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

erycken

This is really helpful! Thanks.
I have a PIR motion sensor set up, but I am trying to work out if it is possible (or better yet already exists) to have the motion sensor become unresponsive/display not actually active during night hours (predefined by me) as I have the mirror set up in my room and if I get up during the night I don’t want it coming on as I never turn lights on since it takes forever for me to get back to sleep!
I do want the motion sensor to work like normal during the day however. Does the Cronjob method prevent the sensor from working during the on hours?

cruunnerr

Hey mate,

the way that will work in every case is to use a relay to interrupt the voltage for the pir.
Then write two little bash files and execute them via cronjob.

turn on relay with GPIO 7 and give the PIR voltage:

gpio mode 7 out
gpio write 7 1

turn off the relay with GPIO 7 and interrupt the PIR voltage:

gpio mode 7 out
gpio write 7 0

otherwise u could use if statement with a datetime check within the python script. something like this: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/10048249/how-do-i-determine-if-current-time-is-within-a-specified-range-using-pythons-da/10048290

If i find some time, i will try to adjust the python script from this tutorial…

Kecko

Hey, big thanks for this tutorial!

i want to use method 2.2 the PIR-Script.

My Problem is: it looks like there is always a movement detected!
i stuck on the point
“You can check if your button works by simply typing python pir.py. Every time u move through the PIR or press the button it will show you several …
End the test with “ctrl+c””

It always print “…” for me.
That means that there is a movement all time right?
even if I disconnect the GPIO Pin there are all the dots…
i Realy cant figure out what i do wrong in this case… i mean it is only copy and paste and i did it the third time right now. also tried the MMM-PIR-Sensor module… not happy with it.

i realy dont know what to do now!

cruunnerr

Not much time, so here comes just a short think…

You have two cogs on the pir. Move the time delay completely left or right (so it will just give a very short impulse).
Set the Shutoff-delay in the script to 5 seconds (just to try)
Try another GPIO…
try a pull-up or pull-down resistor like used at thy button-method

Bild Text

Kecko

@cruunnerr oh my god… i love you
it was realy just the Time-delay Adjust!!!
i turned it completly left and it seems to work now!

but i have to say i must work with the command display_power=0 - display_power=1
so if the hdmi turns off my display shows for 1 second no signal
if the display turns on it shows HDMI1
but thats fine… i guess it is a “problem” of the display itself.

thank you for the fast and easy response

your tutorial is realy great i love it. also a noob can work with it!

maybe you should add a line with a tip for the Time-delay Adjust

komodoteler

@cruunnerr Hello, My PIR works completely fine (with method #6, just turn black) but I also plan to build my mirror as floor mirror and wondering the same as @blebbens

I tried your suggestion but unfortunately doesn’t seems to work. the screen is on instantly if motion detected. Any other suggestion?

Magno99900

Hey, so I’ve been trying to get this working over the past few days using method 2.2 (pir script) I’ve verified that monitor_on/off.sh works as they should as does pir.py when run from terminal. The problem seems to be that I’m unable to get the script to auto start on boot. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

komodoteler

@magno99900

Make sure you run chmod - chmod +x pir.py

Then add it to startup:

run - sudo nano /etc/rc.local
Add this (above the “exit 0”): python /home/pi/pir.py &
Save

Reboot to test

Magno99900

@komodoteler I’ll try again once I get off work, but i know I did chmod on pir.py and I currently have it in rc.local but I don’t currently have the “&” after it’s entry. When I looked at the first post it says to put it there but doesn’t display it in the code section.

Updated: Added the “&” still didn’t work, so I replaced the pir.py script that I was previously using and all seems to be great now. thanks again for the help.

Kecko

hey guys,

i got another problem.
the script is working well but the python won’t start with booting my PI.

i don’t know how often i repeated all the steps. I am using the method 2.2 Using PIR-Script.

i also put this line in my rc.local:

python /home/pi/pir.py &

anyone got an idea what i’m doing wrong?

EDIT:

Sorry I have just read the post of @Magno99900. So you just created a complete new .py script? i will try this later! Thanks so far :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

Maros

I’ve just connected PIR sensor to my MM as written in step 2.1 Using PIR-Module

everything is connected MM is started but the screen is not turning off.

Can someone help me how can i check if PIR sensor is working and if it’s why the screen is still on ?

i’ve changed settings to

{
module: ‘MMM-PIR-Sensor’,
config: {
powerSavingDelay: 60 // (seconds) how long the monitor will be turned on
}
},

Maros

I found out that PIR sensor is ok.

i’ve created python script from this page ( https://tutorials-raspberrypi.com/connect-and-control-raspberry-pi-motion-detector-pir/ )and found out that i’ve switched Ground and 5V. I’ve corrected them and now when i execute : sudo python pir.py i get
There was a movement!

before there was nothing, so i guess PIR sensor is OK

but it’s still not working to turn off the screen.

Maros

OK everything is working after creating scripts from step 2.2 :)

Maros

is there possibility to turn off PIR at specified time ? f.e. from 9pm untill 7am it will be off so if there will be movement display will not turn on.

cruunnerr

@Maros

Glad u got it working. :)

So u use the script from point 2.2 ?

Then u could kill the pir.py at 9pm and start at 7am via cronjob. With that u were able to define each day for itself :)

The command to kill the pir.py script is

sudo pkill $(ps aux | grep python pir.py | awk '{ print $2 }')

So the easiest way is to just edit your crontab. Try it like this:

nano killpir.sh
Write this into file and save with CTRL+X and Yes

sudo pkill $(ps aux | grep python pir.py | awk '{ print $2 }')

chmod +x killpir.sh
sudo nano /etc/crontab
Write this into file and save with CTRL+X and Yes:

0 21 * * * /usr/bin/sh /home/pi/killpir.sh
0 7 * * * /usr/bin/python /home/pi/pir.py

So for example your crontab looks like this:

# /etc/crontab: system-wide crontab
# Unlike any other crontab you don't have to run the `crontab'
# command to install the new version when you edit this file
# and files in /etc/cron.d. These files also have username fields,
# that none of the other crontabs do.

SHELL=/bin/sh
PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin

# m h dom mon dow user  command
17 *    * * *   root    cd / && run-parts --report /etc/cron.hourly
25 6    * * *   root    test -x /usr/sbin/anacron || ( cd / && run-parts --report /etc/cron.daily )
47 6    * * 7   root    test -x /usr/sbin/anacron || ( cd / && run-parts --report /etc/cron.weekly )
52 6    1 * *   root    test -x /usr/sbin/anacron || ( cd / && run-parts --report /etc/cron.monthly )
0 21    * * *   root    /usr/bin/sh /home/pi/killpir.sh
0 7     * * *   root    /usr/bin/python /home/pi/pir.py
#

Didn’t try this solution at all, but hope/think this works :)

I would be glad about a feedback ;)

Maros

@cruunnerr ok thank you i’ll try it and let you know if it work.

just one question is it not needed to start pir.py in background ?

/usr/bin/python /home/pi/pir.py &

cruunnerr

cron will start the pir.py in background. The scenario will be like:

Boot up magic mirror = starts pir.py via rc.local
at 21pm = stops pir.py via cron
at 7am = starts pir.py via cron

from this on the circle is closed and cron will repeat this every day (in background)
well… i think so… maybe i am wrong :/

When u reboot the mirror between 21pm and 7am the pir.py will be active for sure until the next 21pm will be reached … ;)

edit:
it would also be possible to implement a while-loop in the pir.py script to check if it is between 21pm and 7am.
But i never worked with that yet -.-

maybe u can get what u want here or here or here

Maros

ok i’ve checked and it’s not working fully.
problem is with /usr/bin/sh /home/pi/killpir.sh

there is no /usr/bin/sh only rsh

edit.
ok i’ve changed path to /bin/sh and now i get error :
grep: pir.py: No such file or directory
pkill: no matching criteria specified
Try `pkill --help’ for more information.

even if pir.py is running (i can see it in ps -ef |grep pir)

edit ok i was able to fix it i’ve edited killpir.sh to
sudo kill $(ps aux | grep python | grep pir.py | awk ‘{ print $2 }’)

now it will kill process pir.py

but problem is that even if this script (pir.py) is not running the mirror still turns on when there is movement and turns off after 30s no movement … strange

cruunnerr

When the pir.py isn’t running, then it isn’t this script which turns on your monitor.
Do you have the MM-PIR module active?

Please try to edit your rc.local and delete the autostart of the pir.py to see, if the monitor still turns on/off when there is movement.

if not, then the pkill command isn’t working, which would confuse me, because i just tried it by myself on my mirror.
via ssh i just entered the sudo pkill $(ps aux | grep python pir.py | awk '{ print $2 }')" command and my pir wasn’t working.

and to your first problem, which u solved by yourself…

u could also try to edit the killpir.py to this:

#!/bin/bash
sudo pkill $(ps aux | grep python pir.py | awk '{ print $2 }')

then u should be able to just let your cronjob look like:
0 21 * * * root /home/pi/killpir.sh

Maros

Yes i’ve active mmm-pir module.
I’ll try your solution and let you know
Thank you ;)