We love a good hardware hack and here's a great one from Automated Home reader Martin Howell. 

A Velleman IR kit plus a makeup mirror and some Arduino jiggery-pokery allows Martin's home to let him know when there's something in his mail box on the gatepost.

My mailbox is on the gatepost, and the erratic timing of mail deliveries round these parts means sometimes several trips per day out in the pouring rain to check if there is mail. I built a detector from a Velleman kit to let me know when there was mail in the box, and this is how I did it.

The Velleman kit is an MK120 IR light barrier kit. It creates an infra red barrier, and sets off a squawker when the beam is broken. The kit needs to be soldered together, and for my purposes I needed to modify the kit slightly, as follows:-

Make the infra red LEDs separate from the circuit boards

Remove the squawker and replace it with a bright LED

Also make the device send a signal to my Arduino based monitoring system.

First, the easy part - mounting the circuit boards in a weather-proof box. I had a spare aluminium box left over from another project and simply marked out the position of the holes and drilled and tapped them, then mounted the circuit boards on small plastic spacers to ensure that they couldn't touch the box.
The wires all come through the bottom of the box, and I put rubber grommets in the holes to seal them from the weather and stop the cables from chafing against the edges of the holes. Once all the holes were drilled, I sprayed the box and lid with satin black from an aerosol can.
In the picture, the green and yellow cables are the feeds to the IR LEDs, the other loose wires feed the LEDs that are fitted into the lid of the box.
To mount the LEDs remotely from the circuit boards I used a short length of coaxial cable (from and old audio lead) for each one. I tried CAT5 twisted pair cables and they were very prone to false alarms, I think because they picked up noise from each other and from the power cable - the coax solved that problem.
The LED end of these cables is exposed to the weather, so I encapsulated the end of the cables and the soldered connections in epoxy resin.
The 'Mail Waiting' alert is a bright orange LED that is fixed into the lid of the box (drill a 5mm diameter hole and secure the LED in it with a dab of super glue) with a short length of flexible cable to connect it to the squawker connection on the PCB. Note that a 220 ohm resistor is used to limit the current to the LED, and the LED was selected to give a bright light from around 5 volts - the box sits in direct sunlight most of the day, and a standard brightness LED can't be seen easily. Keep the unused squawker in your spares box for another day :-)
To seal the box from the weather I ran a small bead of silicone sealer around the edge of the lid and screwed it down tight. The sealer gets squeezed out of the joint, so the excess needs to be cleaned off before it dries (scrape most of it off with a screwdriver, then scrub it down with a wet cloth)
I feed the device with power from a central 12 volt power supply fitted in my central Arduino box, and a second (green) LED fitted into the lid of the box shows that power is present. This power supply also feeds the water leak detectors in the house. The Velleman kit is designed to run on a 9 volt PP3 battery, but will happily work on 12 volts. When I built the house, I had a duct laid under the driveway to the gatepost and laid both CAT5 cabling and a mains power cable in it, so power is fed to the mailbox via the CAT5. This is not ideal, as the long cable run means that the voltage drops considerably and the 12v at the power supply ends up being around 8v at the mailbox. I plan to modify the power supply to fix that, although the mail detector works fine at this low voltage.
The same CAT5 cable also lets me feed the 'alert' signal back to the Arduino so that I can see on a screen in the house if there is mail in the box. I originally tried just using the raw output from the squawker connections, but could not get the Arduino to reliably read it, then realised that this was because the power supply is separate from the Arduino - instead, I use the squawker output to fire a small 5 volt relay which switches a connection between the Arduino's own 5v power rail and the data pin which monitors the mailbox status. Works a treat, although the low voltage sometimes makes the relay chatter instead of latching solidly.
My mailbox is a simple tin affair with an opening door at the front. I mounted the LEDs into some short plastic tubes glued to an aluminium plate across the back of the box, and angled in towards each other at around 45 degrees.  A cheap make-up mirror is fixed to the inside of the door with double sided tape and reflects the beam when the door is closed. Drop a letter into the box and the beam is interrupted and the warning light comes on. Hooray!  It works fine, I just need to jack up the power a little so that the relay latches reliably. No more abortive trips in the rain out to the gatepost for me! UPDATE - A quick follow up on this following an investigation today into the power issues and some mods to cure some erratic operation over the past week.
First, the power supply was only dishing up around 9 volts which fell to less than 8 by the time it reached the gatepost. Luckily, its a PSU salvaged from an industrial-strength network switch, and the output is adjustable with a small potentiometer, so a quick twiddle and voila! around 12 volts at the gate.
Still erratic in operation though :-( A bit more research later and I think I've found the cause. The Vellemann kit is designed to run off a couple of 9 volt PP3 batteries, one each for the transmitter and the receiver, and their web site/forum says that its OK to run the whole shebang at 12 volts. However, I discovered that if I drop the power to 9 volts on the receiver and leave it at 12 on the transmitter the instability goes away - no idea why, and finding out is well beyond my electronics knowledge. I've added a simple 9 volt regulator in the box and all seems well.
Just as well, as Mrs Grizzly was getting increasingly ticked off by trekking out to the gate to find the box was empty - a bit ironic, as when I announced I was going to make this gadget I got the standard roll of eyes and 'what on earth for??....' :-)

 

Arduino  :  Velleman MK120 IR Kit

[Republished with Kind Permission of grizzly-grizzlysblog.blogspot.com]

 

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The new Marmitek Digital TV Anywhere set comprises a transmitter and a receiver pair. Connect the transmitter to the SCART output on your Freeview / Sky / Other set-top box, then connect the receiver to a TV somewhere else in the house. Then the picture, sound and IR commands from your remote control are sent wirelessly between the two. The £149 system is available now, check out the video after the jump.

Watch digital TV anywhere in the house - Do you watch digital TV? Would you like to watch it on a second TV in your house but do not have the COAX connection for your decoder? You can solve this problem with the new Marmitek Digital TV Anywhere. This allows you to watch TV wherever you like, regardless of where the decoder is located!

The introduction of the Digital TV Anywhere finally provides an affordable solution for connecting your TV remotely and wirelessly to your decoder or satellite receiver while retaining picture and sound quality. Unique, digital technology means that the wireless connection is 100% free from interruptions. And, unless you live in a castle or under a radio/TV mast, Marmitek guarantees signal transmission throughout the house without any loss of quality!

The Digital TV Anywhere works perfectly with all SD digital TV decoders from cable suppliers and satellite and IPTV. For example BT Vision, Freesat, Freeview, Sky TV and Virgin.  The ideal solution if...

• You want to place your TV wherever you want, without having to consider the location of the aerial or satellite connection;
• The Homeplug A/V solution that is provided by the digital TV provider does not work (effectively);
• You are transferring to a new TV provider with all of the corresponding technological changes (e.g. from COAX to IP, without having to install a network cable [UTP, CAT5/CAT6]).Digital wireless sender for all your Digital TV Channels

Youtube

The advantages

• No COAX connection required to the TV;
• No need to lay cables or drill holes;
• Guaranteed range throughout the house;
• No loss of quality due to digital transfer.
  

Marmitek.com   :   Buy from Amazon

 

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We've been sitting on this review for months - in the hope that LG would release a firmware update that would finally make things work right.  Alas, still with no sign of it and with last weeks announcement of 2 new TV upgrader modules it looks like the ST600 is a gonner.  So here's our review - for what it's worth.

It's no secret that we're big Plex fans here at Automated Home.  But while we love our Mac mini powered setup on the main AV system, even a second hand Mac mini of suitable spec is around £350 these days.  That's why we were excited to hear of a £100 box that would bring us the Plex experience.  It's been a while since the announcement but finally we've got our hands on one of the new LG ST600 TV Upgrader boxes.  Read on to find out how it performs.

Physically the unit is similar to an Apple TV, although it's a little larger (11cms x 11cms x 3cms), even with its external 'brick' PSU compared to the ATV2's internal one.  Also on the rear panel is an HDMI, an optical audio out and an Ethernet socket.  It has built in 802.11n Wi-Fi (5 GHz and 2.4 GHz) too, but you're going to want wired Ethernet for hassle free HD playback.

LG's specs show a 17w consumption for the little fella and it takes around 35 seconds to boot.  On arrival the unit needed a firmware update which added the Plex app (known as 'Media Link' on the box).  Firmware updates are a simple matter of choosing the option from one of the menus in settings and letting it do its thing for a few minutes.  Unfortunately a bug in the current firmware (version ST.8.79.173.F at time of review - Now on ST.8.79.198.F - still with issues) means that only a couple of file formats are working right now.

LG ST600 (bottom) compared to the Apple TV 2

Filters are something you're used to already if you're a Plex user.  You can choose to view 'Recently Aired' or 'Recently Added' movies and TV for example.  Or jump to 'Recently Viewed Shows' to continue watching a series or 'Recently Viewed Episodes' will allow you to continue watching where you left off on any other Plex client around the house.  You can literally start watching a movie on the iMac in the kitchen, continue on the iPad in the...cough, rest room.  Then pick up from where you left off on the ST600 in the bedroom.

As well as filters you can search although the on screen keyboard is a bit of a pain to use.  It would be nice to see the unit ship with a remote that has a decent QWERTY keyboard integrated, like the Boxee one.  As expected the UI isn't quite Apple-like and it's sluggish too, something that will definitely frustrate users used to the 'Full' Plex experience on a Mac or PC.  However this is a box that will play your 1080P MKVs, unlike the ATVs finicky choice of apple friendly formatted 720p content.

 Side Mounted USB Socket & Reset Button

The diminutive remote control is actually quite nice in the hand and easy to use.  The little area in the middle of the 4-way controller seems to be touch sensative and actually allows you to control the pointer on the screen while you are in the web browser.

The Supplied Remote Control is a Decent Little Unit
 

 

Movie Browsing Will Look Familiar to Plex Users 

 

Browsing TV Shows

Browsing through your Movies and TV shows will be familiar to Plex users.  While it's definitely a 'cut-down' experience compared to the one you may be used to on the Mac, it still has just enough of the Plex magic to make it usable.  It is certainly a huge step above the normal folder / file navigation of many other similar set top boxes. Indeed such an app exists on the ST600 (which we used to test the 1080P MKV playback) and it's pretty awful having to go back to this sort of thing once you've used the Plex library.

 

 'Powered by Plex"

 

 Watch All Your Favourite Web Videos with Plex Plugins

 

There are other nice touches too.  When you are playing music the system blanks the TV screen all except a small info and control panel that moves about the display so as not to burn in on your best plasma.

The ST600 has a range of other built in apps, plus the ubiquitous 'Store' to obtain both free and paid additions.  However if you're used to any of todays modern smartphone, tablet or PC OS's these will probably want to make you eat your own face. 

Conclusion -  We're really only interested in the LG600 as an inexpensive Plex box for secondary zones like bedrooms.  However, as of today the firmware still won't play many of the file types we need in the Media Link (Plex) app (even though they do in the basic movie player app).  While we wait to see what the new TV Upgrader boxes bring later in the year, you can get yourself a much better Plex experience by using the widget for Samsung Blue-ray players and TVs - check out this link for all the info.

 

Buy an LG ST600 TV Upgrader   :  www.lg.com   :  Samsung Blu-rays for Plex   :   Plexapp.com

 

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LG's UK Blog has announced 2 new TV Upgrader models (the SP520 and SP820), both coming this year. We're assuming this will herald the death of the ST600?   Hopefully these new models will deliver a much better user experience than the first attempt and it looks like the Plex guys will be supporting it again.

This year also sees the launch of two Smart TV Upgraders (SP520 in March and SP820 in May), offering users the opportunity to access the LG Smart TV platform from any TV with a HDMI connection. 

A complete redesign of the LG Smart TV platform is launching in March / April including a new motion activated Magic remote control with voice activation (these remotes will probably ship with TVs rather than the Upgrader boxes though).  Other highlights include Dual core CPUs in top line Smart TVs and Wi-Fi will now be included in 70% of new LG TV models.  Check out the video below..

Youtube

 

LG UK Blog   :   Plexapp.com

 

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The guys over at Vesternet have just given us the skinny on the all new VeraLite Z-Wave home automation controller from Micasaverde. 

We can exclusively reveal that they will have the first units into Europe with shipping due to start around the 23rd, they are accepting pre-orders now.  Check out the stats on this interesting new system and the setup video after the jump...

"VeraLite is created for users that already have a WiFi router and want to add home control at the most affordable price. VeraLite runs the same home control engine with all the capabilities of Vera3, and it is perfect for users with small to medium sized networks. VeraLite’s sleek new design and built-in battery pack makes set-up convenient. Just like Vera3, VeraLite comes with our newest user interface, UI5.  You have unlimited options for scenes, rooms, timers, events and notifications. Read more about using VeraLite for security, energy saving, home theater and remote home management. 

 

Features :

• No Monthly Fee - Secure, remote access over web and mobile phone is FREE.
• Convenient User Interface (UI) - VeraLite’s easy-to-follow setup process will have you up and running in no time. VeraLite uses our 5th generation user interface, UI5, with more features than ever.
• Guaranteed compatibility with ALL Z-Wave devices - Includes deadbolt locks, scene controllers, all kinds of sensors and lighting, thermostats, energy metering and more. VeraLite lets you can take advantage of everything the Z-Wave world offers, and also the ability to add in IP cameras, some alarm panels, IR devices, Control4 and more.
• Expandable Applications - Our growing APP store includes numerous 3rd party apps that extend your experience, such as weather forecasting, media control, alarm panel integration, remote live video streaming, etc., and more and it's growing all the time.
• Energy Monitoring - VeraLite’s advanced energy metering capabilities empower you to take control of your energy bill and start saving money.
• Advanced set-up Tab - VeraLite is extensible to also appeal to enthusiasts and advanced users with features seen only in high-end systems, like infrared/universal remote control, integration with monitored alarm system, ability to bridge multiple ZWave networks, works with INSTEON, X10 and other platforms.
• Video Monitoring - Stream live video from plug and play IP cameras even on your smartphone; store video footage on our secure servers that you can access from anywhere.
• Bridge Multiple VeraLite Devices Over IP - Enhance the range by bridging 2 or more VeraLite devices over IP that operate as one controller.
• Open APIs - VeraLite’s home control engine, created by MiOS, has open architecture allowing you or your developers to create new Apps to offer to all VeraLite users.
  
• No Broadband Connection Needed for local control - VeraLite can set-up and configure your network and control all your devices without any internet connection.

Youtube

micasaverde.com   :   Order Online from Vesternet

 

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One of the more joyous tasks in the digital home is setting up a monitoring system for your new arrival to the family. BabyPing is a new division of Y-cam Solutions and they aim to make that a much easier and more pleasant task with their new high-quality Wi-Fi IP CCTV setup.  In conjunction  with it's free iOS app the system allows parents to watch and listen to their baby on an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch.

The Next Generation of Baby Monitor is Here - BabyPing will unveil a new high security Wi-Fi baby monitor at the world's biggest technology trade show – CES - this week. The new BabyPing high security Wi-Fi baby monitor allows parents to hear, view and monitor their infant on iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch through cutting edge features.

BabyPing is the first device to offer a truly reassuring alternative to old-style monitors by using the latest in modern, safe technology to keep parents constantly and instantly informed. Combined with a free monitoring app, BabyPing offers a wealth of security and safety features which include double-layer security and alerts to inform the user if the baby cries, if the Wi-Fi connection has been broken or if the monitoring iOS device is out of range.

Along with all the specifications you would expect from a high tech baby monitor such as vivid full color video with 640x480 resolution, a high quality built-in microphone and superfast wireless Wi-Fi, British based BabyPing has also developed its own key features. Using specially developed technology, the Smart Filter cuts out the background noise and static normally associated with baby monitors, while Constant-Connect acts as a permanent tether between the app and monitor, instantly notifying the user when the baby is upset or if the connection is broken at any point, ensuring parents can put their trust in this new technology.

Built with safety in mind, BabyPing only uses your home Wi-Fi network to transmit information, avoiding unnecessary web streaming and bandwidth costs, as well as ensuring instant alerts and updates from the monitor, without the long delay associated with other baby cameras. BabyPing is the only Wi-Fi baby monitor on the market with invisible infared night vision, offering round the clock visibility without disturbing the baby.

BabyPing is a newly created division of award-winning network camera specialist, Y-cam Solutions Ltd, which already has a strong reputation in developing technology to monitor and protect both residential and commercial properties.  The BabyPing Video Monitor will be available in the UK from February 2012 priced at £149.99 RRP.

 

www.babyping.com   :   Y-Cam IP CCTV Cameras

 

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A quick home automation video demo video of the JenNet-IP system controlling lighting via Wi-Fi.  NXP and Belkin WeMo are collaborating to show this system where each light bulb gets its own IPv6 address.  The system uses an enhanced 6LoWPAN network layer as defined by the IETF and targets ultra-low-power IEEE802.15.4-based wireless networking for residential and industrial applications.

"What if every device in your home had its own Internet IP address? At the 2012 International CES, NXP and Belkin International, Inc. are demonstrating a "smart home" network that allows you to control light bulbs -- each with its own IPv6 address -- using a smartphone or tablet. The network features a WeMo device from Belkin that enables mobile devices using Wi-Fi to interact securely with smart home appliances using JenNet-IP -- NXP's ultra-low-power wireless connectivity software based on 6LoWPAN and IEEE 802.15.4. The WeMo Home Automation demo will be featured in the NXP booth (CP8) and Belkin booth (South Hall #30651) at CES."

Youtube

  

JenNet-IP  :  Belkin WeMo

 

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Our American readers will soon be able to enjoy AlertMe's wireless home automation technology after they just announced a strategic partnership with the huge American retailer - Lowe's.  The home improvement company's new 'Iris' service will be based on the AlertMe hub and give users to monitor and control their thermostats, smart plugs, lighting, door locks, motion and contact sensors from their smartphones.

"LONDON UK and SAN FRANCISCO CA – January 5, 2012 – AlertMe, the Smart Home technology company today announces a commercial partnership with Lowe’s, the second largest home improvement company in the world with 1,750 stores, nearly $50 billion in annual revenues and 15 million weekly shoppers. 

Based on AlertMe’s Smart Home platform and home hub, the partnership will deliver a cloud based home management system for the retailer’s new Iris service in North America that will give customers the ability to monitor and control their home from anywhere using their Smartphone or computer. Iris will be introduced in the second quarter of 2012 in stores and online.

AlertMe forges into retail market - Starting with energy and home management applications such as thermostats, smart plugs, lighting, door locks, motion sensors and door/window/cabinet contact sensors, Lowe’s plans to extend Iris into areas such as smart appliances, vehicles, garden, and remote second-property management.

“The Smart home will be the next major consumer technology innovation space and it is just about to become an affordable, mass market proposition for everyone. Consumers are used to living their lives on the go, online and increasingly on their Smartphones. They have been connected to all aspects of their lives including their work, friends and even their bank through the cloud for some time – now they can be connected to their homes, in the same easy to use, friendly and innovative, always-on way.” said Mary Turner, CEO of AlertMe.

According to industry analysts, the market for home management systems to date has been restrained by prohibitively high costs and lack of standards-based ‘no new wires’ technologies like the AlertMe platform. “The entrance of a giant retail brand like Lowe’s means we are poised to bring the Smart Home into the mainstream and not just for the more affluent,” continues Turner.

Effortless & affordable Smart Home management - “The partnerships we have with manufacturers, utilities and service providers, allows us to bring a simple and innovative home management solution to market at price points that will appeal to mainstream consumers” says Kevin Meagher, Lowe’s Vice President and General Manager of Smart Home “The AlertMe platform enables us to support the broadest range of products and deliver the benefits of a smart home that were previously only available to the most affluent consumers.

 

Alertme.com  

 

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The end of another year of digital home tech and a chance to pause and take stock.  This years top twenty most read home automation articles cover a wide range of topics and new comer LightaveRF appears twice in the list (make sure to check out the review at number 5).  More of our 'My Automated Home' articles were amongst your favs this year too and the news that Google are entering the home automation world made it in twice as well.  But the number one most read article this year?  Well it's all about a 20 quid piece of plastic - lots of you wall mounting in the kitchen it seems...

 

1. Inexpensive iPad & iPad 2 Compatible Wall Mount Bracket

2. LG ST600 Smart TV Upgrader - Plex Confirmed, Landing in 2 Weeks at £99 ?

3. Freedom - the Open Source Home Automation Software Project

4. New USB RF Dongle Automates Your Home

5. LightwaveRF Home Automation System : In-Depth Review

6. Rii Mini Wireless Keyboard Review

7. Google Enters the Home Automation Market with Android @ Home

8. My Automated Home: Nigel Giddings - Installing Broadband in a Rural Location

9. My Automated Home: Tom Lawrence - Home Brew X10 Plus XMBC Control

10. Wireless LED 'Google' Bulb for Android at Home

11. ThinkFlood Launch RedEye Pro Linux Based Home Automation System

12. New HomeSeer HomeTroller-Mini Linux Based Home Automation Controller

13. Evo Technologies Introduces ECOPC N.1A - 14W Silent & Fanless PC

14. Video : Inexpensive Touchscreen Home Automation Setup

15. GreenWave Z-Wave Energy Display Shows Electricity, Water and Gas Consumption at a Glance

16. Kwikwai Bridges HDMI-CEC to Ethernet USB and Serial

17. AlertMe Launches New Hardware, Drops Subs, Aims to Become Open Gateway to Your Home

18. Control Your Home from your iPhone with LightwaveRF Easy Retro-Fit Modules

19. Hands On: Upgrading Our MacBook to SSD PLUS a 1TB Hard Drive

20. Sony Launch HomeShare Wi-Fi Universal Remote Control

 

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Did you know you can turn your iOS or Android device into remote control for your LG CINEMA 3D Smart TV?  Just search for the free “LG Remote App”.  You'll need to pair the app with your LG TV. As long as your smart phone and smart TV are connected to your home Wi-Fi network, this is a snap. After you launch the LG TV Remote App, it will automatically scan for your TV. Once it finds it, just tap “connect” and watch the TV for a code to appear. Plug that in, and you’re good to go. 

 

Youtube

 

LG Smart TVs    :   Via: lgblog.co.uk

 

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