Remote Monitoring My Grow

Discussion in 'Silicon (v)Alley' started by DoctorDankenstein, May 30, 2012.

  1. #1 DoctorDankenstein, May 30, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: May 30, 2012
    Hey everyone. I'm a web developer and an indoor gardening enthusiast. I've recently been concerned about security of my grow and have been problem solving ways to add more security to my operation. I'll lay out the full plan.

    I'm really excited to tell you about the first part, which is already done. Using Adobe's Flash Media Server ($5/month from Amazon Web Services) I created an Adobe AIR application that runs on my Android phone that lets me view a webcam I have running at home. It's a very basic application, it's simply a white background that displays a video. I plan on adding some dialogues that will display connection details and allow for viewing multiple cameras in the future. I will post screenshots when it's done.

    This was extremely easy to do. I've never worked with AWS but there were tutorials to guide me. It wouldn't be too hard for me to add some features to the app so that anyone could connect to their own server. If there's enough interest I could be persuaded.

    The next part is what I'm most excited about, but it's also more challenging. I'd like to purchase an Arduino microcontroller and using the Flash platform create an application that allows me to monitor the temperature, whether lights are on or off, and provide an emergency shut off feature all from the same AIR app that's showing me a live video feed on my phone. I can't think of anything else I would want to do with the arduino board.

    Any of you nerds have any experience with Arduino or the Flash platform?
     

    Attached Files:

  2. the only thing i can suggest is to look heavily into the API for it. i have a friend who's done something similar with his coffee maker and a kegerator
     
  3. Just getting into the Arduino.

    While you are writing the code, a couple of things you might want to make room for just so they fit nicely and don't have to be forced in later. Maybe it's too much but I figure I'll toss out the suggestions anyway.

    -Ability to individually toggle power for a few items; lights, fans, light movers, pumps, ozone generators, etc.

    -Ability to measure CO2 levels and control a CO2 tank or generator

    -Ability to measure humidity and control a humidifier/dehumidifier.

    On the server, make absolutely sure that you configure the Adobe Access Software content protection so that your stream is encrypted. This is 100% critical because your stream is going through 3rd party servers on an account that can easily be traced to you.





    skiey
    PLEASE GIVE ME DETAILS OF THE KEGERATOR :D Pretty please with sugar on top.
    What is used to control the beer flow? How is it measured? How do you open it to start pouring beer?
     


  4. So we started out at this site: Kegbot Kegerator Project - Monitor keg volume & control access.

    We added a couple of custom features like:

    --a timer to cut off users if they have drank a beer too quick, and they'd like another(i think it's 30 minutes or something)

    --CO2 pressure gauge. the lines would run through the gauge, and then to a sensor, which is updated to the board. if it's below ~%40% we'll get an alert.

    and we're still looking to add to it.

    enjoy!
     
  5. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKUOB8MN4Kc]Mr Burns - Excellent - YouTube[/ame]
     
  6. I have a really old camcorder connected to an even older laptop in my grow... I use an iPhone, and on it I use Splashtop Remote, it's like GoToMyPC except there's no monthly charge. I think the app was $5 when I got it, may be more or less now.

    Anyway, app on the phone, and you install a little streaming app onto the computer. All I have to do is open up the app on my phone, remote into my computer, and monitor whatever the camera can see wherever I am.

    Props on developing with Flash and Air... I do a lot of web dev & got into Flash back when it was in version 3 under Macromedia (Drumbeat server, Macromedia Generator, what what!).
     

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