Noob livebox setup question
21 February, 2012 - 08:54
Sorry for the noob question but a bit unsure what is needed for a home setup.
I take it I need the Orange livebox as a hub, that needs the different firmware on it. Will I also need the HAH parts bundle as well or is that instead off the livebox?
Does everything then work over WIFI of does it need to be wired into the HAH PCB?
I have a few bye bye standby wall sockets already. Will I be able to control those from the HAH setup. Hopefully I'll be using Xap flash on my Jogglers to control things?
By using the Jogglers and the Hub will I ever need to use my laptop to run the system?
Thanks in advance
Steve
21 February, 2012 - 10:39
#2
Nice summary from Karl
I'd only add that you can mix and match the functions that are provided by the HAH PCB. i.e. not all folks want/need all the parts. The minimum starter set is a PCB, microcontroller, RJ11 socket for the PCB & the MMJ to RJ11 cable that hooks the PCB to the Livebox.
The PCB is powered by the Livebox via the MMJ to RJ11 cable ... no additional power supply is needed.
Cheers,
Derek.
29 February, 2012 - 22:09
#4
That Depends
The beauty about the way the HAH has been developed is that it's great as is, but if you're that way inclined you can develop it further yourself. Many people here, including myself, started with little, if any, development skills. The system is built in such a way that expanding it is relatively easy, and most people like to have a go once they've built up some confidence, often sharing problems and code to help one another.
There are plenty of examples about, on the wiki, on the hah and here in the forums.
29 February, 2012 - 22:13
#5
Straightforward to get started
No coding is needed to get going. Just win a Livebox from eBay and apply the hack that lets you loadup the HAH firmware.
If you aren't in a big hurry, hold out for a good deal on your Livebox purchase. Something around a £12 spend should get you a unit (hey, cheaper than a Rasp Pi!).
Also see http://www.homeautomationhub.com/faq#n45
... and there are plenty of kind folks on this forum who will help you along the way.
You can get some basic functionality with just a reflashed Livebox, basically anything that you connect with a USB cable, ie CurrentCost monitor, SMS, as examples, but you also have access to the "software" components ie e-mail control/alerts, Pachube and the Lua scripting language used for custom monitoring and control.
To control the BBSB devices you will need the additional HAH PCB, this has 1wire, relay, inputs, LCD and RF capability. The Livebox and HAH PCB work together, the PCB adds a lot of extra functionality.
The HAH dosen't use WiFi, it must be physically connected to your LAN. As you know, the Joggler can connect to your LAN wirelessly, that doesn't change.
You don't need a laptop to control things, although you would use it to carry out configuration, updates, testing, etc. Once the system is setup they way you want, you can pretty much leave it alone. There is also a web interface to control things if you want, this can be access using any browser, for example I sometimes use a smartphone. The Joggler is also a great controlling device and I know there are a number of people using these.
Hope this helps, I'm sure other might have things to add, and browsing the forums should give you a good idea as to what people are using it for. Don't worry about asking questions, everyone here is happy to answer and share.
Karl