after failing to explain properly the problem i have in my previous thread, now i've made a diagram explaining what i would like to accomplish.
So, i need to read a button state on one ESP8266 device and then send state HIGH or LOW to 4 devices at the same time, based on button's state of the "master" device, LED would turn on or OFF on "Slave" devices.
I do not need any feedback from 4 "slave" devices. They just need to read/get the signal from master and act on it
I need to to capture the signal on all 4 "Slaves" at the same time, if possible
latency of the signal should be minimal, i know real time is not possible but as close as i can get would be perfect.
more than 4 slaves would be ideal but i can also work with only 4
I am not a skilled coder, i can understand most of the code when i see it but i am not able to write this one on my own so i am kindly asking for any directions or instructions, perhaps existing code that i could re-purpose or rework.
I apologize as i failed to mention that ESP-NOW is not the good options due to significant latency in transmission and due to the fact that i would need to update remote "master" every time i want to add new "slave", with MAC address.
This button is going to be presses every second for a specific time period of 100 or 200 ms, so latency with ESP-NOW being 30-50ms is not an option.
I already have a working prototype with 5ms latency and using softAP but this only allows me to use direct communication 1on1 and i am not able to add more slaves.
The button, if pressed by a human being, needs the order of 10-50ms to debounce so how relevant is low latency if the button's sensing isn't immediate? You only sense button-down and immediately send to slave devices? Do they have light of sight with master, how far, are they and are their orientations fixed or being carried and moved around?
This button is rather virtual one as the HIGH/LOW signal will be generated with signal generator, thus simulating the button (it was easier to explain, sorry for misleading ). Something like a Morse code transmission, so no latency or need to debounce.
Once the signal generator outputs HIGH and it is read on the "master" pin, it gets transmitted and the LED on all "slaves" goes HIGH, and vice versa.
There will be no line of sight. All devices, slaves and master would be placed around the house and fixed to a position, furthest distance would be some 10-20 meters between them.
I wonder if this RF key fob remote has the right amount of latency for you. The 4-button remote can basically send 4 independent commands. You can hack the key fob to virtually press the buttons. You can then get one receiver for each location. If the only goal is to light an LED, you don't need an esp at each location. If the goal is to do a few more things than LED, you could use an esp etc.
There are several types of receivers. I would probably go with momentary so once the master releases the button, the slave is notified.
hm, i like your idea! but, i would get a single button key fob, then take 4 receivers (or 20) and once i press the key fob, all receivers should light a LED at the same time, being they all received the same signal, at the same time?
I like it a lot!
ADAFRUIT site says: "Since this is just a transmitter, if you have multiple receivers, it will turn all of them on and off at the same time (there is no sub-addressing)" so this fits perfectly .
My LED are also virtual, but no difference as i basically just need to output the signal from "slaves", so it can be LED, MOSFET switch or whatever else that needs HIGH/LOW signal to act.
there is a downside as well, "Its small and light weight and will work up to 25 feet away depending on line-of-sight and obstructions."
This would be not enough for me distance wise...
Nevertheless , great to hear something new, ESP was the first thing that came to my mind but all i need is to just transmit simple LOW/HIGH signal, fast, nothing else, no message receipt, no two way comms, no APs...
One other thing, would this transmitter, beeping 24h a day, mess with anything else in my house, or perhaps constanty opening/closing neighbour's garage door?
this RF idea is THE thing that i need, it just fits perfectly.
Now, as i am not too familiar with the technology, can i get more powerful, lets say 433MHz transmitter (without encoder) and just pair it with any 433MHz receiver (without decoder)... would this work? Or i need to purchase pairs of transmitter/receiver in order to have the to work?
for example, if i get this one and use the transmitter only:
i would leave all encoder pins floating so there is no encoding
and then purchase this:
and just use the receiver to go with above mentioned transmitter
Latency?
I use ESP-Now in a scheme replacing my garage door remote control with.
Leading up to that I was low-level testing by blinking an LED and I couldn't tell from latency.
I haven't used the "single xmtr, multiple rcvrs" configuration, if that makes any difference.
