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I'd like to try to build something and wondered whether a R'Pi would be a good platform for it.
Any experienced users here who child comment or point me in the right direction would be most welcome.
So, it's a sort of security device that has irregularly blinking LED lights to simulate human activity but is also triggered by motion, so I was thinking that a PIR system would do that job? Then the alarm would be to play back some audio recordings/sounds though a speaker system and set off additional security lights.
Could all this be done by a total beginner?
Could all this be done by a total beginner?
No, but there are enough resources online so that you wouldn't be a total beginner for long.
Easier with an Arduino IMO. Lots of plug in boards to do the various elements (5v pir, mp3 trigger, relays) cheap on eBay. The programming is pretty straightforward but may take a little while if you are a complete beginner.
What sort if led lights do you want to trigger, Inside or outside?
PIR is pretty easy as well as energenie wireless controlled sockets for indoor lights.
Do a Google search of the pi forum.
I think you could do this with a bit of learning and "scratch" a language/environment designed for noobs
Agree arduino is more suitable. You are adding a layer of complexity by using r pi with an OS etc.
Maybe also look at Siemens LOGO - small Boolean logic programmable relays/PLC's. Dead easy to 'program' - drag and drop virtual wires between logic/function blocks.
Probably a little more expensive than RP's but more industrial
http://w3.siemens.com/mcms/programmable-logic-controller/en/logic-module-logo/Pages/Default.aspx
If you do want to use a Pi look at using motion and a decent USB webcam.
Motion has an "on event start" line that can call other scripts, so could call aplay to play a recorded sound file, or trigger a relay for a light.
Google "motion Pi webcam".
The Pi could also run Homebridge which would let you use Siri or Alexa to voice control stuff.
I've found that having a PIR trigger events is easier and more reliable than using motion, but the former doesn't work though glass.
[quote=nickjb ]Easier with an Arduino IMO.
Apart from playing audio recordings. How would you do that on an arduino?
Though it's not terribly complicated on a RPi - the OS doesn't really get in the way for doing simple things like this, which you could as suggested above pretty much do in Scratch which is likely to be easier to programme than anything available for an Arduino.
You can connect a PIR directly to GPIO on a RPi, which is what I have in my skull (which also flashes LEDs and plays audio recordings). PIR is in the nose and pretty much everything directly connected to GPIO: