UPDATE: Edits based on Felix's responseUPDATE TWO - TESTED AND WORKING: See commentUPDATE THREE - WEIRD BUGS AND WEBSERVERS:
See commentHi all!
I'm completely new to the moteino, and I've only read about arduino and raspberry pi, and the only electronics soldering I've ever done was to replace a switch on a broken NAS, so really, I'm starting from square one.
First, questions for Felix (or anyone else that wants to chime in). Below, context!
About moteinos, it appears that if I buy two (with FLASH), they're loaded with a test sketch to confirm they operate correctly, and since I'm planning on an USB moteino, I should be able to connect to that one via USB and use it to wirelessly reprogram the other with the sender sketch for GarageMote, is that correct? I don't have ANY experience with FTDI, and I definitely don't have the equipment (and I'm trying to keep the cost for this specific project down since I'm only getting my feet wet here).
EDIT: Looks like I was wrong about this. Moteino's must be programmed via FTDI with code that enables them to be programmed wirelessly. However, since leaving an FTDI Adaptor connected to one of the moteinos apparently works fine, my new plan is to buy two regular moteinos and an FTDI adaptor. And I save money by cutting out the FLASH, so that's great too.Next, about transceivers, I live in a townhouse with a detached garage (but only across a 4 meter patio), and the mac mini (which will be interfaced with the USB moteino) is maybe roughly 10 meters or less from the garage door opener (but through two exterior walls). What transceiver should I be using here? I read that the RFM12B has better obstacle penetration, but does it matter at that range? Does the RFM12B use less power if I ever wanted to add a battery powered moteino somewhere? If I want to eventually add a secondary thermometer sensor up stairs (basically directly above the mac mini), is that a consideration?
EDIT: Felix recommends RFM69W/HW. I refer anybody to someone other than me for more details on why, but if your layout is similar to mine, then you know what Felix's recommendation is too (at least for similar applications).Last (two part question) is the cable you're using for GarageMote cat6? If I need to run one of the hall effect sensors out 2 meters from GarageMote, am I going to run into trouble (see last full paragraph, below)?
EDIT: Time to jump in and find out!EDIT TWO: Works just fine (and that's at 4 meters)!I've been reading the forum posts on the various moteino configurations, and I THINK I've figured out the best setup for jumping down this rabbit hole for the first time. I'll update this post as I go throught this project, but I'm trying to make sure I really have my bases covered before I take any actual steps. I have access to soldering tools etc (I work with an nice engineer), so I hope to be able to focus on the actual getting things done aspects of this.
After reading over the
moteino docs and forum posts, the
GarageMote post, and the
Home Automation Gateway posts, I
thought I might just skip the moteino altogether and connect a pi directly to the GarageMote shield, and then I realized I was going about this project ack basswords because I was stuck on using a raspberry pi.
EDIT: Here's a link to the Home Automation Post Comment where Felix explains for me how this *might* work. Read his comment in this thread for his point on not supporting this method.I have a perfectly good mac mini at home already running as a media center, with at least one open USB port, so it occurs to me that the smarter setup is:
Mac Mini <-> USB Moteino <-> regular moteino <-> GarageMote
Is there any reason I shouldn't do things this way, and instead just do rasberry pi <-> GarageMote?
EDIT: Turns out this is even easier when running Ubuntu 13.10 than it is on a pi (apt-get FTW)The great thing about cutting the pi (get it?!) is that it ends up costing less than using a pi+wifi dongle since I'm making use of equipment I have, AND I'll have a moteino hub for future expansion (I'm REALLY looking forward to nest opening up its protocols (as they say they will) so I can add thermometer sensors away from the thermostat; and now I'll be able to do it with a moteino).
I also noticed one difference in my garage opener is that it operates on a screw drive, and not a belt or chain. I can get away with mounting just one magnet
on the door drive bracket, but I don't know enough of what I'm doing to know if one of the hall effect sensors from the moteino kit will operate properly on a cable that's 2 meters long instead of 16-18 inches [context for question for Felix above]. My thought was to place one sensor at door open position, and one at the farther closed position, and just use one magnet mounted on the moving bracket to trigger whichever sensor it is next to. Hopefully someone can tell me if this makes sense before I put it together and find out my door never reads as closed
.
I'll update with pictures and progress once I actually buy this stuff and get my hands dirty. Thanks for reading.
EDIT: Plan now is two regular moteinos, one FTDI adaptor (for sketch loading, and connecting one moteino to mac mini), GarageMote, and 2 meter cat5 cable (because of my screw drive garage door)