Xlobby and PowerHome

[Mannyman]

I wrote a short overview on integrating Xlobby with PowerHome.

http://mannyman.googlepages.com/part12

The tutorial focuses on lights, but you can have any PowerHome connected devices actuate a trigger that will in turn control Xlobby (your motion detectors can have Xlobby go to your web/security-cam screens, etc.).

Prerequisites:
Colby's Guides: http://xlobby.incolby.com/

Steven Hannah's Toggle Buttons thread: http://www.xlobby.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4201

XSend-XReceive thread: http://www.xlobby.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... ight=xsend

[cmhardwick]

Manny,

Great work on this, and I actually FINALLY got it working on mine (proper spacing in the commands is CRITICAL!)

One question I have is the "light on" button. I can find all the buttons I need, except the yellow one for Light On. Can you either upload/share that or tell me what skin you pulled it from?

Now just to find one for Ceiling fans

[Mannyman]

I'm gonna cry.
I started to think no one here would find this useful.

If I can get the image from home here at work, I'll put a link to it.
(http://fast.filespace.org/Mannyman/liteon.png)
Again Super-Duper-Jedi-Skinning-Master Colby should get credit for any buttons I have.
For the light-on I just mixed in a yellow radiant gradiant circle behind the image and saved it. (It was a lucky mistake that I would not be able to duplicate.)

Also, I sent Colby a little Paypal love as a token of my appreciation, when I first started using his skin.
It makes me feel better about the requests for new buttons I've been begging for in another thread
http://www.xlobby.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4958.

He's way cool about sharing his talent ; so it wouldn't hurt to ask re. ceiling fans.
I'll introduce the two of you.

**Newsflash***
Colby came through with the fan buttons:
http://xlobby.incolby.com/Zips/autopak.zip

[smarty]

Manny,
FYI...your first posts made me look into using Xlobby. Now, I have made extensive use of the combination of Xlobby, PowerHome, Elk Plugin (for X-lobby) and a couple of Fujitsu 3500 touchscreens.

I feel the integration has been pretty decent. Just waiting for decent Insteon control and triggers.....

[Mannyman]

Smarty and Cicero,
When you have some time share your work (Screengrabs or videos.)
I always get new ideas (ok, copy ideas)when I see how others have implemented their set-ups.

Next step for me is mounting the touchscreens while the wife isn't looking...

[cmhardwick]

Ok, I FINALLY got around to working on my Automation screen. There will most likely be a "subscreen" to this one for some specific scenes I've got and use. I haven't integrated it with PowerHome yet because Dave is working on some new triggers that will make it MUCH easier.

Manny, Here's a screen shot of what I have so far.

Thanks to Badabing for his GREAT Burlwood skin and to Colby for his beautiful Home Automation Buttons!

[Mannyman]

That's great.
Thanks for sharing.

Manny

[cmhardwick]

I was wondering if you were still around. Hadn't seen much from you lately.

A couple of questions on the PH side of it. How many triggers do you have for each device? Currently, I'm finding currently that I have to setup an on and off for when the switch is manually changed and another for when it's remotely changed. That's why am anxiously awaiting the new/updated insteon command trigger that will have prior and current status in there.

And, how do you accomplish the initial synchronization of your setup (when you start XLobby, the buttons will all be in the default state).

Thanks again!

[Mannyman]

Yeah, I got a new hobby (EV conversion), now that things pretty much work.

Most consistent way for us to keep screens in sync:
We don't use local on /off.

Touch screens , Motion detectors (firewire), remotes (firewire), Controlinc tabletop controllers are used so everything is in sync pretty much most of the time.

I've not switched over to Insteon as everything works, I use the x10 functionality on the starter kit stuff I bought a couple of years ago (has it been that long?).

XLobby default state is off; so, on rare occasions Initial sync is done by an off-command-for-everything-macro. After that remote commands and timed events, get the ball rolling again.

Triggers all send the same commands to all the touch-screens.

As the future started sounding uncertain for Xlobby2, I started investigating a backup plan. The author at ehomecreations is writing his front-end to directly access PH database. What this means is that it will always be in sync w/ PH. It is brand new so has nowhere near the functionality of XLobby, but at least I know that my antique Win2KPro based Fujitsu 3500s will continue to be useful. Plus you can keep using your favorite skins.

[cmhardwick]

how do you keep the multiple touchscreens in sync? I'm looking for a way to keep either thin or thick clients in sync without having powerhome have to update multiple machines, increasing network traffic and the load on PH.

Thanks!

[Mannyman]

How I do it, I send the same command to multiple ip addresses.

Unless you connect an x10 receiver plus software to each thick/thin client, you need PowerHome or any other HA aware software to tell each instance of XLobby of a status change.
or
You have PH tell 1 XLobby installation, and then have that XLobby tell the other installations to change status (not sure what the delay would be.)
Network bandwidth still an issue but load cut down on PH.

What would be cool is if PH were to broadcast via UDP (no specific address) and tell any listening devices of a status change, kind of how x10 works, where x10 receivers can hear all x10 commands as long as the house code is set properly. (Some receivers can hear all commands regardless of house code settings.)

I love XLobby, but not sure what the future holds, for us using PH as well.
Check out http://www.ehomecreations.com/ as the developer is designing a gui front eend from scratch with built in PH integration.