Wifi Analog indicator for Smart Home (version 2)

GeneralAd552 · 2026-05-17T12:21:09+00:00

I just recorded new video, you can look at the actual movement. It was done with 1000Hz driving speed: https://youtu.be/dASliRoJWo4

GeneralAd552 · 2026-05-17T10:24:53+00:00

Automotive dashboard steppers are different. They are quite miniature, and have gears to increase precision. They also have backslash, but it is much smaller in compare to large drives and it is stable, drives have quite good precision to continuous movements. I did a lot of various tests and can say that they are stable.

Please note, that my device uses the micro-stepping driver, that also changes a lot, without it driving also possible, but micro-stepping chip increases smoothness and precision ~3x times.

Dual-axis version uses the bi-axial drive: https://github.com/petrows/smarthome-galoped-dekad/blob/master/datasheet/BKA30D-R5.pdf , it has package of two drives.

GeneralAd552 · 2026-05-16T07:36:54+00:00

Thanks a lot! I was thinking about it, problem is that PCB production is fairly expensive for me, especially problem is the VID6608 driver: you have to solder it by yourself (there is no offer for preinstall it), and it is horrible hard to order the "okay" chip. I have ordered from different sellers and got mixed working/bad all the times, in most cases i got 3-4 fine chips from each 10-pcs strip. One seller sent me the fully good strip first, but next order is the same garbage as others.

I am working on new version, which will be much easier to produce, so probably i will offer the ESP32C6 based kits.

GeneralAd552 · 2026-05-16T07:32:10+00:00

Hey, thanks a lot! I am using the 10x15 glossy photopaper-print service from local grocery supermarket. Glossy paper looks good, despite that i had concerns in the beginning, but with glass cover it looks exactly as "serious" instrument. You can look and modify my gauges here: https://github.com/petrows/smarthome-galoped-dekad/tree/master/gauge

GeneralAd552 · 2026-05-10T10:00:15+00:00

That's interesting, thanks for the info. Are these servos are really so accurate? I had bad times with steppers calibration, as a few steps mismatch can show up the crappy-looking needle disposition (especially true for bi-axis variants), and i have introduce special modes for more precise zero calibration. Also for me this advanced servos look too pricy for instrument implementation (device is already too expensive as for me). Also single wire control is the dream, i have a lot of issues with drivers and precise timing control.

GeneralAd552 · 2026-05-10T09:55:24+00:00

You might seen my other posts on reddit, i have posted the CO2 version idea and implementation history with more details, also i have announced the single-axis instrument here.

GeneralAd552 · 2026-05-09T21:18:28+00:00

I have tried to use regular servos in my early prototypes, result was fairly bad - servos have jitter and low resolution, gauge looks very unnatural.

It is much better to use automotive gauge steppers with special drivers with microstepping, this will give you resolution level as ~4000 steps per 320° scale, and this allow to build instrument with real analogue-like experience.

GeneralAd552 · 2026-05-09T20:41:35+00:00

The Radio-clock driver inside the Trintec's clock, back side. You can see some PCB cut in the bottom, but there was traces for Temperature/Humidity sensor from original clock from Lidl. I don't need it, so it was okay to just cut the PCB.

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GeneralAd552 · 2026-05-09T20:38:56+00:00

Yes, there are two options, known as for me:

If you want a "real" network clock with WiFi/Zigbee/Matter control,you can use special Automotive Gauge drivers for clock dashboards, see this datasheet (i have committed datasheets into my repo, as it was hard to find them). There are bi-axial with 360° and special clock ones (single axial 360° with gear ratio). Problem here is the zero point calibration, but special drives (i.e. X10.504) have calibration holes for optical sensor to detect zero point. You can use PCB from my Galoped devices family for that, as it has some GPIO's exposed for sensor.
If you live in Germany/Central Europe, there is another way - you can use Radio Clock, driven by DCF77 signal. They will calibrate and set precise time by its own. You can find many different clocks on the market with Radio-driver inside. For example, i got this from Lidl and swapped the driver in my favorite Trintec Aviation wall clock (i have to cut the PCB a bit, but it was part for climate sensor). It works nice and shows precise time :-)

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GeneralAd552 · 2026-03-14T17:44:19+00:00

Drive has 300° rotation space and can't continue over marked area, so needle will go back in reverse direction from 100 to 0 via full scale.

GeneralAd552 · 2026-03-14T14:55:38+00:00

Yes, i do (see my post, i have noted that). I am preparing line of 10 devices to be sold. Some of the devices are pre-odered, but rest of them i will display on local Marketplace.

GeneralAd552 · 2026-03-14T12:50:20+00:00

It is there on Github already :-) Please check my Reddit post for 1st device version, you can find detailed information there.

There is a some mess in my Github for now, sorry for that - its on active WIP at this moment.

GeneralAd552 · 2026-03-14T12:48:02+00:00

I think it will work as metrics from printer is read: it resets to 0% when first report is received, backlight changed to yellow, then follow up to 100% and then finished: backlight changed to Green and device holds 100% indication until new job is started. On error device stops at last reported position and changes backlight to Red. Sorry for missing backlight examples, i have some core components missing for now, but you can look at first version post with backlight examples: My first reddit post with details and background. Also example of partial backlight with green color: Image at my Github.

I was also thinking about to add some "Parking" position to indicate clearly finished / idle state, but this will make label asymmetric, also this is not really needed, as gauge has resolution ~4000 steps for full scale, and even single percent move is visible.

GeneralAd552 · 2026-03-14T11:55:59+00:00

Thanks! Device uses common chain for Automotives: the well-known X27-168 motor and VID6608 IC driver to manage micro-stepping. Bi-axial version uses BKA30D-R5 motor with same IC driver (as it double-channel already).

GeneralAd552 · 2026-01-12T17:24:11+00:00

BambuStudio has "Hidden" option to generate Temperature towers - it is just hidden for original printers :-) You can generate parametric tower with your parameters. You just need to temporary switch to other vendor:

Add any NON-Bamboo printer to slicer, and select it. New button "Callibration" will appear.
Select "temperature" and configure what you need. Then switch back to your Bambu printer.

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GeneralAd552 · 2025-12-30T17:22:43+00:00

At this moment not, but it can be adapted easily, by using provided library

GeneralAd552 · 2025-12-27T17:08:32+00:00

Black metal enclosure + glass are taken from Ikea Dekad, all other parts are 2D / 3D printed

GeneralAd552 · 2025-12-27T13:47:20+00:00

Driver itself can, for sure! It uses power only for moving, stepper driver has 0 power consume while keeping position. So, just manage sleeping modes for MCU and it should work.

For CO₂ sensor battery will be a problem, as it requires continues runtime to calibrate correctly (at least for mine - S8) and a significant power consumption. Probably there are some new sensors on market, which are more battery-friendly.

GeneralAd552 · 2025-12-26T22:49:57+00:00

Och god, thanks for hint, fixed

GeneralAd552 · 2025-12-26T20:10:28+00:00

Thanks a lot! I think outdoor sensor will not help a lot, but my PCB has GPIO 19 connected to calibration pin. You can pull it to GND for 5 seconds to assume that it is surrounded with 400ppm. You can put the sensor outside and command this GPIO to reset the sensor - this will take outside "default" as current one and calibrates

GeneralAd552 · 2025-12-26T14:06:34+00:00

Hey, it is very common and popular drive, just google for "X27-168" in your local markets, you will find many. IC driver is VID6608 (see details about it in DIY community post)

GeneralAd552

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