It’s basically just forwards the USB power to the remote through pogo pins and gets 2 open drain input from the charger IC to 2 other pins. It has a minimal 555 timer IC circuit to create a breathing LED effect while it’s charging. Like on old Macbooks.
Now that I think about it, the power of this remote could really be it being universal in a sense that it could integrate into an existing brain, without having its own proprietary system.
Maybe you’ve missed but the latest/final design has 13 buttons. Idea is that the buttons would be reconfigurable. Here’s a possible configuration layout and the final design:
This is exactly what I love to see. I’ve missed it indeed.
Maybe I’m misinterpreting the schematic so bare with me, what is the reason for so many capacitors in the bottom?
If a ESP8266 is used for Ir in the dock then I’m sure adding a breath effect is an easy addition. I’ll see if I can prototype something. The dock having a WiFi controller on board means a lot of options. Things like feedback and or alerts are all possible.
I’m using a lot of small capacitors instead of one big one. Space constraints Nothing special.
With an ESP, the breathing effect would be much easier with PWM. Just like you’ve posted
My version looked like this with the timer IC, exactly like yours:
Getting closer to finishing up things with the remote. And would like to ask you how you’d like to build your own. Please participate in the poll so I could get a rough idea how many of you are interested.
If there’s another option that you think should be in the poll, let me know.
Thanks!
Just want the files, I’ll source the parts and build the remote myself
Would like a kit with all the parts but I will assemble the remote myself (case, buttons, assembled PCB, excl. raspberry pi zero and battery)
Would like a fully assembled remote (incl. raspberry pi zero with SD card loaded with software and battery)
One feature-request from my side for V3 would be labeled and illuminated buttons (I personally prefered the button layout with the round button in the middle).
You shouldn’t watch TV in the dark. It’s bad for your eyes.
Kidding aside, I wouldn’t complain about illuminated buttons either, but not a necessity for me. My preference for the other button layout was that it looked easier to find all of them without looking at them.
The screen will already be illuminated, so doing the buttons as well shouldn’t make it too much brighter.
The more people are interested, the better. In that case we can produce buttons with laser engraved text on them. I am doing the poll to see the interest, so I could contact factories to get some estimates on the different parts if they are not 3D printed. Trying to get everything as good as possible
The good thing with the remote is that if you want you can change the shapes of the buttons. If you match the buttons to hit the membrane switches on the PCB, you can design your own version and just swap it out
@marton@Nielsdklerk was the guy i was hoping to pitch in into this thread. If you are considering adding some sort of IR into the charging station, please make the top of the charging station transparent acrylic so it can ‘blast away’. An IR extender is an absolute must if you ask me, most of the time the charger is on top of the TV cabinet and the stuff you want to control could be inside the cabinet behind closed doors.
sorry but I strongly disagree…
I think a IR blaster is really cool and useful for many things.
And personally i need one but i don’t want one in the dock because that would mean i need the dock and not just to organize and charge the remote… and more importantly i need to put the dock in such place that it can send IR to the tv and other…
The remote got wireless charging which is really nice and mean the dock is just the nice place to organize the remote. So it meant to be to organize not to be in the center of the room to be able to blast…
I mean we want clean and hidden techno not in exposition in the middle of the room.
Also it mean the dock is more expensive
agree an IR extender is nice.
But the remote is not standalone it need Home Assistant to works.
And if i got a IR blaster/extender i want it to be able to works with home assistant…
So from my understanding the IR thing has nothing to do with this remote.
The remote will be able to trigger automation/script and other stuff from home assistant.
So you just need a IR blaster that work with home assistant and it will be much more versatile than any IR in the dock.
I mostly agree, but it really depends on the direction @marton wants to go with this.
If it’s just meant to be a nice looking remote to control HA (or possibly other home automation systems), the dock features are a bit redundant because it can all be done with HA already. The advantage of this remote is just the nice looking and configurable UI. I could even imagine people using this entirely for lights/blinds/etc. and having no need at all for IR or other TV-specific capabilities.
However, if it’s meant to be a standalone, universal remote, e.g. Harmony, then obviously the dock/hub and extra capabilities make sense.
Personally, I have no use for the dock if it’s not required for charging. I can already control all of my devices through HA. I just want this remote for the UI.
One of the very frequent criticisms of the Neeo was that despite the 14 hard buttons it was still inconvenient as a ‘pick up and press’ remote - still requiring people to step through the touchscreen menus. You want it to be as utilitarian as possible so everyone in the family loves, adopts and uses it.
If you could make as many membrane switches available as possible - or the ability to add them or maybe better make a matrix keypad that could be connected perhaps by a ribbon cable then that would be ideal for many. I would even suggest supporting a full height numeric keypad if that were possible on the PCB (doubtful) or via a ribbon connector using say a 5x5* matrix - even though your project might not use it.
Membrane switches enforce fixed positioning and are space consuming and so matrix keypads are a better option and occupy less real estate on the PCB. Makes it very flexible, adaptable and more commercially appealing (which I think should be a consideration). I don’t think it would add bulk to the depth of the remote.
2bits by 3bits (decoded) gives 4x8 = 32 keys, 2bits x 2bits however is 16 keys which is really insufficient. I haven’t researched the practicalities of creating your own custom spec ‘matrix’ keypad however and whether it could be added to your design practically with a new top facing.
wow - I’ve edited that 5 times … Probably a record for me… but mainly attributable to a great Cabernet Sauvignon(s) !
I’ve missed it indeed.