Re: Domia Lite

["Peter Chick" <pjchick@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Gary,



If you cannot work out / find  the protocol maybe you might be able cheat
a=
s
I did.



I  'automated / hacked' something similar over Christmas. I wanted to
control my Christmas lights via a PC, and since they would only be up for a
few weeks I didn't want to spend loads of cash on additional X10 modules.
S=
o
I bought a number of Maplin RF automation modules and proceeded to hack!



I used  a 'keypad emulation' approach, with a PIC taking serial data in and
'bit bashing' the keypad and house-code lines of the encoder IC.  I have a
PIC  with some driver IC's soldered onto the input lines of the Encoder IC
=
(
No PCB or Strip board used =96 the PIC and Drivers are 'hot-glued' to the
inside of the existing remote control case and point-to point soldered)!
;-=
)



After I hacked the case to remove the buttons and give me more room, it now
all fits inside the original case with just a single cable with the Serial
Data and power going in. This cable is about 2m long so I can place the
transmitter 'head' up high for best range. Closer to the PC another box
houses the RS232 / TTL converter, voltage regulators for 5v (PIC) and 12V
(Transmitter) etc all fed up to the transmitter.



The PIC will accept a message from the PC, set the address/data lines
correctly and then transmit's the code for 1 second  - this seemed reliable
enough in testing. The PIC then echo's back the command to the PC so it
knows the Transmitter circuit is alive.



Over Christmas it worked perfectly. Total cost of the mod was probably less
than a tenner, with an approval rating from SWMBO at least a 7/10 (she
didn't have to scrabble behind the sofa to turn the lights on/off).



Could you use a similar approach on the Domia Lite Kit?



If your interested I'll post some photo's, PLEASE NOTE:- It's NOT pretty!



Regards



Peter


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