KNX, LogicMachine, networked audio and the scripts that connect a home full of stubborn devices.
My home-automation projects live where KNX, LogicMachine, Linux and ordinary consumer hardware meet. The interesting part is rarely switching a lamp. It is making devices from different generations cooperate reliably.
These notes include Lua libraries, telnet and serial control, multi-room audio, projectors, AV receivers and interface work. Most of the code was written to solve an actual problem in the apartment, not to demonstrate an abstract platform.
Some hardware and services have aged, but the patterns remain useful: keep protocols visible, isolate device-specific commands and prefer local control that continues working when a vendor cloud disappears.
Selected articles
Control of the Logitech Media Server using the LogicMachine
A reusable Lua library for controlling Logitech Media Server and Spotify playback from KNX buttons.
LogicMachine script to turn on off Epson projector
Direct serial control of an Epson projector from a LogicMachine object.
LogicMachine control Pioneer AVR via telnet
A work-in-progress integration for controlling a Pioneer receiver through its telnet interface.
LogicMachine telnet user script
A small general-purpose telnet helper for sending commands from LogicMachine scripts.
Batch change color of SVG icon set
A shell-based workflow for generating state-specific SVG icon sets for a home-automation interface.
Cool new block based programming of the Logic Machine
An early look at block-based programming in the LogicMachine firmware.
More from this topic
My litter box’s cloud died, so it talks KNX now
The cloud behind my PAWBBY smart cat litter box is dead. Its backend answers HTTP 502, the app is useless, and the box would have become a very…
DMX LogicMachine Lights user library
I have been optimizing my DMX scripts for the LogicMachine. The following is a set of functions that will enable you to turn a set of DMX channels…
Logic Machine reactor in infinite boot loop
Two days ago my Logic Machine stopped working. The main led blinked for a few seconds and then it would reboot. I contacted the openrb support and was…
Logic Machine re:actor firmware
The homepage of openrb now has a download section where you can get the latest Logic Machine firmware. Get it here.
Photos of the LogicMachine3 re:actor
As I could not find good product shots of the Logic Machine 3 re:actor on the net I took some of my own.
DMX dimming using the Logic Machine
The following script enables you to dim all channels monitoring a KNX group. The code assumes you have created dummy objects (starting 10/0/1) in the Logic Machine for…
Turn all DMX LED lights on/off using the Logic Machine reactor
We have quite a few DMX based LED lighting sources. I use the eldoled lineardrive 720D to do the controlling part. The following script enables me to turn…
DMX on the Logic Machine
To get the DMX control of the Logic Machine one needs to get two scripts running. The first is a "handler" that needs to be added as a…