Raspberry Pi Automation #2: Energenie Wireless Sockets 

Agreed. Ppl don't understand the holes these little wifi gadgets punch in their network security. I could almost accept the risk setting up a barrier with another router if these wifi gadgets were cheap BUT $75 FOR A LIGHT SOCKET?!? I guess if you don't care about your customers security you could make some real money...until the class action lawsuit...

@@semperparatus3685 Although a lot of 'Internet of Things' gadgets seem cool and nifty, I really don't see the point in them. As far as I am concerned, if a product doesn't actually add value (aside from being a cool gimick), then I'd rather not waste my money. And, of course, the security concerns alone are enough to make you heave. Remember, you are the product with these things! I like to keep my digital footprint as minimal as possible.

not only the internetuse of other products is the problem. You also need a closed source app. As soon as burglars wise up there is going to be such a rise in breakins...

Great to hear. :)

Is there anyplace where you have uploaded your project so that I could build one too

Greetings from the UK. Here we are again, communicating from all over the world! :)

@@ExplainingComputers Yes. Hello from Oz!

spot on... was reminded of the same...

I will!

Resource-wise, Python isn't really well suited for small embedded machines as it's a VM language which is almost always much slower and memory hungry than a language which compiles to native code (Python is less bloated than Java though). But Python is rather easy to learn, I guess that's why they chose it as a "main" language for programming the Pi.

I like Node-RED!

Thanks for this. The connections are kept -- the unit maintains its settings until you choose to reprogram it.

@@ExplainingComputers Thanks Christopher. I appreciate you getting back to me so promptly.

WiFi is much less reliable than 433

Hi Elvira -- here we are again. Hope life is treating you well. I've been tinkering with an Orange Pi the last few days, more of a trial that a Raspberry Pi! :)

ExplainingComputers That's wonderful! I always wanted to see Orange Pi in action! Can't wait. 🤩 Considering the life, yes, indeed! Sunny weather finally! Last Saturday: my bike, my device {photography purpose}, airplane/flight mode on. Life mode: relax on. Brain mode: low power consumption mode on. 🤣

I like the idea of a lower power consumption brain mode. I will seek that out. :)

@@ExplainingComputers Try Armbian for OPi

i would recommend you buy a "manual" remote control set and hack into the manual remote control. For that price you could buy two identical sets, get double the sockets and have a spare "manual" control left. - Bonus would be, you could simply override the RasPi with your manual remote control any time. And you would have a approved and "allowed to transmit" product.

Or purpose-built programmable plug timers, but I suppose those aren't as much fun since they don't require any tinkering.

Greetings from the UK! :)

Thanks for knowledge.. Sorry i am speak in indonesian language because i am can't speak english.. I used google translate.. Thanks again for the knowledge

I too used Google Translate. :)

Great to have this feedback, thanks.

Hi Richard, I hope you read this. I am trying to set-up the same thing! However my cgi gateway only runs python3 code and despite downloading Christophers re-coded Python code I can't get it to run. Please point me in the right direction!

@@ExplainingComputers Chris, your python3 code doesn't seem to execute for me, have you tried it recently?

@@almurray2000 my little pi is still running fine. I don't think it's even been re-booted in ages, although I would have to try to find the code running on it. Let me check tomorrow and get back to you. I will have to remember the login to the pi! I recall a basic php script and a simple shell script.

@@almurray2000 not sure if it helps, but I have managed to check what I did. Firstly, I am only using two remote switches. I have a very small php file serving a basic web page interface. I then have a small python file which is called every time the web page user hits a submit button. Obviously your web server needs admin over these files to execute. Don't ask me to explain any of it as it was a few years ago and I was basically pulling together sample code and praying!!! But, maybe it helps you! This is the file which runs the code to set the switch status. It gets the sys.argv sent from the php call and decides which (1 or 2) to turn on or off. FILE: "switches.py" #import the required modules import RPi.GPIO as GPIO import time import sys cmd = sys.argv lamp = cmd[1] state = cmd[2] print lamp print state # set the pins numbering mode GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BOARD) # Select the GPIO pins used for the encoder K0-K3 data inputs GPIO.setup(11, GPIO.OUT) GPIO.setup(15, GPIO.OUT) GPIO.setup(16, GPIO.OUT) GPIO.setup(13, GPIO.OUT) # Select the signal to select ASK/FSK GPIO.setup(18, GPIO.OUT) # Select the signal used to enable/disable the modulator GPIO.setup(22, GPIO.OUT) # Disable the modulator by setting CE pin lo GPIO.output (22, False) # Set the modulator to ASK for On Off Keying # by setting MODSEL pin lo GPIO.output (18, False) # Initialise K0-K3 inputs of the encoder to 0000 GPIO.output (11, False) GPIO.output (15, False) GPIO.output (16, False) GPIO.output (13, False) # start checking what we need to do if lamp=='1': if state=='on': # lamp 1 on print "lamp 1 on" GPIO.output (11, True) GPIO.output (15, True) GPIO.output (16, True) GPIO.output (13, True) # let it settle, encoder requires this time.sleep(0.1) # Enable the modulator GPIO.output (22, True) # keep enabled for a period time.sleep(0.25) # Disable the modulator GPIO.output (22, False) else: # lamp 1 off print "lamp 1 off" GPIO.output (11, True) GPIO.output (15, True) GPIO.output (16, True) GPIO.output (13, False) # let it settle, encoder requires this time.sleep(0.1) # Enable the modulator GPIO.output (22, True) # keep enabled for a period time.sleep(0.25) # Disable the modulator GPIO.output (22, False) elif lamp=='2': if state=='on': # lamp 2 on print "lamp 2 on" GPIO.output (11, False) GPIO.output (15, True) GPIO.output (16, True) GPIO.output (13, True) # let it settle, encoder requires this time.sleep(0.1) # Enable the modulator GPIO.output (22, True) # keep enabled for a period time.sleep(0.25) # Disable the modulator GPIO.output (22, False) else: # lamp 2 off print "lamp 2 off" GPIO.output (11, False) GPIO.output (15, True) GPIO.output (16, True) GPIO.output (13, False) # let it settle, encoder requires this time.sleep(0.1) # Enable the modulator GPIO.output (22, True) # keep enabled for a period time.sleep(0.25) # Disable the modulator GPIO.output (22, False) # Clean up the GPIOs for next time GPIO.cleanup() ----------------------------------------- This is the file you open from your web browser via your web server on the Pi. The UI is just four buttons which send a bespoke message to the Pi to execute the switches.py code. Either '1' or '2', followed by 'on' or 'off': FILE "switches.php" Messaging Page Select a lamp... Lamp 1 on Lamp 1 off Lamp 2 on Lamp 2 off

Very useful feedback, thanks for sharing here. I had the sockets removed from power for about an hour and they remained paired when reinserted. I did not test longer than that though. They are clearly intended to be left inserted.

Just by a standard cheapo set with a "manual" remote control and hack into the remote control (optocoupler or directly, usually switches to gnd or vcc). But please keep in mind, that those power sockets take power all the time because they always listen, AND take even more power if they have to hold the relay in ON state.

@@PsiQ I was planing one doing some stuff with Internet Of Things, so they could be controled remotly and just for fun as well!

You can, but as every British person knows, its two main purposes are to power fast-boiling kettles for making tea quickly, and for inflicting pain when stepped on barefoot in the dark at night. :-)

We also have less anxiety about home invasion here because every single one of us has at least one three pronged deadly weapon within easy reach at all times.

Greetings! :)

Exactly. You clearly see the potential here! :) Using a PIR sensor, you could also control them based on where human beings actually are . . .

Thanks for this Nico. I have thought about you this week as I've been making a video on an Orange Pi 3. :) Should post a couple of weeks today (unless my Atomic Pi arrives very rapidly!).

@@ExplainingComputers I would have loved to buy the Atomic Pi. But since I'm saving money for my trip I'm not buying anything now. I should have some great gadgets comming for free. When back from my trip I'll have enough work to do. I'm also changing jobs. I might have a bit more time then to make RU-vid videos. You could try the nightly Armbian images for the Orange Pi3. dl.armbian.com/orangepi3/nightly/ These are untested. But the latest builds. You can not yet get official Armbian support for it since it's still in development. Some things don't work yet. In a few months things should be a lot better when kernel 5.2 matures. Greetings.

Thanks for this. I did a video on setting up a motion controlled surveillance camera using the Pi here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-8YUM7jio6dk.html There are so many possibilities here! :)

Home automation was soooo going to be the next big thing. And then it wasn't.

@@ExplainingComputers ahh yes, the motioneyeOS, I forgot about that episode, thanks for reminding me.

@oceania68 MotionEye of course uses the camera to detect motion (very processor intensive). In the next video in this series I'll be using a PIR dectector. :)

@@unlokia well not at all

They’re massive compared to Australian sockets

The code would only restart if the Pi were set to run it on boot (which I have covered in other videos, if not here). I like the idea of a Pi UPS HAT. :)

That would be the Rock64 -- video here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-gT-EGNl9bZA.html Or comparison video including other options here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-U5Y6XwFyU2s.html

The Energenie products are CE certified. I drive-by hacker should not be able to get in, as the device has to be paired with the transmitter on the Pi.

The multiple drives is the issue with SBCs. :) A Rock64 makes a nice NAS -- ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-gT-EGNl9bZA.html -- but for multidrives, consider something like a RockPro 64: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-9CCQicHwfDI.html Or maybe a Rock Pi 4B, as it has two USB 3.0 ports.

I doubt this tech will improve. Development is now focused on online / WiFi hardware.

​@@ExplainingComputers Yes unfortunately the least intelligent product version the uneducated hordes use brainlessly to make things very easy for future thieves burglaring their homes keep winning out. Even governments are pushing 'smart' electricity meters which are basically n invitation for e-stalking or worse.

You are correct. An Arri 150 is indeed about £/$350+. Most of the lighting on this channel is done with two Arri 650 Plus Fresnels, with the 150 added in as necessary for various highlights or shadow fills -- most commonly illuminating the inside of USB ports on side-angle close-up shots of SBCs. All not cheap -- until you compare them to the LED options! :)

Certainly. I covered relay control in this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bOGltcgiXiU.html

They're way safer than American-style outlets, though.

I will cover OpenHab. :)

Probably, yes - in that you could pair more than one socket as "Socket 1", etc.

I will indeed be covering web-based devices/services later in this series. :)

@@ExplainingComputers Awesome. You do such a great job. I really look forward to seeing it.

I imagine there is some level of interference.

It depends on your point of view. The sockets here are not networked devices, so yes, can only be (directly) controlled from the Pi (although the Pi itself could be accessed over a network). However, some may see this as an advantage, as there is no security risk as devices are not being put online. :) I will be covering networked controllers later in this series.

Yes.

Yes, I've seen this issue. I would not worry about it. :)

@@ExplainingComputers Microsoft came out with a major update yesterday and I downloaded it and that was that - the file is gone - and now office is on my desktop working again - that major update took care of the problem so far - thanks

Indeed. :)

It is not a wireless networking protocol. It is, I think in the 433MHz, commonly used for short-range control for home appliances.

433

You can indeed. :)

Yes, easy, I have a little script that gets called from a basic web page interface running on the pi. Been running non-stop several years now.

@Max Raider ,Dude I am not from U.S.A I am from India and shipping matters .... Cost me $60 in eBay And more over lattepanda reaches better and faster long way to India .....but still using Rpi

@Max Raider on earth poor are poor always?............anyway I started new YT channel.....

@Max Raider thanks I will check it....