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redbaron73 · 06-08-2018, 07:17 AM

I have done a similar task using homeseer and a mix of coding, zwave, and android devices to accomplish this.

I am hoping that there is an rv-c bus connection already in the 2018-2019 dsdp, but may be forced to continue to the alternates.

With the setup I did, less than $500 gives you most of the benefits of myrozie, and silverleaf controls. I spent more because I wanted to include 360 dvr camera, remote viewing, and easy to use video matrix. I have almost $1200 into my setup.

redbaron73 · 06-08-2018, 07:37 AM

Yes I have HS in my RV and home. I am running it on their arduino all in one device that is easily tucked away.

I wrote interface software for the UX, which runs on any device. Some are just led display, some are tablets using HTML5.

We do home automation solutions for our clients, using as much OTS product as possible. The coding we do in house is just for the UX experience.

This is more of a hobby for me, not a business venture. The clients we have done are existing clients with my main line of work, that had toured my home and wanted it. The main design principle is to keep it stupid simple. This is vastly different from the silverleaf, which is your one and only control point. With my setup, you can do it manually or automated. That is why I want to use RVc as much as possible.

I have several rental properties and I have setup tasks to disable the ac when doors are left open, automate the pool, and reorder cleaning supplies. Like I said, more of a hobby, and fun.

redbaron73 · 06-08-2018, 08:50 AM

the RV-C interface is using an arduino CAN BUS monitor. This will handle the communication relay to the translation service that will be the interpreter.

Home seer will send custom commands to the translation service, and read status from the translation service.

I own several companies in the IT field, dealing with custom software programming, telephone systems, network security, project management, and support services. Most of the coding I am doing for the automation is my personal work, although I do draw from company resources when I need something faster than my time allows. I try not do that, as it is my hobby, and I don't want others taking my fun

So far what I have done is around the multimedia controls and improved AGS / AC control.

For multimedia, I have a PlexMedia server on board that has local storage of the movies. The automation allows family members to preselect what movies are available for the trip. We have a 90TB library at home for our personal movies, and only 8TB in the RV. So I allow each person to choose the movies they want, and the system will cycle the files out.

Once files are available then the viewing is straight forward. From an iPad or PC, the user has LAN access. From the main TV there is a dedicated tablet for selecting source, and then controlling the source.

My sources are 2 DirecTV DVR's, 1 Blue Ray, 1 Roku, 1 PC, and the PlexMedia server. The PC displays a custom HTML5 page that includes weather and map data, and displays on TV's along with destination information (are we there yet?), etc. Most of this page is now being maintained by my older children as they learn HTML and what they can do.

HS handles contolling the matrix, which is hidden. This is far more reliable than using an IR repeater. A single button click on the tablet or website will be confirmed, and HS will send the command, and then verify the status was updated. If not, it will keep trying until it does switch. This is important as the monoprice matrix I have sometimes ignores requests.

For AGS, I don't like any of the standard options for starting based on temperature. So I have a ZWave sensor that is located in the center of the RV, and code that I wrote to control how long the AC runs. It will then start the Generator and run it until the temp reaches the param I have specified, and then shutdown. It will then not cylce for specified time, and repeat. I have set the min run time, the min interval between starts, and a max run time.

What I do not have yet is control of the AC. This weekend I am going to be working on that project.

I have a few more minor things I have done, and more planned.

"007" · 06-08-2018, 10:10 AM

Well I hope you young fellows can excuse me and my unknowing knowledge of your under taking of making life as simple as possible for you all.
I am a old wire man from MA Bell who started with magneto phones in the 50's and progress through the years to manual operators, on to step offices and conversions to dial systems and than to touch tone and ESS systems.
Went into PEA " Army" installing Carrier Systems through out Alaska and back to Ma Bell to the splits in 80's and all new electronic business electronic systems until 88 when I retired at 54 and enjoyed the RV Lifestyle.
The communication world has changed very fast in my eyes and changes will continue so what you do now will be obsolete in short order.
So I appreciate your back ground in your new adventures into the world of communication, please do not even bring up the cell phone side of life, because I an still a old wire man.

Dav L · 06-08-2018, 01:36 PM

Hey 007!
CAN based communication has been around quite a while (1983 or so). RV-C is just a fairly recent agreement by several RV suppliers to enable their hardware to talk to each other over CAN data wires.

So, not new technology at all!

I am finding in general that with the iOT (Internet of Things), that companies are finally thinking about their stuff talking to others stuff. Collaboration.

It's all good!

"007" · 06-08-2018, 01:45 PM

Yes I can remember using two cans with a string between them.

Only kidding ,guys.

Its something I never got into but will not deny its a good thing these days, the two of you will make discussions interesting I can see in the future, more power to you both,

redbaron73 · 06-08-2018, 02:00 PM

Dav L:

In my S&B I use an extron system and it is far more reliable. For the RV I was wanting to build an automation system for under $2k, all in, so that has been the challenge. Some stuff is now possible that was not back when I started. I agree that if you are supporting a product or doing a commercial business with it, then you need to have a much better quality than what I have with the low end off the shelf equipment that I am using.

Dav L · 06-08-2018, 06:32 PM

Extron is good stuff. Y, $2K would be a challenge.
Are you going to continue building out the system in your existing RV? From your signature line...you have a new one on order?
Are you going to move what you have into the new? Or start fresh?
Have you been able to find out if the new has RV-C?

redbaron73 · 06-08-2018, 07:00 PM

I am playing with ideas for the new coach, mainly around the entertainment side. We are going on a 6 week trip soon, and I have a few ideas that i wanted to try to make the system easier.

One of them is automating the Directv reconfigure that is required when I switch from swm 5lnb to the in motion dish. The unit needs to have the dish and switch type reset, tuners changed to single,and hd channels removed.

Since my units are connected to the RV LAN, I can automate this just never took the time.

Part of the setup will be to wire in a switch to cycle the in motion dish when a lockup occurs. This will let everyone remain seated while dealing with this.

While I am doing that, I am going to add a switch to the oasis burner. This will serve several purposes: when I am in the shower, and forgot to turn it on, I can use the interface.

Also when I park it in the garage, the system can automatically kill the burner. I have this for my ags, and this is just another safety layer.

I added a feature to open the rear garage door 4 ft when I start the coach. For now this is just a button on the webpage, but could be one that is tied to the ignition. I felt that wasn't worth the effort until I read about the girard awning lockout issue. Now I am going to do this for the purpose of detecting engine start.

Once I get the new coach I will create a lockout for the awnings so they dont open.

I am selling my coach when we get back from the trip. If I end up selling by owner, then all the mods will stay with the coach. Otherwise I will be returning it to factory condition before trading it in.

Since the 2019 will all be cat6, I have a lot of flexibility in the new system design. I want to greatly reduce the footprint.

I have not found any information on rv-c for the 2019...still waiting. I know swag converted his to full silverleaf, so maybe he will pipe in with some info.

Dav L · 06-09-2018, 10:24 AM

Which In-Motion dish do you have and are you DISH or DirecTV?
I have an older KVH in-motion dish and have the serial protocol. I was lightly considering writing a driver for the KVH that I could tell the dish which satellite to point to via RS232. Apparently this is the issue that makes my KVH out of date as it doesn't now know what sat to lock on based on what TV channel one is looking at.

[Mod Edit]

I would replace the dish, but don't want to do that until the planned migration to HD only take place for DirecTV service. Curious on which dish company creates a new in-motion system that supports DTV HD without costing an arm and a leg. Because we have so much media already in the RV, this is a hobby non critical project. But curious on what your situation is to learn.

When I rebuilt the bedroom of my MA, there is TONS of unused room in the cap. That's what will be repurposed as my equipment rack. I could put a studio of equipment in there

Since you are having your new built...can you have them add the proper networking / CAN wires to the unit - even if you don't get Silverleaf? Since I haven't bought new, don't know how they will customize (and charge) for that type of add-on. If I was ordering new, I might even have them put in Silverleaf and then delete various modules I would be replacing with my stuff...that way all of the invertors / awnings etc are CAN capable. That's the big cost.

redbaron73 · 06-09-2018, 11:53 AM

My 2008 had the kvh and that was when I wrote the first version of this system to adjust the kvh to match the channel, and do the reset. Ended up scrapping all the routines and just adding a reset button since the failure is actually not very often.

I have only used DirecTV.

When I upgraded to the 2013 newmar, the reset for the winegard is much simpler, as a power cycle does it automatically. So I wired that in along with the garage mode to ensure it turns off in the garage and on as soon as we leave.

Going from garage to driving starts the autoreset on the directv, and vice versa.

All of the devices on the 2019 are rv-c capable, but finding out about the wire is complicated. Adding silverleaf as a custom is a non-starter.

redbaron73 · 06-09-2018, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dav L

When I rebuilt the bedroom of my MA, there is TONS of unused room in the cap. That's what will be repurposed as my equipment rack. I could put a studio of equipment in there

You need to address heat. Even with insulation, this area gets extremely hot. I added ac vents and that didn't help near enough. I finally went with less and spread out more, leaving very few items in this area.

Dav L · 06-10-2018, 07:54 AM

Hi RedBarron,
Yes, heat is addressed.
Because I built the rear wall myself, I put way more insulation materials (and better ones) inbetween the rear cap and the bedroom. For both heat and sound reasons.

Denim insulation (like what we use in sound studios), AND closed cell foam (for rigidity and higher R value). The original insulation was typical fiberglass mat (and very little of it). The wall is thicker than original as well. I mounted cabinets into that wall and the back side of the cabinets are insulated with 2 inch closed cell foam, plus the solid cabinet material itself. All is then spray foam sealed from within the cap area (just big enough for me to snake around within). I added a "maintenance hatch" in the cap floor for future access (like to access wiring).

So, heat wise, the equipment is in the living area, and not in the "rear cap" though it is using the room of the rear cap. I built the rear wall in the dead of winter so it was obvious where the cold was coming in.

I also added more padding under the new carpet for sound and plush reasons (and to some degree, heat).

The kids can watch a movie in the bedroom while underway without too much diesel sound. Down the road, I will add more under floor insulation (more for sound reasons than thermal).

redbaron73 · 06-10-2018, 08:30 AM

Yup, I would agree you addressed it. All of that would not be possible without gutting as you have done. That's awesome.

When I was buying my first class A, I had an idea of making a mobile dataCenter out of the bay area's. As I looked into it, I quickly changed my mind, mainly due to heat and electrical loads. In 2008, SSD was not an option, and the idea of spinning disks running down the highway made me nervous anyway.