Oli, Check the January 2010 issue of Everyday Practical Electronics (EPE) magazine. There is a mains based project in there that might give you some leads or Inspiration. Regards, Jim -----Original Message----- From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu [mailto:piclist-bounces@mit.edu] On Behalf Of Oli Glaser Sent: Sunday, June 13, 2010 5:54 PM To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public. Subject: Re: [EE] Radio Light Switch -------------------------------------------------- From: "Michael Watterson" Sent: Sunday, June 13, 2010 10:53 PM To: "Microcontroller discussion list - Public." Subject: Re: [EE] Radio Light Switch > Oli Glaser wrote: >> -------------------------------------------------- >> From: "Olin Lathrop" >> Sent: Sunday, June 13, 2010 8:51 PM >> To: "Microcontroller discussion list - Public." >> Subject: Re: [EE] Radio Light Switch >> >> >>> Oli Glaser wrote: >>> >>>> but I'm not an expert on the RF >>>> side of things, so was looking at rfPICs and zigbee, neither of which >>>> I have used before. Any advice from anyone on this front before I >>>> start spending would be most appreciated. >>>> >>> rfPICs are very low level, and Zigbee comes with a lot of baggage. >>> Since >>> this is for a one off, I would either use some simple modules or >>> integrated >>> chips that some of the encoding/decoding for you. >>> >> >> I agree, from a quick look at Zigbee, although I wouldn't mind getting to >> grips with it at some point, for this project it would be far too much >> messing about. A module that deals with the basics looks like the >> quickest >> most painless way of doing this, if not quite the cheapest maybe. If it >> was >> just one switch it could be a lot more simple(no data on carrier, just >> OOK >> driven flip flop or something), but some sort of networking is needed >> here I >> think. >> >> > Just have an address and CRC for each receiver. No "networking" needed. > Preamble bits to initialise dataslicer on OOK > N bit address > K bit command > C bits CRC > (stops TV wireless adaptors miss-operating it) > Manchester encoded/decoder. > > Either set address on receiver via DIP switch or via IRLED (on TX unit) > and IR RX or Phototransistor of rotten gain so you have to hold it < > inches away to set switch address. > > The OOK/ASK TX is lower power than IR remote for 20m range. Thanks, this all sounds pretty sensible too, some nice little modules there. I think I'll grab a couple to experiment with. By the way - what about the superregen ones? they are about half the price of the superhet. -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist