Hello everyone, I have a project where I would like to build a remote with four buttons and 2 LEDs on the remote.
The remote would communicate wirelessly with an Arduino (only 10-15 feet away maximum). When I say communicate, basically just sending the Arduino the four button presses (on/off). The two LEDs on the remote are status LEDs that are on/off/blinking based on feedback from the Arduino (again, wireless).
Other than expensive Xbees, I can't seem to find anything to do this simple task. I do not want the remote to have it's own Arduino (adds additional cost/complexity/size/power consumption).
My requirements are low power since I would prefer to use batteries to power the remote, and hopefully low cost. I feel like I'm looking for some kind of I/O tunnel transceiver type of device but I can't seem to find anything quite like it other than Xbee which I feel is overkill for this application.
Thanks, I've come across many like that but as you stated, I would have to lose the LEDs. I would really prefer to keep them as they are the only source of feedback.
Make up your own system with transceivers so the remote in your hand can receive messages back.
3.3V/8MHz Promini and nrf24L01+ on both ends would do it. Can even slow the promini clock in software to be lower power. nrf24L01+ will need to be running all the time to receive messages.
I've been searching high and low and this is probably the most economical way to go about it (I think).
Lets say my 'main' arduino is my master and this remote is the slave. Is it possible to send the slave a command to turn both the promini and nrf module to sleep? This would be for long periods without use (to save battery). Then to wake the promini and nrf you would just press a button on the remote?