PhoneyTV for Vera is Here!

[marceltrapman]

Really nice! Thanks....

[henno]

I followed your instructions and built a PhoneyTV this weekend. Great success!
This was the first time I used a prototype board to build something and it wasn't really that difficult. If there is some other beginner out there who's thinking about building this project, I say go for it.

While I was at it I put a DHT22 on the board, maybe I'll substitute it for a Dallas DS18B20 to cut cost.

[BulldogLowell]

@henno

Good thinking on the Dallas sensor. I just ordered a few and am looking forward to adding them here and there as I build more stuff.

And soldering isn't too bad, yeah?

[stofakiller]

@BulldogLowell

Hi

Im a bit confused about the J1 in the schematic... It seems you dont use it or i dont understand what it is :-)
But how is the diodes then connected to the board?

Regards
Jan

[BulldogLowell]

@stofakiller said:

@BulldogLowell

Hi

Im a bit confused about the J1 in the schematic... It seems you dont use it or i dont understand what it is :-)
But how is the diodes then connected to the board?

Regards
Jan

Jan,

the LEDs I used are through-hole pins; I soldered them to the board. The photo shows their respective resistors connected to them accordingly. I soldered a trace to connect all of the cathodes to ground, put the resistors in series with the anodes. PIN>>RESISTOR>>ANODE.

As far as the connector numbers go, use the MySensors standard radio connection and the pinouts for the LEDs detailed in the sketch. In my experience, having the Blue and White on some PWM gives a more realistic effect. The numbers don't match the Nano because I used the header component in the software I used to create the circuit diagram.

good luck why your build!

[stofakiller]

@BulldogLowell

Okay, now i better understand, because in the schematics the J1 is connected to pin 3 and i didnt get it to work, but also the D1 you use is Blue, but in the sketch the first one you use is white ;-) So now i got the 6 diodes connected, what about the other 6? :-) are the connected parallel? (whites, red greens etc)

Regards Jan

[BulldogLowell]

@stofakiller said:

@BulldogLowell

Okay, now i better understand, because in the schematics the J1 is connected to pin 3 and i didnt get it to work, but also the D1 you use is Blue, but in the sketch the first one you use is white ;-) So now i got the 6 diodes connected, what about the other 6? :-) are the connected parallel? (whites, red greens etc)

Regards Jan

Sorry about the schematic, I actually recall thinking that would come back to haunt me. I'll fix it to make it easier for the next guy :)

Yes, I put two LEDs on each 'channel' wired in parallel. This way, you can power all 12 LEDs with the arduino, no problem.

Six channels with two LEDs each.

Blue1
Blue2
White1
White2
Red
Green

I arranged them in this 4 x 3 matrix attached and used more space between the rows for a square-ish (that isn't a real word!) arrangement.

FYI, I'll probably get to adding a pushbutton to turn it on/off. I'll post that if I can get to it.

I also wanted to look at using SoftPWM.h and move some LEDs to the analogue side for even more variation in brightness.

Finally, I want random go-dark dips (turning all LEDs off for a moment) and I didn't want to do it using delays, I will get that in there too.

[BulldogLowell]

I have an updated version attached to:

Add a pushbutton to control it locally (I am using an interrupt on Digital Pin 2, which is not in use presently, so you can disconnect your radio connection to pin 2)
Improved the dark dips of light, again trying to make it even more realistic.
cleaned up the code to make it (a lot) simpler; I eliminated the generic relay 'stuff' and made is single use, basically.

Now you can leave it plugged in and turn it off if you are occupying the room... and no longer have to worry about plugging it back in :)

PhoneyTV_V2.ino

[BulldogLowell]

Completed upgrade to version 1.4, removing Relay capability.

PhoneyTV update attached:

PhoneyTV_V3.1_MySensors_V1.4.1.ino

[5546dug]

Hi @BulldogLowell
get work am in the middle of working the hardware
I cant seem to download the V2 or V3.1 versions I get the reply as is is the pic
Suggestions?

[5546dug]

When I create this file it states only ashii characters allowed and asks meto delete the file

[hek]

Rename it to something shorter and try again.

[5546dug]

Once again @hek you have come to the rescue.
Back to planning the phoney, I think this is a terrific app hats off to @BulldogLowell

[5546dug]

@BulldogLowell In the final stage of boxing this unit I like it and sure will use it in the coming months.
Question is when it was included to vera she made the node and then created the light node for it complete with on and off buttons, are they supposed to work or ignore these and use the local interrupt on d2 but would be cool to control this remotely with vera or in a scene.

Great project!

[BulldogLowell]

@5546dug said:

are they supposed to work or ignore these and use the local interrupt on d2

you will be able to turn on/off at the controller and with the (quite optional) attached button!

do you need it to work just by the button, and no controller? that is an easy mod if that is your use case.

[5546dug]

@BulldogLowell , In a perfect world I would like to control Phoney TV over vera/my sensors.
right now I can use RST to drop the lights for a few secs only, but that is a physical action .

I did look at phoney tv 2.0 and see the pin was changed to pinbutton and declared as an output?
There was a relay in this sketch, or is the vera switch node to be therelay ? I see when you push button it changes the state of the lights but I think not the power to the nano.

I guessing my guesses are wrong.

Enough guessing from an old guy!

[BulldogLowell]

@5546dug

Actually, the arduino never turns "off." Rather, cycling the "power" merely stops the output to the blinking/fading LEDs.

I'm not clear on your question... are you trying to use PhoneyTV without a controller at all?

anyways, you want the latest version above: PhoneyTV_V3.1_MySensors_V1.4.1.ino, i think

[5546dug]

@BulldogLowell yes I have v3.1 So I was wrong -at least consistent!
I have Vera controller and at the moment My Sensors serial GW is connected ,

The vera dashboard shows node for light on and off and that is really what I want. To start the lights remotely , I think using the reset locally (d2 to gnd?) may work but only if we are there

[5546dug]

Should also tell you I use ui5 in my veras case it makes a difference and I can toggle the switch off and on in my Device page but no Phoney TV changes.

[BulldogLowell]

@5546dug said:

The vera dashboard shows node for light on and off and that is really what I want.

then you are there...

is it working?