Hello! Im sorry to write in English (I used the google translator to get here )
I would like to know your opinion about the "perfect" software to use with home-automation (X10 modulles, zwave, insteon, etc) and the more affordable.
In my opinion Ive been exploring the "MisterHouse" open source software in Perl. Is quite easy to manage him to do things, and it has voice recognition as well, the problem is the "interface".
What software do you use?

My requests:
- Voice recognition
- Compatiblity (x10, insteon, etc)
- Editable user interface
- I want to be able to play diferent music in diferent parts of my house (with the same PC)
- Be able to execute external programs from the interface (I love Vista Media Center (BUT I HATE VISTA!))

Do you know anyprogram with all this features?

THANK YOU

i've quickly check MisterHouse and looks very promising, i had no chance to play closely
with that, but as i read and as you pointed, there is no interface - except web one, which is sad. As we know voice control is great, but still had some issues which makes it hard to use on daily basis. It's great to show it to friends, but in real life you will not use often due to some limits. Which makes MisterHouse hard to use w/o propper interface.

To be honest i never found any software opensource neither retail which would fulfill ALL my requiremets. For example HALpro great voice contol, but no music distribution etc.

Therfore i decided to write my own application to make sure that fulfill all the requirements.

I don't know any program to do all you require.
In other words this is answer to your requirements = hire a developer if you can't do it yourself.

My major question is, should I invest time in developing a Flash-base for mistermouse? Something like this: http://misterhouse.wikispaces.com/Timo
Because its a program that you can a lot of things with it (and change all the perl code you want)
But im afraid to be investing in something that wont full fill all my requirements, I need a deep search!
I also meet some guys in Home Automation Chat that use voice recognition every day and works great.

I would like to know to:
1. what hardware are you using? (X10, insteon..)
2. for distributing music for the hole house, are you using the same PC or an independent machine?

that Flash looks awesome, and i have to say using Flash was my original idea coz it allows to create
pretty cool animated GUI, also this give you a platform independecy and it does make lot of sense with using MisterHouse

The reason why i didn't use Flash, is simple coz i'm not really good flash programmer, and involving
external developer is not an option for me, coz i'm not building commercial solution - not this time

regarding 1/ i'm using X10 for appliances, for heating control and thermo sensors i'm using TQS - industry standart protocol over RS485

regarding 2/ i'm using same PC networked with DLNA

do you have any further details on this?
i would like to hear:
1/ how he triggers voice recognition?
a/is there any trigger button?
b/no trigger, voice is captured constanly?

2/ how system deals with ambient noises?

3/ what about microphone setup? one per room?

They usually go to this chat http://bdshost.com/ac/
They are using ActiveHome Pro + Bill Voice Commander.
The system is always "active" listening for words.
But if you want you can say "Stop listening", and he will "sleep mode", then to awake up you say "Start listening" (I only listens to that command, nothing more). Then, when awake up he will listen for everyting. Some commads you need do say "Computer" before, some not, you can custom that.
My problem with this is the interface. AHP interface is ugly, and no fullscreen. I want a fullscreen interface!

You should stop by that chat, guys are there arround CET midnight. (Cause they are from the US)

yes i can understand, i wanted full screen touch panel too.

check my screenshots:
http://www.smart-house.cz/software-screenshots-t10.html

and live implementation:
http://www.smart-house.cz/ovladaci-jednotka-t9.html

this GUI is based on VB6, but i would imagine same with Flash much much nicer

Really, really nice! I dont understand Czech but if i understood it right, you do not have any part of "Media" control, like Video play, Photos, etc. Are you able (with VB6 language) to add a new button that would open "Windows Media Center", for exemple?

PS: Does youre software works alone? Or its like a "gateway" to another program?

actually i see these screenshots are not really up-to-date, the most important bit is missing there an X10 control, see attached a latest screenshot of X10 control through touch panel.
(with little bit of translation for you)


regarding your questions, Media Center is not incorporated yet, but easily can be, for now
there is integrated IE browser as you can see from original screenshot.


yes, this VB application does work standalone, this application controling X10 CM11, all heating
stuff and themal sensors, plus everything else, so with this single application you don't need to
run anything else.

Amazing job my friend, wondering if you'll release it someday...

Thank you for the translation screenshot! Are you still developing, or is it Final already?

i never think of public release, because it's so closelly related to specific
hardware setup, even layout images are hardcoded, that in current form can't be released at all.

Also whole application is not designed - to be configurable - but everything is hardcoded.

what i'm doing, is customised private releases for my friends, but i'm not going public, that's for sure.

regarding ongoing development, there is still what to do, i'm getting still new ideas
and development is still going forward.

Right now i have a head full of voice recognition. Thanks to you i found some
resources how to resolve some issues, and also technology has moved forward,
so now i'm thinking it's time to revisit this area.

I would like to help you, but i do not have any VB skills, never tried it.
Voice recognition, i believe that isnt very hard to build, you can ask Bill, in Home automation chat, how he done his BVC. Im sure he will light youre way

One thing, with voice recognition, my advice is to build 2 grammars: 1 for Sleep (That only listens to "Computer!" or "Awake up" or "Listen to me") and other for all the other commands (" Turn on lights", " play movie in living room").
Other problem with voice recognition is the native language (Czech), i believe that is in microsoft web site, in beta. (Dont know for sure)

I recomend you to take a look in this web site too: http://www.james.lipsit.com/whole.htm That guy has an mixer that "detects" which mic you are talking too! Really nice! ("Turn this TV on!" And it will turn the TV of that room on!)

i was searching something more about voice recognition, i found that czech is still not supported
but i found also funny stuff, maybe it still needs little bit of development



and this




btw:
did you get chance to see this video?

After doing the training, Voice Recognition has 95% of accuracy. (I read that the training increses the accuracy by 10x like it was before).

I already saw all your vids more then once!

Btw, whats that "Control Unit"? I didnt understood very well.. You build it?

yes, that's why is so hard to release my software, coz it requires something like this.
And control unit is specifically designed to each house.

It's placed in basement of my house, and it consist ViaEpia mini ITX platform,
few interface convertors, and IO modules, power supply units, Wireless receivers, etc

more detailed here: http://www.smart-house.cz/ridici-jednotka-t7.html


more smarthouse vidoes: