New toy!

[Nigel Goodwin]

Bought one of these this morning, from Home Bargains - only £4.99

Didn't want or need one, but it was too cheap too turn down

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00QX0TJTY

Not quite sure what I'm going to do with it, but it's quite fun, and well worth the money for the parts.

 

[audioguru]

I also bought one of these motion detectors and installed it near the back door at work. Its square-waves sound was so irritating that I modified it to produce a soothing sinewave Ding-Dong.

I got a PIR triggered fragrance sprayer for free. The company who makes it gave it away and hoped that I would buy their expensive bottles of fragrance (no way, man!). It uses 3 AA battery cells and can be set to spray whenever it is triggered by motion or by its timer. It also has an LED that blinks when it is triggered.

 

[Ian Rogers]

I got a "Responce" one for £11.89 from B&Q.... And its rubbish.... I'm off to get one!!

 

[Musicmanager]

Not quite sure what I'm going to do with it, but it's quite fun, and well worth the money for the parts.

you could put it over your workbench attached to a counter as a sort of time & motion exercise

S

 

[jpanhalt]

I got two of them. You can buy a specific channel or by clipping/connecting wires inside select the same of different channel for each.

Why two? My home is very quiet, and I cannot hear someone at the front door, if I am upstairs or in the basement. A single one is pretty sensitive and occasionally detects flying leaves, curious groundhogs and other rodents. So, to avoid the false alarms, mine are set about 20' apart on the front porch. Unless I get two signals, I don't don't run to the front door. They are on the same channel, one receiver is in the basement and the other is upstairs.

John

 

[dr pepper]

And I thought you'd got a 1ghz quad trace 'scope when I saw the heading.

 

[Ian Rogers]

I've had to order!! They didn't stock them at our local "Home Bargain" Emporium!!

 

[ericgibbs]

you could put it over your workbench attached to a counter as a sort of time & motion exercise

hi S,
As I recall don't these devices detect movement.?
The batteries would last for ages ...

E

 

[jpanhalt]

I installed mine in mid-March and had to replace batteries in late August.

John

 

[Musicmanager]

You need to stop moving about John !!

S

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

hi S,
As I recall don't these devices detect movement.?
The batteries would last for ages ...

Last for ever!

 

[MrAl]

Hi,

They also use the IR detectors with the Arduino to command whatever, but of course any uC will do.

 

[ericgibbs]

hi,
I use these PIR's from Amazon [China], 5v to 20v operation, on board 3.3Vreg,[ Output: ~0v when inactive and ~3v when activated] , the 5 off price is very fair.

The sensitivity and holding time can be adjusted.
Current drain:<65uA.
Detection distance:3--7M(can be adjusted).
Work temperature:-15 to +70 degrees.

E

 

[dr pepper]

I've got some of those they are ok, I also have somi micro ones that are as big as the end of a pencil, those are good too.

 

[MrAl]

hi,
I use these PIR's from Amazon [China], 5v to 20v operation, on board 3.3Vreg,[ Output: ~0v when inactive and ~3v when activated] , the 5 off price is very fair.
View attachment 94207

The sensitivity and holding time can be adjusted.
Current drain:<65uA.
Detection distance:3--7M(can be adjusted).
Work temperature:-15 to +70 degrees.

E

Hi there Eric,

What kind of uC are you using with that thing these days?
(PIC, Atmega, Arduino, etc.)

 

[ericgibbs]

hi Al,
All PIC based, also with discrete logic/components, why do you ask.?

Eric

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I use these PIR's from Amazon [China], 5v to 20v operation, on board 3.3Vreg,[ Output: ~0v when inactive and ~3v when activated] , the 5 off price is very fair.

I've also got some of those

 

[MrAl]

hi Al,
All PIC based, also with discrete logic/components, why do you ask.?

Eric

Hi Eric,

Just wondering what other users here are using. I know of two other members here that use PIC's exclusively.

I was using PIC exclusively too until someone gave me an Uno board. I then started to like some of the simplicity of the line of products collectively known as "Arduino".
In fact, i just got a knock off of one board called the "Nano" and the darn thing is only 3/4 inches wide by 1.75 inches long by about 0.3 inches high. It's an entire uC dev board with mini USB connector so it programs directly from the USB port (no other boards required). This one came with header pins optional so you can solder directly to the board or install the headers to use plug jumpers. I wanted it for a more permanent install so i wont install the headers. It's amazing though that it is an entire 328P controller on this small board and no SMD soldering required.
They also have a model now that has a micro USB connector so the total height is probably around 0.2 inches. They also have another model that has no USB connector and programs from another small board that does have the USB connector for programming. That board is even smaller!
Of course i have also built stuff using the lone 328P chip, dip package using ICSP type programming.
I didnt like the idea of the Arduino at first either, but once you have a board it kind of grows on you

 

[Mosaic]

I am still 100% PIC....asm too.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I am still 100% PIC....asm too.

I've started dabbling with XC8 on the PIC, and even done a potential manufactured project for a friend in it.

However, I've also bought some Arduino Uno's and Nano's to play with, but not had much time yet.

One reason for the Arduino's was to help with learning C, something I've failed at for decades (I really do hate C ). The Arduino doesn't really give you the choice, so forces you to get to grips with C.