Siri API for the Gira HomeServer app

[vento66]

The cheapest? maybe! The easyest? No. The best solution is an IP Router e.g. https://www.voltus.de/hausautomation...am=ip%20router. So you can connect both devices over IP to your KNX. You need to install the eibd on your Raspi and you can switch your lights with Siri.

[migabc]

Hi,
I believe the code you indicated above is for raspi.
Does anybody have a step by step guide for installing on a Mac?
A guide for dummies would be great.

Btw, will I have have to program ETS in anyway?
Note: My Home setup was done by a KNX integrator and I do not have access to the ETS programing. Will I need to have that?
In order to integrate the KNX IP router it must be added with a new address to my current KNX network, right?

Btw, some companies already provide a smart home hub that can bridge existing smart accessories from other popular home automation protocols, like ZigBee and Z-Wave, and bring them into the HomeKit ecosystem

https://9to5mac.com/2017/01/06/focal...trol/?pushup=1

So this hub actually does what we are trying to do here, right?
Does anybody know if they also support the KNX Protocol


Sorry for all these questions but this is still all new to me.
I really appreciate any help you can provide.

[snowdd]

Hi migabc,
if you want to play with homebridge I recommend to invest in

• a raspberry 3b (plus voltage adapter) for 24/7 operations, should be around 60 E
• a KNX-tpuart board from busware.de, eg Pigator with PIM KNX TPUART it's supposed to be around 85 E plus shipping
  • or This "TUL" it's some Euros cheaper, I never tried it.

It might be not the most stable setup for an production environment, but if you are DIY-minded, it's a great way to spend the free time :-)

You do not necessarily need access to an ETS, however, you need to know all your KNX group addresses (I guess you've got a list); And you might find out that for homebridge to function correctly (and nicely) you do need several active response obejcts (That I translated myself, in German they're called "aktive Rückmeldeobjekte", maybe one of the cracks can jump in here), which might not be configured if you hadn't had any devices that need them so far.

Good luck!

[migabc]

Hi,

Before investing on the required hardware I tried to install the homebridge on my iMac.

I managed to install the homebridge, homebridge-knx and eibd on my iMac.
I have a list of all my KNX group addresses so I configured the ~/.homebridge/knx_config.json with some of my devices.
It seems to be working OK (meaning, I can send commands to Siri -> HomeKit and it will respond OK and remember the state).

I'm using a multicast IP address for the eibd

$ /opt/knx/bin/eibd -i -d ip:224.0.23.12


I have a USB to KNX interface (which is currently used to connect my Gira HomeServer 4 to the KNX network).
If I connect my iMac to this USB interface will it relay the homebridge commands to the KNX network?

How can I get the eibd to relay these requests to KNX network?

Thanks.

[snowdd]

migabc You should join a eibd (newer version is called knxd) thread. Plain older USB interfaces seem to somewhat of an annoyance to the developers as KNX assoc has decided to apply some "human interface device" usb profile, which seems to be quite un-fitting for an interface that must not drop half of its data along the way (you could live with that for a computer mouse, e.g.) But that's part of a different story. Try the readme and the wiki @ KNXD webpage: https://github.com/knxd/knxd

[migabc]

Hi snowdd,

Do you know if there's a knxd for macOS (Darwin)

I tried installing it on my iMac but it failed:

$ sudo npm install -g knxd
Password:
npm ERR! Darwin 16.3.0
npm ERR! argv "/usr/local/bin/node" "/usr/local/bin/npm" "install" "-g" "knxd"
npm ERR! node v7.4.0
npm ERR! npm v4.0.5
npm ERR! Cannot read property 'path' of null
npm ERR!
npm ERR! If you need help, you may report this error at:
npm ERR! <https://github.com/npm/npm/issues>
npm ERR! Please include the following file with any support request:
npm ERR! /Users/maconceicao/Applications/homebridge/npm-debug.log


Has anybody been able to successfully install the knxd on a Mac?

Anyway, I managed to install the eibd with no issues (and it seems to be working as explained above) - although I don't know if it will be able to relay these commands onto the USB-to-KNX interface. Will it require some special driver?


Regarding the USB interface, the one I have is the

Gira

107000

The Gira Homeserver seems to be work OK with it.
I don't plan to use this USB interface permanently - I just want to test the homebridge with it to see if I can get it working with one or 2 devices controlled by Siri.

Before I go ahead and invest on the proper hardware (including a KNX IP router) I would like to see if I can get this working with my current setup.

So do you think if I connect my Mac running the Homebridge and the eibd to this KNX interface it will work?
Or do I need additional configuration/software in order to relay these KNX commands to my KNX network over this USB-to-KNX interface?

Thanks again.



gira-107000-usb-datenschnittstelle-up_107000_2.jpg

[snowdd]

$ sudo npm install -g knxd

knxd is not an npm package, you have to clone the git repository and compile it (C++). Have a look at https://github.com/knxd/knxd , there is a readme and a wiki with mor information, and a link to a google group for non-bug-discussion and help.

[migabc]

Hi,

I managed to install the knxd
I tested it with my USB interface (borrowed from my Homeserver).
It works nicely. :-)

I then tested the knxd with the homebridge and homebridge-knx plugin.
The Apple Siri commands seem work OK (at least for a few devices that I added to the knx_config.json file)

So now that this PoC has proven successful, as a next step I will invest on the setup your recommended.

Hi migabc,
if you want to play with homebridge I recommend to invest in

• a raspberry 3b (plus voltage adapter) for 24/7 operations, should be around 60 E
• a KNX-tpuart board from busware.de, eg Pigator with PIM KNX TPUART it's supposed to be around 85 E plus shipping
  • or This "TUL" it's some Euros cheaper, I never tried it.

Are you using this setup yourself?
Does it work OK (24/7)?

Some of the members in this forum are using a KNX-IP router instead. What are the pros and cons of one over the other?

Also, in a previous post you said:

you might find out that for homebridge to function correctly (and nicely) you do need several active response obejcts (That I translated myself, in German they're called "aktive Rückmeldeobjekte", maybe one of the cracks can jump in here), which might not be configured if you hadn't had any devices that need them so far.

Can you please explain what this is?
What are active response obejcts? Are these objects programmed in the ETS?
I'm afraid I do not have access to this yet. :-(


Btw, I have an Apple TV4 but I was not able to use Siri remotely.
Does remote access require additional configuration?

Thanks again for your help

[snowdd]

migabc Hi,
yes the basic setup ai described I what I am using. Additionally, I have an APC power supply on my DSL router, switch and raspberry, and on the Gira homeserver I use for more detailed control and time or environment triggered scenes etc.
It is running quite nicely, in 24/7 operations now for almost 3 months uptime, now it's time for the next updates.

I don't have another IP router other than knxd, so I cannot tell. I assume that the plug and play idea works better with a professional tool instead of having to compile open source software yourself, but then - you are a nerd, or you aren't, and that's it.

And also yes, HomeKit works best if you are having objects that, e.g. give you the position of your rolling shutter whenever the position has changed (by hand control, like a wall switch, or by automation). Those objects usually are setup in the actuator's configuration using ETS. If you plan to dig into the technics of your home, you'll need that license. It's a pity that KNX is not selling a limited one home license of the pro version for private home owners that do not use it for other projects, but that's how they protect the professional KNX integrators. I think KNX is on a decline in private homes anyhow, with all the low cost competition they got in the last years. But that's supposed to be another thread, I guess.

Good night
Raoul

[migabc]

Hi Raoul,
Thanks for your feedback on this.
It's good to know that it's running fine with this setup.

I plan to use the homebridge only for Siri voice activation.
For everything else I'll keep using the Gira Homeserver.

The Gira apps are quite good and so is the QuadClient (even though they don't have a version for macOS) but it's a pitty that Gira does not provide Voice activation when most of the competition is already doing it.

Good evening,
Miguel

[snowdd]

@migabc
Hi Miguel, I just want to point out that I am currently using an old stable branch of knxd. I plan to test newer versions next weekend.
Regards, Raoul

[migabc]

Hi Raoul,

What version are you running?
The version I installed was:

$ knxd -V
knxd 0.12.6

I think it runs pretty good, even with Gira USB interface ;-)
Anyway I haven't tested it thoroughly - just a few basic tests.
I'm going to order a RasPi kit and this TPUART USB adapter:
http://shop.busware.de/product_info....products_id/59

Please let me know if you encounter any issues with the new version.

Thanks again.
Miguel

[snowdd]

I have an old 0.10.0 build (no idea what commit point I have) but it running non-stop for 10 months now. Next Sunday I plan the update of system and knxd to a more recent version. I use the other busware hardware, pigator with tpuart module.

I wrote that wiki page for installation: https://github.com/knxd/knxd/wiki/Ad...ART-(Raspberry)

[migabc]

Thanks for the info.
For the TP-UART USB do I just need to follow this procedure?

https://github.com/knxd/knxd#adding-...-usb-interface

Thanks again

[migabc]

Hi,

I have just received my new TP-UART USB adapter from busware.de. It took a very long time (delivery issues) but I finally received it :-)

Up until now I've been using the Gira KNX-USB interface with these settings:
# Gira KNX-USB Data Interface
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="135e", ATTR{idProduct}=="0022", ACTION=="add", GROUP="knxd", MODE="0664"

Now I want to replace the Gira interface with the new TP-UART USB adapter

I plugged-in the TP-UART on the USB port #4 on the raspi

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ lsusb | grep 004
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 03eb:2ff4 Atmel Corp.

So I added a new entry for the TP-UART in /etc/udev/rules.d/90-knxusb-devices.rules

# Busware TP-UART KNX-USB adapter
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="03eb", ATTR{idProduct}=="2ff4", ACTION=="add", GROUP="knxd", MODE="0664"

But when I start the knxd with these settings:

pi@raspberrypi:~$ cat /etc/knxd.conf | grep ^KNXD_OPTS
KNXD_OPTS="-e 0.0.100 -E 0.0.101:7 -D -T -R -S -i 6720 -b usb:1:4:0:2"


pi@raspberrypi:~$ sudo systemctl start knxd


I get these errors:

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ tail -f /var/log/syslog
May 19 07:06:21 raspberrypi systemd[1]: Starting KNX Daemon...
May 19 07:06:21 raspberrypi knxd[16123]: initialisation of backend 'usb:1:4:0:2' failed: Resource temporarily unavailable
May 19 07:06:21 raspberrypi systemd[1]: knxd.service: main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
May 19 07:06:21 raspberrypi systemd[1]: Failed to start KNX Daemon.
May 19 07:06:21 raspberrypi systemd[1]: Unit knxd.service entered failed state.


Am I missing something?
Any help is much appreciated.