Hi all,
i’m running 2.3.10 on a T-Beam on 868 MHz.
Using the external notifications module, i added a blinking LED which notifies me for incoming messages. Works very well!
Now i wanted to add a buzzer and ordered that one: https://aliexpress.com/item/1005006181524488.html
I just removed it from the board and connected “-” to GND and “+” to GPIO-13. This was entered in the config of course:
meshtastic --get external_notification
Connected to radio
external_notification:
enabled: true
output_ms: 500
output: 15
output_buzzer: 13
active: true
alert_message: true
alert_message_buzzer: true
alert_bell: true
alert_bell_buzzer: true
use_pwm: true
nag_timeout: 6
The PWM is enabled, so i expected to hear some kind of predefined sound. However i just hear a click when the LED starts to shine and when it stops shining, as if there is just a DC voltage applied to a speaker. I then took a FET and connected the buzzer to the 4.2 V battery voltage level (“+” of the buzzer to 4.2V, Gate to the GPIO, “-” of the buzzer to Drain and GND connected to Source). The click was a bit louder then but nothing more.
So, does that function work at all at the current state? Can someone confirm this?
PS: I just tried playing music on the buzzer, which works. So that things is nothing else than a single headphone without a cable. And it is not much louder, if louder at all.
So is that the right device at all?
There are these piezo buzzers which are loud and they only need a DC voltage. But the sound is terrible (2…4 kHz) and using a pwm to drive them would not make sense…
I can confirm that the buzzer module does work, I’m using it with RAK hardware, and would be happy to share my configuration when I’m home. But yes it works!
Yes, Thank you. That would be vert helpful. Rak 19007 slot # as well. All I have gotten from the RAK buzzer is a faint click click. I have mine in slot C.
Thanks Max Headroom, I used to love that mo mo mo movie. I wanted to know what worked for you. Mine is in slot C and all I get is a barely audible click when a message or alert comes in.
The docs say “There is currently a known conflict with buzzer if the module is placed in Slot D, although other slots should work.”
But if it’s too much trouble I’ll figure it out sooner or later.
Thanks! Now it works, here on a T-beam. I kept the settings in external notifications as shown above and did, in addition, set the same gpio pin (13) in device.buzzer_gpio.
I missed that information in External Notification Module Configuration | Meshtastic
For a test i took an in-ear headphone and connected it to the gpio. It nearly blew my ears off, despite i put the headphone just softly close to my ears
What a crazy sound. I have to show this to other meshtastic friends on the next personal meeting. They will be envious for a while
Ah yes, slot C then (I remembered something about D)! If you’re hearing the click, that’s it! It’s not loud at all, but does work. You should now be able to go in and start playing with rtttl sentences! Once you add some custom tones, it does get a little more loud, depending on hertz. It’s still a really small buzzer, and really quiet.
Though, it’s been loud enough to provide a bit of audible feedback when getting a message, and such, unless you’re in a noisy environment. In the car, or out hiking I’ve been able to hear it just fine, or at least enough to check if I actually heard it! lol
I think there might be some room to get more volume out of the Wisblock Buzzer on the software side. Definitely keen to have a play around with it at some point.
It perfectly fits besides the ground pin of the battery holder. Directly soldered the “-” pin to GND there, and “+” goes to GPIO 13 with a short wire.
All fixed with hot glue, which is the perfect solution here, rather than these bombastic 3D-printer cases which at least double the volume of the overall device, in my opinion.
The audio level is absolutely satisfying when driven by the GPIO pin directly. There is no need for a FET, running the buzzer from the 4.2 V rail. Obviously the solid mechanical mounting helps to propagate the sound better.
