e-mail to trigger an event

[black_fx_35]

I am wondering if the ISY has the ability to trigger an event based on an incoming e-mail? I know it can send e-mail to inform a status change, but I am wondering if the ability is there to trigger an event based on an e-mail that it receives. For instance, if I wanted the front lights to turn on at night, by sending an e-mail from my blackberry while on my way home? Possible or impossible? Thanks!

[jgraziano]

I was thinking about the same thing tonight for turning on my fireplace on the way home! That would be great!

[rowland]

This could possibly be done using the ISY-JSDK and JavaMail API 1.4.1. I don't have any experience with JavaMail but I did take a quick look. It would appear to be a mature enough package to have the parts necessary to catch a specific email. It's a question of how desirable the feature is.

 

This kind of thing is what is so great about the ISY. Supporting an email as an event that triggers Insteon processes probably can't be justified in terms of the coporate resources required by UD. However, the ISY-JSDK interfaces to the ISY at a level that makes possible all sorts of one-off, arcane applications.

[d_l]

Email control would be a handy feature to have.

 

The ISY would have to be polling your POP email server repeatedly to do this. The response lag to your email command would be determined by polling frequency, e.g. if the ISY only checks email every 15 minutes, then it may take up to that long to be able to command an action at your place.

 

You would probably need a secondary password just for emails to authenticate that your email is indeed from you and not from someone else. To maintain security, you would not want to give out your primary access password in emails because of the non-encrypted nature of email transmissions.

 

Additionally you would want a unique email account just for communications with the ISY rather than having it read one of your regular email accounts. You wouldn't want the ISY having to continually read through and digest all your other email and spam looking for the one command to light up the fireplace.

 

I've set up a remote rebooter for the power supply on my home network so I've previously considered these facets of email remote controls.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello All,

 

We have considered email triggering and - as both Rowland and d_l have noted - it becomes rather impractical in multiple cases. We have decided to support pure HTML/HTTPS interface which allows you to monitor/control your ISY from any mobile phone regardless of Java installation. That would surely be much quicker and safer than email.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[gmurch]

Is this available yet (mobile phone access)?? I have a browser on my blackberry and would love to be able to turn the lights on from the BB on my way home.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi Glenn,

 

Not yet but very very soon!

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

Is this available yet (mobile phone access)?? I have a browser on my blackberry and would love to be able to turn the lights on from the BB on my way home.

[archean]

If you use JonOO's app in homeseer, it can pick up the mail for many types of events and send the signal to ISY.

 

Havent tried that yet, but it should work.