My next ‘real’ project involves implementing a web interface to control some of the things around swan tron global HQ, the half of the garage I reserved for my lab. I’ve been a huge fan of the Raspberry Pi since the mission was announced. Linux and IO…you have my attention. Add in the $35 price tag and my penchant for destroying hardware…huge fan is correct. Before I start planning my real project, I need to figure out how this differs from the microcontrollers I’ve used in the past to deal with similar implementations. I know the CPU is going to show itself, but not to what extent. Time to start poking around. I decided to horse around and knock out a few birds with one stone…python library, digital out, and basic pin function. Oh, and LEDs. Everyone loves LEDs. Prior to this effort, I have mainly explored the rPi via x. I’ve spent a decent amount of time inspecting the file structure (Debian, no surprises) and the xwin UI. It is no speed demon, but it does the trick. I have the wireless adapter configured and set to auto-start, which was most of the battle. It basically performs as advertised, which on paper is very awesome for the price. My general setup for this was very simple. I bought a cobbler set from Adafruit, which acts simply to pull the IO pins out to a breadboard. Two LEDs, two resisters. A few jumpers. Very simple. I booted the device, and used aptitude to update and snag the rPi GPIO library. sudo apt-get update****sudo apt-get install python-rpi.gpioThat does the heavy lifting with the python implementation…sample code is available on the main python site. The update was I used vim to create a dirty python script…unworthy of a repository, but worth a pic: The digital outs worked as anticipated. Timing was a bit odd…I ended up playing around a bit with some pauses in order to tune the blinks as I wanted. It looks like coordinating pin outs might be tricky for more complex operations, but at least the library and hardware is up and running. Don’t take my word for it: The next steps will be interesting. Figuring out how to ssh into the box in order to run a script of this magnitude will be next, followed by profiling the voltage on the pinout. It should be able to throw my 5v relay with a little tweaking…if not I’ll figure out PWM and tackle the switching mechanically. Fun stuff to come…happy to be playing with the rPi finally. Stay tuned.

This whole thing began innocently. D-Rock had picked up an Arnova 9 G3 tablet, and wasn’t satisfied with a few things. I wasn’t satisfied that he bought an off-brand tablet, at a truck stop, for 300% its value without asking me for advice, but that is a different story. Maybe truck stop tablets are mostly great…I don’t know. I suspect most are like the Arnova 9G3: shit.

So, the main two gripes were:

1. No Google Play
2. Screen finicky at best

I figured I could have both knocked out with three steps:

1. Update firmware
2. Get root
3. Push Google* apps over ADB

Things got complicated by the fact that Arnova’s support site doesn’t include firmware for this device. I’m guessing that is intentional, as the factory method of deploying firmware updates involves placing an updated image on the root of an SD card and updating via recovery. That would be nice, but the Arnova 9 G3 has a bug wherein entering recovery mode spawns a black screen. That’s it…a blank screen. My Linux machine wasn’t seeing the tablet as a USB device while in ‘recovery’ mode anyhow, so I couldn’t mount and do a dd command. Sort of shit out of luck for my normal way of doing this. The next resort was to blow the cobwebs off Katie’s old XP laptop and install some software to flash new firmware via Windows software. Not my wheelhouse. I located a custom firmware allegedly compatible with the device, installed some drivers, and started flashing via the Rockchip Batch Tool. Midway through the flash process, the firmware push encountered a driver error. The result was the device being stuck in the killer ‘recovery mode’ screen…aka just a blank, bricked $350 paperweight. Since the firmware was in a borked state, the reset and power buttons were useless. My last thought was to attempt to create a short in order to get the device to reset, and in turn for the XP box to recognize the device with a new set of drivers. Here’s to that… I managed to locate contact points that did the trick…a small click and the device showed up as new hardware. I manually selected the drivers I tracked down, and bingo Up and at ’em. The flash worked this time around. Worthy of mention, it worked with a nearly dead battery. I was lucky not to brick the thing again…not having a recovery screen makes stuff like that tough to gauge. The screen seems to work a lot better with the new firmware and without the bloatware. One for two. Also, two for two Let it go on record that this is the last time I intend to work on an Arnova device. Luckily, the camera was functional, allowing me to leave Derek some custom wallpaper: *REDACTED* Stop buying electronics at truck stops, D-Rock. Just don’t.

My trusty old Aoyue digital soldering device has seen better days… I’m putting together a wine cork decoration for Katie. It turns out that a Dremel with a cutting head is the easiest way to bisect corks. It also turns out that cutting seventy corks makes a ton of cork-dust. Corks. This stuff is everywhere…my soldering area is hardest hit. I’m not sure whether the more appropriate clean-up tool is my shop vac or leaf blower. Who am I kidding…definitely going leaf blower.

Introducing the 2012 Sandwich of the Year: triple decker bacon w/ cheese 50% more delicious than 2011 champ, bacon w/ cheese. Still busy, still no RazPi progress. Been working on a side site in the spare time…more on that to follow. Happy holidays.

Time to blow the figurative cobwebs off my figurative Python skill set… Adafruit RasPi kit has arrived…the cobbler kit is the final piece I’ve been waiting for. I have a USB hub and my wifi configured…time to cut code.

First impression: the software update phase takes way_too_long at 17 down My guess is that hundreds of thousands of pimpled tweens are likely prepping their systems, in preparation for handing me my ass in Black Ops 2. Should be good times.

Busy at work upgrading the RightNow site. Busy at home chasing our mobile baby. Not too busy to throw a thumb up…

New blog content will follow shortly. I have a RaspberryPi Cobbler kit and case on order from AdaFruit, and a Wii U reserved at GameStop. Automated garage door opener is in the planning phase for the former, and Mass Effect 3 sitting in wait for the later. Stay tuned.

Maybe the most pleasingly unexpected aspect of the Samsung Galaxy S3 is it’s e-reader usefulness. I have a tablet collecting dust…the size / resolution of the S3 screen knocks it out of the park. The iPhone 5 is a pretty nice piece of hardware, but that screen is a joke compared to the Galaxy. Take a look at the phone if you have not…best piece on the market hands down. Even more pleasing than the e-reader function is the fact that I am done e-reading this boring piece of shit… Scratch that off the old to-do list. Stab five at this thing was finally a success, with the four previous (print form) attempts failing after a short bit. I finally ‘get’ the book, but really think the thing is overrated. Whatever…on to something new. Go Samsung.

The Bozeman Oracle branch doesn’t have desktop support. As luck has it, I am a talented enough sleuth to troubleshoot Windows issues. Me: “I have a virus that has infected a library used by IE. McAfee isn’t picking it up, and I can’t find any remedies online.” Me: “Did you try rebooting?” Me: “Yes. Several times.” Me: “From the Control Panel, you can disable Windows features. Disable IE and use an alternate browser.” Me: “The product I develop requires IE for installations.” Me: “Curious. Re-image your machine.” See…no need for the middle man. I haven’t horsed around with a Windows install for ages…getting a nice sense of nostalgia.

Cool brobot, bro… Brobot thought the couch was ubersketch… Broski totally already snarfed my small niece’s small sock and some wrapping paper from under the guest bed. Party foul, brobot. Slow your bro-roll.