Has anyone made a plugin so a user could turn lights on and off

[Larry]

Has anyone made a plugin so a user could turn lights on and off? I have smart home automation ... also known as insteon... It would be very cool if Hal could be told to turn on the coffee pot or living room light...

[Carl2]

I'm sure there are people using Hal to control things in the house, I've never gotten involved in this myself but do remember people discussing this at the forum, try a search
Carl2

[Larry]

I did do a search, perhaps I used wrong key words to search for...

[onthecuttingedge2005]

Has anyone made a plugin so a user could turn lights on and off? I have smart home automation ... also known as insteon... It would be very cool if Hal could be told to turn on the coffee pot or living room light...

Hi Larry.

Yes, insteon can be controlled via vbscript such as HAL but in order to program it I would need the insteon system to do so but I don't.

there seems to be a lot of programming information on some forums that use vbscript with insteon, do a keyword google search on insteon vbscript, something will come up.

good luck
Jerry

[Larry]

Thanks onthecuttingedge2005, I will do that!

[Larry]

I found an answer, though it took a long time to find it. The answer was really simple and like you said, written in .vbs  All I had to do was write the 9 lines needed. Make a folder in the start menu folder where Hal could find it. Course I had to write the same script twice (once to turn on a light and again to turn off the same light) for each light in the home automation system. But I got to say, it sure is nice to say, "I'm going to bed now, turn off all the lights please." Very cool...

Thanks onthecuttingedge2005 for the tip!!!

[Gunnar]

Greetings Larry,

I have a similar interest and since in your last post you mentioned finding a solution to your problem regarding insteon and ultra hal, I am respectively asking for more information on how you did it. I do not own any home automation software or hardware yet. I was waiting to hopefully find one that was at least somewhat compatible with the ultra hal assistant framework. So please, please, pretty please with sugar on top, give some pointers on how a newbie would go about reconciling the two and creating an automated home, that is directed via Ultra Hal. Thanks in advance!

[kryton]

Hy there.

Well first you would need an interface between your computer and the outside world.  In an old catalogue I found a USB Interface board that you can buy ready built and program through DLL commands.  I am sure our more DLL format members could explain how this is done in Ultra Hal.

[onthecuttingedge2005]

I found an answer, though it took a long time to find it. The answer was really simple and like you said, written in .vbs  All I had to do was write the 9 lines needed. Make a folder in the start menu folder where Hal could find it. Course I had to write the same script twice (once to turn on a light and again to turn off the same light) for each light in the home automation system. But I got to say, it sure is nice to say, "I'm going to bed now, turn off all the lights please." Very cool...

Thanks onthecuttingedge2005 for the tip!!!

Hi Larry.

could you post that code so I can see it. when posting it use the insert code button and then end with /code so the code format will show correctly.

Thanks
Jerry

[lightspeed]

Larry , and others , exactly what control is attached to the lights in order for the voice command from hal to work , any web page link or better yet video's on youtube etc. links showing it actually working and what it is
I find it interesting !
 
 

[Art]

Lonnie,

It is likely to be X-10, Insteon, Zwave, or similar devices. They each have their own controller that usually interfaces with the computer. A signal is sent from the computer to the controller, in turn to the module of hardware device that is plugged in or perhaps directly wired into a switch or receptacle to which a lamp or radio or TV or appliance is plugged. Said appliance is then turned on or off.
With some systems one can tell it to dim the lights to a percent of brightness or to have porch lights turn on at 5:30 PM and off at 11:00 PM like a timer.

Just the tip of the home automation / control iceberg.

There are lots of home automation sites on YouTube. Do a search for X-10, Insteon, Hal2000, Homeseer, Vera (home automation) Zwave, and more.

Hope this helps.

[Gunnar]

I've been researching this with little definitive success. What I would personally like to see, would be a precise step, by step explanation for how one goes from the ultra hal program to interacting with the home automation's software/controller. I have no doubt that it is entirely possible, I would just like to hear from someone who's done it, and find out which automation brand they decided to go with. If we can get Ultra Hal to initiate a switch that can turn on/off  120v outlets then it's a short jump to get Hal to operate any mechanical device. Which to me, would be pretty damn cool.

[doggs]

If only just the coffee pot and air conditioning lol

[DemonRaven]

Are you sure you want a computer controlling a smart home? They mess up a lot. If cars had been built like computers we would still be using the horse and buggy lol.

[Art]

Not Hal or your typical chatbot, but computer software is responsible for all home control applications.

Most of these are fairly easy to program or set up assigning device names like "Front Porch Light", next a state or action "On", then assign a time "6:15 PM", lastly, a frequency such as "Daily".

That's pretty much the required programming. The program saves the data. Some computers are left on 24/7 while others have a separate device to which the data is saved. This device will then send all required signals to various devices which in turn will operate the assigned items like "Front Porch Light", etc.

These devices / controllers usually have a battery backup in case of power failure, so their programming doesn't get lost. Your lights, understandably, will not work during a power outage.

Even though it sounds as if you have a distrust for computers, most malfunctions can usually be attributed to human error...thus sayeth Hal9000.