Amazon Echo, Vera and Eventghost

[holdestmade]

Hi all, been using the brilliant skill from m19brandon to send events to eventghost and then run events in my RTI AV processor.

The following is only of use to anyone using Alexa with eventghost and VERA Z-wave:

The beta VERA skill that doesn't require an invocation word so can just use "Alexa, turn on light" etc.
The skill only allows light switches, dimmers and scenes but I discovered that if I create a virtual switch, edit the advanced properties and change it to a binary light it then appears in Alexa app when I discover devices. As and example I named one "TV" and when I say "Alexa, turn on TV" it turns on the virtual switch. This can be used as a trigger in PLEG and used to do anything, I use it to send a UDP message to eventghost and then eventghost can send a TCP message to my RTI AV processor and turn on the TV, amp etc.

Hope this is of use to someone !

Simon

[holdestmade]

Actually just found out I can bypass eventghost and send a UDP message direct to my RTI processor to trigger a tv on/off macro.

[m19brandon]

Im working an Alexa Smart Home API for EventGhost and then the new Alexa Video API, so no need for all the IF THENs and no invocations.

[holdestmade]

Great, looking forward to it !

S

[kgschlosser]

when m19brandon is done with the Alexia you can couple that with the MicasaVerdeVera plugin located here

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=8090

and then there will be no need to have to make virtual switches and things of that nature. basically anything that your Vera has control of then using the Vera plugin EG can fully control the Vera. and it's faster then using the UI that is built into the thing. It really opens the doors to creating scenes and also adding additional device support. tho to extend the device support you would have to create virtual switches on the vera that eg could trigger so the vera would know that something has changed.

[holdestmade]

Thanks but what I need is to use Alexa to run macros on my RTI processor to control my AV / home automation kit. There is an RTI driver for this but it is not cheap.

With a EG skill, I will be able to bypass VERA and use eventghost to fire macros in my AV kit using an HTTP request.

Simon

[kgschlosser]

I know a couple of folks that work at RTI. ot well used to anyways. it's been a long while since I have done anything with their gear. I can do some checking and see what we can do about communicating with it. they aren't like the folks over at control4 so it shouldn't be that hard to come up with some kind of a bridge between platforms. you would have to give me some time with this. as i do not own one of their pieces of equipment. Monday i can make some calls and see what can be done from our end of things. And to be honest with ya because of the sheer number of supported devices with EG they would probably be more then willing to help out. because it will extend their control greatly. and they can add a means to support and endless amount of things with no cost to them. and they might be willing to make some kind of a connector on their end to make the task easier and also allow for greater control. I think that adding RTI to EG would be a HUGE addition to the EG community. especially if we can get support from them on this. Let me make those calls on Monday and see where we can go with it.

[holdestmade]

Really appreciate your input.

There already exists a small basic plugin:
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=6193

This works great 2 way with the free RTI Two-way Strings driver. This is what we use to send events from EG to RTI to fire events and send payloads/variables and also use RTI to EG to trigger events such as server reboots/notification sounds/announcements. There is also a dedicated RTI eventghost driver but it is not free and is a bit over-complicated for my company's needs.

[kgschlosser]

well if you have the ability to trigger things on the RTI from EventGhost, and have events triggered in EG from RTI, and you also have the ability to control the Vera as well as get events from the vera. the last little piece from what it sounds is the Alexa.

so if you wanted to do something on the vera directly from the RTI. you can have a direct connection to the Vera from the RTI I am sure. The question is does it provide the kind of information that is provided by using EG and a Vera connection??

What I am getting at is using EG as a hub if you will a central point for incoming and outgoing commands. so you wouldn't have to program the RTI device specifically to control the vera. you would. you can set up the RTI device to post events into EG and from those events you can trigger actions. or complex macros. The beauty of doing a setup like this is that if you add more RTI devices or you need to update them. but want them to all be identical basically. you can just tell the RTI device to post the events. The real benefit comes when making an update. open EG. make the change. and it will now work for all of your devices. no need to reprogram them. same thing with alexa. alexa (when finished) will post events in EG and this in turn can forward those events to the RTI controller. or simply carry out the command if the device that is to be controlled is connected to EG.

This is what I have set up. all remote controls and all of the devices in my home talk to one central EG I do have EG running on multiple HTPC's but they are simply there for displaying OSD menus and security cameras on the TV's connected to those HTPC's. any commands that are to be carried out get carried out by one EventGhost. It is more then capable of running pretty much anything you try and throw at it. I have thousands of macros and actions. somewhere around 50 devices connected to it. 5 remote controls and 4 TV's and one projector. EG is what runs my house. It is connected to my cell phones to use the GPS for positioning outside my home. and uses the WiFi for positioning inside of my home. it controls everything from the fireplaces to my alarm clock and sump pumps my Hottub. if i had lawn sprinklers i would probably have moisture sensors in the ground that would send the data to EG to tell it to turn the water on to a specific set of sprinklers. I have 2 temp sensors in my furnace that measure the difference in temp between the imcoming air and the outgoing so it can notify me when to change the furnace filter.

the best part about all of this is there are no additional modules to purchase.. so if you have a device and to connect it to the rti controller is going to cost you a lot of scrilla. there is a good chance there might be a plugin for it. and if there isn't I am sure someone would be willing to make one. and now you can have that device control for free. So whatever you decide your setup is going to be just make sure you are thinking into th future when you do. and expand ability as well as upgrading components you want to control. the reality of it is devices do break. or get upgraded. and you don't want to have to keep on shelling out money if you swap a projector or a tv out to something different.

[m19brandon]

How are you getting the positioning inside of my home? I though you were working on a little device to do that?

[kgschlosser]

yeah the little device thing is a no go because of battery use. i can trim down the use by putting the device into a sleep mode and having it wake up every 60 seconds or so. but the battery still would end up being like 2" x 2" x .3" and it would last maybe 3 days. Thos they have come out with smart watches that have wifi in them. I do not know if this can be used to get location data. or the battery life either.

[m19brandon]

Eero routes have a find my phone feature now but I'm more of a DIY type of guy.

[kgschlosser]

I like DIY as well. one of these days i will compile all of the creations I have made and post a whole series of video tutorials on it. Time is a commodity i do not have at the present time.

But in the event you ever want to know about a specific DIY thing i have made up then feel free to ask away. but these are the things I have made up to communicate with EG

Doorbell
Sump pumps (level/turning them on)
Water Heater leak detection
Flooding detection
Clothes washer leak detection
Furnace filter change
Fireplaces
Soil Moisture Sensors
Hottub water level/temperature
Outside Temp/Humidity
Geo Fencing
Location inside the house
Room aware remote controls (remotes that if you move them from one room to another they will control the devices in that room)
Security Cameras (needs refinement, maybe use multi-process)
Window/Door sensors
Honeywell Wifi Thermostat
Vera Z-Wave
OSD Overlays and Menu systems for control of all of the above mentioned on any of the TV's in the home