With former methods like ScpToolkit, it was possible, but only via wired USB connection. Using the new approach below (from the same developer), just disconnect the USB cable and the controller will connect wirelessly.

Note: It is recommended to use a separate BT dongle if you are using other BT devices, as the other devices might not be able to connect any more after installing the alternative driver.

Download the latest PS3 Bluetooth drivers from here.

Run the setup.

It will redirect you to this site afterwards.

Install the additional software like explained there:

• ViGEm Bus Driver (run Setup)
• FireShock (run Setup)
• Shibari (extract)
  • Then run the Shibari.Dom.Server.exe and leave the console open

Connect your PS3 controller via USB.

Disconnect it after a few seconds, maybe press the main PS3 key once. You should see the device connects via bluetooth within the Shibari window.

Now we configure WinPC-NC USB:

• Parameters -> Interfaces -> Joystick -> “Gameport1”
• Also run the joystick calibration, using e.g. the left analog key and X button.

Finally, open “manual joystick driving” (Shift+F5) and steer your Stepcraft:

https:// youtu.be/aBW22zcR_l0 (video not embedded, due to GDPR)

References:

https://forums.vigem.org/topic/362/playstation-r-3-peripherals-unofficial-bluetooth-drivers-bthps3

[:]

While this is a nice approach, Gardena does not mention cases in which the local drivers for the USB interface are not installed automatically, e.g. where automatic updates are disabled or running via local WSUS server etc.

If the drivers are not installed, you will get stuck in this interface (German):

Solution

Install the STM32 x64 drivers package from this site.

Afterwards, check your Windows Device Manager. It should recognize a new virtual COM port after your mower is connected and switched on.

 [:]

In a previous post, I explained how to set up Mikrotik Routerboards as a VPN gateway.

This post is about how to remotely switch the VPN on and off via Smart Home visualization OpenHAB 2, so it affects your whole LAN. You can even switch to other VPN servers, conveniently via phone or browser interface.

Basic procedure: User starts a command via OpenHAB interface -> SSH commands are executed via shell -> RouterOS accepts the commands.

SSH preparation

First we need to establish a simple and secure connection between your server (e.g. Ubuntu, running OpenHAB) and your routerboard, which can be used in scripts without passwords.

On your OH server, execute:

su - openhab -s /bin/bash #the Linux user which is running the OpenHAB process
mkdir /ssh-mikrotik
cd /ssh-mikrotik
ssh-keygen -t rsa #as location, choose /ssh-mikrotik/id_rsa

Copy the file /ssh-mikrotik/id_rsa.pub to your Mikrotik device, e.g. via WinSCP and RouterOS WinBox (or FTP / terminal).

Then open WinBox -> System -> Users and create a user “openhab” with full permissions. If you want, restrict it to a certain IP address.

In “SSH keys” tab, import the file id_rsa.pub you copied before, and assign it to Mikrotik user “openhab”.

Test the SSH connection on your OH server:

ssh -l openhab -i /ssh-mikrotik/id_rsa 10.1.0.11 "echo asdf" # assuming 10.1.0.11 is your RouterOS device

Scripts

You need some scripts on your OH server to get the VPN state and be able to control it.

#!/bin/bash

if [ "$1" = "ON" ]
then
        echo "enabling vpn"
        ssh -l openhab -i /ssh-mikrotik/id_rsa 10.1.0.11 "/interface pptp-client enable myvpn" #assuming your VPN runs via PPTP and is called "myvpn"
fi

if [ "$1" = "OFF" ]
then
        echo "disabling vpn"
        ssh -l openhab -i /ssh-mikrotik/id_rsa 10.1.0.11 "/interface pptp-client disable myvpn"
fi

<?php

$result = `ssh -l openhab -i /ssh-mikrotik/id_rsa  10.1.0.11 "/interface pptp-client print where name=myvpn"`;

#echo $result;

$lines = explode("\n", $result);

//offline?
if (count($lines) < 5)
{
        echo "error";
        exit;
}

$line = $lines[1];

$expl = explode(" ",$line);

#var_dump($expl);

if ($expl[3] == "R")
{
        echo "ON";
}
else
{
        echo "OFF";
}

?>

Make both scripts executable by the openhab user:

chmod a+x openhab /ssh-mikrotik/vpn-*

You can later extend these scripts e.g. to be able to switch to another VPN host. Use the commands like in WinBox terminal, e.g. “/interface pptp-client set myvpn connect-to=example.com”.

Execute the scripts in your OH server’s shell manually to see if they work (they must be able to run under user openhab).

OpenHAB2 configuration

The last step is to configure OH visualization.

We use the Exec binding for OH2, so make sure it is enabled in runtime.cfg (or in your preferred OH admin interface).

Thing exec:command:Vpn-Control [command="/ssh-mikrotik/vpn-control.sh %2$s", interval=0, autorun=true] 
Thing exec:command:Vpn-Status [command="/usr/bin/php /ssh-mikrotik/vpn-status.php", interval=3600, timeout=15]

String VPN "VPN" <network> (All) { channel="exec:command:Vpn-Control:input", channel="exec:command:Vpn-Status:output", autoupdate="true"}

Switch item=VPN

You should now be able to control your VPN interface via OpenHAB:

[:]

Scenario

openHAB is basically working, but does not always update items when they change (e.g. when a window contact closes or opens).

However, testing via ETS works.

Reason

openHAB, especially version 2.x, offers a new option for the KNX interface configuration, “ignorelocalevents”.

At first sight, it looks like a good idea to set it to “true”, but what happens is that every message from sender “0.0.0” is ignored, because openHAB sees itself as 0.0.0 (local) by default.

If you work with KNX devices or interfaces which do not necessarily own a physical sender address (like any Home Automation Server from Gira, Loxone, … or with eibd / BCU SDK), they might also use the KNX sender address 0.0.0 by default, which leads to packets (telegrams) being ignored by openHAB.

Solution

IMHO, the best way is to give openHAB a “physical”, unallocated address like 1.1.240.

If you want to stay with PA 0.0.0, set “ignorelocalevents” to false. Note, this seems not to be recommended by the OH2 developers, as it should provide only backwards compatibility.

So a working openHAB2 KNX config could look like:

#(example uses eibd on Ubuntu as KNX interface)
ip=10.1.0.52
#type=ROUTER
type=TUNNEL
timeout=2000
ignorelocalevents=true
port=3671
autoReconnectPeriod=30
busaddr=1.1.240

 [:]

If you are already using a visualization tool like OpenHAB for your smart home, it’s quite easy to get it running.

Because every smart home installation is configured very individually, I will only explain some basics here.

OpenHAB 2

If you are running OpenHAB v1, please upgrade it to v2. Most OH1’s add-ons, bindings etc. can be used with OH2 and the migration process is quite feasible.

Upgrade recommendations:

• Use a fresh installation for OH2 (new Ubuntu VM, Raspberry Pi etc.)
• Decide at the beginning which of the 3 configuration types (text-based, Paper UI, Karaf) you would like to use in the future. It could be error-prone to change in the future, because every type saves the configs to other places. I would prefer Paper UI, but the migration doc linked above recommends text-based config.

When you have OH2 ready to run, install the addon “Hue Emulation”:

• Text-based config: In services/addons.cfg, uncomment the “misc =” line and add “hueemulation”
• Paper UI: Open Add-ons -> Misc -> Install Hue Emulation

Then open your items file. For testing purposes, simply add “[ “Lighting” ]”  or “[ “Switchable” ]” to an already switch.

Example:

Switch myswitch "Test" <myicon> (mygroup) [ "Switchable" ] { channel=... }

Save the items file, then run the Alexa app, connect it and let it search for devices. You can also do this via voice command, e.g. “Alexa, search for connected devices”, or in German “Alexa, suche nach verbundenen Geräten”. Make sure you have enabled the Pairing mode, e.g. via Paper UI addon config.

Alexa should find a device called “Test”. Try it e.g. by saying “Alexa, switch Test on.”.

Send HTTP commands

Sometimes it can be useful to make Echo Dot call simple HTTP GET commands, especially with a KNX / smart home server, which reside in your local network and you want those commands to be called directly in your LAN, not via cloud/Skill feature etc.

To achieve this, enable the OpenHAB HTTP binding. You might also need the TCP binding.

In your items file, add a simple switch item like:

Switch AlexaRollershutters "Shutters" [ "Switchable" ]

You do not have to add it in your sitemap, so it can stay invisible.

Append to your rules file:

rule "Alexa: Rollershutters"
        when
                Item AlexaRollershutters received command
        then
                //sendHttpGetRequest("http://myserver/myCommandToControlShutters") //if you don't have an existing OH switch for your shutters, you could use this way
                switch(receivedCommand) {
                 case ON : MyRollershutters.sendCommand(DOWN)
                 case OFF : MyRollershutters.sendCommand(UP)
                 }

        end

Add the “Shutters” device to Alexa like described above. You should now be able to control your rollershutters.

For debugging purposes, you can temporarily add the switch AlexaRollershutters to your sitemap to test it manually.

Example with Squeezebox / Logitech Media Server:

sendHttpGetRequest("http://10.1.0.21:9000/status.html?p0=play&player=da%3Ada%3Ada%3Ada%3Ada%3A10")

In this case, the MAC address (ID of the player) is “da:da:da:da:da:10”. The command tells the certain player to start playing.

Send SSH commands

This can be one way to execute remote commands on Linux machines, e.g. tell your Raspberry Pi, OpenELEC / LibreELEC / Kodi Mediacenter to power up (see also here).

You can either configure SSH to accept password-less logins (certificates), or the slightly more convenient way would be to install apt-package “sshpass”.

First, connect Putty to your OpenHAB 2 server (in my case Ubuntu 16).

Double-check if the command or script you want to run remotely can be executed by the local openhab user, i.e. check if it has the correct permissions. To test the behavior, run a test command like

ssh root@yourRemoteIp reboot

SSH will ask if it should save the connection hash (important: choose Yes), and then run the reboot command after you have entered the password.

If this works, try the same using sshpass:

sshpass -p yourpassword ssh root@yourRemoteIp reboot

The reboot command should work immediately on the remote machine.

So to integrate this process into OpenHAB and therefore combine it with Alexa, create a simple Switch like in the HTTP example above and create a rule, e.g.:

rule "Alexa: TV on/off"
        when
                Item AlexaTv received command
        then
                executeCommandLine("sshpass -p libreelec ssh root@10.1.0.91 /storage/.kodi/userdata/onOffHelper.sh &")
        end

Be careful if you have to use quotation marks within your SSH command. You can use e.g. “@@”. For more details, have a look at the OH configuration documents.[:]

Using a KNX server like eibd with PHP in combination, you might come to a point where you want to convert the DPT/EIS encoded telegram values to decimal format.

For some data types, it works by simply using PHP hexbin(), but it does not for 2-byte floating point values.

In many forum threads the following sample is used:

 $first_byte = decbin(hexdec(substr($value, 0, 2)));
 $second_byte = decbin(hexdec(substr($value, 2, 2)));

 while (strlen($first_byte) != 8) {
   $first_byte= "0".$first_byte;
 }

 while (strlen($second_byte) != 8) {
   $second_byte= "0".$second_byte;
 }

 $tmpdata = $first_byte.$second_byte;
 $eib_base_value=bindec(substr($tmpdata,5,15));
 $eib_exponent=bindec(substr($tmpdata,1,4));
 return (0.01*$eib_base_value)*pow(2,$eib_exponent);

 
BUT it converts negative values wrong! This can lead to e.g. wrong temperature values which might affect the heating control.

Use this snippet instead:

$intValue = hexdec($value);
$floatValue = ($intValue & 0x07ff);

if (($intValue & 0x08000) != 0)
{
  $floatValue = $floatValue | 0xfffffffffffff800;
  $floatValue = $floatValue *-1;
}

$floatValue = $floatValue << (($intValue & 0x07800) >> 11);
            
if (($intValue & 0x08000) != 0)
{
  $floatValue = $floatValue * -1;
}

return $floatValue / 100;

Reference[:]

Main changes:

• Video and Audio stream support
• Several bugfixes
• Alternative video renderer option
• Layout optimization
• Notifications

Get it![:]

Parts

• Raspberry Pi 3
• Deek-Robot Stepper Motor Shield v1 (includes an L293D motor driver)
• Nema 17 stepper motor, Type 42HS34-1334-04LA (4-pin, bipolar)

Connection between motor and shield

• Red: A-
• Green: A+
• Yellow: B-
• Blue: B+

Red+Green and Yellow+Blue are one phase each, in this case (4-pin bipolar motor) it does not matter if you swap Red with Green or Yellow with Blue.

Connection between shield and RPi

• 5V+ (VCC): Pin 2
• GND: Pin 6
• IN1: Pin 12
• IN2: Pin 16
• IN3: Pin 18
• IN4: Pin 22
• VIN: Pin 4 (not needed; or separate power source)
• GND (near VIN): Pin 10 (not needed; or separate power source)

For INx, you can of course choose other GPIO ports on your RPi, but you have to fit the script.

Python Script

import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
import time

# Variables

delay = 0.0055
steps = 500

GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
GPIO.setwarnings(False)

# Enable pins for IN1-4 to control step sequence

coil_A_1_pin = 18
coil_A_2_pin = 23
coil_B_1_pin = 24
coil_B_2_pin = 25

# Set pin states

GPIO.setup(coil_A_1_pin, GPIO.OUT)
GPIO.setup(coil_A_2_pin, GPIO.OUT)
GPIO.setup(coil_B_1_pin, GPIO.OUT)
GPIO.setup(coil_B_2_pin, GPIO.OUT)


# Function for step sequence

def setStep(w1, w2, w3, w4):
  GPIO.output(coil_A_1_pin, w1)
  GPIO.output(coil_A_2_pin, w2)
  GPIO.output(coil_B_1_pin, w3)
  GPIO.output(coil_B_2_pin, w4)

# loop through step sequence based on number of steps

for i in range(0, steps):
    setStep(1,0,1,0)
    time.sleep(delay)
    setStep(0,1,1,0)
    time.sleep(delay)
    setStep(0,1,0,1)
    time.sleep(delay)
    setStep(1,0,0,1)
    time.sleep(delay)

# Reverse previous step sequence to reverse motor direction

for i in range(0, steps):
    setStep(1,0,0,1)
    time.sleep(delay)
    setStep(0,1,0,1)
    time.sleep(delay)
    setStep(0,1,1,0)
    time.sleep(delay)
    setStep(1,0,1,0)
    time.sleep(delay)

Pictures

Important

In general, I highly recommend to only power the shield (especially the motor) when it is needed, not all the time. The motor takes about 0,5A even when idle, and the L293D chip gets quite hot.

So use a switch etc. for the power line, or maybe use another driver chip.

References:

https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=55580

http://www.elektronx.de/tutorials/schrittmotorsteuerung-mit-dem-raspberry-pi/

 [:]

Besonders bei etwas extremeren Böschungen rutscht der Mähroboter möglicherweise stark an einzelnen Stellen, was in Folge die Situation immer weiter verschlimmert.

Rutscht der Sileno weg, kommt es oft vor, dass er rückwärts versucht wieder nach oben zu fahren, was meist kontraproduktiv ist. Zurzeit gibt es aber kein Firmware-Update, welches dieses Verhalten etwas eindämmen könnte.

Laut Gardena _sollte_ z.B. dieser Offroad Kit passen (wurde vom Servicecenter anfangs verneint, später doch bestätigt).

Wer davon nicht unbedingt überzeugt ist, kann auch versuchen die Reifen etwas zu modifizieren.

Da sie innen hohl sind, bieten sich einige Möglichkeiten an:

• Fahrradreifen, wie z.B. auch hier
• Schrauben als Spikes

Beide Varianten sind sehr effektiv, allerdings sollte man die Spikes nicht zu groß wählen (bei mir sind z.B. Schrauben mit ca. 15mm ideal), um ein “Hüpfen” zu vermeiden.

Anleitung:

1. Fahrradreifen nach Wahl, z.B. 26″ mit gutem Profil, vom Händler besorgen – ein Stück genügt im Normalfall für 3(!) Reifen.
2. Unnötigen Rand, inklusive integrierter Stahlseile, bis zum Profil wegschneiden, auf beiden Seiten.
3. Sileno-Räder abmontieren (große Nuss, ca. 24 – 27 mm), Abdeckungen auf beiden Seiten entfernen.
4. Reifenprofil vom Sileno-Rad abnehmen bzw. schneiden (ist an einer Stelle großflächig geklebt).
5. Fahrradreifen ablängen, abschneiden, anschrauben (an 6 – 8 Stellen).
6. Bei Bedarf Spikes ergänzen; vom Radinneren nach außen schrauben, Vorbohren empfehlenswert.
7. Probeweise die Räder anbringen; darauf achten, dass das Fahrradprofil nicht am Chassis scheuert.
8. Schrauben anziehen, Abdeckungen andrücken.

Tipp: Profil zeigt absichtlich in die “falsche” Richtung -> Optimierung für Rückwärtsfahrt.

 [:]

Unfortunately, at the moment there is no way to get direct API access to the gateway, so the commands have to be sent out of your LAN, and the gateway forwards the Gardena server command to the mower, etc.

In addition, there is no official web interface yet, but thanks to this post, there are commands you can use to integrate it into your existing home automation system.

For convenience, I created a PHP class for it.

First register a Gardena account, e.g. via Gardena smart system mobile app, and add your gateway and your mower.

Afterwards, you can use the class:

[github-contents username=”DXSdata” repository=”Gardena” filepath=”gardena.class.inc.php” language=”php” ]

Example usage:

[github-contents username=”DXSdata” repository=”Gardena” filepath=”index.php” language=”php” ]

Update 2017-04-17

I updated the class with Gardena Smart Sensor support. The hardware is not cheap but reliable as I can say so far. If you have e.g. a Gardena Smart Sileno mower and a Smart Sensor, you can use this class to park the mower in its charging station as long as the ground is moist.

Update 2017-04-21

Moved project files to Github.

Now also includes Watering Control.

Latest commits:

[github-commits username=”DXSdata” repository=”” limit=”3″][:]