Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Download your FREE copy of 'Raspberry Pi Media Center', by Packtpub

Turn your Raspberry Pi into a full-blown media center using Raspbmc! This guide has all the plain language instructions you need to control your TV with a smartphone and create your own media library; no special skills required. Take the time to download this 100 page guide for free and discover something new to turn your Pi into over a weekend!

~ Download your free eBook right here


Monday, June 12, 2017

What’s New in Google’s IoT Platform/Android Things? at Google I/O '17

What’s New in Google’s IoT Platform? Ubiquitous Computing at Google (Google I/O '17)
Google has a wide range of platforms and tools to support the Internet of Things and to bring about the vision of ubiquitous computing so users can interact with services wherever and whenever it makes sense for them. Come to this talk to learn about all of these initiatives at Google, including the Google Assistant, Android Things, Google Cloud, Android TV, Android Wear, and Android Auto. Learn more about how they all fit together as part of an ecosystem, which one is most appropriate for different types of developers and applications, and which talks you should be attending at Google I/O.

Developing for Android Things Using Android Studio (Google I/O '17)
Using Android Studio to develop apps for embedded devices is one of the strengths of the Android Things platform. In this session, demonstrate how easy it is to use Android Studio to quickly get started developing a new IoT project. You will learn how to build an app that interacts with low-level peripherals, deploy it to a developer board, and use the debugger to trace hardware-related issues.

Bringing Device Production to Everyone With Android Things (Google I/O '17)
Android Things is focused on enabling anyone to build professional, mass-market products on a trusted platform. In this session, you will learn about the steps and tools needed to go from your developer kit prototype to fabricating custom boards for your own product. Explore the costs and timelines involved in producing your designs in small and large quantities, and compare the benefits of working with vendors versus managing the process in-house.

From Prototype to Production Devices with Android Things (Google I/O '17)
Android Things is focused on enabling anyone to build professional, mass-market products on a trusted platform. In this session, you will learn about the steps and tools needed to go from your developer kit prototype to fabricating custom boards for your own product. We will explore the costs and timelines involved in producing your designs in small and large quantities, and compare the benefits of working with vendors versus managing the process in-house.

Thursday, June 8, 2017

Mount Raspberry Pi Camera Module to telescope (with sample video of the Moon)

This video show how to connect Raspberry Pi NoIR Camera Module V2 to telescope, with sample video of the Moon at the end of the video.


Parts:
- Raspberry Pi Camera Module (NoIR V2 shown in the video), with original lens removed.
Caution, removing the lens will void your warranty of the camera module.

- CCTV M12 (or S-mount) housing.
Plastic type, have to cut a little bit as shown:


Normally, the center-to-center distance of the mounting holes is 20mm or 22mm, it cannot be installed on Raspberry Pi Camera Module directly. I mount it with one screw on one hole, and fix it with cable tie on the another hole.

- M12 adapter for telescope.
May be it's the most difficult find parts. It have to mach with your telescope.

- Telescope
It's a 10+ years old small telescope (Bosma D = 90mm / f = 1200mm f/13.3)










Related:
Saturn@Raspberry Pi NoIR Camera V2/Nikkor AF 300mm f4
The Moon and Saturn@RPi NoIR Camera V2/Nikkor AF 300mm f4 - 2017-06-08


Wednesday, June 7, 2017

The Moon and Saturn@RPi NoIR Camera V2/Nikkor AF 300mm f4 - 2017-06-08

Videos of The Moon and Saturn, by Raspberry Pi NoIR Camera V2 with Nikkor AF 300mm f4, at 2017-06-08.




For the setup, refer to the post "Saturn@Raspberry Pi NoIR Camera V2/Nikkor AF 300mm f4".

reminder:
Saturn is approaching opposite the Sun, at 15 Jun 2017.

This optimal positioning occurs when Saturn is almost directly opposite the Sun in the sky. Since the Sun reaches its greatest distance below the horizon at midnight, the point opposite to it is highest in the sky at the same time.

At around the same time that Saturn passes opposition, it also makes its closest approach to the Earth – termed its perigee – making it appear at its brightest and largest.

in-the-sky.org - Saturn at opposition


Related:
Mount Raspberry Pi Camera Module to telescope (with sample video of the Moon)

Saturday, June 3, 2017

Python to get ssid and IP address

Python example to get the ssid of connected network, and my IP address. Work on both Python 2 and 3.

pyWireless.py
import os

#'\' is used to splite pythone line
ipaddress = os.popen("ifconfig wlan0 \
                     | grep 'inet addr' \
                     | awk -F: '{print $2}' \
                     | awk '{print $1}'").read()
ssid = os.popen("iwconfig wlan0 \
                | grep 'ESSID' \
                | awk '{print $4}' \
                | awk -F\\\" '{print $2}'").read()

print("ssid: " + ssid)
print("ipaddress: " + ipaddress)



remark:
The ssid should have no space, otherwise the parts after space will be missed.

Tested on Raspberry Pi 2 with WiFi dongle.