videobear

all messages by user

12/22/2015 Topic: Ecobee 3 remote sensors videobear	The Ecobee 3 thermostat can use remote sensors to get temperature and occupancy data from locations other than the main thermostat. For example, I have one remote upstairs, and a second one in the basement. These are paired with the Ecobee 3, and the thermostat recognizes them and can report their status. My question is, can these remotes, which include a temperature and motion sensor, be used by CastleOS as well, for other things like room lighting events? Although CastleOS sees the Ecobee, it does NOT (currently) see the remotes. Must I unpair them from the Ecobee and try to pair them directly to CastleOS? If that is even possible, won't it then mean that the sensors won't "talk" to the Ecobee any more?
1/28/2016 Topic: Wiki doesn't work on MS Edge videobear	Phil Hawthorne wrote: The wiki article contents don't appear on MS Edge browser at all. Not even after logging in. This means the browser that comes default with the CastleHUB, can't lookup things on the Wiki... Annoying, yes...but Edge is full of bugs and incompatibilities. Too bad, because it's also very fast. I'm still using Chrome or Firefox.
1/28/2016 Topic: CastleHub Completly Broken videobear	Phil, another point on adding Z-wave devices. Don't unplug your Aeotec stick, put it in Add mode, and add your device. That (I think) adds the device to the Aeotec, in its "I am a hub" mode. Instead, leave the Aeotec plugged into the CastleHub, acting only as a Z-wave radio. In CastleOS, go to Settings, Protocols, Z-wave, and click Add Device. This puts the HUB into Add Device mode for one minute, you'll see it counting down. Go to your device and do whatever that device requires to pair it...e.g., click a switch paddle. If everything worked, the HUB should show a new Z-wave device in the device list.
1/28/2016 Topic: App for Windows Phone? videobear	Will Windows phones be supported at some point? Two people in my household use them!
1/30/2016 Topic: HUB and HDMI audio? videobear	the HUB doesn't appear to be able to output its audio over the HDMI connection. Am I doing something wrong? Additional information: The Realtek audio settings come up blank and tell me it's because I don't have anything connected to the analog audio ports. INTEL HD graphics settings, Audio, tell me I have to connect "two or more audio capable devices". In Device Manager, there are two "HD audio" devices listed. One says it is working properly, the other says "failed." The HDMI cable from the HUB goes into my Samsung 4K UHD TV, and the TV shows video from the HUB fine. This TV is connected to a Yamaha AV receiver via the receiver's HDMI OUT port. The receiver is ARC capable, and plays audio from the TV just fine.
1/31/2016 Topic: App for Windows Phone? videobear	Chris Cicchitelli wrote: Have you tried adding them to the homescreen via the browser? I don't understand, Chris. You mean, just browse directly to the IP of the HUB computer with a web browser on the Windows phone? Doesn't the phone need to have the CastleOS app?
2/3/2016 Topic: HUB and HDMI audio? videobear	Well, yeah. The HDMI sorta has to be active, because I can see the castle OS computer's Windows interface on the screen. The HDMI is one on the TV, not directly into the receiver. Phil, the TV speakers are active. Sound is passed from the TV to the receiver via the audio return channel of the HDMI cable between the TV and the receiver.
2/3/2016 Topic: Garage Door Opener, and Deleting devices & groups videobear	An update. The other day I tried deleting all the devices shown in the HUB's z-wave device list and this time the delete took. I didn't do anything new, perhaps an upgrade fixed it. I have not yet tried pairing the garage door opener to the HUB again.
2/3/2016 Topic: Remote Viewing on android phone videobear	Chris Cicchitelli wrote: Sounds like your router may not be configured for remote access. Have you gotten that up and running outside of the Android app? Hi Chris. Apparently not. Is there somewhere I can go to read up on how to do this? When I look at my router remote access settings, the first thing I see is a warning, "With Remote Administration enabled, your network will be at risk from outside attacks." That's scary. Then it gives the option for allowing remote administration via either the primary or secondary HTTPS ports.
2/10/2016 Topic: Garage Door Opener, and Deleting devices & groups videobear	Further update: I spoke too soon. The other day I opened up CastleOS and the darn devices were back. I deleted them again, and at least for the last couple of days they've stayed deleted, but I bet they could come back again, like revenants. I guess I'll have to take the Z-Stick around and be sure it's un-paired with everything.
3/3/2016 Topic: Z-Wave Parameters videobear	tal.winter@gmail.com wrote: I guess I am not quite good with understanding hex :/ 200 in C8 so i added 0 to C8, making is 0C8 but got an error. Anything i am doing wrong? Thanks Hexadecimal is a base16 numbering system. It uses the digits 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,A,B,C,D,E,F. So, decimal 10 in hex is "0A". If "C8" is a hex number, it means 12x16 + 8x1 = 200 base 10.
3/9/2016 Topic: Whole Home requirements? videobear	Feldspar wrote: Chris, yes I'm in the US. Obviously I'm confused on what to look for regarding Kinect. The one for Windows is $500. The one for the Xbox 360 is $190. . What you want to do is buy the Kinect Version 1 for the XBox 360 (not the Version 2 for the XBox One). They are available on eBay for well under $100, often less than $50. Then get a power supply and USB adapter like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Kinect-360-HandHelditems-Sketch-Universal/dp/B005EIXVAE. Next, you have to decide how to um, connect the Kinect. If you have the Castle HUB, it has USB ports and you can run a long USB cable from the Kinect to the HUB. If it's way off in another room, it's probably better to buy an itty bitty computer and hook the Kinect up to that. Then your Castle OS computer or HUB can communicate with the remote computer on your home network. Itty bitty computers are available for about $100. ("Itty bitty" is my own generic term. There are several makers of these things, such as the Intel Compute Stick.) Cameras. The Kinect has a camera, for sure. It would take a whole lot more smarts than I have to swipe that data off your network, but I suppose it could be done. If that possibility worries you, keep your network secure. NOTE: I haven't yet personally hooked up a Kinect or tried voice commands. I'm sort of hoping Chris gets the Amazon Echo working with CastleOS instead. Although at the rate Amazon is adding new features, they're probably going to have something like Castle built into the Echo first.
3/10/2016 Topic: Whole Home requirements? videobear	My enthusiasm for the Echo + CastleOS may have been premature. I hadn't really taken into account that Echo gets all its smarts from the cloud. I really like the Castle paradigm of keeping things local. Echo is cool, and getting cooler fast...but you're dependent on an internet connection and it could be exposing a whole lot of your personal life to hackers and marketers and the NSA.
3/10/2016 Topic: Getting Excited About Curtains videobear	I've been doing a lot of research on automated curtains. There are high priced solutions out there, like Somfy and Hunter Douglas, but I didn't want to pay several thousand dollars for window treatments! I've found some components that I think will work, at an affordable price. 1. Motorized drapery rods from METechs, http://www.metechs.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=9 2. A Z-wave controller that will interface directly with the METechs motor module (with some simple wiring up of plugs). http://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=122&cp_id=12212&cs_id=1221201&p_id=11993&seq=1&format=2 I have received the rods and I'm in the process of assembling and mounting them. Unlike most Chinese products, they come with a VERY CLEAR manual and setting them up is not proving to be difficult. The Z-wave controllers are on order. I'll report back here on my results with getting them to talk to my Castle HUB.
3/10/2016 Topic: Getting Excited About Curtains videobear	Scott Goffman wrote: That looks like a Chinese clone of the Makita kits (http://www.discounthomeautomation.com/Shop-By-Category/Makita-Drapery-Openers) that I'm using, with WAAAAAY better prices. -Scott They do appear to be very similar! The only differences I see are 1) the Makita unit has the power supply built into the motor housing, the METech uses a power brick; 2) The wired controller of the Makita looks like it will mount easier on a wall, and has an LED display; 3) The Makita has a timer function, while the METech doesn't have that feature built in. And the METech units are about half the cost of the Makita.
3/16/2016 Topic: Conditional script to check IP address ping videobear	That's clever!
3/22/2016 Topic: Power Outage videobear	Chris Cicchitelli wrote: Thanks Phil! Let us know how you make out Lisa. Also, this is probably a good time to mention that the CastleHUB is fully compatible with UPS battery backups which will automatically shutdown and restart the system in the event of a power outage. The hub uses very little power, so even the inexpensive powerstrip-with-a-battery versions will do nicely. Do you have any recommendations? I have a tiny UPS that's intended for low power stuff like a switch or a router, but it has no software or USB and I don't think it will auto shut down/restart what's connected to it.
5/18/2016 Topic: How do you link multiple Kinects? videobear	Grant, From what I've read here, you don't actually "link" multiple Kinects. Each Kinect requires its own dedicated USB bus, which will limit the number of them you can plug into a single computer. It's a bit more expensive, but one way to use multiple Kinects is to hook each one to its own dedicated little tiny computer, such as an Intel Compute Stick (for example).
5/19/2016 Topic: How do you link multiple Kinects? videobear	No suggestions, but I will monitor this thread with interest...I too have an open plan main floor!
6/9/2016 Topic: CastleOS for 230V 50Hz users videobear	You could use the CastleOS software in your UK-compatible computer.