Smart Response XE Hacking

Edwin Amsler

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Jun 20, 2021, 1:05:31 PM6/20/21

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I found an eBay auction for a five pack of Smart Response XE devices (radio antenna pictured is not part of it)

image_tphxkXOXyK.png

Pietra Shirley

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Jun 20, 2021, 1:29:49 PM6/20/21

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Hi Edwin,

I will definitely speak for one!

Pietra.

On Sun, Jun 20, 2021 at 12:05 PM Edwin Amsler <edwi...@gmail.com> wrote:

I found an eBay auction for a five pack of Smart Response XE devices (radio antenna pictured is not part of it)

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I’m going to sell three of them. They’re cheap but shipping seems high. I’m thinking $15 each.

* Mature hacking thingy (lots of news from 2008)
* ATmega128RFA MCU (128KB RAM)
* 1mbit Flash (128KB)
* LCD ST7586S bitmap addressable 384×160
* Arduino compatible boot loader
* Powered by 4AA batteries

https://www.hackster.io/news/a-pager-and-spectrum-analyzer-in-your-pocket-upcycling-the-smart-response-xe-0a8ae0479e97

Regards,

Edwin

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Tina Tenbergen

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Jun 20, 2021, 1:47:14 PM6/20/21

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Hi Edwin, please count me in for one. Thanks for sending this!

On Sun, 20 Jun 2021 at 12:05, Edwin Amsler <edwi...@gmail.com> wrote:

I found an eBay auction for a five pack of Smart Response XE devices (radio antenna pictured is not part of it)

Edwin Amsler

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Jun 20, 2021, 2:16:06 PM6/20/21

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Welcome! I’ll hold on to them for you both when they arrive. If there is enough demand we can buy a case of 24 😆

Specs were a little off before. Better details (from https://bitbanksoftware.blogspot.com/2018/09/my-adventures-in-writing-ota-bootloader.html?m=1)

60-key keyboard
384x136x2-bpp monochrome LCD
ATmega128RFA1 MCU (128K Flash, 4K EEPROM, 16K RAM, integrated 802.15.4 MAC)
1Mb (128KB) SPI flash
4xAAA battery power supply

Regards,

Edwin

On Jun 20, 2021, at 12:47 PM, Tina Tenbergen <ti...@tenbergen.ca> wrote:

Edwin Amsler

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Jul 3, 2021, 5:39:09 PM7/3/21

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Devices arrived today! Do you ladies want me to install an Arduino boot loader on your devices? If I’m doing two might as well do all five. You’ll need an AVRISP or compatible to program them otherwise.

The default firmware doesn’t do much of interest.

Regards,

Edwin

On Jun 20, 2021, at 1:16 PM, Edwin Amsler <Edwi...@gmail.com> wrote:

Welcome! I’ll hold on to them for you both when they arrive. If there is enough demand we can buy a case of 24 😆

Pietra Shirley

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Jul 3, 2021, 6:17:57 PM7/3/21

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Hi Edwin,

Arduino boot loader on mine will be fine, thanks. I think the Tigard has AVRISP capability, but that is one full additional learning curse away.

Can I etransfer payment? You mentioned $15, does that cover your cost?

Pietra.

Tina Tenbergen

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Jul 3, 2021, 6:35:00 PM7/3/21

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Yes please for the boot loader. And I'll wait to see your answer re. e-payment. And, where/how can I pick this up?

Thanks for organizing this!

Pietra Shirley

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Jul 3, 2021, 7:02:34 PM7/3/21

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(“learning curse” was intended to be “learning curve”, but it is not even close as typos go)

Yes, pickup/transfer is also a good question ...

Looking forward to is to see if the 802.15.4 will link with an XBee ... speaking of learning curse ...

Pietra

Edwin Amsler

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Jul 4, 2021, 11:39:02 PM7/4/21

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You can e-transfer the $15 to edwi...@gmail.com.

The AC at my place has yet to be fixed so soldering with heat wave isn’t high on my list of things I want to do. I’ll see if I can tackle that this week.

As far as pickup, not really sure. I was going to leave them at SkSp. Tina do you have a fob? If not, I can drop off or you can pick up from me. I’m about as far east in the city as you can get.

Regards,

Edwin

On Jul 3, 2021, at 6:02 PM, Pietra Shirley <lan...@gmail.com> wrote:

ttenbergen

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Jul 7, 2021, 10:01:12 AM7/7/21

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I have a fob. Haven't tested it in a while, but should likely work. I am near St Mary's and St Anne's - if that is on your way in, drop off would be great, but if it's at all out of the way I can pick up at Sksp. No big hurry either way.

Pietra Shirley

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Jul 7, 2021, 11:18:29 AM7/7/21

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Hi Edwin,

I have time and wheels, so I could pick up and deliver the devices if that helps you at all.

Pietra

Pietra Shirley

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Jul 12, 2021, 2:24:07 PM7/12/21

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Just about to get an IKEA light for a cabinet and it turns out that the light is part of the IKEA Trådfri smart home infrastructure. Apparently it is Zigbee-based ...

https://www.the-ambient.com/guides/ikea-tradfri-ultimate-guide-missing-manual-1348

https://www.the-ambient.com/guides/zigbee-devices-complete-guide-277

And they have inexpensive controlled plugs that will mesh and act as repeaters for a network they belong to. Now I have to see if the IKEA API is open enough to link the Smart Response XE device or other Zigbee device.

Let you know how that turns out ... (though I have extremely low expectations)

Pietra.

Edwin Amsler

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Jul 13, 2021, 11:30:03 PM7/13/21

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That’s pretty exciting to be honest. The mesh networking is what I like best about the Zigbee stuff.

I’ve been in a depressed funk lately so I don’t have the devices programmed just yet. Not sure if you and Tina are okay waiting a little longer for programmed devices or if I should drop them off sooner. Let me know.

Regards,

Edwin

On Jul 12, 2021, at 1:24 PM, Pietra Shirley <lan...@gmail.com> wrote:

Pietra Shirley

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Jul 14, 2021, 1:44:26 AM7/14/21

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Hi Edwin,

Are you following the BitBank software path (and code) to install the Arduino bootloader?

I am interested. I do have an AVRISP and a couple of XBee+serial breakout boards (older XB24-AWI-001 Rev C. versions from Adafruit circa 2013, so we'll see how happy they are with each other and the IKEA Trådfri Zigbee Light Link devices). I am okay with the raw device as it comes out of the mail and happy to pick it up as well. I think that the Tigard AVRISP can connect directly to the JTAG port that is exposed in the battery compartment to install the bootloader

This might save you the soldering step that is challenging in the current weather/state of HVAC.

Let me know if I can help out.

Regards,

Pietra

Edwin Amsler

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Jul 17, 2021, 5:50:26 PM7/17/21

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I typically program with AVRDUDE and my BusPirate. I think my next Digi-Key order I’ll buy some 2x3 pin headers with the L-shape like all the AVR stuff uses.

Regards,

Edwin

Tina Tenbergen

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Aug 6, 2021, 7:13:41 PM8/6/21

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Hey Edwin,

I think I will finally get to sksp tonight to pick up this gadget. I think you said it was on top of your locker, but I realized just now that I don't know where your locker is. I will have a look around, but if you can describe that... well, I guess it will make my search much less interesting. :-)

Thanks again for organizing this!

T

Edwin Amsler

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Aug 6, 2021, 7:35:50 PM8/6/21

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Sure! Just follow the wall you enter from towards the back of the space and stop once you hit green. Mine is the center one.

Regards,

Edwin

On Aug 6, 2021, at 6:13 PM, Tina Tenbergen <ti...@tenbergen.ca> wrote:

ttenbergen

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Aug 7, 2021, 7:07:44 PM8/7/21

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Found it and got I, thanks.

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