Category Archives: Electronics

uRAD Monitor Flash Update

March 1, 2015 admin Leave a comment

I recently received a firmware update for my uRAD Monitor so I thought I’d share my experience on it.

The new firmware adds a local web interface to few current stats as well as encryption back to the server.

You will need a ASP programmer that is capable of 3.3v, the firmware which you will have to request from Radu and avrdude for the flashing.

You can download avrdude from here.

I picked up a cheap ASP programmer from eBay for around ~$3 supporting both 5v and 3.3v.

Make sure the jumper is set for 3.3v.

I then pulled down my monitor and removed the two screws on the back of the unit:

Connected the programmer and powered it up, be careful as the orientation of the programmer may be different to mine!

Fired up a command prompt and avrdude to download the firmware to the flash:

Put the unit back together and reinstalled outside, after a few seconds the unit was back up and now responding with the new web interface:

Over all a pretty easy process, I look forward to future updates and am intending on building a weather station in the near future to be able to match weather data with the radiation data.

Electronics, Home Automation

Front Door Electric Lock Part 2

October 17, 2014 admin Leave a comment

Well after 2+ months of waiting for parts that never arrived I gave up and ordered new ones.
Rather annoying but did mean I went ahead and got better parts instead.

Instead of an all in one RFID/Controller I got a LAN connected controller board that supports up to four RFID readers and two doors. This allows for more control in terms of users, time in/out and easy lock out of existing tags. Also means when I add in the garage door I’ve already got all the supporting equipment.

One extra feature that I plan on using is keeping an eye on the occupancy of the house so when everyone has taped out can switch off lights, heating, etc to save power.

I had already run a length of speaker wire to the door striker location and a length of CAT5 to the position of the RFID reader so hookup was pretty easy, the RFID reader uses 5 wires in total: +12v, GND, Data0, Data1 and LED

Was then just a matter of installing the software and entering the users. The wizard asks you to tap the tag on the RFID reader and then you add a name, department and any other information you want about the user. You can then set access privileges on a per door and user basis. Software is quite overkill for this application (can support something like 20,000 users…) but for the price who cares 🙂

And onto the pictures… I plan on making a video showing the door operation as well.

Electronics, Home Automation

Relay Board Arrived

September 1, 2014 admin Leave a comment

USB->Serial four channel relay board arrived on Friday and got a chance to start playing with it over the weekend.

Currently one relay is used to locking/unlocking the front door and the second for switching power to the amp which runs the Kitchen speakers. Deck amp and an extraction fan to cool the rack will most likely fill the last two.

Unit is nice and easy to control simply a case of sending the ASCII character for the command you want to the serial port.

I’m using Home Control assistant running on a Windows 7 virtual machine which allows control of Insteon, X10, serial and IP devices. Below is the interface on the PC.

Home control assistant running on the Windows 7 VM

For opening the door it runs this small script/program which unlocks the door then waits 5 seconds before locking the door allowing you time to open it.

Command for sending data to the serial port

And here is the interface on Android.

View of the Front Yard on the Android app

Other end connected to the electric strike lock. Apply 12v and the tongue moves freely.

Can read more on the install of the lock here.

RFID parts still are yet to arrive which is the final step for the lock.

AV, Car, Electronics

Car Stereo Status 8-14

August 26, 2014 admin Leave a comment

Bit of a different post this week. Just a look at the current state of the car stereo install which is soon to get some attention now the sun is out 🙂

System is 95% functional most of the work to be done is cleaning the install up and making it all fit back together nicely.

System consists of:

-Acer Aspire One netbook with screen removed

-Creative Sound Blaster Play USB sound card

-7″ Double DIN VGA touchscreen

-Swiss Line SL-Q400 EQ and crossover

-Rockford Fosgate POWER! 6.5″ speakers (Fronts)

-Sony Xplod 6×9″ (Rears)

-2x Pioneer 12″ champion series (Not sure on model)

-Response AA0460 1000w Mono Block running at 1ohm

-Response AA0458 5 channel amp 4x60w 1x225w

Screen was removed from the laptop to allow good fit in the glove box and easy access if keyboard/touch pad use is required, handy for passengers looking for tracks, etc.

A USB cable then runs into the dash to a hub which has the connectors for the USB sound card, touch screen, SD-Card reader.

From the USB sound card it’s connected to the input of the Swiss Line SL-Q400 EQ which splits the signal out to the 5 amp channels (Front, Rear, Sub).

The left power button on the screen powers the laptop on and the right button powers the screen and changes screen input.

The current state of the dash as it stands now. I still have to wire in a relay and the DC->DC converter for the laptop power. It’s currently running from an inverter.

After that the dash can start to go back together.

Rockford Fosgate POWER! 6.5" speakers — Rockford Fosgate POWER! 6.5″ speakers

Current state of the boot.

Hopefully I will get a chance this week to get back to the car and finish off the install.

To-Do List:

-Build panels and mount amps

-Dynomat front doors and boot

-Carpet boot

-Replace rear speakers

-Change 5 channel amp out for 4x100w version

-Dash back together

-DC->DC converter for laptop power

-Update laptop software to Centrafuse

Electronics, Gadgets, USB

USB “Charger Doctor”

August 7, 2014 admin Leave a comment

Just a quick post today, received this in the mail from China today. A USB voltage and current tester for a whole $2

Nice simple setup plug one end into a USB port and connect the device you want to the other end and the display changes back and forth from current to voltage every few seconds.

Measures 3.5-7V and 0-3A.

Lets connect it up:

Nice simple device that does what it says on the box and quite useful for diagnosing USB devices, well worth the $2 to have around for the odd time you even just want to know how much current you’re getting out of a charger.

Electronics, Home Automation

Front Door Electric Lock Part 1

July 31, 2014 admin Leave a comment

Started on the installation of the electronic lock for the front door today.

Eventually the plan is to have RFID control as well as integrate it with the Insteon system for control from the smart phones, computers, etc.

Is pretty rough around the edges atm but it will have to come out for cables to be run to the back soon so I’ll file the edges and put some paint on make it a little prettier but for now it’s in and functional ready for the next lot of parts to arrive 😀

Of course had to open it and see how it work 🙂

Removed the old lock part and start making the hole bigger

Electronics, Gadgets

Chumby One

July 25, 2014 admin Leave a comment

First read about the Chumby a few years ago but at the time it was quite expensive to get one here in Australia and so mostly forgot about it until I read an article the other week mentioning that the Chumby was back!

The Chumby is a bedside clock replacement with over 1000 apps you can cycle through from clocks, weather, Facebook, picture slide show, etc.

Shipped from the USA on Tuesday and arrived Friday morning, time to unpack it 🙂

What do we have here? All the way from the USA

Now time to load some “apps” up and have a play.

Eventually hope to write an app to integrate into my Insteon system allowing bedside table control of the whole house.

The Insteon Hub allows HTTP requests to be used to control devices and the Chumby uses Flash Lite so shouldn’t be too hard.

Electronics, USB

SockITz

July 22, 2014 admin Leave a comment

Ordered 2:20pm yesterday and on my desk 9am today, can’t complain with that 🙂

First one I thought I’d change is the power point on the Kitchen bench, nice central location to access and have phones out of the reach of little ones.

Installation took less than 10 minutes only hampered by having to cut a bit more plaster away to fit the SockIT back into the wall.

Will be sure to report back after a few months of use but so far loving them 🙂

You can find out more about SockITz here.

Pair of Sockitz with 3.5amp USB charging.

Electronics, Home Automation, Insteon, USB

New parts on the way

July 21, 2014 admin Leave a comment

Ordered parts for front door automation/security including RFID reader and electronic latch which will get tied in with the other systems to allow opening from smart phone, etc as well.