I´m thinking about to start a new project with arduino but I have some doubts with the kind of arduino to use. The project consist in to use a reed switch and send the information of this switch through wireless network. I´m not sure which arduino board would be more suitable for this. I´m thinking between bluetooth arduino board or to use a simple arduino like "uno" and to add a zigbee shield. Which would be the best in terms of ease to programming or to communicate?
How far does the signal have to go?
Simple Promini with simple 433 MHz Tx module to a simple 433 MHz Rx module might be all that is needed. Use an FTDI basic to program the promini, unplug it from the promini when done.
Or a 2.4 GHz NRF24L01+ module if 2-way comm's are needed.
Thanks for the answers. I give you further information.
The maximum distances for wireless communication will be only 5 meters an the board will drive 2 sensors. Crossroads the promini you said before, is it an arduino? That is, can I program it with the same language as arduino? And how can i program the 433 Mhz Tx and Rx modules? Like a zigbee? with AT commands?
Yes, the Promini is an Arduino, little '328P card without USB/Serial adapter, you plug on an FTDI Basic for USB Light to let the PC talk to it. See the Products page.
The modules, you don't program them. There is a library called Virtual wire that takes your message and sends it across with encoding and error checking. Here is a good writeup on using it:
Just for sensing a read switch state...id use an ATtiny85 with the 433MHz Tx using the VirtualWire library. Stupid low power usage (even less if you just want to check the reed state every 1s).
I have successfully wired up an attiny85 with a 433Mhz tx, light sensor and a moisture sensor. The thing was drawing around 0.02mA for 9.8 seconds and then 100ma for 0.2 seconds to read the sensors and send the signal to the 433Mhz Rx around 25m away.