Repurposing an LED RF Remote to control "anything"!

[@wsc112782]

Just one minor correction for the terminology at 6:40 or so, the data is encoded, not encrypted... minor difference in words, but huge difference in meaning.

[@omc]

^ this "Encoding is for maintaining data usability and can be reversed by employing the same algorithm that encoded the content. Encryption is for maintaining data confidentiality and requires the use of a key (kept secret) in order to return to plaintext."

[@NanoMine]

Yeah so true.

[@chipheadnet]

to some the encoded signal would be cryptic :P

[@joonasfi]

I came here to say just that :)

[@sasha.djordjevic3071]

Joonas Loppi me too 😁

[@johncrunk8038]

I didn't see an antenna on your "el cheapo" receiver. I use these all the time and with a coil antenna, they work fine anywhere in the house.

[@GRBtutorials]

@@rich1051414 Actually, that isn't an antenna, just an inductor. You need to connect an antenna to the ANT via, which can be a 15 cm wire if you don't have a coil antenna.

[@giliant]

New drinking game. Each addition person who suggests an antenna, drink. Great video.

[@nevellgreenough404]

After attaching a proper antenna as others have said, it also will help to tune the receiver by adjusting the brass slug in the small coil for best range. Most of the ones I've bought have been significantly off-frequency (typically 3-5MHz high). Also watch out for mis-assembled ones. They've screwed up the biasing of the first transistor, saturating it hard. Good receivers can achieve about -100dBm detection sensitivity or better. Bad ones barely make -80dBm. Nice video. --N2GX

[@LeoDDJ]

Uhm.... You do know, that you forgot to solder an antenna to the cheap 433MHz receiver, don't you? They don't come with one most of the time so you have to cut a wire to the right length and solder it on yourself, or buy a 433MHz coil antenna from ebay too (they are like 50ct)

[@pedrofilipeqo]

Hello GreatScott, I suggest you make a video on how to better understand a datasheet. Some technical terms like "thermal resistance" and other technical terms that can sometimes be misinterpreted.

[@asdfdsa538]

a great idea

[@shadowwarrior8942]

Thank you so much, for ripping appart one of these rf remotes. I'm also working on a project using them but didn't want to spend the money/ or time to test it out my self... Thank you!

[@madangyawali9863]

Thanks a lot for this videos. I always wanted to demodulate and use my rf remote for some of my project and you helped me out today with this video. All your videos are inspiring and useful to me thanks man keep it up.

[@WoLpH]

In case you're interested in working with these types of RF remotes and receivers, I recommend the RFXCOM device. It's a bit expensive but well worth it. The support is absolutely amazing, I once had a few devices that didn't work, after shipping them he had them shipped back to me and added support for them within a week.

[@q2bman]

“G3MB-202P”: we pronounce the “minus” as “dash”. Love your videos. Keep them coming.

[@Hagledesperado]

Searched for this comment, was not disappointed. The hyphen can be called a minus sign, but only in a mathematical context. In chip nomenclature (and general typography?) it's most commonly refered to as a dash.

[@BillAnt]

Technically both are correct, however "dash" is used especially in model numbers, protocols, etc.

[@BlueClefto]

Nowedon't

[@s.j.p6394]

What can be done with any old smartphone lying around or it’s motherboard. (Übrigens bewundere ich Ihr Wissen😊).

[@aayush_789]

Reverse engineer it's display port to be able to connect to digital displays and build Android boxes

[@RinksRides]

was going to do something like this but with the RF receiver from an automotive remote starter for a car to basically run a preset weekly schedule in the winter to warm the car before setting off to work, based on an ATmega88, RTC module (for schedule keeping), and a few high powered mosfets for controlling the high current wires from the ignition switch.

[@MrEdwardhartmann]

I have some motion controlled outdoor LED lights that have a feature where if you flip them off and right back on within about 2 seconds, it turns the lights on continuously and overrides the motion control. If you turn it off for more that 2 seconds, the motion controls are re-enabled. I think I would have tried something like that in your situation. Flip on the switch - both come one. Flip it off shortly and back on and the white leds go out but the colored ones stay on. Up-side - no remote to misplace. Down-side - remote will allow additional controls like picking the color of the leds.

[@ovalwingnut]

GR8T, Scott. You are the "spin" in our electrons. Thank you.

[@ncofab46]

I was impressed with the use of the solid state relay with main power. give me hope for a couple of ideas I had. Thanks 👍

[@CEzikMaj]

Top 10 most iconic sounds in the world: SSSSSSSSSSSSTAy creative, and I willllll seeeee youuuuuuu nextimeee

[@catsdgs]

I love that you're still using Windows 7!!!

[@cyborgsheep6077]

LOL he won't be able to for much longer

[@catsdgs]

@@cyborgsheep6077 I know. It's so sad

[@americanrebel413]

This was AWESOME! Elctronics are so fascinating to me, I wish I had an ability like yours my friend.

[@PowerScissor]

The amount of time setting up lights for someone who already has all these electronics skills...don't even want to think how long it would take me since I know very little. I might figure out how to view the signal with an oscilloscope after about a week of messing around. You know, after I order an oscilloscope.

[@lloydrmc]

Brilliant! (pun unintended). Definitely one of my favorite videos.

[@y2ksw1]

I see, now you are becoming a real technician and master of yourself! Playtime off mode, serious stuff is coming! 😊

[@machine2747]

Congrats on 1 million subs. Your content is great!

[@NatnaelBelay-jx6op]

You are so inventive with electronics. How long have you been working with electronics?

[@BenGmuN]

Your videos are great, and so is your accent! Respect.

[@jacobharrison9950]

I was wondering if you could do something on zero voltage switching

[@bleqy3057]

Really nice project but why do you use microcontroller with so many pins when you need only 2, cant you use attiny85 instead?

[@Inventor101]

Great video always enjoy watching your videos 😀👍👍

[@raghavendraprabhu2913]

Hi, nice job. I didn't understand how did u wire up the SSR with switch to control the LED individually. Is it possible to turn ON using switch and turn off using RF remote. Thanks for the video.

[@johnhartwell6032]

Thanks for documenting your good thinking here!

[@SuperLastTrain]

good video. btw, you can avoid relay sparks/arcs by connecting a 1uf ceramic capacitor in series with a 10-100 ohm resistor, between relay contacts.

or a 1uf electrolytic capacitor and a schottky in parallel

[@stanimir4197]

the solid state triac also has a snubber circuit. No idea why he would skip it for the relay. Still triac one should be more reliable.

[@Rov-qc2ti]

Please make ultrasonic microphone jammer.. Thx for ur great explanation

[@kenengel620]

Amazing videos. One question though, you always seem to be able to identify IC's on commercial PCB's but most IC's don't list a part number anymore. How do you ID chips just by the manufacturer's markings?

[@clemensruis]

Such a great idea to reuse the existing remote. I think it would be better to have "On, On" as well as "Off, Off" toggle the output. That way you can switch it on and off without also changing the RGB LED colour.

[@norm1124]

Gerade zwei Fernbedienung vor zwei Wochen gekauft. Danke für die Lösung.

[@nikolainashutinskiy2463]

Great practical project! But don't yellow and pink buttons turn LEDs to yellow and pink at the same time with turning the lamps on?

[@didakad4207]

So I am not very keen on electronics and have to ask. Can you turn this into a remote control for a TV? Not many functions needed just on and off. I understand that there are a lot of dependencies on type of tv and remote. Would this be possible at all?

[@alaparaissssfuns5919]

Congratulations bro for 1M subscription

[@andremuensti4730]

Take the RXB14 receiver for long distances!

[@jurek-zz3un]

rxb6 is better

[@kanadnemade]

Wouldn't adding an antenna to the receiver help in increase in its range?

[@greatscottlab]

Yes

[@runforitman]

A hyphen “-“, when in the name of something, is said “dash” :) RM03 dash C

[@RizLazey]

Geometry - *_-Geometry Dash-_*

[@rajeshsharma-ng3cb]

Ha ha ha ha ha 😂😛😛

[@BillAnt]

Technically both are correct, however "dash" is used especially in model numbers, protocols, etc.

[@innovation4u336]

You are good teacher.

[@greatscottlab]

Thank you :-)

[@ucmRich]

Thank you pal :-D I feel your pain on having to use something you didn't want to use after a while in the end. That happen to me now and again too.

[@Mosblinker]

This reminded me of my LED remote, which natively worked with a cheep heater without modification.

[@TechnoAutomation]

Hi Scott, my question may be dumb or I didn't get properly from you video @ 4:53. How IR remote & RF receiver exchange signals???

[@mrmega328]

I think the remote does both, but yes it did look a bit confusing with the LED on the remote.

[@TheRainHarvester]

Do the leds flicker? If so, would a big capacitor stop the flicker?

[@maletil]

Good video! But, is there any reason you're using rigid wires? Recycling? If not, I don't think they are a good option. (Also the antenna and the encryption)

[@johnavonvincentius1884]

hmm..RF remote,Why Does it have an ir led?RF(radio Frequency?)

[@greatscottlab]

It is not IR. Just a random LED to probably show that the battery is not dead yet.

[@johnavonvincentius1884]

@@greatscottlab oh...

[@sorin.n]

I was asking myself the same thing, since initially the IR receiver was presented. Then, afterwards GreatScott switched to RF?! Anyway, nice stuff, as always!

[@_DarkKnight]

Nice video 👍👌 Great Scott

[@jakubfrgal7112]

Video uploaded 3 minutes ago, your comment 2 minutes ago, video is 11 minutes long. So where disapered 10 minutes? Watch the whole video before commenting dumbass.

[@_DarkKnight]

@@jakubfrgal7112 bro i have watched full video from my another account

[@jakubfrgal7112]

@@_DarkKnight so you watched 10 min video in 1 minute and THEN commented with second account. Ok... I get it

[@nodirbekchoriev1763]

you could use high gain antenna for rf reciever.

[@ventusprime]

Hy scott i did simular thing to my end thasis but i wirted all the code and was atmel studio Put PID in the light to sense the room how much light is in the room i used 4 sensors (you set a light value and the lamp trys to light the room that value)

[@Michi-fu9ft]

First of, great Video! I wanted to build something similar with an RF remote I got from some cheap lamps, because I liked the design of it. My problem now is that the arduino doesn't show me that he is receiving anything, although the oscilloscope shows me a data pattern. What could be the reason for that?

[@noggin73]

I bought some cheap RF mains power plugs from LIDL which I can control using an Arduino and a 433Mhz RF module. Range is good. I plan to use this to power on/off my 3D printer using a Raspberry PI (already using a PI for OctoPrint). I hope they are 3.3v compatible!.

[@dominpiano]

Please do a tutorial to control everything by WiFi and module ESP32 I know you have video about it, but i don't understand it so well...

[@R3MIXMODZ]

There should be plenty of videos to search. That is quite a popular topic

[@watchingin3d549]

Agree. I to dont understand to well either but have one sitting around that Id like to use.

[@watchingin3d549]

@@R3MIXMODZ I was hoping it would become popular but been a year since I bought mine.

[@dominpiano]

R3MIX MODZ I know but no one teaches better that GreatScott

[@justinmallaiz4549]

Rickyssound : github.com/thehookup/ESP32_Ceiling_Light Also requires a mqtt broker to be setup. And home assistant, or gbridge and or home bridge.. I could post more links to tutorials if you like..

[@runforitman]

Were you suggesting you’d replace the ground with a live at the start?

[@rif6876]

Can this be implemented in reverse? Have an input to the arduino trigger it to output an RF signal?

[@f.a3202]

Hi Scott. i just wanted to ask you something. what do you recommend me better?, electrical engineering or programming(software engineering) and to tell the truth i don't love math to much

[@alex0kai]

Basically both is really different. You need to choose that, what you like more. You can't compare them.

[@TheRainHarvester]

Fiorii Alaia , electrical engineering will use a lot of math. Computer science, not as much, although still some.

[@yocheeseify]

Software Engineering isn't just coding all day everyday. It's more documentation and the relationship with the client. You'll be exposed to program development models, team management, how to deliver what the client wants according to the selected development model and stuff like that, alongside writing your actual code. Electrical engineering is power grids, electronics, plant-based designs( controls and Instrumentation) and communication systems. All of those involve math and programming. Ladder logic, Matlab etc but you need to know the math involved in order to write the code. Computer science is heavy coding but you need to have a mathematical understanding of how code works. Not just write the code, throw it to the compiler/synthesizer and hope for the best performance.

[@lemurmad]

Don’t know if this happens a lot but my remote same as that the Colors are flipped, red is blue green is green and blue is red. Any ideas? Worked fine for first week, also it flipped again before with green and blue

[@hossamebrahim8195]

You have a 3 method to extend the 433 receiver first make 17 cm antenna one fourth of the wave length second use more powerful Arduino like uno connect with 12 volt the Arduino will convert it to 5 volt and connect the receiver with 5 volt from Arduino ... Or you can adjust the screw on the receiver ...this will give you the maximum ringe for the future projects

[@tinkertv]

Nice vide as always! I was hoping why aren't you using a SSR while watching. It turned out you used it :) Nice!

[@drteeth7054]

If the vids were not all sponsored, I’d subscribe with Patreon.

[@purepix_fr]

Thanks Scott Great project ! then hook it to a raspberry with something like domoticz and homebridge and you've got a perfect system !

[@justinmallaiz4549]

A pi running mqtt broker, with Homebridge ( for Siri and Apple app) and gbridge (for google home app and assistant) is my favourite setup 👍

[@Lutfeydotcom]

I made an IR project with the same issue where it worked but the range was much less than the original remote. Can you make a video explaining this and how to correct the problem?

[@mrmega328]

There are different IR wavelengths so it could be that they are not matched properly (though that might be unlikely). What you could do is modify how fast or slow your IR transmitter sends a 1 or 0 and check it on the receiver to see which speed works best.

[@BaronVonBiffo]

Why was it necessary to use a two button combination to toggle the switch rather than just assign one of the controller buttons?

[@adrianodemetrio5607]

You should revisit this project controlling both GU10 spotlights and RGBW led strip with an esp32 and Home Assistant!

[@Gastell0]

Will you be also looking at EnOcean 866MHz wireless electric smart home switches? German Eltako have great variety of them (though they are expensive)

[@runforitman]

This is such a cool idea I am definitely going to try something like this on my next project I think I might use it for lights too Because I really like radio controlled lights, but they’re so expensive

[@Explore-Gobal]

I've been playing around with the Nano for some time doing lighting and effects for scale models. Since reading about decoding remotes with an arduino, I've been wanting to try it. I've uploaded the ReceiveDemo_Advanced example to my Nano and made sure it worked by inserting the Serial.println("Hello World!"); into the code. It works, as the serial monitor shows me a continuous stream of "Hello World!" on its screen. Next I purchased a 433Mhz RF Module Receiver and Transmitter Remote Control using the supported EV1527 chipset, hooked up ground, Vcc, and a connection from data pin 0 on the receiver to pin 2 of the Nano. Finally I paired the remote with the receiver and have confirmation by the receiver led blinking every time I press the remote button. Everything looks fine and compatible, yet when I press the remote, I get nothing other than "Hello World! on the serial monitor window. By all accounts I should be getting data from the receiver on pin 2 on the Nano appearing on the serial monitor, but I am not. Not sure what I may be missing. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks

[@John_Smith__]

Those modules you have for the 433MHz RF ASK modulation receiver are very common and dirt cheap on ebay/aliexpress ... but they Need an antenna if you want to have some range ... A small helical antenna would be enough. The antenna can be made by twisting a thin wire on a screw and get eh helical shape we need.

[@Florian00]

Why do you have to press the yellow button to make the pink button turn the lights on/off?

[@greatscottlab]

You don't have to. But what if someone next door uses the same remote? This is like a secret code that not everyone will constantly press.

[@Florian00]

@@greatscottlab Ah I see, haven't thought about that. Thanks for the answer!

[@REDACT3D]

keep up the good work bud! - not many negative voltage videos on the youtube

[@sasha.djordjevic3071]

Great video as always from GreatScott Do you consider to replace arduino with esp8266 or esp32 and add WiFi control to the lights? Web server on esp or mqtt approach maybe?

[@netdudeuk]

Is the eBay SSR module that much more reliable than the relay module for switching mains ? For £1 or so, I'm not so sure ...

[@stanimir4197]

the was a named one - omron. cant do much better. but you can build yourself with a triac (bt134) and moc3063 plus few passive components.

[@Inspirator_AG112]

You are excellent with electricity!

[@greatscottlab]

Thank you

[@Inspirator_AG112]

@@greatscottlab You are welcome!

[@dustinkervodka]

Hi Great Scott, Great videos, you have become a reference point for me and my friends: “great Scott certified statement”, when discussing electronics. But I have a question, Ive tried to figure out how these mass produced RF controllers are set up. Do they all (or at least a large quantity) have different codes? 24bit should give us ~16 possible integers, which gives us a large variety of different codes. So it is fully plausible. What would your gut feeling say? Thanks!

[@avejst]

Well done Interesting project 😀👍 Thanks for sharing👍😀

[@derisis13]

Why do you always overkill it with an Arduino? After you have shown how to program other uCs with the Arduino IDE...

[@tyronenelson9124]

I don't trust ssr's either because whenever a bulb fails it can take out the triac which is very common in dimming circuits.

[@jamest.5001]

Awesome video!!! I love videos like this!!!

[@Stefano91ste]

Thanks for this video :)

[@maxsnts]

Huhh, a blue wire (not neutral) on a mains switch? That is strange, should it not be brown?

[@anatolijleipi7594]

no... i never saw a brown neutral wire here in germany. all good

[@maxsnts]

@@anatolijleipi7594 That's my point. That wire is not the neutral. Its the "return fase" (fase that gets switched on/off) that goes to the lamp. Its should not be blue because the neutral is going directly to the lamp not to the switch.

[@thepvporg]

How about making an update to it. Use the mode to turn on and off but use the same method with the next button along and turn it in to a mode where the colour buttons match a specific GU10 lamp and turn it on and off as desired to mower lighting to a few lights.

[@ahmedhamam997]

i was having the same problem with my ceil but could fix this by buying a 3 color led lamb which changes it,s color by turning it on / off and took it,s circuit and connect each stage with relay and hooked each relay with the light source I want . like that I could turn of/off any light or even both for around 10 $ :) hope this solution help

[@cyborgsheep6077]

Great video, if you don't mind me asking what happened last weekend?

[@Fifury161]

Fantastic ideas - thanks for sharing!

[@scheitinjebroek]

Wait.. that lightswitch is wired trough neutral

[@seibastianmustermann1674]

yeah, but it is legal in germany

[@zusurs]

I guess simply the wrong color wire in the cable used.

[@hozairwasseli7986]

Hey Greatscott! Great video, but I wanted to ask you something. Is it possible to build an RC car with an RF controller? I watched your hacked video of the tv remote and was inspired to make something myself

[@chestfield1]

Can u do a video with caliope and abbozza?

[@prest0n755]

Can you do a DIY or BUY on a HackRF ? It's open-source and the cost of DIY vs BUY I think is pretty drastic.

[@greatscottlab]

I can put it on my to do list

[@prest0n755]

@@greatscottlab Thanks looking forward to it!

[@axlesan4934]

Wifi controller would be much easier ...... but props to you for taking this projekt to a good end

[@kyriakos098]

Imo Wi-Fi for lights is stupid when RF is an option. Sure it's nice to have sometimes so you can use your phone but for switches or door locks that I use it on I find it better to have RF because 1) wifi has some noticable delay if the signal is not perfect and 2) in case of internet outage, stuff stops working.

[@foureyedchick]

Ludic Science also advertises JLCPCB. He called it GLCPCB for years, until I corrected his English.

[@aannoonniimmss]

Can You do diy or buy project on garage door remote control? Ty

[@pjlecy1]

Thats a good touch to your project, are you finished with it or are you going to keep improving it over time.

[@greatscottlab]

Now it is done.

[@AAdnaanmtl]

​@@greatscottlab hi sir I have one question what if chipset ic on the remote is not the one is listed in the rc switch Library,then how can I decode is there any other Library which can decode that RF module?

[@pexi86]

Do I have to build this too? Like I dont have enough projects already, lol

[@xp_pk]

What program do you use for your schematics for projects like this?

[@Phili406]

easyeda.com

[@KB-nc6ik]

You forgot the antenna on the receiver. A wire of a certain length is sufficient. At a frequency of 433 MHz the wavelength is approximately 70 cm, so an antenna approximately 35 cm long would be the most efficient. A wire with a length of 17.5cm is also possible. (1/2 or 1/4 λ)

[@GRBtutorials]

Or, you could use an SDR (Software Defined Radio) to avoid having to tear it apart. The RTL-SDR is a cheap ($20) SDR which is useful for many purposes, including checking the frequencies of a device and hacking RF devices.

[@BillAnt]

It depends on the project's price sensitivity... the one he used is about half the cost of an SDR... but yeah both could be used.

[@GRBtutorials]

Bill A No, I mean for analyzing it to know which frequency to use.

[@BillAnt]

@GRBTutorials < Oh I didn't get that part... yeah I suppose that would work for testing.

[@akhtarkh]

How will you control an rc servo with it?

[@Xeno_Bardock]

Can you do a video on DIY RF amplifier circuit?

[@markm0000]

@GreatScott! Please next project do this with a old tv remote and keyboard to control a computer connected to your tv. Have some way to customize keyboard shortcuts for each button on the remote. There are tutorials on how to do this but it’s difficult to follow and there are much easier ways to get this working with new technology.

[@markm0000]

Nevermind Flirc does this already.

[@AkZuza_]

hey can you make an Arduino display letters on a VGA monitor using a GameDuino