HouseBot

The best thing about programs like this is the FORUMS. Real live user support is great!



I am in the process of deciding which home automation software will suit my needs the best. I have searched the forums to the best of my ability and have not found the answer to one of the key elements to automation software. Perhaps...I am just missing it and if so, I appologise.



What I need is a way to have Housebot track "events" and record them in variables. An example of this would be to use Housebot to turn on certain components and KNOW which component is on (ex. TV and DVD player is on). This way if another user in the house asks the system via another remote, touchscreen or PC to play a CD (through the DVD player) then Housebot can return an error to that user that the DVD player is in use.



Of course, this can grow into something complicated where a user (continue the example above) might tell the system to turn off the TV and the system would need to know that the TV is ON AND that the user making the request had turned the TV on in the first place.



Ideas?

There is no problem with what you are asking to do in housebot.

The only issues you may have is say when you use IR to activate a piece of equpment and the on off button is the same. Although if only using housebot remotes to activate piece of equipment then value changes can be recorded.

eg Tv in kitchen turned on by local remote(ir) Housebot not aware this action has taken place. So if you are in another part of the house and wish to turn on the kitchen tv ,chances are you will send an ir command which will turn the tv off ( all of my tv/plasma etc use the same code for on off).

If you have serial feedback then this can indeed inform Housebot of the status of said TV( or piece of equipment).

If you only use Housebot remotes then the action of turning on/off ( or indeed anything)can be easily monitored.

This will be the same for any program using IR.

There are get arounds like monitoring if a piece of equipment is drawing power etc



Hope this helps