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Wireless with basic stamp — Parallax Forums

Wireless with basic stamp

Rutcgr18Rutcgr18 Posts: 47
edited 2010-09-24 14:46 in BASIC Stamp
Basicly what i want to do is make a wireless conection from the stamp to a sensor. I wan tot great a device that will sence when the garage door is open and closed. I want to have it hooked to my computer so when it does the check and finds that the door is open it will send me an email. Craftsmen makes something something like this http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_10155_12602_00953696000P?vName=Tools+%26+Equipment&cName=Equipment&sName=Garage+Door+Openers&prdNo=9&blockNo=9&blockType=L9
Just not sure if i could intergrated it with the pc. My wish list would be that if its open icould send a cmd and have it shut. I know I am asking alot.
Thanks
Mike

Comments

  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2010-09-24 11:33
    You need to be clearer about what you want. For example, where along the path from the sensor to the PC is the wireless part? Where does the Stamp fit in? What's the range?

    You understand that you will have to do some programming on the PC side no matter how you hook things up and sending e-mail somewhere else isn't simple.

    What are you going to do for power on the Stamp end of things?

    Did you know about the PINK Internet Interface for the Stamp? That could directly send e-mail without the use of a PC. What's the timeframe on your project? The PINK is going to be replaced with a nice Propeller-based internet server in the next couple of months. Can you wait?
  • Rutcgr18Rutcgr18 Posts: 47
    edited 2010-09-24 12:02
    Mike thanks for the response. Not sure on range. I dont have to do this now. Just investigating ideas But why cant i get some of those craftsmen unit and have the stamp monitor the led pulse?
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2010-09-24 12:25
    You could do what you suggest, either attach a phototransistor to the Craftsman receiver over their LED and have the Stamp detect when the LED comes on (or goes off) or you could "hack" the receiver, replace the LED with an optocoupler (or put an optocoupler in parallel with the LED).

    There are all sorts of possibilities. You don't even have to use a Stamp. You could use an optocoupler as described above and connect that to your PC's serial port (or USB to serial adapter) using one of the control lines like CTS or DSR which a PC program can detect.
  • Ron CzapalaRon Czapala Posts: 2,418
    edited 2010-09-24 12:42
    My garage door opener came with one of those units.
    I was unreliable and would start blinking (indicating lost signal I guess).

    It was cheaply made - glad I did not pay extra for it...
    Monitor
  • Rutcgr18Rutcgr18 Posts: 47
    edited 2010-09-24 13:02
    Mike Green wrote: »
    You could do what you suggest, either attach a phototransistor to the Craftsman receiver over their LED and have the Stamp detect when the LED comes on (or goes off) or you could "hack" the receiver, replace the LED with an optocoupler (or put an optocoupler in parallel with the LED).

    There are all sorts of possibilities. You don't even have to use a Stamp. You could use an optocoupler as described above and connect that to your PC's serial port (or USB to serial adapter) using one of the control lines like CTS or DSR which a PC program can detect.

    Wow that sounds like a good idea. I am just not sure how those optocoupler work. They seem very cheap. So the opute from optocoupler is an analog ouput?. Then i can right a piece of sotware to monitor that pin that that optocoupler is hooked to?
  • Rutcgr18Rutcgr18 Posts: 47
    edited 2010-09-24 13:23
    Ron Czapala wrote: »
    My garage door opener came with one of those units.
    I was unreliable and would start blinking (indicating lost signal I guess).

    It was cheaply made - glad I did not pay extra for it...
    Monitor

    Thanks ron. Do you do anything speacil with it?
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2010-09-24 13:24
    Look up optocoupler on the Wikipedia (do a Google search for "wiki optocoupler").

    The details of how you'd hook up an optocoupler to your PC depends on what kind of serial port you have.
  • RavenkallenRavenkallen Posts: 1,057
    edited 2010-09-24 13:31
    Mike Green wrote: »
    Did you know about the PINK Internet Interface for the Stamp? That could directly send e-mail without the use of a PC. What's the timeframe on your project? The PINK is going to be replaced with a nice Propeller-based internet server in the next couple of months. Can you wait?


    Oh good, i wondering why the PINK was out of stock. I was actually thinking about buying one, but the price kept me from it...can't wait...
  • Rutcgr18Rutcgr18 Posts: 47
    edited 2010-09-24 13:36
    Mike so its basicly trasfer pulses over LED from one chip to the next am i correct? I am still trying ot see how that would help me. Sorry i am a newbie here.
    THanks
    Mike
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,400
    edited 2010-09-24 13:50
    Rutcgr18,

    Want to be sure that you see our XBee tutorials here:

    http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?t=124213

    Ken Gracey
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2010-09-24 13:57
    Yes, basically you mount a phototransistor so that the light from the LED shines on the phototransistor. This is how an optocoupler works except that the LED and the phototransistor are built into the same package and the package is opaque to external light so that can't interfere.
  • Ron CzapalaRon Czapala Posts: 2,418
    edited 2010-09-24 14:46
    I quit using my Chamberlain unit because it was not reliable.

    If I really needed one, I would build it using XBEE transceivers.
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