New Plugin to Simplify Integration of Custom Devices
The Multi Device Plugin is a new plugin that makes the task of integrating custom devices (like AV Receivers, pool controllers, etc.) into Indigo much easer. If you can write an xml file and about a page of python code you can create a custom plugin for your own device (assuming it meets certain parameters).
All you need to worry about is the logic for creating command strings for your device and parsing feedback strings. The plugin does the rest.
The Multi Device Plugin comes with controllers for 4 built in devices: an Onkyo Receiver, a Russound Multi Zone Receiver, a TiVo premier and an Intellitouch pool controller.
There is a full description of this new plugin, together with tutorials and a quasi-sdk (lists of python methods that should be implemented and helper methods to help you do it, along with the xml and python files for each of the built in devices) available at
http://www.bradcall.com/multideviceplugin.
The plugin is inexpensive but not free. It is available in a single device version (if you want to use the functionality of just one of the built in devices), a standard version which includes all of the built in devices, and a pro version which includes all of the built in devices plus the ability to create your own.
If you are interested in any of the built in devices, or if you would be interested in a way to create your own custom devices more easily, take a look at the available documents to get a sense of whether this might be something useful to you.
Also, adding new devices to the plugin is fairly straight forward, so if you have a device you’d like to see added, let me know. The most important part is to get the communication protocol for the device (some manufacturers don’t make that easy). But, if you have it or can get it, let me know and I’ll see what I can do to help.
By the way, just in case you find python a little daunting, here is the entire python file that supports the TiVo within the plugin. The other devices have a bit more in their python files, but not that much more.
- Code: Select all
from deviceDrivers.baseDeviceDriver import BaseDeviceDriver
class TivoDeviceDriver(BaseDeviceDriver):
def preParseFeedback(self, feedback):
splitFeedback = feedback.split(' ')
if splitFeedback[0] == 'CH_STATUS':
channel = int(splitFeedback[1])
if len(splitFeedback) > 3:
channel = '%d-%d' % (int(splitFeedback[1]), int(splitFeedback[2]))
else:
channel = '%d' % int(splitFeedback[1])
self.updateDeviceState('tivoPremier', 'channel', channel)
self.updateLastFeedbackInfo(True, feedback)
return True
elif feedback[0] == 'CH_FAILED':
self.updateLastFeedbackInfo(False, feedback)
return True
return False
NOTE: The Multi Device Plugin is currently in BETA. Please be patient!
NOTE ON MOUNTAIN LION: I've seen the recent discussion on Mountain Lion and Indigo. This plugin was built on Lion and Indigo 5. It's compatibility with Mountain Lion will depend upon how Mountain Lion affects Indigo 5 and python 2.5
