would really like to ask for graphics support from someone who is really good at graphics, so if you are feel free to offer your services

Once I get it updated - I will see what I can do to support the SageMC factions...

Collin - thanks for picking up the ball and running with hosting and documentation. I actually had to read through yours to get my own plugin working again When I release a new version, I will document and host it again - until then thanks for the help.

Cheers,

Tim

[CollinR]

The request I would have is actually in HALiTS and probably not too probable.

I would really like to see a means of using this plugin with other systems like EventGhost, Girder, CQC and bunches more. You think it is possible to make a common gateway to the SageTV GUI?

It really amazes me how well the stv actually works, but I have had many troubles with HAL in general.

[pjpjpjpj]

I don't have time right now to read through all the HAL info on their page, but can someone answer a few quick questions?

1) I see that there are plug-in boxes for items like table lamps - that makes sense because the system could "see" the box out on the house circuitry. But what kind of gadgetry is needed to make a permanently-mounted light (on a switch, or two 3-way switches) "seen"? Do you buy a replacement wall switch? Or can the system somehow figure out what branch you are looking for?

2) Since HVAC controls are low-voltage, what kind of adaptor is needed there? A new HAL-specific thermostat? I'm in that biz so I know there are plenty of HVAC controls out there that can talk to computers but I was wondering what is used/needed in this application.

I'm intrigued.... very intrigued... give me some good answers so I can make a nice "proposal" to my wife!

[CollinR]

Originally Posted by pjpjpjpj

1) I see that there are plug-in boxes for items like table lamps - that makes sense because the system could "see" the box out on the house circuitry. But what kind of gadgetry is needed to make a permanently-mounted light (on a switch, or two 3-way switches) "seen"? Do you buy a replacement wall switch? Or can the system somehow figure out what branch you are looking for?

You can also buy outlets, switches, dimmers and 3 way companions for most if not all technologies. The most common, cheapest and lowest quality being x10 based on powerline transmissions. You can also go old school and hardwire contactors. There are quite a few options, x10, Insteon, UPB, Z Wave to name a few good for retrofitting. LiteJet, Centralite and ALC are good for new construction and are hardwired systems.

Originally Posted by pjpjpjpj

2) Since HVAC controls are low-voltage, what kind of adaptor is needed there? A new HAL-specific thermostat? I'm in that biz so I know there are plenty of HVAC controls out there that can talk to computers but I was wondering what is used/needed in this application.

I'm intrigued.... very intrigued... give me some good answers so I can make a nice "proposal" to my wife!

Again the door is open with controllers like the Elk M1 and the HAI Omni you can either use a "smart" conventional thermostat or you can use many temp sensors and use relays to trigger the HVAC controls and even dampers to provide per room controls. It depends on your budget both $ and time in building and configuring.

[Wirenut]

Hey Bohica!

Thanks for stoppin back in, dude! I use your plug-in everyday. Totally sweet. I haven't had much trouble with my HAL system... and Sage too... everything's humming along fairly nicely.

The updates you suggest, are exactly what I was looking for.

Oh, and I did forward the HaliTS and HalImport STV and source stuff over to Tim on the HAL board. He was very interested in the plugin and making sure it would work with the soon to be released Hal 4.0.

I would be willing to help beta-test with you if you need it.

As for graphics.... uhm... I'm not so hot.

But thanks again,

Wirenut

[Brent94Z]

Excellent, Bohica! Great to see you back

Just a reminder, I posted about thermostat control in post #40 of this tread. I am no where near knowledgeable enough to do this myself or even know if it can be done but thought I'd throw an idea out there for ya

This seems like it would be either really easy or really hard. LOL but one thing that would work great is if it is somehow possible to access Outlook's Calendar data... and Calendar data on a different computer on the network since my Sage computer doesn't have Outlook installed. I did some Google searching and it *seems* like this is doable. What I do when I input my work schedule into Outlook is use the recurring feature. This allows me to input my 5 week shift rotation fairly easily and have it in the calendar for as long as I want. The idea would be to have Hal/Sage access this data then look at all appointments that might be titled "Work" for example. The plug-in would then use "Work" times for the times in which a temperature set-back would occur. Options in the plug-in might be an "add time" before and after the "Work" Appointments. Example... I might work from 7am to 7pm at night. Takes me an hour to get to work so for the "add time beginning" I might put "1 hr" here and that would actually make the setback start at 6am. Might as well set back the thermostat when I'm not there. It then takes an hour to get home too and 30 minutes to cool the house back down so I might put "30 min" (or .5 hr) for the after setting so the thermostat goes back to the normal setting at 7:30pm and the house is at the proper temperature at 8pm when I arrive home.

Another option instead of just having one Appointment be recognized for the setback make it so you can add additional ones. My calendar doesn't actually say "Work" it has "Days" for day shift and "Nights" for night shift. It would then be cool if, for example, I went on a 2 week vacation I could add to the list of appointments to recognize for sending set-back data something like "Vacation". Then, if you really wanted to get fancy, you could input a different set-back value for each differently named appointment in your list. And maybe those who don't want to use setback values it would use actual temperature values instead but that might be getting a bit carried away. LOL

The concept seems simple and reasonable but I have NO CLUE how or even if Outlook Calendar data can be accessed. The hardest part about my request for shift workers and people who need something more versatile than 9-5 M-F and weekends off would seem to be the "calender engine" which you would use to input the complex schedule. Since Outlook already has this ability built in, IF the appointment data can be accessed... there you go!!! hahaa

Just some ideas. You might read this and say "YEAH RIGHT!!!" or read it and say "Yeah, no problem to access that information!" LOL!

Thanks for reading this one. I'm sure I'll have more ideas too

Edit: I know you previously talked about creating rules and such in Hal to do what I wanted to do but this idea was just to put everything together in Outlook so when I go on vacation and my schedule changes, I only have to change it in one place. Might be too much to ask though... especially if the bugs are not yet fixed that you mentioned. DOH!

Edit2: Just got thinking... doesn't have to be the Outlook Calendar. If Google Calendar is easier, that would be great too!

[Bohica]

Originally Posted by CollinR

The request I would have is actually in HALiTS and probably not too probable.

I would really like to see a means of using this plugin with other systems like EventGhost, Girder, CQC and bunches more. You think it is possible to make a common gateway to the SageTV GUI?

It really amazes me how well the stv actually works, but I have had many troubles with HAL in general.

Collin - do you mean modify or create a different version of HALiTS to work with other applications like HomeSeer? I didnt know Girder even played in this space... I will look at EventGhost -- already looked at CQC a while back. But - I have to say I am very happy with HAL for me. Out of curiosity -- what are the problems with HAL?

The STV is designed fairly heavily around HAL and the HALi control. Basically I mimicked most of the functions in HALi - in HALiTS - and then wrote a java client that uses HALiTS. The STV plugin really just asks the java client for information and passes on events from the user. But it could be possible to make the interface more generic so that it could use other plugins... I will give it some thought when I get some time post update.

[Bohica]

Originally Posted by Wirenut

Hey Bohica!

Thanks for stoppin back in, dude! I use your plug-in everyday. Totally sweet. I haven't had much trouble with my HAL system... and Sage too... everything's humming along fairly nicely.

Thanks - glad it works well for you. I personally have not had it working for almost a year (maybe more).... ever since my hal modem went on the fritz. I am still trying to find a replacement - but have HAL working again... and am ready to begin updating this soon....

Originally Posted by Wirenut

Oh, and I did forward the HaliTS and HalImport STV and source stuff over to Tim on the HAL board. He was very interested in the plugin and making sure it would work with the soon to be released Hal 4.0.

I would be willing to help beta-test with you if you need it.

I will shoot you a PM when some testing is needed - I dont know when in the next few days or weeks that I will dive in to this again - but soon... and thanks for mentioning it to Tim - he reached out to me and is hooking me with some free software to test. Hope the plugin makes him money

[Bohica]

I know we discussed this before... and yeah it is a little out there - but I will look at the messaging capability of HALi and see if there is anything there worth integrating....

But again - you really should be able to do all of this in HAL alone - and not need this plugin for much. I dont want to divert this thread to HAL - but you could set house modes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd shifts -- each mode triggering a different set of rules for how to control your thermostats. It could do exactly as you said - shut off the heat when you leave and turn it on 30 minutes before you get home. You could then simply change the house mode to the appropriate shift every time you change... or set up some way to remotely trigger the change via email (I know people have done that -- saw it somewhere).... but either way dont know why the sage component needs to do much to fix that for you?? I had planned on exposing house modes in the new version - so switching would be simple if you do that manually (my house modes change based on time of day)....

[jaminben]

Originally Posted by Bohica

First - I know some will want support for SageMC. I will do it this time, although I want to update the default STV plugin first.

Any chance this is still in development? Having just got my HD extender I cannot now use my PC and Girder as my home automation UI and am looking for another way of interacting with my x10 devices via the lounge TV.

Heres hoping this customization hasn't got binned just yet.

[CollinR]

I'm still here but my skills haven't improved any.


I have improved my stability of HAL Deluxe and would have considered HAL2000 had the prices not been so different.


You can use Girder with dynamic menus, no problems I can somewhat do it still with EventGhost however I only have 1 CM11a so I have to use the HAL command line interface. This is far less powerful that that of Girder or EventGhost.

[jaminben]

How would you go about using Sagemc & dynamic menus with Girder bearing in mind that all controls will have to be routed through the extender to the server.

As you can proberly tell I have no skills in this area at all

[CollinR]

Install Girder or EventGhost on the server and use it's command line interface to launch macros from the menu items you create.

[jaminben]

Originally Posted by CollinR

Install Girder or EventGhost on the server and use it's command line interface to launch macros from the menu items you create.

Ok, Thanks I'll give it a whirl later tonight.

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by Bohica

The STV plugin really just asks the java client for information and passes on events from the user. But it could be possible to make the interface more generic so that it could use other plugins... I will give it some thought when I get some time post update.

I am guessing you never did get time to update and think about it... I know that I might be interested for MainLobby, and I guess beelzerob might gave some interest for CQC...