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.

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.

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.

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.

Shion 2.1.0b4 is now available.

This is a rough beta update that includes the following major changes:

• Support for remote control using Remote Buddy
• Initial support for sprinkler devices.
• Fixes for executing lengthy AppleScripts.

Read more for details.