IMPORTANT: After forum data loss deleting half of this topic I recreated a newer and updated topic intro. If you haven't read this topic before, I recommend starting here: http://forum.mysensors.org/topic/146/building-an-ir-blaster/50

After discovering that I could create an IR device using MySensors, I wondered if I would use this as a substitute to SQ Blaster, iTACH, or USB-UIRT.

I tossed together an Arduino Nano, the NRF24L01, and an IR LED. I then created a simple program based to see what I could do with the IR device, and if I could get the Vera to use the Arduino as an IR transmitter.

Here is the program: I got rid of the # because it made the text a weird size in the forum.

include <Sensor.h>
include <SPI.h>
include <EEPROM.h>
include <RF24.h>

define ID 1
Sensor gw;

void setup()
{
gw.begin();
gw.sendSensorPresentation(ID, S_IR);
}

void loop()
{
delay(10000); // Wait 10 seconds
}

After adding the Arduino to the gateway, I encountered a problem. As soon as I add the IR device to Vera, the whole MySensors plugin glitches out, preventing all of my sensors from working. The first picture shows what the IR device looks like right after I add it, and then 20 seconds later, the second picture shows what happens until I delete the IR device from Vera.

Does anybody know what I am doing wrong? Thanks for your help!!

Steven

@hek It doesn't look like you have to create a remote ui, as Vera is able to do that for you. If you look at the SQ-Blaster and iTach plugins, they only connect the blaster to the Vera, and don't have a ui. All they have to do is show up as an IR blaster on Vera, and then the remote UI is created by individual TV devices, created on Vera. (Devices, Add Device, IR Device)

I gave the SQ Blaster plugin a test run to see what it did.

Plugin uses urn:schemas-micasaverde-com:device:IrTransmitter:1 as the device_type.

Here are a few images demonstrating that:
Plugin itself does not require remote UI. (Shows no info because I did not connect an SQ Blaster.) The plugin has nothing to be setup besides the IP address of the SQ Blaster.

Remotes are created on Vera using built-in setup menu.

Vera contains hundreds of remote codes to create remotes for different IR devices. I created an example Sony TV. (Different button menus located on the left).

Button layouts and codes can also be changed based on individual needs. (I was not able to test this because of not having an actual IR blaster to use.)

I hope this clarifies what is needed to create an IR blaster device in Vera.

I wish I could create this code myself and post it, but I have absolutely no Luup knowledge (hopefully that will change soon)

Thanks for replying!
Steven

I am hoping it will happen soon. There are more and more zigbee only products that would be really nice to integrate into Vera.

+1 for Zigbee with Vera, but a few reasons it hasn't already been done are pointed out here: http://forum.micasaverde.com/index.php/topic,8040.0.html

Awesome!!

@Homer Awesome! Let me know what you find. Are you using mysensors 1.7?

@Dringie No... I've been trying to get it to work, but I am still having issues getting Vera to send IR commands to the Arduino. I think it's the implementation of the actual command that send the IR info to the arduino.

I will keep working, and I will send guessed another message.

It would be nice to control the Patrull similarly to http://thingm.com/products/blink-1/.

@lasso Instead of storing raw codes, you could also try using pronto codes for some of your IR devices. The pronto codes will take up less space than the longer raw codes.

Thanks! @Zeph

When you create an IR device in Vera, it uses two files:
D_Codeset_2.xml and I_Codeset_2.xml.
You can change the codes in the I_Codeset file to whatever you want (I think). The codes in the I_Codeset file would be the shorter code representing a longer one in the Arduino program.

What I still have to figure out is if Vera sends short codes (0x153) or the RAW codes. I'm hoping raw so I can change the code send to different numbers. And if Vera does send pronto codes, I wonder if Vera will try and convert the single digits (representing a larger command) into a pronto code (I doubt it).

So about half of this topic got cut off. To catch people up: The main goal of this topic is to create an IR transmitter device in Vera that can be used to send IR codes to a TV, DVD, DVR, etc. The transmitter is easy to assemble by attaching an IR LED and IR receiver (for learning codes) to an Arduino. The cost of this is about $15. Normal IR blasters range from $50 (USB UIRT - not wireless) to over $100 (Global Cache WF2IR - wireless). Seeing that I could save $85, a MySensors IR blaster looked great.

When trying to connect the IR blaster to Vera, and get it to transmit, I encountered some problems. The MySensors program currently does not support IR blasters, so I tried to edit the code and make it work. After looking at the SQ Blaster plugin, it gave me an idea of how to get the IR blaster to work. I edited lump files in an attempt to create an IR blaster device. I have so far been able to have Vera create an IR blaster device that shows up on the devices page.
However, when trying to use it to create an IR device (TV) I can go through the initial setup
But then click on any of the remote's buttons gets me this error message.

I have been stuck with this for a while now. Also, the Vera appears to be sending the IR command:
08 06/06/14 10:25:29.361 JobHandler_LuaUPnP::HandleActionRequest argument ProntoCode=0000 0071 0000 001A 0080 0080 0020 0020 0020 0020 0020 0020 0020 0060 0020 0020 0020 0060 0020 0020 0020 0020 0020 0020 0020 0020 0020 0020 0020 0060 0020 0060 0020 0060 0020 0060 0020 0020 0020 0060 0020 0020 0020 0060 0020 0060 0020 0060 0020 0060 0020 0060 0020 0020 0020 04DF <0x2ca29680>
02 06/06/14 10:25:29.362 Device_LuaUPnP::HandleActionRequest 38 none of the 1 implementations handled it <0x2ca29680>
01 06/06/14 10:25:29.551 zzz-A2 83 <0x2ca29680>
01 06/06/14 10:25:29.551 zzz-1 83 <0x2ca29680>
01 06/06/14 10:25:29.551 zzz-1b 0xe1b888 <0x2ca29680>
08 06/06/14 10:25:29.552 JobHandler_LuaUPnP::HandleActionRequest device: 38 service: urn:micasaverde-com:serviceId:IrTransmitter1 action: SendProntoCode <0x2ca29680>
But the IR code never arrives at the Arduino. I am currently trying to fix this problem, and was wondering if anyone could help. Hek suggested I send guessed (from Vera forums) a message which I will do.

If any one wants to give this a try, here are the files to upload and test: Please let me know if you see something wrong with the code!

L_Arduino.lua
Which contains:
function sendProntoCode(prontoCode, device)
sendCommand(luup.devices[device].id,"IR_SEND",prontoCode)
end

I_Arduino1.xml
Which contains:
<action>
<serviceId>urn:micasaverde-com:serviceId:IrTransmitter1</serviceId>
<name>SendProntoCode</name>
<run>sendProntoCode(lul_settings.ProntoCode, lul_device)</run>
</action>

D_Arduino1.xml
Which contains:
<service>
<serviceType>urn:schemas-micasaverde-com:service:IrTransmitter:1</serviceType>
<serviceId>urn:micasaverde-com:serviceId:IrTransmitter1</serviceId>
<SCPDURL>S_IrTransmitter1.xml</SCPDURL>
</service>

MySensors_IR.ino
Which creates the IR device (S_IR) and then serial prints whatever message it receives.

Quick side note:There are two IR codes that Vera might be sending right now. A short code, 0x2ca29680 (in Vera log), or 0000 0071 0000 001A 0080 0080 0020 0020 0020 0020 0020 0020 0020 0060 0020 0020 0020 0060 0020 0020 0020 0020 0020 0020 0020 0020 0020 0020 0020 0060 0020 0060 0020 0060 0020 0060 0020 0020 0020 0060 0020 0020 0020 0060 0020 0060 0020 0060 0020 0060 0020 0060 0020 0020 0020 04DF (also in Vera log). In the event that Vera is sending the longer code which is too big to send over the air, my solution to that was to have Vera send a single digit representing a longer IR code to send, for example 1 = power button, 2 = volume up, 3 = volume down, etc. The single digit method is already in the Arduino program so that I can change the IR codes on the Arduino easily without needing to change them in Vera.

Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks for your help!

Please let me know if you have any success with Vera using my sensors to send an IR command. I tried for a while. but had no luck. Part of the topic got removed in the forum crash, but hopefully this will help you get started. http://forum.mysensors.org/topic/146/building-an-ir-blaster/