[Swansea Hackspace] Last night - ESP and other ramblings

Tue Jan 13 20:19:21 GMT 2015

yes I remember it well... how could I forget?

Glad you got it sorted!

this is one of the things I love about the group and the space - there is
such a diverse range of interests and talents and I've learnt so much
already.

Thank you all

On 13 January 2015 at 20:07, Graham Owens <grahamowensuk at googlemail.com>
wrote:

> Dont know if you will remember me talking a few weeks back about the
> weather station, same thing - incompatible with everything else, not even a
> local display. everything had to be viewed on there app, and when the site
> went down I never got data.  Well not any more :)
>
> On 13 January 2015 at 20:00, Emyr Morris <em at preseli.com> wrote:
>
>> I like your thinking there Graham
>>
>> There have been lots of complaints about it not working, I've only
>> experienced one outage and I am not sure if it was my broadband or their
>> servers... everything in my flat had a green light and there were no
>> warnings so maybe it was something else
>>
>> just a shame they haven't hooked it up to IFTTT like their competitors
>>
>>
>>
>> On 13 January 2015 at 19:52, Graham Owens <grahamowensuk at googlemail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> So the question then is, is hive (or the link between it and the
>>> interwebs) hackable?  should be easy enough to find out with wireshark :)
>>>
>>> Sounds like a job for a PI DNS server, with the advantage that you can
>>> also control other bits and bobs too :)
>>>
>>> G
>>>
>>> On 13 January 2015 at 17:18, Emyr Morris <em at preseli.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Had quite a chat and put a lot of things in their places last night.
>>>>
>>>> Some people have been in touch asking for links to various things so I
>>>> thought I would produce a quick digest
>>>>
>>>> *If This Then That* - *IFTTT.com*
>>>>
>>>> a service that allows devices (iOS/Android) / switches / lights to
>>>> interface with each other.
>>>>
>>>> e.g. if snowing, turn on heating or if raining tomorrow send alert to
>>>> mobile device 'remember your brolly tomorrow'
>>>>
>>>> It also allows you to set up geofencing with your mobile device.
>>>>
>>>> e.g. if distance from home greater than 1 mile, turn off heating.
>>>>
>>>> It works with the WeMo switch for instance, so you could turn on lights
>>>> at Dusk... Turn them off at a pre-determined time.
>>>>
>>>> I have an iOS notification set up for a RSS feed that I have on one of
>>>> my ecommerce website so I can monitor what is going on even if I am out and
>>>> about and away from my desk.
>>>>
>>>> IFTTT.com is currently free - I hear there are plans to charge - I am
>>>> guessing they will charge for more real time actions. At the moment my
>>>> recipes seem to run every 20 mins (which is fine for me)
>>>>
>>>> *ESP8266 - programming*
>>>>
>>>> there was an article on Hackaday a few days ago.
>>>>
>>>> http://hackaday.com/2015/01/10/flashing-the-esp8266-in-windows/
>>>>
>>>> There is a new windows app that allows you to quickly download the ESP
>>>> flasher, the NodeMCU firmware and install / run LUA
>>>>
>>>> Documentation is sparse and I might write a  short dummy guide for
>>>> myself when I flash my next chip - If I do this I will share it with you.
>>>>
>>>> So far I have managed to get it to read a switch connected to GPIO0 and
>>>> turn an LED on and off via GPIO2
>>>>
>>>> this is a fairly easy way into hacking the ESP8266 and making it do
>>>> something.
>>>>
>>>> Still masses more to learn!
>>>>
>>>> I am looking to install them into some RF remote switches and maybe
>>>> into PIR detectors along with temp / humidity sensors.
>>>>
>>>> I am planning to upgrade my tumble drier with a Temp and Humidity
>>>> sensor to turn it off (via a relay) when my clothes are dry - I may add a
>>>> ESP to add notification - if at all possible via IFTTT to my mobile.
>>>>
>>>> Emyr
>>>>
>>>> PS oh yes.. we got onto the home heating thermostat. I opted for Hive
>>>> from British Gas - mostly because their system was one of the few that
>>>> didn't charge a monthly fee - basically you pay a fee even on the months
>>>> when you do not heat your home, so you would end up losing the benefit of
>>>> being more in control of your energy use! https://www.hivehome.com/
>>>>
>>>> It was a cinch to install - I popped off the old time switch, removed
>>>> the old thermostat (wireless). Plugged in the 'hub' to the router...
>>>> dropped the boiler switch onto the old plate belonging to the old time
>>>> switch, attached the thermostat to the screw holes of the old wireless one,
>>>> turned the boiler back on... and installed the app on my phone and logged
>>>> in - whole process took less than 10 mins.
>>>>
>>>> Even though NEST is compatible with IFTTT, Hive isn't which is a pitty,
>>>> it would have been cool to have been able to program in a few overrides.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>> http://swansea.hackspace.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hackspace
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
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>>>
>>
>>
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>
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