Controlling garage door ...

**electron** · 09-15-2004, 09:49 PM

Since I have a large background in home automation, and already monitor if my car is parked in the garage or not (here is an example of how I can integrate the status into a live sig on another forum I run: http://www.marstracker.com/homeseer/....php?show=true ) I started wondering, how hard would it be to interface the serial port through the Car PC software so I can control a device that has some outputs, simulating pushing the garage door opener button on the remote in my car?

I could have the car automatically open the door once it detects the WiFi signal at my house, and maybe add a nice button in one of the common software packages used here to interface the touch screens. Has anyone done something like this before? I am also thinking about maybe interfacing the trunk button, just for the cool factor.

**mushin** · 09-16-2004, 02:11 AM

If you want to control multiple devices, you'll probably find it easier to work with the parallel port, because that gives you 8 independent IO lines.

Garage door opener shouldn't be hard. All you need to do is take apart a garage door remote and have it controlled by a transistor or something.

Trunk button? To pop the trunk? Aren't those generally done with cables? That might be considerably more difficult. A hefty solonoid could pull the latch, but positioning it unobtrusively would probably be hard. On the other hand, if yours is controlled with a button that closes a circuit, then it'd be no different than the garage door opener.

**sagekoala** · 09-16-2004, 02:19 AM

Originally Posted by mushin

Trunk button? To pop the trunk? Aren't those generally done with cables? That might be considerably more difficult. A hefty solonoid could pull the latch, but positioning it unobtrusively would probably be hard. On the other hand, if yours is controlled with a button that closes a circuit, then it'd be no different than the garage door opener.

many of the fords just have normally open push buttons for trunk release ... perhaps even the 2001 taurus ...

**electron** · 09-16-2004, 08:23 AM

Yep I have a simple push button, eventho solenoids would work pretty well, I use one at home to have my house automatically start my car during weekdays, after I wake up. I guess my main concern is being able to integrate this functionality into the CarPC software (not sure yet what I am going to go with).

**tbird2340** · 09-16-2004, 08:26 AM

What's up electron... Hey how exactly did you make that page. It's running homeseer right? I'm very intersted. I know I downloaded a demo of that a while back but then forgot about it. What all do you have interfaced with that?

**electron** · 09-16-2004, 08:47 AM

Yes I am running Homeseer and some other interfaces. Check out http://www.CocoonTech.com , it's a non-profit site dedicate to home automation, home theaters and home security, I use the same user name there, so you can find out what and how I do my stuff without me having to go off topic here

**tbird2340** · 09-16-2004, 09:16 AM

Electron, I looked at that site for like 20 minutes. A lot of cool info.. I searched by your name and there are 18 pages of threads. Do you have a link to a thread with your setup so I don't have to breeze through all 18 pages?? Thanks!

**electron** · 09-16-2004, 09:23 AM

Actually, I don't, I used to have web access enabled to the house, so anyone could log in and browse around, but I shut it down as I was upgrading my hardware, and never reopened it, I will try to reopen it later.

**EBFoxbat** · 09-16-2004, 09:28 AM

Someone should design a generic relay board and an interface for the common front ends used here.

**DjBac** · 09-16-2004, 09:09 PM

try www.phidgetsusa.com

I am using some of these kits and sensors for a project in the car...
In the second screen I will be having a/c controls and a background with the car.. When the headlights/ doors etc are on they will be shown in the background.. Also day/night, dim with a light sensor!!!