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Gadgets
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| Posted: March 10 2008 at 02:25 | IP Logged
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Come on now, there has to be some other cool, fun, or handy ideas out there people are doing with PowerHome... 
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judetf
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| Posted: March 10 2008 at 10:34 | IP Logged
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It was only just this weekend that I finally got a KPL in my garage which is where we leave the house from, and return through, every day. Untangling a 3-way switch took the better part of the day, so I didn't get to do any programming, but my mind is now racing with my "home/away" variables, and how I'll make use of it.
Solving for light timing macros that give us the lights we want, when we want them, but only if the sun isn't already up, has been helpful (so that porch lights don't come on too early based on when we'll get home, and not at all if the sun is still up).
I plan to get an IRLink soon, and my goal will be to also install whole-house IR distribution. My theory is that if I can centralize one IRLink, and use whole-house IR distribution, I'll be able to use any remote control in any room with a TV (since we have the same remote in each room), and control Insteon.
I've configured Radmin so that I can play and tweak from work. ;)
I control lights from my Treo via the webserver.
I hope soon to have my new Blackberry, with its GPS tracking, be able to turn lights on when I pull into the driveway (or on the block; or turn on the heat when I get off the train, or.....)
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Gadgets
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| Posted: March 10 2008 at 14:48 | IP Logged
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Holy cra...... I guess that would cover server "fun ideas" in one there! I could only wish to go that far.. my wife would be looking for a place of her own I think! 
That is some very sweet planning you got going on.
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judetf
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| Posted: March 10 2008 at 21:04 | IP Logged
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I'm lucky in that the wife and I commute together, so all the home/away stuff is fully applicable for both of us. And it means I can play remotely during the day without it annoying anyone...
She's only willing to tolerate it so far as it either benefits her or, at the very least, doesn't cause her any undo consternation.
If I get the IR stuff working the way I envision, I think she'll be thrilled. She's a TV-kind of person, so controlling lights from anyplace where a remote is accessible floats her boat.
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Gadgets
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| Posted: March 11 2008 at 00:47 | IP Logged
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Isn't it funny how most (if not all) of us have a similar spousal problem when it comes to us having fun.  Mine is similar to your's I think. She grumbles sometimes about what I'm doing, but then when ever it's not working, she complaining because it's not!
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BeachBum
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| Posted: March 11 2008 at 10:38 | IP Logged
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Mine lights a candle when everything else fails… 
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Gadgets
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| Posted: March 11 2008 at 15:14 | IP Logged
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BeachBum wrote:
| Mine lights a candle when everything else fails… |
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Candle? I have battery back-up lights here.. if they go dead.. I just go to bed.
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onhiatus
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| Posted: March 11 2008 at 15:25 | IP Logged
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Ah, but if your battery powered back up lights aren't turned on by automation what is the point? (Never mind a power failure would mean no computer) Which means when all else fails - well, my wife has used a candle as well
My wife is like Gadget's the best I can hope for is that she rolls her eyes and goes on about the "Honey Do" list. But if I break something while tweaking things she complains. In fact, I concider the complaint the official letter of acceptance.
Edited by onhiatus - March 11 2008 at 21:08
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Gadgets
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| Posted: March 11 2008 at 20:35 | IP Logged
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onhiatus wrote:
| Ah, but if your battery powered back up lights aren't turned on by automation what is the point? (Never mind a power failure would mean no computer) |
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Ah, but if the HA computer is on a UPS, it would have time to switch on the back-up lights... oh wait, no power, no x10 signals.... hmmm, ok need to have a relay connected to a parallel port of something that PH could toggle, on power loss which would turn on the back-up lights. Then the UPS batteries could feel free to die!
We do keep candles handy though...
Edited by Gadgets - March 11 2008 at 20:36
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judetf
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| Posted: April 25 2008 at 08:16 | IP Logged
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I just did something that I think is relatively cool:
At the moment I have only one Switchlinc in the bedroom (and no other Insteon devices). I get up first and wanted a way to begin a slow ramp on of the lights to wake the wife. But the rest of the time I want the SL to behave normally (ie, no macros or triggers associated, and a normal ramprate).
I couldn't come up with a direct way to do this. If I turned the SL on, it first went full on before any other code could execute. And timed events to change the status of the device before I got up wouldn't work because of the limitations of setting ramp-rates programatically.
So here's what I did: I already have a PLC group for the SL with a slow ramp. I created a trigger that gets enabled by a timed event before I get up. The trigger checks for Insteon Device Change for the SL where the trigger value is _off_. And here's the formula:
ph_delay(5000)+
ph_insteongroupcu("5 MIN RAMP","MBR",ion)+
ph_disabletrigger("WAKE WIFE")
By firing on an 'off' command, I am able get the trigger to "do" something without having been forced to do anything first (since the light is presumably already off when I press the off button). The 5-second delay is to make sure the group on command fires after the local 'off' command has completed. And then the trigger disables itself because I won't need the functionality until the next morning (when the timed event reenables it). (I also have a timed event to disable the trigger a little while after I normally get up, in case there are mornings when I don't do this.)
Might be trite, but _I_ think it's a nifty idea. :)
jtf
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dhoward
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| Posted: April 27 2008 at 17:27 | IP Logged
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Jtf,
Excellent use of PowerHome, triggers, and Insteon. This is a perfect example to show what is possible by adding a computer (with software) into your automation solution.
Dave.
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Topic: Fun ideas
