Articles

Google has announced the end of support for older models of the Nest Learning series of thermostats. From 25 October 2025, these devices will no longer connect to Google Nest or Google Home apps. This means that equipment advertised as smart will suddenly lose much of its functionality... [Read more]

Here's a swift tour of a basic CozyLife B22 9W CW/WW LED bulb bought from Ali Express The box gives the impression it's an RGB bulb, but it's just a generic box that's been seen with many varieties of bulb. This device is cold white/warm white. No markings on the exterior of the bulb... [Read more]

. GitHub Pages is a free hosting service that allows you to publish static HTML pages. However, it does not support running server-side scripts, which means no support for backend languages such as PHP, Python or Ruby. In this tutorial, I will show a potential way around this limitation... [Read more]

. Here I will show how to change the software of a WiFi controlled LED light. The topic will cover its full disassembly, connecting the UART programmer, configuration and restoring the whole thing without glue. By the way, I will also reduce the LED current programmatically to extend... [Read more]

If you're looking for a way to build a smart home that is not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing - Aqara has the perfect solution for you. The new Aqara Panel Hub S1 Plus combined with the Camera Hub G5 Pro PoE is a duo, Which takes smart home to a new level. In this... [Read more]

. Here I will present an individually addressable RGBW LED strip (red, green, blue and white) based on the TM512C4 chip and operating on 24V. I will show here how its DMX512 communication protocol works and how it can be simply controlled from an RS485 ESP32. I will use the ESP32... [Read more]

Hello, I'm back with an another smart bulb and this time it's a BK7231T-based device (The module inside is a WB3L). And... yes this one also came from a flea market The branding on it states it's a ExtraStar A60WIFI-2, the 2 is probably because they come in a package of two. It's... [Read more]

This device is another one of those 16A "DIY" mini switch/breakers that has been seen with quite a few different MCUs, modules and PCB layouts. Without high expectations it was ordered in the off-chance something new and interesting was inside. This time there was! A Winner Micro... [Read more]

. I will present here a surface-mounted thermostat with LCD, external sensor and WiFi-based wireless control. The product shown here is compatible with the Tuya app and has a 5+2/6+1 programming function that allows you to set up to 6 different temperature settings for each day of... [Read more]

 Today, I would like to introduce an interactive Arduino music project. Using six obstacle avoidance modules and DF’s MP3 module, we will build a musical piano (originally, I had eight obstacle avoidance modules, but during assembly, I found that two were incompatible and lacked indicator... [Read more]

. Which silent light switch for the Home Assistant? Here is another product compatible with our Polish open source IoT software - ATLO-TB2-TUYA. This time without the relays. I will present here the double version, i.e. with two buttons, although you can get the same thing in a single... [Read more]

. I invite you to a short test, presentation of the interior and change of firmware of the "intelligent" power strip model SL-PS27. By the way, we will also find out what is the "laptop overload protection" that this power strip supposedly offers. We will start by purchasing the power... [Read more]

Hello, fellow engineers! As a newcomer, I've decided to post more articles to get my name out there (and earn some internet fees). Haha. Today, I'm going to talk about a simple magnetic levitation circuit. I've always wanted to try magnetic levitation, but some Arduino projects require... [Read more]

Quick look at an Aiyato CozyLife Homekit bulb I bought in November 2024 and forgot about. C37 homekit module - I had to de-can it to check the chip. Couldn't see much about it Googling - ESP8684H2 It's a DOIT (Doctors of Intelligence & Technology) ESPC2-05 module (datasheet attached)... [Read more]

Here I'll present my findings with a new Tuya device based on the Beken BK7238 MCU, packaged as a Tuya T1-U-HL module. For more general information relating to the T1 series and BK7238 uses see: T1, T1-M, T1-3S Tuya BK7238 module datasheet, pinout and flashing, Home Assistant NiceMCU... [Read more]

. Aqara Panel Hub S1 Plus is a smart panel that combines the functions of lighting control, switch and building automation centre. It has a 6.9-inch touchscreen, voice control and app integration. It works as a Zigbee hub and supports Matter, ensuring interoperability with Aqara and... [Read more]

How can you receive IR events on a Tuya BK7238 device (T1, T5) using a development board or a universal remote? How do you forward IR codes to Home Assistant in Tasmota JSON format? How can you trigger HA automations with any remote? And how can you control another device directly... [Read more]

Inspired by the "charts" driver with many functions and possibilities I thought about a small alternative, allowing to generate a simple SVG graph of data. I specially liked the possibility not to load JS code from "outside" my network but being able to store a small version in flash... [Read more]

. OpenStreetMap (OSM) is an open and free world map, used in many applications for navigation, data analysis or geolocation. One useful feature is reverse geocoding - that is, converting geographic coordinates into readable addresses. The public OSM API, however, imposes all sorts... [Read more]

Hi! This piece details building a two-wheeled self-balancing vehicle with a Raspberry Pi. It covers the rationale for choosing the Pi—repurposing idle hardware and learning Linux development via DIY work—lists components (Raspberry Pi, MPU6050, motor drivers, etc.), outlines development... [Read more]

T1 (BK7238) is a Tuya Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth 5.2 LowEnergy (LE) single-chip designed for low power and compact size IoT products. T1 is used by T1-M, T1-U-HL, T1-3S, T1-LC5-HL modules. T1 features 32-bit MCU running at up to 160 MHz, 2 MB SiP Flash, 288 KB RAM and 4-byte... [Read more]

. Today another short presentation of the inside of an old piece of equipment. This time it will be a 32-inch LG LCD TV premiered in 2007, equipment still with fluorescent backlighting, a screen with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. I'll show its interior here and see if anything... [Read more]

When it comes to getting a prototype built quickly and reliably, PCBWay has become a trusted name among engineers, makers, and product developers worldwide. With fast lead times, flexible order options, and a wide range of customization features, PCBWay makes it easy to turn a design... [Read more]

. Veo 3 is the latest video creator developed by Google DeepMind, officially unveiled at the Google I/O conference in May 2025. The current version of Veo 3 limits the length of clips to 8 seconds, but creates them together with sound and dialogue to match the scenes on screen. Here... [Read more]

. Here's another LED lighting controller offering control via WiFi. This time I'm also changing its firmware at the request of a reader - I'm reprogramming the WiFi module so that this controller can be connected to Home Assistant and controlled locally without the cloud. The controller... [Read more]

The RGB Light Bar (AM-RGB-LB-5) by Sky-Lighting has been available under various brand names since around July 2024, for example at Action DE and Amazon.de . It is usually integrated into the smart home using the LSC Smart Connect or Smart Life app. Manufacturer Sky-Lighting Model... [Read more]

With reference to the post: I would like to document my experience, or rather inexperience, in getting in OpenBK on to it. I traced the connections of the PCB as follows: I made some serious mistakes in attempting to de-solder the CBS Module. I wanted to see whether I can lift the... [Read more]

. I invite you to the second part of the adventure with a thermometer/hygrometer built from 0 based on a PIC18F2550, parts from a drawer and programmed in the SDCC compiler - without external libraries. In this part I will run the ADC, i.e. the analogue-to-digital converter, and realise... [Read more]

[line:91b847205b] OpenWrt is a highly flexible and customizable open-source operating system based on Linux. While it was originally created for embedded devices like routers, its versatility means it can run on a huge range of hardware—including travel routers, home gateways, Raspberry... [Read more]

LN882H is a WiFi & BT Wireless ARM Cortex-M4F SOC found in some IoT devices. LN882H features a simple UART flashing protocol that can be used to read and write flash memory contents, usually as part of the firmware change process or for development purposes. LN882H flashing protocol... [Read more]