Rodrigo Alvarez

Tinkering as a way of life

Category: Home Automation

Home automation Project – Part 4: Building the “unknown device”

Developing this project in such a linear way means I can really understand my needs and constraints. I now have a clear set of requirements of what my unknown device must do. Requirements WiFi connectivity 433Mhz RF emission Serial port for debugging reasons Have 3 buttons to trigger the same commands as the original remote

Home automation Project – Part 3: Reverse Engineering RF Signals

My idea is to create a device that replicates the signal that the remote sends to the blinds, triggered by an MQTT command. Good, but what does this signal look like? For that I have the perfect tool, an SDR (Software defined radio). It’s basically a radio device that has the ability to tune into

Home automation Project – Part 2: System Architecture

Up to now, everything has been pretty much getting COTS (Commercial of the Shelf) components and installing them. There hasn’t been any “automation” in my home automation project.Therefore, I’ve been digging around on the internet to find which solution is most adequate for me. Main Server What I am NOT looking for? Easy, closed solutions

Home automation Project – Part 1: Intro & Actuators

Since I’m aware, there has been a ritual going on in my house. Every morning when everyone in the house wakes up, the blinds have to be raised (Having window blinds is a very typical thing in Spain) to let as much light in. Who ever leaves last, or around 10 a.m. blinds have to