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richms
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  #1098843 30-Jul-2014 21:43
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I might try powering mine of a proper 5v supply and not a charger, even tho the peak usage of the bridge should be way low enough that the usb charger isnt hitting the current limit.




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LimitlessLED
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  #1098845 30-Jul-2014 21:44
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oh yeah, I didn't know that the Zigbee private key was public knowledge.. wow. I'm never going to use the word impossible again on geekzone. haha.  hopefully we can keep our private key private for many years to come. haha.  Yes as long as you have physical control over any hardware, i.e. someone can walk into your house or server room, encryption can always be compromised :) because you can bypass microcontroller flags with some tricky techniques. hopefully the effort for someone to do so is far outweighed by the time it would take.

 

we selected just a standard off the shelf zigbee RF transceiver, just scan the zigbee channels and you will see it. these 2.4Ghz RF transceivers are sold by the millions, thats how we keep our BOM costs down. the encryption is always done in the chip, which we disable read access so that regular joe bloggs can not hack. 

 

The easiest is just to feed in the commands on the 3.3v TTL UART lines into microcontroller if you need to do some really barebones integration to another chip or integration to another home automation system such as RS485 or Ethernet.

 

If you really feel like a large project to take over the RF channels. Send me an email hamish (at) limitlessled.com, and I can assist you with ideas for your RF integration. There are also other articles showing similar methods for zigbee.

cheers,
Hamish.

RmACK
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  #1098847 30-Jul-2014 21:46
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Interesting. I did find the bridge to be very power hungry - until I removed the Wifi module from it, none of the computers USB ports (or that of an Airport extreme) could power both the bridge and an Arduino Ethermega. Haven't got my workbench set up at new house yet so wasn't able to easily measure it when I was tinkering.







richms
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  #1098848 30-Jul-2014 21:49
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I cant put the time into anything like this, but if there was a kickstarter for a Powerfull universal controller that I could make "unlimited" groups of lamps on and hit it from a reasonably pretty web interface, and IFTTT and other automation engines, then I would probably put $120 or so into it. So long as the connectivity doesnt change from ethernet to crap wifi half way thru like the last product I was looking at.

These lamps are so cheap, and the dirt cheap "led strip" drivers make segmenting out the 12v garden LED lamps into zones so easy to do.




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richms
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  #1098850 30-Jul-2014 21:50
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Ok, if its that high then it may have been hitting the current limit. I did try it off a rasb pi USB port, and it wouldnt run of that but nothing ran on the old model of those without causing brownouts.




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redstorm
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  #1099069 31-Jul-2014 10:01
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LimitlessLED: oh yeah, I didn't know that the Zigbee private key was public knowledge.. wow. I'm never going to use the word impossible again on geekzone. haha.  hopefully we can keep our private key private for many years to come. haha.  Yes as long as you have physical control over any hardware, i.e. someone can walk into your house or server room, encryption can always be compromised :) because you can bypass microcontroller flags with some tricky techniques. hopefully the effort for someone to do so is far outweighed by the time it would take.

cheers,
Hamish.


Remember local security is hard, as soon as you have physical access to a device is only time and effort to break it.

 
 
 

Shop on-line at New World now for your groceries (affiliate link).
gchiu
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  #1100133 1-Aug-2014 16:26
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My order arrived today 2 days after I placed it which is pretty good.
Now all I need to do is wait for the electrician to put in the new lights with the Edison fittings to test them out as all my fittings are currently bayonet.

Unless I can find an Edison to bayonet adaptor while I wait ....

tchart
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  #1100161 1-Aug-2014 16:49
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gchiu: My order arrived today 2 days after I placed it which is pretty good.
Now all I need to do is wait for the electrician to put in the new lights with the Edison fittings to test them out as all my fittings are currently bayonet.

Unless I can find an Edison to bayonet adaptor while I wait ....


Did you order the wrong type?

richms
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  #1100191 1-Aug-2014 17:14
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Surplustronics had adapters when I was last in there. They add length and dont fit in the typical shade  holding skirts tho. 




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gchiu
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  #1100223 1-Aug-2014 17:49
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tchart: 

Did you order the wrong type?


I bought the pendant lights with Edison fittings a couple of days ago, but need to wait for the electrician to wire the lights up, and make them live.

There's no way to put individual switches by the lights so that's why I've gone for wifi lights.  And I'm also ordering RF controlled light switches from Aliexpress but that will only turn on/off both lights together.
 

richms
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  #1100225 1-Aug-2014 17:51
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Anything from aliexpress shouldnt be connected to any fixed wiring unless you are going to complete the SDOC yourself and actually believe any test certs that the seller provides to you.

Based on their weak photoshopping of some I was sent along with some low voltage stuff that didnt even need them I dont really think that you will have any real test lab doing anything for the sellers.




Richard rich.ms

 
 
 
 

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gchiu
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  #1100226 1-Aug-2014 17:51
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richms: Surplustronics had adapters when I was last in there. They add length and dont fit in the typical shade  holding skirts tho. 


I did google various suppliers including this one but they all seem to be in Auckland.

I guess I don't need to play .. just wait for the electrician.  But the thought of sending udp/tcp packets to control the lights is tempting me to go and get an adapter lol !

richms
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  #1100237 1-Aug-2014 18:08
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Go buy a cheap ES desklamp or similar to play with. Clamp on ones are only $7 or so at bunnings I think. Just check they are ES as often the display one is ES but the ones in the boxes are B22.




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gchiu
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  #1100245 1-Aug-2014 18:23
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richms: Anything from aliexpress shouldnt be connected to any fixed wiring unless you are going to complete the SDOC yourself and actually believe any test certs that the seller provides to you.


These switches are available from shops in NZ.  Just at twice the price. 


Based on their weak photoshopping of some I was sent along with some low voltage stuff that didnt even need them I dont really think that you will have any real test lab doing anything for the sellers.


Er, Aliexpress is a huge online site .. of numerous manufacturers and resellers.  Are you attributing the actions of one reseller to the whole site?

richms
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  #1100248 1-Aug-2014 18:26
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gchiu:
These switches are available from shops in NZ.  Just at twice the price. 


Doesn't matter, the SDOC is prepared by the importer so if you haven't got one, no sparky in their right mind will connect it up.


Er, Aliexpress is a huge online site .. of numerous manufacturers and resellers.  Are you attributing the actions of one reseller to the whole site?


Yes because I have bought from many of the sellers, and many are not even selling what is pictured in the listing.




Richard rich.ms

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