RPi SD card image for Digital Strom makers
free RaspberryPi SD-Card Image for Makers/DIY - P44-DSB-X
P44-DSB-X is not a commercial product! It is a free SD card image for Do-it-yourself
P44-DSB-X is a free offer from plan44 to "makers" who want to build their own extensions to Digital Strom (To use the same versatile capabilities as a standalone controller, there is also the P44-LC-X image).
You can download the image, copy it onto a SD card (see README contained in the downloaded .zip archive) and use it to boot a RaspberryPi Model B, B+, 2, 3 or 4. A precise step-by-step guide with video is available here. New: Version 2.7.0 now runs on all Rpi 2, 3 and 4 models (thanks to OpenWrt >=22.03)
What you get is a box that acts as a gateway to Digital Strom, and allows you to use RPi GPIOs, external i2c hardware, WS2812 LED chains, DMX peripherals and whatever you can pack into a script or a unix daemon program, as full-featured Digital Strom devices
However, please note that P44-DSB-X is not a commercial product, and thus is not eligible for support, automatic firmware updates or any kind of warranty!
With just a few clicks in the web interface you can define GPIO based buttons, lights, relays etc.. Even peripherals connected to the i2c can be defined as dimmers or even RGB lights via the web interface.
For more complex integrations, the scripted devices are available as of firmware 2.6.0. This allows to create own devices with the built-in script language p44script. p44script offers support for sockets, http-APIs, websockets, digital and analog inputs and outputs, a comfortable control of DC motors with current measurement and limit switches and much more. Some examples can be found in the plan44 tech-docs.
Since the P44-DSB-X is based on OpenWrt, you can also use an OpenWrt build environment to create your own version of the vdcd build. Or you can use the plan44 vdcd external device API to build your own device integrations using a language/script of your choice.
More Information
- Firmware info + supported devices list
- Visit the plan44 community forum.
- README for P44-DSB-X (pdf).
- New: P44-DSB - Information for installation and support
- P44-techdocs, advanced scripting and configuration
- Video - WS281x Color feature lights (youtube)
free downloads
- SD Card Image for Rpi B/B+ (Matter enabled Beta Version here)
- SD Card Image for RPi 2,3,4 (Matter enabled Beta Version here)
News
Device integrations supported out of the box
| Functionality | Profile(s) | Status |
|---|---|---|
| matter bridging | ||
| Full color lights or with color temperature setting | color control | Supported as beta version |
| Devices with a 0..100% level, such as dimmable lights | level control | Supported as beta version |
| On/off devices | on/off | Supported as beta version |
| Sensors | Sensors | Supported as beta version |
| Custom devices implemented in p44script on-device | ||
| custom devices implemented in p44script via web interface | p44script devices | full Digital Strom dSS level integration |
| Philips hue | ||
| hue tunable white (ambiance) lamp | ambiance | full Digital Strom dSS level integration |
| hue color lamp | hue | full Digital Strom dSS level integration |
| LivingColors mood light | LivingColors | full Digital Strom dSS level integration |
| hue lux warm white lamp | lux | full Digital Strom dSS level integration |
| Addressabe smart LED chains | ||
| Segments of WS2812 LED chains as color lights | RGB LED chain segment | Available in Special/Custom P44-xx device versions (please enquire), as well as in P44-xx-X images (free, DIY) WS2812 based LED chain's DataIn can be connected directly to RPi GPIO18/PCM (P1 pin 12) |
| WS281x LED matrices as projection plane for feature lights | RGB LED chains and matrices | Available in Special/Custom P44-xx device versions (please enquire), as well as in P44-xx-X images (free, DIY) WS281x based LED chain's DataIn can be connected directly to RPi GPIO18/PCM (P1 pin 12) |
| External Devices with custom implementation | ||
| devices implemented as external code/scripts connected via TCP/IP API | External Devices | DIY/Experimental, non-commercial integration in free / open source versions |
| i2c peripherals (Linux) | ||
| direct i2c access | generic | DIY/Experimental, non-commercial integration in free / open source versions via scripted devices and p44script, the i2c bus can be accessed directly to control i2c devices. |
| Temperature Sensor | LM75 | DIY/Experimental, non-commercial integration in free / open source versions |
| 16 Inputs (with optional pull-up) or outputs | MCP23017 | DIY/Experimental, non-commercial integration in free / open source versions Inputs can used for Buttons or Automation inputs. Outputs can be used as on/off lights or relay outputs. |
| 1 analog input | MCP3021 | DIY/Experimental, non-commercial integration in free / open source versions Input can used as sensor. Sensor type, scaling, offset and poll interval are configurable. |
| 16 PWM Outputs | PCA9685 | DIY/Experimental, non-commercial integration in free / open source versions Each PWM output can be used as a simple dimmed light device or a heating valve output. Groups of 3 (RGB) or 4 (RGBW) outputs can be grouped to form a full color light. |
| 8 Inputs or Outputs | PCF8574 | DIY/Experimental, non-commercial integration in free / open source versions Inputs can used for Buttons or Automation inputs. Outputs can be used as on/off lights or relay outputs. |
| 16 Inputs or Outputs | TCA9555 | DIY/Experimental, non-commercial integration in free / open source versions Inputs can used for Buttons or Automation inputs. Outputs can be used as on/off lights or relay outputs. |
| SPI peripherals (Linux) | ||
| direct SPI access | generic | DIY/Experimental, non-commercial integration in free / open source versions via scripted devices and p44script, the SPI bus can be accessed directly to control SPI devices. |
| General Purpose I/O (Linux) | ||
| digital input | input | DIY/Experimental, non-commercial integration in free / open source versions Can be used as button or automation input. |
| SPI peripherals (Linux) | ||
| 16 Inputs (with optional pull-up) or outputs | MCP23S17 | DIY/Experimental, non-commercial integration in free / open source versions Inputs can used for Buttons or Automation inputs. Outputs can be used as on/off lights or relay outputs. |
| 2 analog inputs | MCP3002 | DIY/Experimental, non-commercial integration in free / open source versions Inputs can used as sensors. Sensor type, scaling, offset and poll interval are configurable. The 2 inputs can also be used together for a differential signal. |
| 8 analog inputs | MCP3008 | DIY/Experimental, non-commercial integration in free / open source versions Inputs can used as sensors. Sensor type, scaling, offset and poll interval are configurable. Inputs can also be used in pairs for differential signals. |
| General Purpose I/O (Linux) | ||
| digital output | output | DIY/Experimental, non-commercial integration in free / open source versions Output can be used as on/off light or relay output. |
| DMX512 via OLA | ||
| multi-channel DMX512 for RGB, RGBW or RGBWA lamps | DMX512 color dimmer | DIY/Experimental, non-commercial integration in free / open source versions RGB, RGBW or RGBWA devices can be configured as a single full color light and appear as a single device with color controls in the dSS |
| single channel DMX512 dimmer | DMX512 dimmer | DIY/Experimental, non-commercial integration in free / open source versions |
- full / partial Digital Strom dSS level integration
- full / partial integration via task specific dSS apps
- full / partial low level integration, but device features accessible for app development only at this time
- Supported as beta version
- Available in Special/Custom P44-xx device versions (please enquire), as well as in P44-xx-X images (free, DIY)
- DIY/Experimental, non-commercial integration in free / open source versions
- Integration planned for a future firmware release
Open Source - the basis of P44-DSB-X
P44-DSB-X's Digital Strom functionality is implemented in plan44.ch's "vdcd" virtual device connector daemon open source project. If you are experienced with building Linux software, you can compile your own versions of vdcd in a OpenWrt build environment.
The vdcd project on github contains documentation describing how to build and run vdcd on Linux
"Digital Strom" is a registered trademark of Digital Strom AG, Schlieren, Schweiz, see digitalstrom.com