[Plugin] X10 Home Automation (1 Viewer)

[dobyken]

System is Athlon 64 3000+ XP SP3 Fresh Install 2 weeks ago.
Previous errors were with MP 1.02. Just installed 1.1 Alpha this morning and
had to reinstall the X10 files. I have only one X10_service.exe file...should there
?be one compiled for x86 and one for x64?

This is from the Application event

EventType clr20r3, P1 x10_service.exe, P2 1.0.0.0, P3 4a7b17a1, P4 x10_service, P5 1.0.0.0, P6 4a7b17a1, P7 3, P8 b, P9 pszqoadhx1u5zahbhohghldgiy4qixhx, P10 NIL.

System Events (2)
The X10 Home Automation Server service failed to start due to the following error:
The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion.

Timeout (30000 milliseconds) waiting for the X10 Home Automation Server service to connect.

That worked for installing the service but could not start it.

Error 1053: The service did not respond to the start request in a timely fashison.

Did a reboot and it just said "Starting" then the error again.

Hey Dobyken,
Can you try to start the service again and see what errors show in the Event viewer?

Thanks

WileECoyote, I have only one question. Can I install and configure (just to see it) your plugin in a computer without any X10 module? I'm now on holiday I don't have my CM11 here, so I don't now if it's necessary for the configuration of the plugin.

Thanks for all your work, I will leave a message when I arrive at home and try the plugin with the CM11.

Regards,

Aitor

Hey Bodiroga,
As far as I know it should install just fine, and even run just fine. It will just fail if you try to issue any X10 commands...

 

[TritonT]

I have just found this thread and can't see why anyone is bothering with a new plugin.

If you just want to switch X10 stuff on/off this can be achieved with a single background program and a 1 line bat file. This bat file can then be triggered from inside MediaPortal by creating a menu item with MultiShortcut.

If you want proper automation use Patrick’s xAP plugin. I have found it very reliable. At the minute I have linked to:

12 X10 modules (appliance, lamp, PIR, door bell)
8 1-wire modules (temperature, humidity, open/closed)
5 iButton modules (for door entry identification)
7 raw relays (for stuff you can’t trust X10 for)
16 raw open/closed sensors (for door and window status)
2 bluetooth mobile phones (for room presence (unreliable))
1 hayes modem (for Caller ID screen pop)

This is all made possible with xAP providing the ‘glue’ between the actual devices and MediaPortal as one of the controllers.

 

[WileECoyote]

I have just found this thread and can't see why anyone is bothering with a new plugin.

If you just want to switch X10 stuff on/off this can be achieved with a single background program and a 1 line bat file. This bat file can then be triggered from inside MediaPortal by creating a menu item with MultiShortcut.

If you want proper automation use Patrick’s xAP plugin. I have found it very reliable. At the minute I have linked to:

12 X10 modules (appliance, lamp, PIR, door bell)
8 1-wire modules (temperature, humidity, open/closed)
5 iButton modules (for door entry identification)
7 raw relays (for stuff you can’t trust X10 for)
16 raw open/closed sensors (for door and window status)
2 bluetooth mobile phones (for room presence (unreliable))
1 hayes modem (for Caller ID screen pop)

This is all made possible with xAP providing the ‘glue’ between the actual devices and MediaPortal as one of the controllers.

Triton,
It is my understanding that Patrick is no longer supporting the xAP plugin, thus the question I posed on the first post of this thread. The goal of this thread is not to just turn things on and off, but to also create macros to dim lights during movie start, brighten lights after movie stop/pause, etc... This plugin also uses API's from the ActiveHome library, so there is no need to issue command line commands.

If Patrick (or anyone) is still supporting the xAP plugin and it will do what everyone on this thread has defined, we would be happy to use it. But as I understand it that is not the case...

Wile E.

System is Athlon 64 3000+ XP SP3 Fresh Install 2 weeks ago.
Previous errors were with MP 1.02. Just installed 1.1 Alpha this morning and
had to reinstall the X10 files. I have only one X10_service.exe file...should there
?be one compiled for x86 and one for x64?

This is from the Application event

EventType clr20r3, P1 x10_service.exe, P2 1.0.0.0, P3 4a7b17a1, P4 x10_service, P5 1.0.0.0, P6 4a7b17a1, P7 3, P8 b, P9 pszqoadhx1u5zahbhohghldgiy4qixhx, P10 NIL.

System Events (2)
The X10 Home Automation Server service failed to start due to the following error:
The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion.

Timeout (30000 milliseconds) waiting for the X10 Home Automation Server service to connect.

Hey Dobyken,
I compiled the EXE specific to x86 and run it myself on Vista 64bit & x86.

You have probably already done so, but have you installed and configured the ActiveHome software on the server you are running the Windows Service?

The other thing I wonder is if the port is an issue. I have hard coded the port to use for Windows Remoting. I occassionally start the service and it fails due to the port being in use.

I am going to do a fresh install of Windows 7 on my server this weekend. I will see if I can duplicate your error.

Thanks for taking the time to test this for me!
Wile E.

 

[dobyken]

Yes, ActiveHome Pro is installed and works properly...or as properly as it can. I don't have AH_SDK currently installed. Since you mentioned a hard coded port I turned off my firewall but got the same error. There's another service running called X10Hardware which I turned off but
that didn't fix it either. Do you have any runtimes installed that a normal user would not? The only ones I have loaded are C++ 2005,2008 plus the
.net 2.0, 3.0 and 3.5. Which are required for MP.

 

[WileECoyote]

Yes, ActiveHome Pro is installed and works properly...or as properly as it can. I don't have AH_SDK currently installed. Since you mentioned a hard coded port I turned off my firewall but got the same error. There's another service running called X10Hardware which I turned off but
that didn't fix it either. Do you have any runtimes installed that a normal user would not? The only ones I have loaded are C++ 2005,2008 plus the
.net 2.0, 3.0 and 3.5. Which are required for MP.

Hey Dobyken,
Try the attached zip file. I think the service was bombing because it was looking for the configurtaion folder & files that are not there until after you run the configuration.

Let me know if that works and I will update the package on Google Code.

Thanks!
Wile E.

EDIT: Be sure to restart the X10 Home Automation service after you run the configuration, else it will not pick up the new devices you added.

 

[dobyken]

The service loads but I can't run the plugin. All I get is a black screen with a video control bar at the top. The MP error log says that the blue3wide skin couldn't be found. I think the issue now is that I'm using 1.1 and some folders have changled locations from Program Files to Documents and Settings\All Users\Appdata. I had to manually copy your install files over to a different folder. I'll do a little more debugging and see if I can the skin files fixed.

Yes, ActiveHome Pro is installed and works properly...or as properly as it can. I don't have AH_SDK currently installed. Since you mentioned a hard coded port I turned off my firewall but got the same error. There's another service running called X10Hardware which I turned off but
that didn't fix it either. Do you have any runtimes installed that a normal user would not? The only ones I have loaded are C++ 2005,2008 plus the
.net 2.0, 3.0 and 3.5. Which are required for MP.

Hey Dobyken,
Try the attached zip file. I think the service was bombing because it was looking for the configurtaion folder & files that are not there until after you run the configuration.

Let me know if that works and I will update the package on Google Code.

Thanks!
Wile E.

EDIT: Be sure to restart the X10 Home Automation service after you run the configuration, else it will not pick up the new devices you added.

 

[WileECoyote]

The service loads but I can't run the plugin. All I get is a black screen with a video control bar at the top. The MP error log says that the blue3wide skin couldn't be found. I think the issue now is that I'm using 1.1 and some folders have changled locations from Program Files to Documents and Settings\All Users\Appdata. I had to manually copy your install files over to a different folder. I'll do a little more debugging and see if I can the skin files fixed.

A couple of thoughts...

Did you run the X10_configuration.exe in the X10 folder and add your devices?
Did you add the IP address in the MP plugin configuration?
Is the plugin Enabled?

You probably have checked all those, but I just wanted to verify...

 

[TritonT]

@ WileECoyote

Yes, having ‘event driven’ actions would be a great addition. I for one would really like MediaPortal to pause a movie and bring the lights up when the phone rings or someone comes to the door.

Regarding triggering macros, by running xAP Floorplan in the background I can trigger macros far beyond what you are proposing here. For example I can modify a macro at runtime based on who’s in the room, the temperature, the time etc. Also I can stagger execution in a macro for a more pro look. I’m not saying it’s easy to setup but it is already possible.

Also only about half the people who have X10 will be able to use your plugin since it’s CM15 only, and no-one who has a more modern home automation setup such as C-Bus, Rako or Z-Wave can.

The point I was making is that all this code is already written and functional (with skins for Blue, StreamedMP, ReVision, Replicant and Monochrome), the only thing that needs to added is event driven actions in MediaPortal/Patrick’s plugin (ideally bi-directional), I’ve had a look at Patrick’s code and it would seem possible to add this function. Just trying to save you some effort.

 

[dobyken]

Yes, I ran all the configs. It appears I'm missing

SKIN: Missing C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\Skin\Blue3wide\X10HomeControl.xml

I did a search on my C: drive and couldn't find it. Is the config supposed to generate it or
is it supposed to be installed?

The service loads but I can't run the plugin. All I get is a black screen with a video control bar at the top. The MP error log says that the blue3wide skin couldn't be found. I think the issue now is that I'm using 1.1 and some folders have changled locations from Program Files to Documents and Settings\All Users\Appdata. I had to manually copy your install files over to a different folder. I'll do a little more debugging and see if I can the skin files fixed.

A couple of thoughts...

Did you run the X10_configuration.exe in the X10 folder and add your devices?
Did you add the IP address in the MP plugin configuration?
Is the plugin Enabled?

You probably have checked all those, but I just wanted to verify...

I tried installing the xAP plugin and couldn't get it to work. There were so many versions it was hard to tell which one is supposed to be for what version of MP. I think the last post in that thread from a month ago asks "How do I install this plugin" and it never got answered. I'd be happy with just a basic program to control
my lights etc within MP. The fact that it only has support for the CM15a doesn't matter since
you can add new controllers later. There's enough sample code for the CM11's that it wouldn't be
too hard to add it and I think there's an SDK for the usb Powerlinc. I'm not sure what open source code is
around for the other Zwave controllers but I'm sure most of them are using Homeseer, Charmed Quark or other
similar package.

@ WileECoyote

Yes, having ‘event driven’ actions would be a great addition. I for one would really like MediaPortal to pause a movie and bring the lights up when the phone rings or someone comes to the door.

Regarding triggering macros, by running xAP Floorplan in the background I can trigger macros far beyond what you are proposing here. For example I can modify a macro at runtime based on who’s in the room, the temperature, the time etc. Also I can stagger execution in a macro for a more pro look. I’m not saying it’s easy to setup but it is already possible.

Also only about half the people who have X10 will be able to use your plugin since it’s CM15 only, and no-one who has a more modern home automation setup such as C-Bus, Rako or Z-Wave can.

The point I was making is that all this code is already written and functional (with skins for Blue, StreamedMP, ReVision, Replicant and Monochrome), the only thing that needs to added is event driven actions in MediaPortal/Patrick’s plugin (ideally bi-directional), I’ve had a look at Patrick’s code and it would seem possible to add this function. Just trying to save you some effort.

 

[WileECoyote]

dobyken

Try the attached xml file. I packaged my whole build directory for X10, so you can pretty much ignore the rest...

Thanks again for testing this for me! This will help me taylor the installation process for everyone else (that uses it anyway)