Wise Clock 4 - Status update

It's been a slow (and hot, temperature-wise) summer, spent mostly answering customer (and other Arduino fellows asking for help) emails, with almost no notable achievements.

• Improved the design of the Wise Clock 4+ board by adding support for the JY-MCU bluetooth module connected as shown in the next photo (and controlled using the SoftwareSerial library on pins D20 and D21).

• Created the software framework for a Scheduler (subject of a future post); this should support features like multiple alarms, job activation at given times etc.
• Beside his great contribution to the code, MikeM found a fix for the SoftwareSerial bug on ATmega1284P (D20 and D21 did not work because JTAG is enabled); he also sent this photo of his stack of Wise Clock 4s with dual 5mm LED displays.

• Added to my to-do list:
• Android app to remote-control Wise Clock 4;
• remote sensors to start and stop the chronometer function of the clock (request from Javier);
• join a WiFi network in a user-friendly, easy-to-configure, manner;
• automatic adjustment of the display brightness with an LDR, as suggested by Adam, who already hacked his Wise Clock 4, as shown below.

I also got a bit upset with Sure Electronics for the (mechanical) change on their latest revision of the 3216 LED display: the vertical distance between the holes is about 3mm greater. I thought I would have to give away the small stock of laser-cut plates I had, since they would not fit anymore. Turns out that there is a non-wasteful solution though: enlarge the holes with a small file (which I do myself to all displays, until I finish the old stock of plexiglass plates).

As always, any comments, suggestions and contributions are appreciated.