What are we all doing ?

Chippo1 · Post by **Chippo1** » Mon May 18, 2020 7:22 am

SE , I thought to my self “what the hell is that” had to look it up.

What is the intention for this , what are you looking to do and achieve or is it just a challenge ?

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Mon May 18, 2020 9:37 am

Oh, sorry, for those who do not know.

Arduino is a tiny, limited computer board that you can connect simple things to, such as LED's, small motors, sensors etc it also has a variety of other boards you can plug onto it (each board does something different) The idea with the basic board is you tell it what to do and when to do it and for how long. So you could start with a door bell button, that when pressed it then asks the sensors which room you are in, and makes a noise only in that room (Please note, that is just an example I made up)

What I want to use it for is to run TWO sets of traffic lights, just like normal traffic lights, so that when one set is red, the other set is green, and for x seconds, both go red, and for the fun of it, I am thinking of adding a button that when pressed puts both sets of lights to red and makes a Little green man light come on. (seen the green /red man box on ebay, but as I have time, I might make one out of LEDs)

The way I control my lights now, uses a simple counter, and it can only operate one set of lights.

I have to programme it from scratch (part of the fun) but there is lots of help out there as it is an "Open source" product (Anyone is free to add, change, write stuff for it for free)

There is another thing called Raspberry Pi (Yes, Pi the mathematical term, not pie with fruit) but that is more sophisticated and uses your keyboard and mouse and monitor and is much more sophisticated, too sophisticated for what I want)

As an aside, I have heard of both of them before, never used or seen either, not really taken much notice, but it sounds fun.
Oh and the cost? Arduino starter kit £31 (raspberry pi starter kit £92)

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Wed May 20, 2020 8:16 pm

As previously mentioned we have cancelled our SKY tv subscription. Problem is we don't have a proper tv aerial with a good signal for freeview (well it's free, may as well have it)
Yesterday I ran a cable from upstairs TV to downstairs TV, plugged it in via a splitter............not good picture on either TV (Got an old tv signal amp, that improved one tv slightly)

Looked on line, ended up at screwfix and got

: tvdb.jpg (42.99 KiB) Viewed 1172 times

Thoroughly recommend it.
Not only did it improve the signal quality we now get 100+ channels on each TV (yes most will be rubbish, not our taste, but the picture quality is excellent.)

Chippo1 · Post by **Chippo1** » Wed May 20, 2020 8:56 pm

SE, does that have pass through for Sky magic eyes ?

I have a mast head amp, which give more than adequate signal, using ordinary splitters rather than a distribution amp, they are good though we had one in previous house a Labgear one as well . It had pass through for the Sky 5v remote signals allowing sky to sent around the house with a remote at each TV using TV Link magic eyes

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Wed May 20, 2020 9:36 pm

It does. (well so the box says, we have no need as we no longer have SKY)

Chippo1 · Post by **Chippo1** » Thu May 21, 2020 7:33 pm

For any that doesn’t know Sky boxes work fine with out subscription for free Sat

Chippo1 · Post by **Chippo1** » Thu May 21, 2020 7:39 pm

I built a stand today capable of supporting an engine from the Queen Mary , I used the recent skip find timber.

On top is an IBC container to collect rain water from my garages for garden use.

Once I finish painting the wood work I will fit the gutters to discharge directly into the tank, with an overflow back into one of the existing down pipe runs back into the soak away.

IBC tanks hold a tonne , 1000 litres , you can get them for nowt or as little as £25 , mine was £40 delivered from a local firm , previously used for fragrances , smells nice !

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Thu May 21, 2020 7:47 pm

Chippo1 · Post by **Chippo1** » Fri May 22, 2020 9:01 am

At great personal sacrifice I ventured into the garden in my dressing gown and took a photo!

: 9097569C-92F9-4743-8DF7-C0E532FBA12B.jpeg (144.47 KiB) Viewed 1139 times

: B0945275-6FE8-44FA-AB4F-A8D463F620E5.jpeg (146.01 KiB) Viewed 1139 times

And crikey I think photos are the correct way up , sorry Australians you will have to turn ur device upside down.

Argyll · Post by **Argyll** » Fri May 22, 2020 8:10 pm

someone-else wrote: ↑Sat May 16, 2020 7:35 pm Have you ever been haggis shooting?

I worked with a girl in England who wasn't too bright. She asked where I was going for my holidays so I told her haggis clubbing. I'm sure many have heard the joke about haggis having legs longer on one side than the other so you make them turn around on the mountains and they lose their balance and tumble down the mountain into big nets? Anyway, she bought it hook, line and sinker. She called me a cruel b*stard and didn't speak to me for ages until someone put her straight

Argyll · Post by **Argyll** » Fri May 22, 2020 8:13 pm

ayjay wrote: ↑Mon May 18, 2020 6:38 am I took the wife to Paulton's Park yesterday.

For a Corona virus test.

I still know how to show a girl a good time.

My son attended training for Coronavirus testing last week. He gets deployed down the Scottish borders on Monday. I hope he stays safe.

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Fri May 22, 2020 8:43 pm

Argyll wrote: ↑Fri May 22, 2020 8:10 pm I'm sure many have heard the joke about haggis having legs longer on one side than the other so you make them turn around on the mountains and they lose their balance and tumble down the mountain into big nets?

It's not a joke, it's true, I have got one.

: h1.jpg (66.07 KiB) Viewed 1124 times

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Sat May 23, 2020 11:58 am

Buckets of rain are falling just now, going to open my Arduino kit, and make a start.

: Arduino.jpg (81.27 KiB) Viewed 1115 times

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Sun May 24, 2020 12:03 am

It stopped raining so i went for the shopping, then..................
Been sitting here for a while, all done, now all I have to do is edit / upload the video, that can wait till the morning.

But here is a picture.

: tl.jpg (100.74 KiB) Viewed 1103 times

Chippo1 · Post by **Chippo1** » Sun May 24, 2020 8:11 am

How will you switch the final outputs to the traffic lights , relays or solid state stuff , I dare say as your using LED lamps the current will be relatively low. Or will you use the outputs to remotely switch local pilot relays to switch the lamps.