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    #16
    Is RFID the answer? Is it this dependable?

    Here installed RFID tags over the dome lights on vehicles that draw 12VDC from the automobiles and they have worked fine over the years.

    That said I use them for software automation up to a point.

    I went to mostly using automation for status of the GDO et al and not really touching the built in safety features and opening of the garage door.

    The GDO stuff though comes from creating an alarm status / functions circular trigger a few years back where my wife drove in to the garage while on a conference call and having the garage door shut on her while the car was running.

    Relating to security panel (and security panel) kept it in the analog hard mode.
    - Pete

    Auto mator
    Homeseer 3 Pro - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e 64 bit Intel Haswell CPU 16Gb
    Homeseer Zee2 (Lite) - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e - CherryTrail x5-Z8350 BeeLink 4Gb BT3 Pro
    HS4 Lite - Ubuntu 22.04 / Lenovo Tiny M900 / 32Gb Ram

    HS4 Pro - V4.1.18.1 - Ubuntu 22.04 / Lenova Tiny M900 / 32Gb Ram
    HSTouch on Intel tabletop tablets (Jogglers) - Asus AIO - Windows 11

    X10, UPB, Zigbee, ZWave and Wifi MQTT automation-Tasmota-Espurna. OmniPro 2, Russound zoned audio, Alexa, Cheaper RFID, W800 and Home Assistant

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      #17
      I have had very good results using PHLocation and FollowMe on Android. Accuracy is very good most places and the setup has required almost no maintenance at all.

      My only complaint about Follow Me is that it only updates once a minute, and from time to time a monitored point gets missed because you drive in and out of the zone before the position gets sent. Out in the countryside this isn't a problem because you can increase the radius to cover over a minutes' travel, but in town you try to keep the radius small to avoid false positives from overlap.

      I would love to have something on the car instead of the phone that would function this way. Both of my vehicles have the Verizon Hum system, for example, and it would be great if that could be incorporated in somehow. Hum has a geofencing ability that is pretty accurate.

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        #18
        You could also install an automotive APRS system.
        - Pete

        Auto mator
        Homeseer 3 Pro - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e 64 bit Intel Haswell CPU 16Gb
        Homeseer Zee2 (Lite) - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e - CherryTrail x5-Z8350 BeeLink 4Gb BT3 Pro
        HS4 Lite - Ubuntu 22.04 / Lenovo Tiny M900 / 32Gb Ram

        HS4 Pro - V4.1.18.1 - Ubuntu 22.04 / Lenova Tiny M900 / 32Gb Ram
        HSTouch on Intel tabletop tablets (Jogglers) - Asus AIO - Windows 11

        X10, UPB, Zigbee, ZWave and Wifi MQTT automation-Tasmota-Espurna. OmniPro 2, Russound zoned audio, Alexa, Cheaper RFID, W800 and Home Assistant

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          #19
          100% accuracy... Until its not...

          I think true and ultra reliable presence and location detection is the holy grail of home automation. My system is 100% rock solid until it is not... Why I say that is that it will go 9-10 months without a hitch, then go completely sideways for a week trying to get it all sorted out. The reason is the levels of redundancy and multiple technologies stitched together in an attempt to remove any false updates. The problem if one thing gets out of sync, virtual device... plug-in update... new phone... the alignment of the moon... Things just crater and WAF goes to negative.

          I am running a combination of Radius Network iBeacons throughout the interior and exterior of the house (and at the neighbor's house where my wife sometimes has girl time, its just out of range and I wanted to stop the damn false triggers), multiple layers GPS geofencing, iAutomate RFID and UltraMon device detection to nail things down along with an obscene amount of motion detection.

          Unfortunately, I suck at scripting, so it is a cascading set of events with IF, AND IF, AND IF, AND IF.... OR IF, AND IF, AND IF, AND IF events to check virtual and plug-in devices to make the house behave properly.

          In the 9-10 months at a time that it works, it is AMAZING. Leave the house and the garage automatically shuts (and tells me so when it doesn't work I know), house shuts down after all motion occupancy goes to zero, alarm arms, etc. Make the corner down the street, garage opens, once phones 'sees' iBeacons and updates HS via PHLocation plug-in AND other requisite conditions are met (not saying which for security sake) house disarms, lights come up and time/season/temperature define how the remainder of the house systems behave. House behavior is defined based on not just if someone is home, but who is home. Just the kids and parents away... Internet and TV is limited. Wife and kids are home and I am away.... Security and locks are on shorter timers for safety... Everyone is home... All house systems and subsystems act like they should.

          An example is my wife arrives home from work, Garage is up before she makes the driveway (and the dogs are at the front window looking for her, it makes her smile, who knew dogs could be automated by the garage door opening). If the kids are home, they get a 30-second warning that mom is close and they better be doing what they are supposed to (keeps the peace and reduces her stress level, although she has no idea they get the warning) Good Evening Mom will trigger cause it is just her arriving. The lights she likes on are turned on. Any music that the kids have been playing stops. Depending on season any of the solar shades that may have been down are raised (winter) or set to 50% (summer). If the temperature is below 45 deg the fireplace turns on (cause she always wants the fireplace on when it is cold) OR if the temperature is above 75 deg and the forecast is clear the patio cafe lights and fan turn on so she can walk out with a glass of wine and not think about it.

          It is a complicated dance that works 100% right up until it doesn't. Like the past 3 days. Then nothing worked right and I get the standard wife statement of 'Your stuff NEVER works'.

          The real trick is handling guests, babysitters, or house cleaners properly and reliably, or how to account for my 2 younger kids that don't have iPhones (or now my eldest's iPhone since I had to lock it down due to some risque web surfing of his, which broke all sorts of stuff) and would lose an RFID tag unless I implanted an RFID chip in them.

          I have unsuccessfully gotten frequent visitors (my parents and in-laws, babysitter/dog walker or house cleaners) to remember to bring the RFID tags with them. And trying to make sure they have the same devices with them everytime is difficult to say the least. For guests, I have had to implement 'stupid' house mode instead of smart-house, for everyone's sanity (well except for mine). And for dog walker/house cleaners I've had to resort to door code with timers and verbal announcements/warnings (although I'm toying with RFID tags on the dogs to tackle one of the issues) to account for their comings and goings.

          Hit me up for more details if you want. Just know it has cost a ton to have try and build it out successfully. I don't think it can be done on the cheap and be reliable. I don't know what it would cost to get to the nirvana of 100%, 100% of the time, I'm close but I'm betting the last couple of percentage points are insanely expensive or downright impossible.

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            #20
            I was looking at the Radius iBeacons before, but I cannot get them here in the UK. I wonder if there is anything similar ? Otherwise I might have to buy a few and have them shipped to the UK. What do use as a receiver/reader, and what range are they ?

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              #21
              I've read this many times and I still enjoy reading it.....

              BTW - I'm waiting for some GPS dog collars I'll post updates on how well they work in my system.

              The rest of my GPS system works extremely well for my uses. Car trackers update at 5 seconds and phones update with "smart detection" determined if they are "home" or "away" and if they are moving or not and I can send/adjust phone settings on the fly based upon their location.

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