mligor / matrix-clock

ESP32 Matrix Smart Clock

ESP32 Matrix Smart Clock

This project is still in development phase. You are welcome to join.

Idea is to create Smart Clock using ESP32 and 4 piecese of 8x8 RGB NeoMatrix display (WS2812B).

Features that clock can support:

• 8x32 RGB LED display
• Clock
• Alarm
• Current Weather
• Room Temperature
• Online Radio
• 3.5mm Lautspeaker Audio
• Bluetooth Lautspeaker
• Send audio to another Bluetooth Lautspeaker
• MP3 Player (over USB or SD/microSD Card)
• Web Interface for confugration
• Mobile App (iOS and Android)
• Display custom messages
• Notifications from SmartPhone
• Custom applications (push/pull method)

Hardware

For the board I decided to use Doit ESP32 DevKit v1 - 240MHz 320KB RAM (4MB Flash), but any other ESP32 board should work. Price for the board should be around 10€ (I had one already).

8x8 Display - I found on ebay 4 pieces for 21.28€ in total (delivery from Hong Kong).

Software

Software is written using PlatformIO in VisualStudio Code (arduino framework).

I decided to go with arudino framework. I think using esp-idf would be more flexible, but I do plan to make some cheeper (less features) for ESP8266 or even for ATmega 328 and arduino framework is more sutable for it.

When first time started - clock should provide own WiFi network to allow configuration over Web Inteface or over REST server (using mobile App).

How to build

Requirements

• Visual Studio Code with PlatformIO extension
• NodeJS

Building

• Open root folder in Visual Studio Code
• Open Terminal in VSC and go into sub directory www-src
• From there run npm i to install all required node/angular/typescript libraries
• Run npm run-script build from the same folder to generate HTML files in project data folder
• Run Visual Studio Code Build task PlatformIO: Build (Ctrl+Shift+B or Cmd+Shift+B on MacOS)
• To Upload code and Filesystem to your ESP32, use PlatformIO Project Tasks (Upload File System Image and Upload). You can start monitor if you want.
• Connect with phone or your computer to new WiFi network MatrixClock_0000 and go to http://10.0.0.1/
• The rest should be self-explanatory

About

This is my first project of this scale and I'm really opened for any suggestions and comments. I'm software developer for the last 25 years, and I can call myself expert in C/C++ but with electronic I did only small hobby projects (mostly using atmel and pic microcontrollers with few sensors and LEDs).

In parallel to C++, for Web projects, I'm using go, node.js and Angular for REST based Web Applications.