Controlling Web Enabled Devices

Paul Jackson shared this question ago

Need Answer

Wondering if anyone can suggest a solution for me - I want to try and use my Zipabox to turn on (and off) a Yamaha Soundbar and Epson Projector (both are web enabled and I dont necessarily want to do anything other than set-up a rule or virtual switch in the Zipabox that enables me to turn them on and off). I have seen from some threads that you can send HTTP requests from the Zipabox which I assume is the way to do this but I dont know where to start in terms of getting the relevant commands and setting this up (I'm definitely a novice with these sorts of things).

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

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Replies (3)

Alberto Macias ●

Paul,

I'm also not an expert on web programming but I have learned how to handle a few types of devices with Zipato controllers using HTTP requests. The most important part of this is the fact that the web enabled device accepts commands using HTTP, python, etc. and the most problematic part is the fact that usually manufactures don't like to publish their API (Application Program Interface), you need to know if these devices accept HTTP commands and then get familiar with Epson and Yamaha API so you can build the requests within Zipato rules. I can give you and example with Phillips Hue which has an open API and you can access it trough their developer site, then you can see my post I compiled to control the lights. In this community there are also examples posted by David Pritchard for SONOS HTTP control, hope this helps. I'm also looking to buy an EPSON projector so if you get any information regarding their API and you can share I will appreciate it.

https://www.developers.meethue.com/

https://community.zipato.com/topic/phillips-hue-basic-http-control

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Paul Jackson ●

Thanks Alberto - your assistance was much appreciated and gave me the starting point I needed.

For those interested I can confirm that Yamaha products that support MusicCast can be controlled via HTTP requests from the Zipabox and its fairly straightforward (had to be because I got it working). The API information for this can be obtained at this link http://danielkorte.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/YXV_API_Spec_Basic.pdf or direct from Yamaha support. Now I will tackle the Epson projector and report back if I have any luck.

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Oyvind S ●

Hi Paul, any luck with the Epson?

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Paul Jackson ●

Hi Oyvind

I didn’t have any luck - I couldn’t get the Zipabox to talk to the projector using PJ Link or HTTP requests (not saying that it’s not possible I just couldn’t get it to work). In the end I purchased a Zwave IR learning module, taught the module the necessary Epson commands and then used these in a rule with HTTP requests which control my Yamaha soundbar. Not as neat a solution as it could be but it works and once the projector is on the Epson App has full functionality (for some reason you can only use the Epson app once the projector is powered on).

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Adrian Van Der Heijden ●

hi paul, did you try issuing the commands for the Epson over http request puzzle or socket request puzzle.

We recently added a avgear hdmi matrix that we controlled via tcp/ip with the socket request puzzle. It works fine. See attached eg of a rule.

Files:

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Paul Jackson ●

Hi Adrian

Thanks for the tip - I did spend quite a lot of time playing around with HTTP and socket requests. The projector certainly accepts ESC/VP21 commands but they didnt work when sent from the Zipabox. When I spoke to Epson they suggested that in order to communicate using such commands you had to install a program on your computer called "Hercules". I tried this out and sure enough it worked - my suspicion is that this program does something to create a link with the projector before the commands can be accepted. I tried tracing the commands that were being sent to the projector by the program but I didnt know what i was doing. As part of my research I discovered that users of other automation controllers had written programs for their systems which enabled communication with Epson projectors and these seemed to do a similar thing - send commands to establish a link or connection first and then send the basic "PWR ON" type commands after that. Unfortunately my abilities in this space are, at best, limited so i had to give up!

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