iPhone vs Android

[BalloonPilot]

Wes

 

Currently I run an iPhone and the eKeypad software to control my ISY-994. No security system, but in the process of adding IP cameras. My ISY and cameras are behind my firewall and I've setup IP forwarding on my Cisco router (no external service need).

 

I am considering switching to the new Galaxy S4 (Android) phone and the only application that seems to have issue is my home automation appliclation (eKeypad). So I started looking at other options.

 

Currently eKeypad does not support Adroid and based on postings here sounds like they share similar feelings as MobiLinc (not enough market share). However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that MobiLinc does support the ISY to some degree.

 

Questions are:

Will MobiLinc work with my ISY-994?

What features are (or are not) supported under Android

If and when will these features be supported?

 

Thanks

[arw01]

I used mobilinc on the 994i every day with Android Galaxy Nexus

 

No Ip camera support, no variable support yet

 

Ip camera support, would not hold my breath for, but you can use the camera makers own app

 

Tasker support is coming for Android someday, haven't seen any alpha notices in my email yet as i bought tasker as soon as Wes mentioned it working. There was a killer youtube video of tasker with autovoice controlling a system based on Micasa Verda.

 

I have not seen ekeypad, what does it do that Mobilinc does not?

[MWareman]

MobiLinc works well for me on Android against a 994. As mentioned, no camera support yet - nor variables. There are other differences. On IOS I can make a a route of 'Run Then on program x'. On Android, you can only favorite a program. You are then presented a list of actions (then, else etc..). It means you have two-click favorites for programs on Android, and one click program triggering on IOS. Kind of annoying.

 

Fundamentally, I really wish time would be spent to bring the Android app into feature parity with the IOS version and maintain that as a higher priority than adding Android unique features. But that is just my opinion.

 

I have a Vera 3 as well - liking it. It won't replace the ISY though - even though I am starting a slow migration from Insteon to Z-Wave. I use the networking module on ISY to trigger scenes in the Vera, and luup scripts on Vera to maintain state variables and trigger programs on ISY. My cameras also come thru Vera, since they proxy TCP for you. Nice, but not for the feint of heart. And Vera monitors power use and sends that as a state variable to ISY.

 

I'm hoping that the ISY Z-Wave module comes out of Beta soon!

 

Michael.

[InsteonNut]

Hi BalloonPilot,

 

The couple of deltas arw01 and MWareman pointed out are correct and we're working on bringing these up to speed on Android. IP Camera support is on our roadmap. As arw01 pointed out, many IP Camera manufacturers have their own camera apps already available. We do find value in integrating the camera experience within MobiLinc and are looking at ways to accelerate this development.

 

We've got our Tasker update nearly ready for release. We're hammering out the last couple of bugs we need to get fixed prior to release, but it's currently fully working and integrated with the Tasker app.

 

Wes

[BalloonPilot]

Okay... I must ask...

 

Everyone is talking about adding 'Tasker App' to MobiLinc

 

What is Tasker ?

[fitzpatri8]

Okay... I must ask...

 

Everyone is talking about adding 'Tasker App' to MobiLinc

 

What is Tasker ?

 

Tasker is an Android app that adds a bunch of automation to your phone. It can use GPS, schedules, phone states, apps running and other triggers to automatically change settings or run apps on your phone/tablet. If you combine it with MobiLinc and your Insteon gear, you can use it to do neat things like automatically shift your home into 'away' mode when your cell phone leaves your street.

 

Here's a more detailed description of Tasker: http://tasker.dinglisch.net/index.html

[arw01]

So those of us on Android, what are you using your Tasker for? I find it a bit less than intuitive to "program" or menu select what I want to do. The youtube videos are on the prior version and look nothing like what we have now.

 

I'm wanting to set up the turn on wifi when I am home, turn it off when I leave stuff.

 

Also want to update an isy variable when the phone connects to the local wifi in the house.

 

Also would like a gps set location emailed to me once a day in the morning, a hey I'm not home from the phone at night in case I lost it someplace else and didn't notice, and a gps ping if it has not moved in 12 or 14 hours or if the battery gets below 10%.

 

Not yet sure what all will do with the insteon link, but was thinking of having the phone know when we went to costco and when the phone gets within a couple miles of home flashes the house lights to let the kids know the groceries are close and they need to unload the car!

[ISYhbsh01]

I am a bit fed up by all the talk & complaining about the Android version of Mobilinc’s so-called lack of “full support of the ISY†because it doesn’t have IP camera support.

 

Mobilinc is a home automation app to control an Insteon/ISY/SmartLinc network. Camera support has NOTHING to do with Insteon & home automation control. Would it be nice to have camera support within Mobilinc so when I switch on a light I can see it happening live? Sure. But so would be having Google Maps integrated in the app so on my way home while I adjust the A/C I should be able to see the traffic conditions on the road… Perhaps Mobilinc should also integrate email into the app so when I turn on/off some devices I can see the email notification within the app... Perhaps a music player should also be added to Mobilinc… You get the point. All of those things and more would be nice to have somehow in one app, but since they don’t really have much in common there are many separate apps available to do those things.

 

I speculate that the only reason it was added to the iOS version is because SmartHome’s app for the SmartLinc has it, so Mobilinc felt compelled to add it as well. But the bottom line is, that while IP camera support would be a nice feature, it really has nothing to do with what Mobilinc is all about. So if they are going to add this feature in the future, that’s great, but to knock Mobilinc for Android because it doesn’t have it now is not fair in my opinion.

 

Some have also added to the complaint mix the $20 price for the app which is relatively high compared to other apps in the Play Store. Well it’s pretty simple, as we all know home automation & Insteon so far are niche products, and the developer has to make up somehow for the low volume.

 

Finally, some have been saying in response to WES’ reply that he is working on Tasker integration, that they don’t understand what Tasker is, therefore they feel that IP camera support should have come before Tasker integration. I couldn’t disagree more. With tasker integration Mobilinc will open the floodgates for home automation sophistication on a level that could only have been dreamed of before. The possibilities of what could be done with tasker are really endless. The first thing I would do is to use tasker to open my front door for me automatically as I approach. Voice commands is also something I started looking into as it seems that the new release is approaching soon. So tasker integration –not camera support- is really what Mobilinc’s core mission is about: Home automation.

 

In conclusion: Mobilinc is an amazing app with excellent support, and is well worth its $20 price tag. I am looking forward & cannot wait for the release of Tasker integration.

 

P.S.

A while back I played a little with Tasker using REST commands. For testing purposes I set it up to send REST commands based on my phone being connected to my Bluetooth headset. It was amazing to watch how when I turned on my Bluetooth headset the light in the room turned on, and when I powered off my headset the light turned off. The problem was that I just couldn’t get REST commands to work with HTTPS so I didn’t go any further with it. Can’t wait for the official Tasker support within Mobilinc!

[arw01]

While digging around on cacoontech tonight, came across a fellow who was setting up the autovoice with tasker to his home CQC system. He had a link to a tutorial on setting up autovoice..

 

http://www.pocketables.com/2013/05/how-to-use-the-autovoice-tasker-plug-in.html

 

I may play with this and the rest interface if I get a little time. I think the kids would love dad talking to his phone

[arw01]

Ok, was able to set up autovoice to turn on the hallway light, but I have a flaw in my programming.

 

If
       $tasker_control is 10
   And Status  'Hallway_keypad' is Off

Then
       $tasker_control  = 0
       Set 'Hallway_keypad' On

Else
       $tasker_control  = 0
       Set 'Hallway_keypad' Fast Off

 

What I want to be able to do is invert the light anytime tasker sets the variable to 10.

 

What I get is the light turns on and then right back off because the state changed with the first if, and that causes the else to evaluate since it's on now and turn it back off.

 

Is there a way to do this in ONE program, or do I have to use two all the time for every light?

[Xathros]

Ok, was able to set up autovoice to turn on the hallway light, but I have a flaw in my programming.

 

If
       $tasker_control is 10
   And Status  'Hallway_keypad' is Off

Then
       $tasker_control  = 0
       Set 'Hallway_keypad' On

Else
       $tasker_control  = 0
       Set 'Hallway_keypad' Fast Off

 

What I want to be able to do is invert the light anytime tasker sets the variable to 10.

 

What I get is the light turns on and then right back off because the state changed with the first if, and that causes the else to evaluate since it's on now and turn it back off.

 

Is there a way to do this in ONE program, or do I have to use two all the time for every light?

 

Yes there is. Modify program as follows:

 

If
   $tasker_control is 10
   And Status  'Hallway_keypad' is Off

Then
       Set 'Hallway_keypad' On
       $tasker_control  = 0
Else
       Set 'Hallway_keypad' Fast Off
        $tasker_control  = 0

 

Place this program in a folder with the condition:

 

If $tasker_control = 10

Then Allow programs in this folder to run.

 

Setting your mvar to 10 will enable the folder, and trigger the program. The program will toggle the light and disable the folder before it can react to the state change. In the end however, this isn't much different than using 2 programs for each.

 

Hope this helps.

 

-Xathros

[arw01]

I may try just making the folder active on tasker_var >0, but all the programs in there, and when they reset the value to 0 that should stop the whole folder.

 

Had not thought about that, thanks for the nudge in that direction.

[arw01]

Xanthros, the folder option is working well with the folder if as tasker_variable>0.

 

I've added 5 different voice commands now and I can say things like, I'm hot, turn the fan on.

 

It seems smarter than it is, because you just toggle from one state to the other. so basically it's doing the opposite of what ever the current device is.

 

If the fan is on and I say turn the fan on, it will still turn off. I can do the hallway, bedroom, stairs, fan, and my media lights.

 

Pretty slick. Now to figure out how to put a ping in before the commands are actually executed by tasker to see if I am on the local wifi network first.

[Xathros]

Alan-

 

I'm pretty sure that will an issue. Each of the programs within the folder are triggered by $tasker_control. Any change in value for $tasker_control that is >0 will cause all of the programs to trigger, most will run false and the one addressed by $tasker_control's current value will run true. So turning on a fan may turn off all the other devices handled by programs in that folder. For this to work properly, you would need a separate folder for each device. Really not much different than having 2 programs for each device.

 

-Xathros

[arw01]

I also have in each program a test to see that the value of $tasker_var is the specific value for that device.

 

e.g. 10 maybe for the fan, 30 is for the stairs. So there is a if tasker_var =3 AND the stair_oh is on, then turn it off.

 

Oh I see what you mean, the else is tripping it up, because it does not care that both values are not the same.. hmpff..

 

That would explain some of the strange "lincs" I've had back and forth..

 

Alan

[Physpher]

Alan,

 

I know that tasker integration has already came out, but here is how I set up my voice control (though not as fancy as the YouTube video or your setup )

 

I have every command set up through tasker, all lighting set up through REST (now tasker plugins, but the idea is still the same).

 

For example

 

Task 1 (Get Voice)

Get voice 
set %VIN to %VOICE (I found it easier to break up the normal system variable so I could count words in the string)

If %VIN = *percent* 
 Perform Task DIM

Else If %VIN = *on*
 Perform Task ON

Else If %VIN = *off/of* (my phone likes to think I said "of" instead of "off" so I throw the "/" for the or logic)
 Perform Task OFF

 

Pretty much what the above does is look for "hotwords". If I say anything with the word "on" it will go to my ON task, same with "dim" or "off".

 

Below is my DIM task

 

Task DIM

Set %VINCount = 0 (sanitize your variables!)

For %VIN items %VIN()
 Set %VINCount to %VINCount + 1
End For  (This for loop counts how many words I said. I am looking for say 5 words with "Percent" being the last, then count back 1 for the percentage)

Set %VINCount to %VINCount - 1 (This is where you find the second to last word)

Set %OnLevel to round(%VIN(%VINCount)*2.55)  (This line says %OnLevel will be the second to last word * 2.55 which will generate your 0-255 that REST uses to set light levels and round it to the next whole number)

If %VIN1 = dining
 Perform Task Dining Room Light Dim (you can use an HTTP Get with the path of /rest/nodes/XX XX XX X/cmd/DON/%OnLevel instead)

Else If %VIN1 = foyer
 Perform Task Foyer Light Dim
End If

 

The above says look for hot words like "Dining" or "Foyer" or "Bathroom".

 

The ON and OFF Tasks look pretty much the same as the DIM, but only have the IF parts (you don't need to set variables and such as you are looking for ON/OFF).

 

For an example

 

"Dining room light, 45 percent"

This would first check for the word "percent" and move to my DIM task.
In the DIM task, it would first figure out 45*2.55 and round it (to get a legal 0-255 value).
Then it would look in the first word for "Dining"
After all words are matched and variables filled, it would either send a REST command (you cannot pass variables yet with the plugin)

 

"Kitchen Light Off"

This would check for the word "Off" (Order of your IF commands is important here since I like to say "Kitchen light on 45 percent". You want to check for "percent" first then "on" or "off", otherwise every statement other than "off" would be true)
In the OFF task, it would look for the word "Kitchen"
Then it would either send a REST command (/rest/nodes/XX XX XX X/cmd/DOF) or the new Plugin

 

Sorry if that is a horrible way to explain it (I am bad at this stuff, but try to anyways). Pretty much, you have an even smarter setup (if you say on twice, your lights don't turn off), and you could be somewhat vague, as long as you say the 3 hot words in a somewhat correct order (in the dimming field, otherwise just two words) Location, State, and Value (if dimming).

 

Long story short, my phone does the variables, math, and string parsing. Then my ISY does the lighting (you can also set up programs to work so you don't have a delay in turning on/off lights). Setting it up in this fashion, to me at least, makes setting up more complex contexts possible (geofencing, and all the other IOS only stuff).