PCB designs, Ethernet, and PoE

First off, I am working on adding Ethernet to my ESP32S3 designs. I am going for an KSZ8851SNL SPI Ethernet MAC+PHY, mainly because the ESP IDF has a module for this - so it should be a couple of lines of code (LOL).

I am also going for a Silvertel PoE module.

At this stage I have designed, and ordered, a board to allow me to prove the concept. It is somewhat more expensive than I hoped as I am using a large mag-jack, but I should be able to improved that. At this stage I want to prove it works, both Ethernet and PoE. I should have boards late next week.

But this has led me to thinking of a couple of changes to designs of some of my boards.

Faikout Remote

The Faikout is a small board you fit in a Daikin aircon. It works with Home Assistant, and that is how most people use it, but it also has a simple web control page via WiFi.

The Faikout Remote is designed for situations where this hi tech approach is not ideal, e.g. my guest room, and people without HA. It has a display and joystick button to show temperature, settings and allow control of the aircon via the Faikout. It actually connects to the Faikout over BLE, so can be used when no HA, or even without any WiFi.

Is is USB-C powered so easy to put on a wall with a simple USB lead. It has a temperature sensor, so can work as the temperature reference for Faikout auto mode, but can also work with small battery powered BLE temperature sensors if you want the reference elsewhere, e.g. by a bed.

The problem is I have gone overkill on this. The design also has a load of environmental monitoring sensors, including an expensive CO₂ sensor. This makes it unnecessarily expensive. So I plan to simplify things.

New Faikout Remote

The new Faikout Remote will have the display and joystick (though a more robust joystick), and temperature sensor (but also works with BLE sensors), and an IR receiver, but that is all.

The idea is it is cheaper and just works as a Faikout Remote. The IR is because you can use it with a Daikin IR remote (cover the actual IR receiver in the Daikin aircon).

This is now sold on shop.revk.uk with resin case and display. 

Env monitor board

Having removed all the environmental stuff from the Faikout Remote I would make a new Environment board. It would handle a display, but obviously this is optional as many cases do not need a display. It would include the sensors that were in the Faikout Remote...

• CO₂
• Humidity
• Temperature
• Pressure
• Noise
• Light (including colour)

The temperature uses a built in SHT40 temperature sensor (on thin long track with no ground plane, for some thermal isolation), temperature from SCD41, and from GZP6816D, but also WAGO for DS18B20, and, of course BLE sensors. The DS18B20 are commonly available as a probe on a lead, and one or more can be connected. This is ideal for things like data centre use, for front and back of rack, or home usage for inside and outside temperatures.

I have also made it so the display can be fitted to board, or use the supplied lead and plugged in to board.

It would not have the joystick nor IR receiver.

Connectivity and power

This is where it gets more fun - the plan is Ethernet, so it can work on WiFi or Ethernet, and PoE so it can work on PoE or USB-C or DC 5V-28V. The PoE would be a module (solder in), so optional.

• Home use would typically be USB-C and WiFi
• Office use (and well cabled home use) would typically be PoE
• Data centre use would typically be Ethernet and USB-C, as data centres usually do not have WiFi nor PoE.

This should make it a very flexible environmental monitor, which is increasingly important for things like workplace monitoring for health and safety, as well as home monitoring.

This would be sold on shop.revk.uk with options for PoE, Display, and DS18B20 sensors.

I expect to get started on these soon, but obviously I really need to wait for my proof of concept first - that does not usually stop me :-)

Latest render...

Another rant at Amazon

This site was "RevK's Rants" and someone said that seemed unprofessional and I changed it - I may change it back as the whole idea of this was to be "personal" not "professional", and anyone thinking the MD of an ISP "Ranting" on a "personal blog" is "unprofessional" does not comprehend the difference between "personal" and "professional".

This problem is that some or many of my reason to rant are work related. Indeed my first rants and reason for making the blog, separate from work status pages, was because of dealing with BT as a supplier. So maybe leave the name for now. But somehow I need a way to say "personally this is bullshit" separate from "As MD of an ISP I do not agree with the way this supplier handled this situation".

However, this time is a proper rant at Amazon, yet again, but as a video this time.

Enjoy, and if you are considering dealing with Amazon, then also "beware"...

The Streisand effect

I think we all know the Streisand effect, and to be honest I find it extra amusing that the effect is now named after this initial incident, making it doubly so.

I am kind of hoping that what we have now is another Streisand effect.

It seems Daikin have complained to Amazon that my Faikin boards breach their trademark for the word "DAIKIN". My product does not have DAIKIN on it.

FAIKIN is not DAIKIN, that is pretty simple. So waiting for a dispute to Amazon to be resolved, The call I had was encouraging as the agent from Amazon could not see "DAIKIN" on my product at all.

There is a logic for something close enough to be "confused with" a trademark, but the very "fake" aspect here would avoid that - no way anyone buying a Faikin will mistakenly think they are buying a Daikin product.

My view, not a lawyer, is that "Faikin" is "fake", much like "I can't believe it is not butter" is not "butter", like "Fake Daikin"...

If we do not get anywhere with Amazon, it will be marker pen over "Faikin" on the PCBs, and re-instating listing.

Suggestions welcome for new name "Fake Daikin", "Not Daikin", though I may go for "Daikout" or "Faikout". Yeh, Faikout is my favourite for now.

Update: So in essence Amazon are judge and jury here. Had we got a letter from Daikin we could have replied, discussed, maybe even compromised on something, ultimately even gone to court (not that we would go that far) - but because Amazon have just accepted their complaint, there is zero we can do. We have tried - we explained DAIKIN is not on the product, but they just say "we need more information" without saying what information they want (there is no more information). So it is now "Faikout" (trademark pending).

Update: Latest is they still insist on a letter authorising use, and totally missing the "IT IS NOT A BREACH OF TRADEMARK" aspect. So I did a letter saying: As author and designer of the "Faikin" PCB and software project, I hereby authorise Andrews & Arnold Ltd to produce and sell "Faikin" boards. For the avoidance of any doubt, such boards are to be marked "Faikin", and must not be marked "Daikin" as "Daikin" is a registered trademark. We would not want anyone confusing "Faikin" products for being "Daikin" products, hence the different word "Faikin" being used. Yours sincerely... We'll see if they appreciate the irony or not.

Update: They do say that if we can get the rights holder (Daikin) to send Amazon a retraction, that would sort it - but obviously we have no contact at Daikin, no idea who to contact, and Daikin have ZERO INCENTIVE to retract their claim, so why would they.