Wifi LED controller for less than 60 Euro

[Digit]

This post may be a bit premature cause I haven't even start building anything yet, I've only just started collecting the missing parts I need to build a new Wifi (RGB) LED controller.
The total price (ex. LED strip, power supply and shipping, incl. VAT) is less than 60 Euro

I think anyone who doesn't have 2 left hands should be able to build this, really!

The parts I'm going to use are listed in a weblog post I made this evening:
http://blog.hekkers.net/2013/02/08/buil ... ontroller/

[Quinten]

How are you going to control them? Does it have a built in webserver of some sort? Forgive me if I am asking a stupid question

[Digit]

The protocol is very easy, I wrote about the protocol in another post:
http://blog.hekkers.net/2012/12/24/conr ... revisited/

[vanisher]

Thumbs up! Nice project!

Curious how it will evolve.. I have some ledstrips (quintezz) still unpacked waiting for a nice setup.

[Digit]

Thanks and a tip for you:
don't use the Quintezz adapter; I had trouble with it, as well as some people on the iBood forum...

[Digit]

This afternoon I had some time to test the Wifi module + LED controller. It's working perfectly!

I detest high temperatures so I think the final setup will use a different voltage regulator for the Wifi module; one with a much higher efficiency which will result in less heat dissipation (and no more 'untouchable' components).
http://blog.hekkers.net/2013/02/10/test ... ontroller/

[Digit]

Done!
The last post contains the final shopping list, some images of the end result etcetera.
Well, actually it's a complete 'guide' to build your own (there's always room for improvements though):
http://blog.hekkers.net/2013/02/16/wifi ... -finished/
On to the next adventure!

[raymonvdm]

I have two CHROMOFLEX RGB LED controllers (one still unused) and the other one is used using an USB to RS232 converter. I think i would like to make them ethernet (wifi) based. One thing i`m not shure about is how to use the HomeSeer plugin with this. I`m currently using the following plugin (indigozest Chromoflex Plug-In)

note: I`m not as good as Digit so i cannot write my own plugins

I think i need the following?

- http://en.usr.cn/serial-ttl-rs232-to-80 ... odule.html
- http://www.conrad.nl/ce/nl/product/154984/ (DC-DC-omzetter)
- http://www.conrad.nl/ce/nl/product/520556/ (Behuizing)
- http://www.conrad.nl/ce/nl/product/993906/ (WLAN-antenneadapter IPEX/RP-SMA)

I also want to hook up my RFID scanner to be wifi enabled, can i use the same wifi module for this ? (TTL/RS232 Huh?)

http://www.priority1design.com.au/rfidrw-e-232.pdf

[Digit]

If I were you, I would first look at if the Plugin you use can handle an Ethernet connection.
Cause if not, you would be doing it all for nothing...
BTW, I googled "indigozest Chromoflex Plug-In" but got just 1 result..(which is rather sporadic, LOL)

Your shopping list is not complete either...
Assuming that the Chromoflex is RS232, you need to convert to TTL, cause that's what the Wifi module can handle.
Have a look @ the manual (http://en.usr.cn/download/USR-WIFI232-X-V4.3_en.pdf), top of page 19, where you see that RS232 is not directly connected to the module.
You'll have to do something similar.

Or, buy this one:
http://en.usr.cn/WIFI-to-RS232-module-w ... eless.html
This one contains the Wifi module and some extras to directly connect a RS232 device to the board and go wireless.

But, as I said earlier, first you'll need an Ethernet-enabled Plugin...

[raymonvdm]

I think this is the plugin i`m using

http://board.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t=152187

Due to pricing of the wifi module it is maybe cheaper/easier to go for a http://www.eztcp.com/en/products/ezl-70a.php or a raspberryPI ?


p.s. Does anyone have a module for sale ?

[mhn]

I you use Z-Wave, have you heard about Fibaro RGBW Controller?

http://www.fibaro.com/en/the-fibaro-sys ... controller

http://forum.fibaro.com/viewtopic.php?t=2041&start=0

Regards
Morten

[Digit]

OK, I don't know that Plugin so I can't say anything about whether it support Ethernet or not. I think it doesn't.
The EZL-70a works reliable, I use those too here. But again, no way to connect with the Plugin.

And what's your plan with the RPi? Make it wireless with a USB Wifi dongle and use the other USB port to connect the Chromoflex with a cable like this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/ABC-Products%C2 ... USB+serial ?

Hmm, count the costs.. RPi, Wifi dongle, cable...maybe there's someone else with a good idea?