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How to FLASH LIGHTS when Email is Received?

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1Time

Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2001
Location
U.S. East Coast
I want external LED lights to flash when an event occurs, for example, when email is received.

Just need to make this happen, any way possible.

Any ideas?
 
well the arduino is not really a plug n play system its more of a open source development board with a commonly used pic microcontroller from atmega.

the main board is > $30 and has plenty of support as well as parts to interface with to get it to do just about anything you want.

check out www.arduino.cc

Im unshure but the email alert light may be able to be made using something as simple as a serial/parallel port but im unaware of how to explain if even possible.

EDIT: seems i type a bit to slow :p
 
Geez....let me take care of that for you.. Anything else sir? hehe! :)

Yes, and I'm asking again because I know how helpful you are.

I'm looking for a solution to buy, not a part, not a project that involves soldering or really anything beyond plug and play functionality.

The Arduino doesn't seem to be that solution. Any other ideas?

Thanks again.

Edit:

Let me qualify that - I don't mind doing some wiring, as I do know how to mod and build computers.
 
Everything I've seen done like this is a hardware mod. Saw somewhere before a guy who modded a laptop or netbook to have blinking LEDs with emails twitter posts or facebook things, stuff like that. It was all hardware modded though, then had some homemade software for it. Haven't seen stuff like it available before.
 
Everything I've seen done like this is a hardware mod. Saw somewhere before a guy who modded a laptop or netbook to have blinking LEDs with emails twitter posts or facebook things, stuff like that. It was all hardware modded though, then had some homemade software for it. Haven't seen stuff like it available before.

Yeah, I really don't think there's enough of a demand for this kind of thing on desktop computers for there to be a commercial product available.
 
Yeah, I really don't think there's enough of a demand for this kind of thing on desktop computers for there to be a commercial product available.

This is exactly the type of thing that if someone sold it as a Plug and Play on eBay, people would buy it.

Edit:

But until then, I don't mind hacking something together IF it's not too involved.
 
Man, you're really not into doing any work for yourself are you? Two obvious clicks away from the engadget article he linked above, you will find this: http://www.justblair.co.uk/the-attiny45-usb-led-e-mail-twitter-and-pidgin-notifier.html

Oh no, I'm a clicking, searching, and reading away as fast as I can. Some times I get there first and some times others beat me to it. And that's why I ask.

Unfortunately, it appears that DIY project goes well beyond my simple wiring skills.

---

Nice try everyone. Really appreciate the effort by one and all.
 
Oh no, I'm a clicking, searching, and reading away as fast as I can. Some times I get there first and some times others beat me to it. And that's why I ask.

Unfortunately, it appears that DIY project goes well beyond my simple wiring skills.

---

Nice try everyone. Really appreciate the effort by one and all.

Fair enough. Sorry if I snapped at you hah - 12th hour on the job has me a bit on edge.
 
If the wiring is the scary part then a arduino may still work for you, all you would need is a basic main board and something like a Ethernet-shield with a simple 2 wire led or use the one on pin 13 thats built into the board. Its really sort of a plug - program - play deal. The only real wires involved are with things your interfacing with like buttons, lights, lcd, w/e. but alot of the best stuff can be found on a simple pop on shield. The little chip used on the laptop was a baby version of the atmega on the arduino.

They are really cool little boards for getting started with any sort of real electronics projects, Its pretty fun being able to hack all sorts of lil gadgets around the house.

Check out sparkfun.com and look for arduino duemilanove and ethernet shield.

Edit: I just read it over and I feel like a salesman or something, just speaking from how much I like mine.
 
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