KNX/EIB Client - android

[yosig]

Hi,

sorry for writing in English but i can't speak German (unfortunately).
this thread is about new KNX client for the android smartphones,
this client is called "KNXDroid" and is now available on the market.
to get the app, search android market for "knx" or "knxdroid".
if you find the app useful, please leave a comment in the market.

here are some screenshots of the app (taken from the market):


if someone used the application and found it usefully, please let me know in this thread.

many thanks.

[makki]

Tell us more (I have no android-phone)..
How is the bus-communication&configuration of groupadresses done ?
Assume KNXnet/IP but users should know what they need and can expect..

Makki

[yosig]

Thank you for your interest, i will be happy to elaborate.

KNXDroid application is KNX Client that connects to the KNX bus through KNXNet/IP therefore it will use the phone WiFi or 3G connection.
The user can enter manually the KNXNet/IP gateway or have the application automatically discover it. here are some screens:


The application consists of 3 major parts:
1. KNX Monitor - in this part the application displays all the knx messages from the bus and all the information related to those messages. the user can also control the size of the monitor (i.e. how many messages to display). here is sample image:


2. KNX Devices - this part is configuration part where the user will map the group addresses (either auto discovered by the application or manually configured) to the actual devices such as Light, Switch, Dimmer, Temperature control, Shades etc. here are some screens:


3. KNX Control - in this part the user can control the configured devices.
The devices can be grouped into folders (i.e. folder for Room A, folder for all lights etc.) and the controls the devices.
Here are some sample images:


If you have more questions, i will be more than happy to answer.
by the way, i also maintain some open source projects to control the KNX.
if you are interested you can check out my website:
eibsuite - Project Hosting on Google Code

Yosi

[ottifant]

Thank you for your interest, i will be happy to elaborate.

Hi
looks very interesting. Do you have a KNXDroid timebombed version?
I don't want to buy a program whitout any testing.

How can I configure the group adresses? Is it possible to create a config file on a PC and than sync it with the Phone or must I configure all adresses in the Phone manual?
Thx


Anyone experience with the app?

[Dos]

Hi

Where is the advantage compared with the android application from OpenRemote?

If I got it right, you are directly connecting to the IP Interface. I would have here some security concerns. Isn't it better to hide to IP Interface behind another server / service?
Of course this is as well an advantage: But then it is more monitor tool and not a tool for everday use...

What do you think?

Regards,
Dos

[yosig]

Hi
looks very interesting. Do you have a KNXDroid timebombed version?
I don't want to buy a program whitout any testing.

How can I configure the group adresses? Is it possible to create a config file on a PC and than sync it with the Phone or must I configure all adresses in the Phone manual?
Thx


Anyone experience with the app?

Hi,

I don't have "Lite" version and reason is very simple, if you download the app and you don't like it the you can (within 24 hours) cancel the purchase and you will not need to pay. this mechanism is provide by google.

in this version, there is no option to sync with the PC but in future versions i am planning to add something similar. note that most of the group addresses will be automatically discovered by the app so you will not have to manually configure them.

my suggestion for you is to try the application, and if you don't like it then you can cancel the purchase. my only request is that if you cancel the purchase, please let me know (on this forum) what are the problems that you have found so i can make it better.

thanks,
Yosi

[Jörg D.]

Neue Version KNXDroid

Heute ist eine neue Version von KNXDroid erschienen.

Neue Features:

1. Filters support
2. Device name in monitor
3. Telegram value in monitor

Yosi Gabay hat vor 5 Tagen ein paar Anregungen von mir bekommen und prompt umgesetzt! Wenn die Entwicklung weiter so schnell geht...

Mit dem Filter ist es ein richtiges Werkzeug für mich geworden. Die 8 EUR sind jetzt schon gut angelegt!

Ein schönes Wochenende

Jörg

[yosig]

Hi

Where is the advantage compared with the android application from OpenRemote?

If I got it right, you are directly connecting to the IP Interface. I would have here some security concerns. Isn't it better to hide to IP Interface behind another server / service?
Of course this is as well an advantage: But then it is more monitor tool and not a tool for everday use...

What do you think?

Regards,
Dos

Hi,

The security concern can be solved easily by adding the security layer in the WiFi router so in that way all the traffic is encrypted by the 802.11 layer and access is only with user & password.

The big advantage is that you don't actually need to have a PC turned on 24/7 to provide the access to the KNX bus.

Yosi.

[yosig]

Some more information about the application thanks to the guys at automated home in UK:
KNXDroid Brings KNX Home Automation to Android Users

[makki]

One question: Has been analyzed, on how does this affect the battery-level of the phone ?
Listening on KNXnet/IP was found very, very inefficient in my tests here (Wlan/GSM cannot sleep for a long time).
Hours instead of days compared with a solution using long-polling against a server only sending updates if something relevant for the visu changed..

Security: the IMHO only way to get this fixed is the Webserver providing access to KNX..

Makki

[yosig]

1. The application does NOT affect battery life since it was designed to disconnect from gateway when the phone goes to stand-by mode, so in that case when the phone wakes up it will automatically connect again and query the gateway to update the visual. (actually the last part is not released yet, but in the next app update. right now you just need to click a button when the phone wake up.)

2. The security problem is not really a problem, since you can add much stronger security protection in WiFi layer (i.e. WPA2) and for 3G i agree that security can be a problem. But you need to remember that this app does not replace the computer. it provide solution for the people that does not want to have a separate computer running 24/7 , since this is much cheaper and does not require maintenance.

[makki]

1. The application does NOT affect battery life since it was designed to disconnect from gateway when the phone goes to stand-by mode, so in that case when the phone wakes up it will automatically connect again and query the gateway to update the visual.

Sounds good, but this means - case optimum - that it will have to issue a few dozens read-telegrams to read the current state in again (?!)
If we'd have an eibd as backend where values are fetched from the cache within some ms, no issue..
This means, it takes at least some seconds until what I see there ist "real" and usable.

I don't want to be too critical but I think to know what "real live" is about: i tick on a device and it has to work instantly. Period.
End-users are not really appreciative regarding technical requirements

2. The security problem is not really a problem

Yes, I agree. KNX ist security-free, we have to add this layer in other means.
But simply therefore: I always see a separated LAN&Appliance to "gate" this stuff to end-devices..

Makki

[Starburst]

Hallo,

ich hab mir das Teil auch mal zugelegt und werde es bald testen. Auf den ersten Blick sieht es sehr gut aus, was mir jetzt allerdings schon fehlt ist das man es nicht im Querformat nutzen kann. Er hat anscheinend noch kein Layout für Querformat hinterlegt. Er hat mich aber gleich nach dem Kauf angeschrieben... sehr nett :-)

Gruß Karl

For Yosi: I wrote you allready about the landscape mode in your application via mail. Hope you can do this for all of us, because android home tablets will come more and more and i would love to sit on my couch an turn on and of the light with my tablet!

Best regards,
Karl

PS: When I open and close my Milestone i get the message the the process isn't responsing... Maybe because there is no landscape?

[yosig]

Hallo,

Thanks for the translation, i feel important that you specially translated it for me :-)

As for your question, i will implement the landscape mode very soon.

I will also use this message to inform all of you that next update will contain many exciting features:
1. Gira Home server V3 Support!
2. Minor bug fixings
3. Many more device types
4. Performance improvements
5. New graphics

and many more...

Yosi.

[yosig]

Update & News

Hallo everyone,

As i told in my previous message, KNXDroid will have soon a VERY major update.
this update will include support to Gira HS (Home server V3) and will have the option
to import the device list directly from the HS and also to control the devices using Gira KO gateway and many other features such as new device types, more options in the monitor, export to CSV file etc.

As part of this update there are new translations of the application to other languages such as French, Spain etc.
i would like to translate the application to German as well, but since i don't know German (as you can see :-) ) i would like to ask if anyone want to help me with that.
this is very easy task (about ~1000 words) and of course, i will give a free copy to the volunteer for his/her hard work.

if you are interested, please email me at knxdroid@gmail.com

Thanks,
Yosi.