well ... I could survive with point to multipoint network ( master + many slaves ) but I like mesh better ...
the cheapest zigbee module I can get here is XB24-AWI and it is 24$ .. that's not in any way cheap (as zigbee is advertised to be) ...
the MRF24J40-I/ML is 3.4 - 2.6$ (depending on the amount) wich is "cheap" but I'm not sure what I need "on top", seams that that is only transciever so, I need the whole zigbee stack ... is there a free zigbee stack implementation for PIC or MSP430? I need to check the part about the antenna too, I'm not verse in pcb antenna's and I do not do this professionally so I do not need xyzK$ dev tools and zycL$ software to calculate and design and then ship to a professional company to develop boards and attach chips .. I do it in my home using blue press'n'peal foil and HCL+H2O2 solution ... if possible on single side boards ... I drill holes by hand (and I cannot find to purchase darn drill press so I keep breaking drill tips) ...
BT is too expensive to even consider ... 50$ for cheapest BT module is too much, no free BT stack for any uC's that I know how to use ... it is just not worth it...
IR is interesting still, especially for one way communication where "sender" is not power limited ... you can drive "enough" IRED's with "enough" power to make the "line of sight" irrelevant
, decoding is immensly simple, it is very cheap and easy to work with, easy to debug ..
The AN you linked is using the same zigbee transciever MRF24J40 but with microchip stack ... again a AC163027-4 is 40$ - tooooooooooooo much .. and I can do smd but QFN is out of mine area ... It should be "doable" with smd rework (heat gun) but I never tried...
Anyhow ... seams like not many forum visitors have experience with this kind of technology ... or everyone just uses zigbee ..