Wireless Relay Control

[iaresee]

Thanks to the guys at MAKE: http://www.boingboing.net/2009/04/23/wireless-relay-contr.html

This has wireless rack-based switching all over it, nes pas? Sweet.

[frank_p]

   Those XBee modules do cost some money.
Not sure why she used Mesh networking technology just for switching a relay 
There must be something I don't understand... n'est-ce pas ?

[R.G.]

Of course, if you take a TV remote control and surgerize out the IR LED, subbing in the transmitter half of a cheapo xmit/rcv pair, you get much the same thing. Or take a PIC and make it scan a keyboard and spit out MIDI commands.
Or go here: http://www.rentron.com/remote_control/TWS-8-bit-pack.htm for a $25 one-of-256 commands kit complete with RF xmit/rcv.

[frank_p]

Or go here: http://www.rentron.com/remote_control/TWS-8-bit-pack.htm for a $25 one-of-256 commands kit complete with RF xmit/rcv.

There are some nice projects there, thanks for the link R.G.

This look to be a simple alternative too (12 channels -with the multiplexer- would be great for a relatively big pedalboard):
http://www.electronic-circuits-diagrams.com/remotecontrolsimages/remotecontrolsckt5.shtml

[km-r]

i have an IR-controlled relay/switch in my mag here... it uses discrete components... hehehe... what do you need switching relays wirelessly for?

[iaresee]

   Those XBee modules do cost some money.

$19 and $32 for the standard and pro -- is that lot? I'm desensitized working in the FPGA world. That's peanuts for complete solution.

Not sure why she used Mesh networking technology just for switching a relay 
There must be something I don't understand... n'est-ce pas ?

Because it's easy with the XBee? You don't have to work as hard -- it's just there. Overkill: perhaps. This is more about the idea, then the total cost of the solution. The mesh networking could make your life easier when you expand out as well. It'd be easier to add another controlled unit without having to rework the wireless protocol on the controller.

[iaresee]

i have an IR-controlled relay/switch in my mag here... it uses discrete components... hehehe... what do you need switching relays wirelessly for?

A wireless pedalboard of course!

[frank_p]

   Those XBee modules do cost some money.

$19 and $32 for the standard and pro -- is that lot? I'm desensitized working in the FPGA world. That's peanuts for complete solution.

Not sure why she used Mesh networking technology just for switching a relay 
There must be something I don't understand... n'est-ce pas ?

Because it's easy with the XBee? You don't have to work as hard -- it's just there. Overkill: perhaps. This is more about the idea, then the total cost of the solution. The mesh networking could make your life easier when you expand out as well. It'd be easier to add another controlled unit without having to rework the wireless protocol on the controller.

I searched a bit and I don't understand why prices vary so much from places to places (perhaps some web pages are too old ?).  I am a bit mixed-up on how much those "boards" should be selling for.
Ian, what do you mean by "desensitized working", I don't understand what you mean... Is that that you had worked so much in that field that it's an habit for you 

[tranceracer]

Poor man's version, hack a Chinese doorbell
http://www.hackersbench.com/Projects/ding-dong/main.html

[iaresee]

I searched a bit and I don't understand why prices vary so much from places to places (perhaps some web pages are too old ?).

I just Googled "Xbee" and took the first link: http://www.digi.com/products/wireless/point-multipoint/xbee-series1-module.jsp -- that might not even be the best price.

I am a bit mixed-up on how much those "boards" should be selling for.

What were you seeing?

Edit: whoops! I scrolled down...I was just looking at the per-chip prices before. My bad. Dev kits are definitely an order of magnitude more (although they thoughtfully sell them pairs).

Ian, what do you mean by "desensitized working", I don't understand what you mean... Is that that you had worked so much in that field that it's an habit for you 

It's that I'm so used to chips (not the full board solution) costing hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. The cheapest dev kit with an FPGA on it from my company starts at about $150. Maybe a little less if you can make a case for an educational discount. And there's no way you're doing anything wireless with that kit without buying some additional outboard wireless transceiver/receiver modules. The chip on that board is pretty tiny too.

I still think the XBee dev kit pair at about $99 is a good deal. Especially for what you get. Mesh networks are going to be far more reliable in a stage environment than anything you can drive (simply) off a remote control (without adapting it to run over a mesh network of course...).

[Nasse]

You havent seen real poor (okay it is not wireless but cheap two wire)

http://www.electronickits.com/kit/complete/elec/vek8023.htm

[frank_p]

What were you seeing?
Edit: whoops! I scrolled down...I was just looking at the per-chip prices before. My bad. Dev kits are definitely an order of magnitude more (although they thoughtfully sell them pairs).


Oh, I see, yesterday I hit this page (development kits)
http://www.digi.com/products/wireless/zigbee-mesh/xbee-series2-module.jsp

300 to 500$   

[iaresee]

What were you seeing?
Edit: whoops! I scrolled down...I was just looking at the per-chip prices before. My bad. Dev kits are definitely an order of magnitude more (although they thoughtfully sell them pairs).


Oh, I see, yesterday I hit this page (development kits)
http://www.digi.com/products/wireless/zigbee-mesh/xbee-series2-module.jsp

300 to 500$   

Yea, that's steep but you get >2 XBee modules for that price (they seem to be between 3-5). All said and done it's about $60/Xbee for the solution. You just buy a dev kit to suit the scale of your idea. Not bad really.

[frank_p]

Cool. Thanks Ian !

[Sir H C]

Check out the TI low power RF kits. 

Zigbee (not pro though):
http://focus.ti.com/docs/toolsw/folders/print/ez430-rf2480.html

$99 for three modules.  More programming work and soldering that the other kits.