In my last blog item, I wrote about the IOT-Manager App for Android – much to the annoyance of a pal of mine who uses Apple (snigger). Among the replies was the questions “have use you used “node-red-contrib-ui”? This was something I looked at when it first came out and…
Smoke Alarm by Email
Reader Christian brought this to my attention.. (http://www.simpleiothings.com/10-diy-wifi-smoke-alarm-notifier-roost-nest-alternative-full-tutorial/) The guy uses a NodeMCU, a USB wall power supply and audio sensor (microphone) to catch the audible alarm and start a WiFi alert via IFTTT. The smoke alarm unit stays unaltered and you never have to think about running out of…
Enter the Photon
The details Particle.IO have been trying to send me a Photon for as long as I can remember. This all started in the summer when I was in Spain. I was expecting the device to arrive and the Spanish postal authorities got hold of it. I don’t know if they…
EMONCMS
Just a little sidetrack while I wait for some stuff to arrive in the post to test my Pi Zero…. I’m using BLYNK (with issues) for controlling my heating – but as you may know, switching between 2 installations of Blynk is a pain involving logging out and back in.…
Wio Link
You may recall I did a write-up on some neat little easy to use ESP8266 modules a while ago: Visual Configuration OTA (Over-The-Air) Firmware Updates Plug and Play Groves IFTTT Application Android & iOS APPs RESTful APIs Lots of units that simply plug together. Well they’ve just been in touch…
Pi Zero Suicide
Ok, maybe it’s not THAT bad. I hooked up my Pi Zero to a Wi-Pi controller by taking the WIPI out of it’s shell and hardwiring power to the end power connector – and signals to the second usb connector as here. http://hackaday.com/2015/11/28/first-raspberry-pi-zero-hack-piggy-back-wifi/ I then grabbed Berryboot (original, not the…
Espressif ESP8266 New SDK Update
You may be aware that ESPRESSIF have released a new update to their SDK which now stands at version 1.5 I’ll be interested to hear what experience other folks have of this.. On compiling my normal home control code which has worked without modification since version 1.0 I got this..…
Raspberry Pi Zero
If you have been hiding recently you may not be aware of the new Raspberry Pi Zero. Hot on the heels of the CHIP and other low cost micros and by the look of it a zillion miles ahead of that daft BBC “Micro Bit” (there’s a shocker) the Raspberry…
A better Terminal? MobaXterm
New reader Lorcan sent a note this morning to point me to this terminal for Windows.. http://mobaxterm.mobatek.net/ i have to tell you – at least at first glance this appears to blow the pants off WinSCP, TighVNC viewer and others – as it does the LOT! So the above are…
Blynk Update
Updated 22/OCT/2015 : Rather than write another blog I’m updating this one in the light of new info. New features added to the Bynk App (which allows you to control various IOT gadgets from your phone – OR talk to Node-Red and hence to anything that Node-Red can talk to…
Some thoughts on Node Red variables
In learning how to use Node-Red I’ve changed my coding countless times as I’ve found better ways to do things. Please note that in 2017, the way I use global variables here is out of date. It still works but for example context.global.fred=1 is now written as global.set(“fred”,1). Read this…
APDS9960 Gesture Sensing with ESP8266
A thought for a little display project. I recently came across some code for an LCD display (160*240 – detailed in a previous blog) using the ESP12 and an LCD display. But I’m inclined to use the Nextion display (also detailed in a previous blog) because it is touch sensitive.…
Node Red Script
Now that I’m back in the UK, I’ve left a Raspberry Pi2 in Spain monitoring my solar pergola lighting installation as an ESP8266 measures the state of a solar-charged car battery every 15 minutes and reports minimum and maximum voltages daily by email. The unit also controls lighting and while…
Espressif New Board
Well we know that the ESP8266 replacement will have Bluetooth low energy, a different architecture and more RAM – something to look forward to – so now here’s a sneak preview – this is not the latest PCB but it’s better than nothing I’m sure you’ll agree. So we’re looking…
Progress
I thought I’d pen a general line as I’ve been quiet the past few days. Depressing news about France! We’re back in the UK after our summer in the sun – and nothing works – we’ve replaced the fridge, the microwave, you name it. I have managed to get some…
Silence
Couple of days or so of quiet coming up this end. Travelling from the bottom of Spain to the Northeast of Britain. No doubt today was the last day of sun I’ll see this year….
ESP32 Coming Soon
So many of us have been happily using in the inexpensive ESP8266 chips for some time now for IOT applications, home control etc and long may that continue. They do have SOME issues – for example they are short of RAM memory to the point that all except critical subroutines…
ESP8266 3D WIFI Mapping
The ingenuity of people never ceases to amaze me – watch this guy as he uses an ESP8266 to provide a stunning 3D map of WIFI signal strength in his office – amazing. http://hackaday.com/2015/02/17/mapping-wifi-signals-in-3-dimensions/
Node Red Modules
All now published – though I now use a function for thermostatic functions so for me the last one is a bit redundant – but big-timer is my all time favourite I’m using all over the place and I use esplogin to watch out for units logging in – like…
EMW3265 ESP8266 KILLER
Erm, no, though you might think so by this headline.. https://hackaday.com/2015/07/13/new-part-day-the-esp8266-killer Read the comments – the $5 ESP8266 – where? $2 ESP8266 more like it – less, even – http://goo.gl/VB0V9K There’s even a claim that this new single-source board (Seeed Studio) has MORE memory – well at least one variation…