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I'm getting really sick of appliances depending on smartphone apps, they're brittle as hell and have no longevity as OS updates kill them off (and eventually as

I'm getting really sick of appliances depending on smartphone apps, they're brittle as hell and have no longevity as OS updates kill them off (and eventually as mobile OS's die completely). I had a right faff on finding a IP security cam that didn't use the bloody awful onVIF protocol and would connect to a network without a mobile app to configure it. I take care of remote access myself, so I don't need the "feature" of having my video streams routed through a server in china so I can view it on the go. I had the same issue with RGB lighting controllers for my shelving and bookcase, in the end I had to settle on a ESP8266 based controller and figure out the protocol with wireshark, I now have some of my lighting operable from a webpage on my home server. I really wish there were a decent, privacy respecting hub that could be used for controlling all of this kind of gear.

IntelMiner 9y ago
Would you be able to point us in the direction of the gear you ended up using for your DIY-ish RGB lighting? I'd love to do something similar in my own home
- amiga-workbench 9y ago
  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/222734901758 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/222734901758 Its one of these, unfortunately you still need the app to get it to connect to your network, but from then on you can fire packets at it to change the colours. There is a python library up on github for interfacing with it, and I think there might be alternate firmware for its microcontroller available. I really wish more of this home automation gear would use powerline networking, no need to faff around with WiFi settings.
  - germinalphrase 9y ago
    I had never read about power line home automation before. Interesting stuff.
    - amiga-workbench 9y ago
      It's how it used to work, X10 home automation. Incredibly primative but considering we can run Ethernet over the houses electrical wiring now it's a more elegant solution. I have some sonoff wireless power switches for my living room lamps, they keep losing their wireless connection and need power cycling. I don't know if it's crappy firmware of if it's the usual unreliability and fickleness of WiFi.
berryg 9y ago
Do you mean something like https://home-assistant.io https://home-assistant.io?
- amiga-workbench 9y ago
  Yeah, that's almost exactly what I'm after.
techmonster 9y ago
> bloody awful onVIF protocol What's wrong with ONVIF? Even if you don't have a use for the extra features it provides it guarantees you'll get an RTSP URL you can use. It's been my experience that the ones that don't advertise ONVIF support are the ones that require cloud-connected or proprietary crap.
- amiga-workbench 9y ago
  I've been through several ONVIF cameras which did provide RTSP but only at 240p resolution. Now I go straight for a camera with a web interface and exclusive RTSP output.
userbinator 9y ago
I take care of remote access myself, so I don't need the "feature" of having my video streams routed through a server in china so I can view it on the go. Ironically, if you want a "pure" IP camera, one that you connect to directly, the best way to find one (and "try it out" too) is to look at the models of those that people have exposed to the Internet --- either deliberately or accidentally: http://www.insecam.org/en/ http://www.insecam.org/en/

IntelMiner 9y ago

Would you be able to point us in the direction of the gear you ended up using for your DIY-ish RGB lighting? I'd love to do something similar in my own home

amiga-workbench 9y ago
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/222734901758 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/222734901758 Its one of these, unfortunately you still need the app to get it to connect to your network, but from then on you can fire packets at it to change the colours. There is a python library up on github for interfacing with it, and I think there might be alternate firmware for its microcontroller available. I really wish more of this home automation gear would use powerline networking, no need to faff around with WiFi settings.
- germinalphrase 9y ago
  I had never read about power line home automation before. Interesting stuff.
  - amiga-workbench 9y ago
    It's how it used to work, X10 home automation. Incredibly primative but considering we can run Ethernet over the houses electrical wiring now it's a more elegant solution. I have some sonoff wireless power switches for my living room lamps, they keep losing their wireless connection and need power cycling. I don't know if it's crappy firmware of if it's the usual unreliability and fickleness of WiFi.

berryg 9y ago

Do you mean something like https://home-assistant.io https://home-assistant.io?

amiga-workbench 9y ago
Yeah, that's almost exactly what I'm after.

techmonster 9y ago

> bloody awful onVIF protocol What's wrong with ONVIF? Even if you don't have a use for the extra features it provides it guarantees you'll get an RTSP URL you can use. It's been my experience that the ones that don't advertise ONVIF support are the ones that require cloud-connected or proprietary crap.

amiga-workbench 9y ago
I've been through several ONVIF cameras which did provide RTSP but only at 240p resolution. Now I go straight for a camera with a web interface and exclusive RTSP output.

userbinator 9y ago

I take care of remote access myself, so I don't need the "feature" of having my video streams routed through a server in china so I can view it on the go. Ironically, if you want a "pure" IP camera, one that you connect to directly, the best way to find one (and "try it out" too) is to look at the models of those that people have exposed to the Internet --- either deliberately or accidentally: http://www.insecam.org/en/ http://www.insecam.org/en/