Blog2013 ≫ Done more home automation tinkering today for the first time in ages

Now got the kitchen clock and microwave on remote controls so I can set them to a timer. They both have LED digital clock displays in them, which I don't really need running through the night so will turn the sockets off while we're in bed. That will surely save me a few more pennies. Next step, which I might fit in today is to do the same for the computer and the beer fridge downstairs - I don't need the beer fridge on very often at all. It doesn't have much in it.

Been starting to play with the textlocal.com1 API, so I can send myself text reminders of things. Or, more realistically, send Clare text reminders of things as I never have my phone on. I've connected it up to the arduino and that magnetic door sensor right now. Struggled over some code last night but found help on the Arduino forum in the end - it wasn't my programming but I'd forgotten to put a pull down resistor in the circuit, which leads to the reading from any switches being very dodgy indeed.

As soon as it's working I'll be trying hard to resist automatically sending texts to everyone saying "hey, the door is open! hey, now it's shut again!".

My (as yet incomplete) source code for the door texter is here2, knock yourselves out...

arduino: Microcontroller, hardware prototyping platform, a tiny specialised computer.

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Paul Clarke's weblog - I live in Hythe near Folkestone. Wed + dad to two, I'm a full stack web engineer, + I do js / Node, some ruby, other languages etc. I like pubbing, parkrun, eating, home automation and other diy jiggery-pokery, history, genealogy, Television, squirrels, pirates, lego, and TIME TRAVEL.