Ok, so the grand plan for my house will include me networking a few Arduinos each having different but similar duties.
I am using this blog post to sort of work through my plan.
First will be my central control station. This will be an Arduino Mega.
The mega will be using a Wiznet 5100 ethernet shield for network access to the system as well as for dataloging at least that's the plan.
It will also be connected to an 8 channel relay panel which will be controlling the primary lighting on the first floor of my house.
I also plan to have a display connected to it to display temperature readings and other information both from the mega as well as from some of the remote systems.
I also plan to have an input panel of some sort, maybe a 4X4 numerical pad for input and control.
I plan to also have an NRF24L01 (If I can figure the damn things out) network communicating to my remote Arduinos.
There will also be a temperature and humidity sensor for the indoor main living area monitoring.
I will also need a IR receiver that will be receiving commands from an IR remote to control lighting and display in a similar way to the 4X4 panel.
The final piece is 4 channels of PWM for RGBW lighting control through power transistors for my living room lighting, but this MAY be on a separate satellite unit.
The remote units are one in the basement and one on the second floor. Both of these will be very similar.
Each will have an additional 8 channel relay panel for lighting
an NRF24L01 for communications with the main unit
And 2 temperature sensors, one indoor and one outdoor both will be DS18B20 units.
I would also like to have a local display on each of these so the indoor and outdoor temps can be visible locally.
And also a control panel similar to that of the main unit.
So it is a big project, but I think through tackling it a piece at a time I will be able to make it work.
So my next step of tackling this project is learning how to connect and program the Arduino Pro Mini
I want to be able to program and experiment with the Pro Mini units without soldering headers on to them
So I am going to try using those micro clamps that hook through a hole on a PCB.
If this doesn't work I guess I will be soldering headers on to the units.
I plan too (at least for now) program the Pro Minis with an Arduino Uno
Eventually as I build an enclosure for each portion of my home project I plan to get an ISP of some sort and have an easily accessible port to plug into for any programming updates or changes I need to make in the future.
I was also wondering if anyone has any experience with using bare chip ATtiny85 chips and if these chips can be used with the NRF24L01.
This is a curiosity question more than anything, just wondering if it would work.
Mainly this would be to communicate with a barebones controller that will be running and communicating back info from one or two remote sensors.
If I can't do this with the ATtiny85 I will just get more Arduino Pro Minis later.
I just ask because I have a whole bunch of the ATtinys
The only things I am missing from the primary system (main unit and 2 satellites) is the control interface surface.
And the lighting still needs to be installed in the house in locations and ways the wife approves of. LOL