{HowTo} turn on/off your monitor (Time based, PIR/Button, App)

[MadScientist]

@hoofta Couldn’t you use a relay (like me) but instead of disconnecting the power you just trigger the power on/off button?

[hoofta]

@MadScientist I am not sure if I could or not. Could you elaborate on how you have yours setup?

[MadScientist]

@hoofta My mirror isn’t done yet but in my case the relay will disconnect the power from the power supply to the LCD. I have no idea what TV you’re using but you could solder 2 wires to the power button of your TV and connect them to a relay, which will be triggered by a PIR motion sensor.

[cruunnerr]

@hoofta said in {HowTo} turn on/off your monitor (Time based, PIR/Button, App):

I have attempted to use the “screen_off/on” option original provided instead of the “monitor_on/off” but it doesn’t seem to be working properly.

As described u need to use the “pir.py” script from point 2.2.
But then (and i forgot to write that) u need to change the shell script names in the script or keep the “monitor_on” as name.
Sorry for my english, i hope u understand.

So, to help u out:
u already creates the “screen_on.sh” and “screen_off.sh”, right?

then u need to change the following lines in the “pir.py” script like this:

def turn_on():
	subprocess.call("sh /home/pi/screen_on.sh", shell=True)

def turn_off():
	subprocess.call("sh /home/pi/screen_off.sh", shell=True)

---

The idea to connect the power button of the TV to a relay is a good start. So u could save much money.

But then the relay must do an impulse instead of being on or off static.

To do this u could use the normal pir.py script from point 2.2 (without any changes).
But the content of both *.sh files should look like this:

nano monitor_on.sh :

gpio -g write 27 1
sleep 1
gpio -g write 27 0

nano monitor_off.sh :

gpio -g write 27 1
sleep 1
gpio -g write 27 0

chmod +x monitor_on.sh
chmod +x monitor_off.sh

Connect the relay with two wires parallel to the power button of your tv.
On the relay use “C” and “NO”

[hoofta]

@cruunnerr I did see originally where the monitor_on/off.sh needed to have the word “monitor” replaced with “screen” in the pir.py script. I am not sure I am confident enough to solder in a relay to the power switch on my TV. :-/

What script do you use to confirm your PIR is hooked up correctly and receiving the proper signal/input?

[cruunnerr]

@hoofta said in {HowTo} turn on/off your monitor (Time based, PIR/Button, App):

What script do you use to confirm your PIR is hooked up correctly and receiving the proper signal/input?

Just use the pir.py script from the tutorial ;)

every movement will show some dots in your terminal

[hoofta]

@cruunnerr Right, sorry about that. I forgot you included it. When I did that during initial setup, the dots scrolls across without stopping. Motion or not, dots keep generating.

[cruunnerr]

then u probably connected it wrong and the gpio which is used in the script is set to high (1). u can check this…

type gpio readall to see the GPIO Breakout.

pi@MagicMirror_Test:~ $ gpio readall
 +-----+-----+---------+------+---+---Pi 2---+---+------+---------+-----+-----+
 | BCM | wPi |   Name  | Mode | V | Physical | V | Mode | Name    | wPi | BCM |
 +-----+-----+---------+------+---+----++----+---+------+---------+-----+-----+
 |     |     |    3.3v |      |   |  1 || 2  |   |      | 5v      |     |     |
 |   2 |   8 |   SDA.1 |   IN | 1 |  3 || 4  |   |      | 5v      |     |     |
 |   3 |   9 |   SCL.1 |   IN | 1 |  5 || 6  |   |      | 0v      |     |     |
 |   4 |   7 | GPIO. 7 |   IN | 1 |  7 || 8  | 1 | ALT0 | TxD     | 15  | 14  |
 |     |     |      0v |      |   |  9 || 10 | 1 | ALT0 | RxD     | 16  | 15  |
 |  17 |   0 | GPIO. 0 |  OUT | 1 | 11 || 12 | 0 | IN   | GPIO. 1 | 1   | 18  |
 |  27 |   2 | GPIO. 2 |  OUT | 1 | 13 || 14 |   |      | 0v      |     |     |
 |  22 |   3 | GPIO. 3 |   IN | 0 | 15 || 16 | 0 | IN   | GPIO. 4 | 4   | 23  |
 |     |     |    3.3v |      |   | 17 || 18 | 1 | IN   | GPIO. 5 | 5   | 24  |
 |  10 |  12 |    MOSI |   IN | 0 | 19 || 20 |   |      | 0v      |     |     |
 |   9 |  13 |    MISO |   IN | 0 | 21 || 22 | 0 | IN   | GPIO. 6 | 6   | 25  |
 |  11 |  14 |    SCLK |   IN | 0 | 23 || 24 | 1 | IN   | CE0     | 10  | 8   |
 |     |     |      0v |      |   | 25 || 26 | 1 | IN   | CE1     | 11  | 7   |
 |   0 |  30 |   SDA.0 |   IN | 1 | 27 || 28 | 1 | IN   | SCL.0   | 31  | 1   |
 |   5 |  21 | GPIO.21 |   IN | 1 | 29 || 30 |   |      | 0v      |     |     |
 |   6 |  22 | GPIO.22 |   IN | 1 | 31 || 32 | 0 | IN   | GPIO.26 | 26  | 12  |
 |  13 |  23 | GPIO.23 |   IN | 0 | 33 || 34 |   |      | 0v      |     |     |
 |  19 |  24 | GPIO.24 |   IN | 0 | 35 || 36 | 0 | IN   | GPIO.27 | 27  | 16  |
 |  26 |  25 | GPIO.25 |   IN | 0 | 37 || 38 | 0 | IN   | GPIO.28 | 28  | 20  |
 |     |     |      0v |      |   | 39 || 40 | 0 | IN   | GPIO.29 | 29  | 21  |
 +-----+-----+---------+------+---+----++----+---+------+---------+-----+-----+
 | BCM | wPi |   Name  | Mode | V | Physical | V | Mode | Name    | wPi | BCM |
 +-----+-----+---------+------+---+---Pi 2---+---+------+---------+-----+-----+

In the script the BCM pin 22 is used for the PIR. This is GPIO 3 and physically it is pin 15.

Please check if your pir is connected correctly.

Edit:

Oh, and take a look at your PIR. u can set the delay time from 0.3seconds up to 5 minutes. Maybe its set very high.
For using the soloutions of this tutorial the PIR adjust time should be set very low, as u can set the time within the script :)
https://www.mpja.com/download/31227sc.pdf

[hoofta]

@cruunnerr As many have said your patience and helpfulness is much appreciated. I did have the ground and the power swapped. I turned off the Pi swapped them and turned it back on and re-ran the test. Got the same thing. I grabbed another PIR and ensured I plugged it in properly. Hooray! (I guess I fried the other one by swapping PWR and GND) Your python test works and it activates MM for the proper amount of seconds after the time delay. Woohoo! Now I need to get it to go to a black screen instead of turning off since after the PIR Sensor stops sensing motion I then see the “NO SIGNAL” screensaver bounce around my TV. One step closer!

[cruunnerr]

:)

thank you very much ^^

I am very glad u found out what went wrong. :)
So now u should be able to use the “screen_on/off” files instead of the monitor_onoff

Just try out :)

[hoofta]

@cruunnerr I just redid step 2.2 with the alteration of screen_on/off.sh (instead of monitor) and the HDMI is still being disabled and giving me the “no signal” screensaver.

How do I know that the chmod +x steps are actually making the script executable?

[cruunnerr]

try the shell scripts without the python script.

sh monitor_off.sh should show a black screen (not turning HDMI off)
sh monitor_on.sh should disable the black screen.

if this is working for u, then your pir.py script seems not being correct.

the chmod +x step is necessary for the python script execute the shell scripts.

But first try the commands above. If this doesn’t work, then i have to think about and search for a solution.
But i tried it just a few seconds ago, and it works fine here

[hoofta]

@cruunnerr for me $ sh monitor_off.sh returns the following
sh: 0: Can’t open monitor_off.sh
I then inputted $ nano monitor_off.sh and it’s empty when I just inputted the commands from your instructions. ¯_(ツ)_/¯

[cruunnerr]

again one step closer :D

put in the content and save with “ctrl+x” and “y”

try everything agin and report if u got trouble again :)

edit:

oh sorry. Aren’t we using “screen_on/off”?? :D

so try

sh screen_off.sh should show a black screen (not turning HDMI off)
sh screen_on.sh should disable the black screen.

[hoofta]

I GOT IT! I stepped back a few steps with the module removed from the config.js file and it wouldn’t blank anymore so it made me think I had something wrong with the pir.py file.

I looked into Paviro’s files in the PIR-Sensor folder and found in the node_helper.js file a reference to tvservice -o/p. I found where my xscreensaver was located /usr/bin/ and I had the node_helper file execute the xscreensaver instead of the tvservice.

Bingo! No more “No Signal” bouncing around when the PIR-Sensor module kicks in! Many thanks to Cruunnerr for the help. Definitely could not have figured this out without you!

[Mykle1]

@hoofta

Good work, mate! I like it. :-)

[PaulB]

@cruunnerr,

Thank you so much! What a great ‘How-to’- Guide :)

You and your post helped a lot. :)

[hnperkins]

hey all, im having a issue with my pir module. i have run the pir.py script and its constantly scrolling the … until i move and then it stops for a brief second, and when i load the module in my config file the screen just stays black. is this some kind of interference or do i just have it hooked up backwards or something?

[randomnoise]

@hnperkins if the script is working the opposite way round it could be that you have a pir board which uses inverted signals. The board I had originally worked this way. So when no motion is detected it gives you a 1 & when you move it gives you a 0. Instead of running the script try typing gpio read 0 (substitute the pin number you used here… remember gpio “wiring pi” numbering will be different to the number you input in your file. See https://pinout.xyz/). It only shows the current state so you need to keep putting this in as you move in front of the sensor to test it. Hit up + enter to “retype” the command quickly in the console.

If this is the case then unfortunately the script will not work in your case… it’s written for true or 1 to be when movement is detected.

If you use paviro’s module there is a configuration option to invert the input pin.

As to the screen being black when starting mm. It’s probably an error in your configuration. Search the forum to find info on how to check the config as that has been well covered.

[hnperkins]

@randomnoise ok so when i do the gpio read command it always shows a 1, when i use a pin its not connected to it shows a 0, is this what you were talking about?