PC setup
Windows 10 setup September 2023
Make a bootable USB stick
Install new SSD and boot from USB and follow instructions to install
Enable Remote desktop
On the device you want to connect to, select Start and then click the Settings icon on the left.
Select the System group followed by the Remote Desktop item.
Use the slider to enable Remote Desktop.
It is also recommended to keep the PC awake and discoverable to facilitate connections. Click Show settings to enable.
As needed, add users who can connect remotely by clicking Select users that can remotely access this PC.
Members of the Administrators group automatically have access.
Make note of the name of this PC under How to connect to this PC. You'll need this to configure the clients.
Node red install
https://nodered.org/docs/getting-started/windows
Install node js https://nodejs.org/en
Add palletes, but need to install git for windows for denon, then restart pc
Startup Setup
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/autologon
Download autologon, unzip and double click to run autologon64.exe
Enter password for user you want to log on startup, and now it will logon when PC resets.
Reset
Run node red on startup
Start run command line (find run or windows+r key)
Run "shell:startup" in windows to open startup directory window
Go to C:\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming\npm
create a shortcut for node-red-cmd and move to startup directory window
Reset and node red will run on startup
Note that this will open a command line window to run node red out of. Don't close the window, just minimize it.
Setup alexa and authfile
made a directory c:\alexa
In node red, setup alexa account settings to store authfile in c:\alexa
You can get to alexa account by opening any alexa apple streudel box and then edit the alexa account you made.
From directory window, right click on alexa directory, properties, security,
Change permissions to allow users to write to alexa
open 192.168.xxx.xxx:3456 in your pc browser (PC running node red) , log in to amazon, and it should save authfile to the alexa directory
Home Assistant in Node Red
Using node-red-contrib-home-assistant-websocket
Setup Home Assistant server account with ip address for HA (http://192.168.xxx.xxx:8123) and access token.
https://zachowj.github.io/node-red-contrib-home-assistant-websocket/guide/#generate-access-token
HA will generate a long lived access token, copy to NR and they can talk.