[mythtv] Re:Idea

John Hurliman webmaster at focustheater.com
Fri Aug 15 16:44:10 EDT 2003


If you're serious about doing this, it makes sense to lay down a 
foundation right now. There are countless home automation <--> computer 
interfaces out there, and even more Linux drivers with no standard way 
of interfacing. Some equipment is one-way (you can send signals but 
you're counting on faith the device receives and executes them), some is 
two-way providing feedback, everything is expandable and customizable. 
Right now I have a CM17A controller from X10 and a few basic modules to 
interact with it, which are all one-way. To support the variety of 
hardware, the most important part of the code would be a device 
abstraction layer.

Here's one way it could be done:

mythhome/devices/wish.h (interacts with http://wish.sourceforge.net/)
 - Device drivers at the kernel level would be supported with a driver 
in the mythtv plug-in that is required to implement certain functions 
and declare it's capabilities.

mythhome/devices/driver.h (intermediary between device drivers)
 - Implements signals and slots for receiving and triggering various 
home automation functions. This would also have functions to enumerate 
available drivers and load/unload an active driver

mythhome/display.cpp (gui)
 - The main GUI for the project. I have no idea what would go here.

mythhome/setup.cpp
 - GUI for selecting a driver and configuring parameters, as well as 
behavior

mythhome/daemon.cpp
 - Initialized with the plugin, it runs in the background and either 
listens for commands, or watches other plugins and acts on them (watches 
for mplayer to launch, for example). Whatever makes the most sense.

This is how I would approach it, given an excess of spare time. It's 
always easier to start from a framework than going piece by piece.

jph

mpgordon wrote:

>I too am interested in Home automation.
>
>I have been planning to build a Myth box so that I can some how incorporate
>Home Automation as a plug-in.
>
>I am an experience C/C++ programmer, with limited spare time.  But I am very
>interested in MythTv and home automation.  I believe that home automation
>would fit well in to the Myth interface.
>
>Here is what I would like to accomplish with home automation in MythTV.
>
>1. Simple manual device control.
>2. I would like it if a lighting scene is executed when I play a DVD or
>movie.
>3. Create a different light scene that is executed when I listen to music.
>4. Some sort of visual notification when a device is turned on/off or when a
>sensor is tripped.
>
>I have been investigating different approaches and would like to here your
>ideas.
>
>I plan on using X10 protocol to control X10 devices.  There already exist
>Linux drivers to communicate with such devices.
>
>I like the idea that the myth screen have a 'hole' in it for playing video
>streams.
>
>Mike
>
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