ESP Microcontrollers: An Introduction

 

A number of my projects use an ESP microcontroller.  And in those projects, I show wiring diagrams and talk about things like GPIO pins, power options, etc. but if you are new to the ESP boards, you might be wondering why I make some of the decisions that I do or want to know more about the ESPx so that you can start designing and building your own projects.  This article will provide an introduction and overview of the ESP family of microcontrollers.

An ESP32 LED Matrix Clock, Scoreboard, Timer and more with FULL WLED

 

This is an upgraded version of the original matrix clock I built over five years ago.  This version has substantial upgrades. In addition to being around 35% smaller than the original with the same number of LEDs, it no longer requires Home Assistant to control as it has its own web interface.  Plus it has the option for a secondary controller with auto-switching to provide all the additional features of WLED.

How to Ask for Help

Today's post is a bit different... consider it a bit of a public service announcement.  

A Robot Race Car Timing System

Prototyping the system

This project concept came from a YouTube subscriber.  Todd, who is a 6th grade computer science teacher, has a section of each semester where his students build, and then race, small robot cars.  In the past, he filmed the students, ran a stopwatch and recorded each race's final times... all while trying to help and teach the students.

He wondered if an automated timing system could be created with a visible time display.  Adding LED lighting would be a bonus.  What follows is the system that we eventually created.

WLED: Analog vs. Digital Microphones

 

If you want your LED display to react to sound or dance to music, you will need to add a microphone to your WLED controller.  The audio-reactive version of WLED supports both analog and digital microphones.  Which should you use for your project?  This guide will explore both options.

Using Dual Controllers with an LED Display

 

Have you ever wished that you could use two different controllers or firmware to control a single LED display?  Maybe you'd like to use both WLED and ESPHome to control an LED matrix.  Or ESPHome and Arduino/C++.  Or even a retail system like Govee with the default app, but adding the ability to also use WLED.  In this article I'll cover how you can create easily switchable controllers for your single LED display.

Starting out with DIY Projects

 

This article is only a companion piece to the YouTube video My Hands Are Sweating! Building Your First DIY Electronics Projects. Many folks are intimidated or believe that a workshop full of advanced electronics gear and specialty tools are required to build your own smart devices or other small electronic projects.  

Displays for your DIY Projects

 

There are dozens, if not hundreds of different small displays that you can add to your DIY project, from basic text displays to screens that can display images or even video.  This article is going to cover just a few of these as shown in the related YouTube Video: Add a Display to Your DIY Project

DIY Custom Breakout Board for ESP8266 or ESP32

Do you often find yourself creating the same basic starting circuit on a breadboard for your ESP8266 or ESP32 project or component bench testing?  Instead, create a simple breakout board that can be used as a starting point for projects that use a Wemos D1 Mini (ESP8266) or an ESP32 Mini.

An Update on Home Assistant

 

Approximately a year and a half ago, I did both a video and blog article expressing my concerns about the future of Home Assistant and the direction, or lack thereof, being taken by the developers. But some recent major announcements from Home Assistant addresses many of my initial concerns.  So I felt like I needed to provide an update to revisit my original concerns.

Adding Components to Your WLED Project

 

It is quick and easy to add some peripherals to your WLED controller and projects.  Why would you want to do this when WLED has a web interface, mobile app and can also be controlled by automation systems like Home Assistant?  Well, sometimes you can't beat the convenience of a nearby local pushbutton to do something like turn your LEDs on or off, or quickly select a favorite effect or even start a playlist without the needing to use your phone, tablet or computer.

Washer and [updated] Dryer Notifications

 

This article will cover how I implemented voice notifications for my washer and dryer using Home Assistant.  Originally implemented over three years ago, I recently upgraded the sensors for the dryer notifications to provide better reliability.  This article will cover the original washer notification and the updated dryer version.

MQTT 102: Add Home Assistant Discovery to your DIY Devices

 

This article will show the steps necessary to add Home Assistant discovery to your MQTT projects and devices.  MQTT discovery means your project will be automatically discovered and integrated into Home Assistant without any YAML configuration necessary on the Home Assistant side.

Home Assistant 101: Adding MQTT Devices

 

This is a companion article for the Home Assistant 101 video that discusses how to integrate MQTT devices into Home Assistant.

When It's Time to Create a Custom PCB

 

If you've built a few projects on breadboards or maybe even on solderable prototype boards, like an ElectroCookie, you may be wondering when it is time to consider designing your own printed circuit board or PCB.  Maybe you think it is too complicated or too expensive?  Well, in this article, I'm going to cover my journey of creating my first PCB, using it in my project and also cover what I learned and what I might do different the next time.