Setting up Homebridge

Just some project to keep track of how I made a roller shade for HomeBridge.

• Rechargeable Wireless Tubular Roller Shade Motor Kit with Remote Control for Motorized Electric Roller Blind Shades, 1.5 inch Tube ** https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074TKQ8DJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_jIBrDbCPEMNQ0
• Modified from https://github.com/nfarina/homebridge/wiki/Easy-Install-Raspberry-PI-(With-Start-with-boot)
• Downloaded Raspbian Lite https://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/raspbian/
• Install https://github.com/dubocr/homebridge-gpio-device#readme
  • NOTE --unsafe-perm is needed to not error out with permission denied.

Installing on Rasberry Zero

From Mac:

diskutil list
diskutil unmountDisk /dev/disk2
sudo dd bs=1m if=Downloads/2019-04-08-raspbian-stretch-lite.img of=/dev/disk2 conv=sync
diskutil eject /dev/disk2

Boot device

• sudo raspi-config
  • set wifi
  • enable ssh
  • timezone
• disable ipv6 homebridge/homebridge#2089

Run package install

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get install -y curl nodejs npm libavahi-compat-libdnssd-dev
sudo npm install -g --unsafe-perm homebridge
sudo npm install -g npm@latest
sudo npm update npm -g

Install GPIO control plugin for Homebridge

cd /tmp; wget https://lion.drogon.net/wiringpi-2.50-1.deb; sudo dpkg -i wiringpi-2.50-1.deb; cd -
sudo npm install -g --unsafe-perm homebridge-gpio-device

Run Homebridge once and pair

(see pics below)

homebridge

Make it run on boot

sudo npm install -g pm2 --unsafe-perm
pm2 startup
sudo env PATH=$PATH:/usr/bin /usr/lib/node_modules/pm2/bin/pm2 startup systemd -u pi --hp /home/pi
pm2 start homebridge
pm2 save

Configure GPIO pins

vi .homebridge/config.json

{
  "bridge": {
    "name": "Name",
    "username": "Mac",
    "port": 51826,
    "pin": "Some-pin"
  },

  "description": "Apartment automation system via RaspberryPi Zero",
  "accessories": [
		{
			"accessory": "GPIODevice",
			"name": "Roller Shade",
			"type": "WindowCovering",
			"inverted": true,
			"pins": [22,21],
			"shiftDuration": 1,
			"initPosition": 99
		}
  ],

  "platforms": [ ]
}

Developer Notes

• https://www.homekithelper.net/networking - great case for fixing your wifi
• https://github.com/KhaosT/HAP-NodeJS - the low level Homekit layer under https://github.com/nfarina/homebridge
• Note there is a bug with avahi-daemon that causes the name to disappear from the lan when wifi is lost or dhcp expires and renews. ** a fix is to reboot (yuck) ** monitor the network and reboot ** TBD
• A 433Mhz Ardrino project https://github.com/akirjavainen/markisol

Pics

Click below to watch: