Shion Online

Shion 3.0α3 is now available.

Please read the following release notes carefully.

This is the initial alpha release for Shion 3. This software is still very much under construction and has some very rough edges. In no particular order, some of the current major issues:

1. The RemoteBuddy, XMPP dialog, and other non-GUI interfaces remain unimplemented.

2. The DVR, Bluetooth, GPS, and camera devices have not yet been implemented.

3. The menu items leading to Shion web pages remain incomplete, pending the completion of the new Shion website.

4. Networked controller support (SmartLinc, EZServe) is not present in this release.

5. Sprinkler support is currently missing.

6. Changes in the device configuration from the preferences panel (modem & controllers) require an application restart to take effect.

7. (Shion 2 Users) You will need to reenter your devices, as the migration code is not yet complete.

This release introduces the following improvements:

1. Better support for Mac OS X 10.4 and PowerPC configurations.

2. Improved Shion Framework for hardware device communication.

3. Snapshot support for thermostats.

4. Initial AppleScript support. (Refer to the AppleScript dictionary for details.)

Note to testers: A lot of effort has been spent improving the performance of the CM15A and PowerLinc 2412S controllers. Please post a comment or send feedback if you continue to experience problems with these devices.

This alpha release is not intended for production use and is mainly intended to solicit feedback on the direction of the product. This release has been tested with the PowerLinc 2414U, PowerLinc 2412U/S, CM11A, and CM15A controllers.

Please submit any feedback in the comments below.

I’ve received a few queries over e-mail about Shion 3 and support for custom web interfaces in light of the impending release of the Shion online service later this summer. I’ve responded over e-mail, but figured that I should post some comments here as well.

First of all, to give some background, the scenario I’m addressing is one where a Shion user creates a custom set of PHP pages (or web framework of choice) that they host on a local machine (running Shion) to expose a web interface for devices like an iPad. Mr Flibble, a UK-based Shion user, has done exactly that.

I want to state unequivocally that I have no problem with Shion 3 users deciding to create their own web interfaces in lieu of subscribing to the Shion online service. Shion 3 will continue to support the AppleScript functionality that is used to bridge the Objective-C & PHP worlds. I can’t (technologically) prevent such third party activities without completely ditching the scripting functionality, which I am unwilling to do for a variety of reasons.

Furthermore, I respect the do-it-yourself ethos of the home automation community. Given that the typical member of the current home automation community is pretty technologically savvy, they’re going to build their web interface somehow. I’d rather that they build upon my platform and send me comments about my application instead of submitting that precious feedback to a competitor. The Shion platform is still in its early phases, and I can use all of the comments and suggestions that I can get. 🙂

So, if anyone will be allowed to create their own free Shion 3 web interface, how do I plan on competing with a subscription-based online service? Several ways:

1. Simplicity & reliability: Setting up Shion and a client to connect to each other is simply a matter of entering a username and password. There’s no need to mess with system settings to configure ports, set up and maintain a web server for serving the pages, or worry about forwarding ports and maintaining a dynamic DNS name for use outside your home.
2. Rich client support: The native Shion clients on mobile platforms will include features and functionality that are simply not present in web interfaces. This includes efficient two-way real-time communication between Shion nodes, location awareness, and AI-assisted user interfaces that learn to present you with an optimal interface based upon location, time of day, and other factors.
3. Ubiquitous client support: As I’ve mentioned before, my goal is to display a Shion user interface on any device or medium that will support it. Mobile phones and Internet-capable portable devices are the first targets on the list, but I have plans to support Shion on your television, e-book reader, instant messaging client, digital picture frame, and so on. Traditional Web interfaces are nice (and the Shion online service will include one as well), but there are many more options for control that have remained largely untapped by the current crop of home automation developers.

These are admittedly some grand goals, but perfectly attainable over the next year or so. My task is not only to think about optimal web interfaces, but also to think beyond web interfaces to create an environment where users can monitor and control their environments independent of the presence of a web browser. My belief is that as I bring more of these interfaces online, a sufficient number of users will recognize the value provided by being a Shion subscriber to make this a sustainable enterprise.

Shion 3.0α2 is now available.

Please read the following release notes carefully.

This is the initial alpha release for Shion 3. This software is still very much under construction and has some very rough edges. In no particular order, some of the current major issues:

1. The AppleScript, RemoteBuddy, XMPP dialog, and other non-GUI interfaces remain unimplemented.

2. The DVR, Bluetooth, GPS, and camera devices have not yet been implemented.

3. The menu items leading to Shion web pages remain incomplete, pending the completion of the new Shion website.

4. Networked controller support (SmartLinc, EZServe) is not present in this release.

5. Sprinkler support is currently missing.

6. Changes in the device configuration from the preferences panel (modem & controllers) require an application restart to take effect.

7. You will need to reenter your devices, as the migration code is not yet complete.

This release introduces the following improvements:

1. Better support for Mac OS X 10.4 and PowerPC configurations.

2. Improved Shion Framework for hardware device communication.

4. Improved support for the new Shion Online service. (Beta testers, setup instructions will be arriving shortly.)

This alpha release is not intended for production use and is mainly intended to solicit feedback on the direction of the product. This release has been tested with the PowerLinc 2414U, PowerLinc 2412U/S, CM11A, and CM15A controllers.

Please submit any feedback in the comments below.

Update: I’m noticing some bugs in extended testing using the PowerLinc 2412S with a KeySpan adapter on PowerPC platforms (10.4 & 10.5). I’m working on a fix and should have an update out shortly.

One of the main changes in Shion between versions 2 & 3 is the new support for mobile devices in version 3. Shion 3 now supports mobile interfaces on devices like the iPhone. The post below includes screenshots of the new mobile application. Before I get into the gritty details, I’d first like to invite users to join a closed beta test for Shion Touch.

Due to Apple’s restriction on pre-AppStore ad-hoc distribution, I will only be allowing fifty (50) users in this first set of tests. If you are interested in being part of this test, please e-mail me the following details:

1. Your name & general location (US, UK, etc.)
2. The controller you’re using with Shion 3. Please include the model number.
3. A list of devices you are controlling with Shion 3. Please include model numbers of the modules you’re using.
4. What device you’d like to use with Shion Touch (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad). Please include the generation of the device (Original, 3G, 3GS, etc.).
5. Whether you’re using Shion 3 on a single computer or multiple computers to manage multiple sites.
6. A username and initial password that you’d like to me to set up for use with the Shion online components. Please do not submit a password that you use elsewhere.
7. The computer model (make & processor) of the computer running Shion as well as the operating system version (10.4, 10.6, etc.).

I don’t mean to be intrusive, but these details are necessary for me build a maximally diverse beta testing pool. After you e-mail me, I’ll be in touch about whether you have been selected to be in the test, and if so, the next steps.

Now, on to the app preview…

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to download and send me feedback on Shion 3. I’ve received a few questions about the application, which I answer in this post. The initial set of questions:

1. How does Shion 3 compare to Shion 2 with respect to resource usage?
2. Does Shion 3 support downloading programming to the controllers so that the system will work when the computer is off?

Read more for the detailed answers.

Shion 3.0α1 is now available.

Please read the following release notes carefully.

This is the initial alpha release for Shion 3. This software is still very much under construction and has some very rough edges. In no particular order, some of the current major issues:

1. The AppleScript, RemoteBuddy, XMPP dialog, and other non-GUI interfaces remain unimplemented.

2. The DVR, Bluetooth, GPS, and camera devices have not yet been implemented.

3. The menu items leading to Shion web pages remain incomplete, pending the completion of the new Shion website.

4. Networked controller support (SmartLinc, EZServe) is not present in this release.

5. There are a variety of minor UI bugs in the device display and in general when running on 10.4 Tiger.

6. Sprinkler support is currently missing.

7. Changes in the device configuration from the preferences panel (modem & controllers) require an application restart to take effect.

8. You will need to reenter your devices, as the migration code is not yet complete.

That said, this release introduces the following improvements:

1. New, streamlined GUI.

2. Improved Shion Framework for hardware device communication.

3. Support for the PowerLinc 2412 USB & serial controllers. (USB users, please install the FTDI VCP 232R drivers before configuring in Shion.)

4. Support for the new Shion Online service.

This alpha release is not intended for production use and is mainly intended to solicit feedback on the direction of the product. This release has been tested with the PowerLinc 2414U, PowerLinc 2412U/S, CM11A, and CM15A controllers.

Please submit any feedback in the comments below. Two weeks from now, I am aiming to release the second alpha, which will address the issues present in this release.

Several months ago, I began working on the Shion iPhone client for Shion 2. The original plan was to create an iPhone client using the XMPP infrastructure that I had been building and release it early this summer. During this process, I ran into a number of challenges that prompted me to return to the desktop Shion codebase and begin renovating the core application. What began as a simple minor update to the app quickly ballooned into a massive reworking of the core application. In retrospect, this was exactly the right move.

While I will describe the iPhone app in a future post, this post discusses the major changes from Shion 2 to Shion 3. Read more for the full details.

Effective immediately, the Shion Mac desktop client is now free and may be downloaded and used with as many devices as you desire for no cost. It’ll take me some time to release an update with the license checking disabled, so please e-mail shion@audacious-software.com for your free license to use until I get around to releasing a non-license-checking update.

The reason that the desktop client is going free is because I have a few new additions to the larger Shion platform that I’ll be releasing in the coming months and the business model for Shion as a whole doesn’t work well if there’s any friction for users getting started. I’ll be happy to post more details when they’re ready, but in the meantime, please enjoy using Shion on our dime.

For those of you who purchased a Shion license in the past year, I’m prepared to give you a full refund for your purchase, so please send me an e-mail if you’d like me to get that process started.

I’m very excited about the next phase in the evolution of this software, so stay tuned to this weblog for further details.

Shion 2.1.0b5 is now available.

This is a major release that includes the following changes:

1. The PowerLinc USB code has been updated to be more reliable. Controller lock-ups were an issue with previous releases, and this update improves that situation. This code is still being tuned, so your command latency may increase with this release.

2. Shion now supports the Smarthome SmartLinc 2414N controller.

3. Sprinkler support remains incomplete, but support for activating zones through AppleScript is now available. Additional device support has been added to the AppleScript dictionary (houses & thermostats).

4. Shion now supports Caller ID events when used with a compatible modem. Currently, Shion has been tested with an Apple USB modem.

Download the update now, and read more for details about the new features.

Due to popular demand, Shion now supports SmartHome’s SmartLinc 2412N network INSTEON controller. I’ve also gone ahead and reworked the preference panel a bit to support three kinds of controllers (USB, serial port, network):

A couple of notes:

1. Unless you have one already, I do not recommend that you purchase this device for operation with Shion. The major reason is that SmartHome really dropped the ball with this device, providing no APIs or other documentation for outside control. The support that you see has been reverse-engineered by myself with consultation with the sources from the OpenLinc project.

2. The major problem with the device is that available HTTP access points are built around an atrocious AJAX interface, leading to the bewildering outcome that the device is effectively one-way only, defeating the major reasons for using the INSTEON platform.

3. This means, while you will be able to send commands out to devices, you will not be able to monitor their state, making this device really only useful for controlling lamp and appliance modules. The thermostat device does work with this, but you will not be able to get the current temperature, nor pick up any remote changes in the thermostat’s state. As for motion and contact sensors – forget about it.

4. In terms of what this device does do, you can treat it like a one-way X10 controller. Commands can be sent to both INSTEON and X10 devices without any issues.

5. If you’re a tinkerer and would like to see how I implemented support for this device, the code is available in the Shion Framework source control (ASSmartLincWebController.m).

I have some UI work that I would like to do before pushing out a new release with this functionality, but keep your eyes open over the next few days for an update.