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Audible of Visible Alarm Activated by SMS Text or Email? — Parallax Forums

Audible of Visible Alarm Activated by SMS Text or Email?

JoeOJoeO Posts: 1
edited 2009-01-08 21:31 in General Discussion
Does anyone know where I can find a product that includes an audible and/or visible alarm (light or horn or bell or buzzer) that can be activated by an incoming SMS Text or email?

NOT looking for a product that sends out SMS texts or emails upon an alarm condition.

Thanks in advance.

Joe O.

joloughlin@webtechwireless.com
·

Comments

  • bennettdanbennettdan Posts: 614
    edited 2009-01-02 19:43
    JoeO are you willing to use a computer to recieve the SMS messages then set your output, or are you wanting something standalone?
  • rjo_rjo_ Posts: 1,825
    edited 2009-01-06 21:48
    I have been working with a gm862 from Sparkfun... Many thanks to the more experienced guys that recommended it.

    I wouldn't ordinarily recommend the 862 because the programming interface is sort of non-existent... no feedback of any kind. If you make a mistake it just sits there and looks at you.

    As an occasional programmer with no Python experience to speak of... "syntax error" is my middle name; so, it took me a week to get the thing to do what I wanted (send gps coordinates as either an E-mail or as a text message.) With a normal interface this should have been a fun afternoon. I had to resort to writing a line or two at a time and then testing it... which takes about 15 minutes per iteration... what a f*****g pain.

    The python isn't exactly spec... (you have to build your own floating point numbers... looping doesn't appear to work right sometimes, etc. etc. etc.) I don't regret purchasing the unit... but you do need to know what you are getting into if you are going to follow this path. It has a code space in excess of 1M... Rumor has it that the interpreter can handle about 8K of code, but my stuff started to get real flake at about 2K...

    The serial interface is sort of buggy... you have to use the right programming app... from among several that are available...

    Disconnecting everything, re-installing the software and rebooting the device takes on sacramental meaning ... but once you get it working... it actually does work very well.

    I have some code, which I'd be happy to post, which can do a simple parse on incoming SMS messages and the thing has pins that you can turn on or off... so you could hook up a relay or a flashing light or something pretty easily. I haven't looked at sending email to the gm862.

    The 862 accepts the full AT command set and has several serial port options... so really it is begging for a Propeller interface[noparse]:)[/noparse]

    And I think a combo board with a Prop and a 862... with all the wiring done would be a winner.

    The current interface must be driving customers away... or making them regret their purchases...

    Propellers to the rescue?
  • Jay KickliterJay Kickliter Posts: 446
    edited 2009-01-06 22:34
    If you want to go the cheap route buy a cheap cell phone that has a TTL serial port. I use the Motorola c168i. The code I wrote was for sending SMS, but it would not be much more work to poll the phone for new incoming messages.
  • lenswerkslenswerks Posts: 40
    edited 2009-01-06 23:53
    What is your budget and do you want to build it, buy it built or somewhere in between?
  • SethSeth Posts: 61
    edited 2009-01-07 14:22
    If you are willing to use a cell phone to receive the SMS this circuit might be of help. Or you could replace the vibrator with a relay.

    Hope this helps.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    The pessimist is never disappointed.
  • rjo_rjo_ Posts: 1,825
    edited 2009-01-07 22:59
    Jay...

    you mentioned the c168i before but I knew so little about the basic technology that I was afraid to go that route... Knowing what I know now, I wish I had listened to you[noparse]:)[/noparse]

    I've been toying with the idea of making a Prop interface for the gm862 just for the fun of it... but now that you mention it... the c168 is looking better and better... and $25 new on ebay is really attractive.


    JoeG...

    Jay's original thread[noparse]:http:[/noparse]//forums.parallax.com/forums/default.aspx?f=25&m=287339
    take a look at Phil's code.


    Rich

    Post Edited (rjo_) : 1/7/2009 11:52:36 PM GMT
  • Jay KickliterJay Kickliter Posts: 446
    edited 2009-01-08 13:01
    Here's the final Propeller object. It makes an assumption that you are using the 4ports serial object. Like I said, it doesn't do receiving. But it would not be too difficult to add that. you Just have to occasionally poll the phone for new messages. You could even just send the phone a single hex character. Maybe a sequence like "@A@", where the @ are the delimiting characters and the A is some code, of which you could have up to 16.

    I don't have the time to make this modification, since receive was never a priority, but I'll assist anyone who wants to take it up.
    spin
    spin
    MotorolaC168iInterface.spin
    31K
  • rjo_rjo_ Posts: 1,825
    edited 2009-01-08 21:31
    Jay,

    There was a lot of discussion about the hardware set up... did you end up using a straight through connector?

    Rich

    by the way... there was also a question about other phones... you can scratch the c139 off the list
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