Search Results for: openslug

Found 6 search results for openslug (this is page 1 of 1).

More Openslug Projects

I’ve added gphoto2 to my Linksys NSLU2 (a.k.a. “the Slug”) running Openslug. I’ve also used gphoto2 to control my Nikon D50 camera. Thus, I have a networked digital camera which I can manipulate from anywhere on the network. The one thing I can’t do is adjust the zoom on my D50 (or pan or tilt for that matter), but nearly everything else can be controlled remotely.

So . . . my idea of building a Linux-powered balloon is one step closer to reality. I’m not about to hang my $600 camera off a balloon that hasn’t been thoroughly tested, of course, but I now have a few key pieces with which I can take aerial photos.

I also added a USB 2.0 hub to the mix, allowing for other periphials to be tacked on. This is where I’ll add my USB GPS for location and altitude info. I am also considering a USB barometer which will provide even more accurate altitude information. I also need something to transmit telemetry: perhaps a packet-radio link hooked to a small amateur-radio HT. I could add a self-contained APRS unit to the payload but I’d really like to have the Slug be able to feed the telemetry.

Eventually I’d like to explore means of making the balloon neutrally-buoyant. That way I could hold an altitude and have more control. That would be good for photographing the landscape or cities.

Perhaps I’ll start a wiki on this and let others contribute. Anyone interested?

Success Using Cups With Openslug

Warning: multiple buzzwords ahead! I don’t call this category X-Geek for nothing! 🙂

I finally got my NSLU2 running CUPS with Openslug!

I had to install the CUPS packages from the Unslung distribution. Then the battle was the SSL-fu needed to generate a certificate, since CUPS likes to use HTTPS connections for doing admin stuff.

The final hurdle, which just was overcome this morning, was adding a USB printer kernel module. I downloaded the Openslug sources last night and compiled the kernel module. Adding it this morning to my NSLU2 was all CUPS needed to see the printer.

The very, very last hurdle (actually) was adding the printer’s PPD file, so CUPS knew how to print to it. I dug that out of the printer’s install CD and installed it with little effort.

I’ve now turned my $80 Linksys NSLU2 network-attached-storage (NAS) device into not just an NAS but also a USB print server. Plus I learned a little about embedded Linux in the process, which is the best part of all. I’ve discovered you really can have a full-featured Linux server for less than 100 bucks.

Now to decide how else I can add to its usefullness. I’ve heard of an iTunes-compatible server running on the NSLU2, so maybe I need to explore that next.

Neuros Recorder-2: a pocket-sized digital VCR!

I wanted to get set up where I could easily record and digitize video, so I purchased a Neuros Recorder-2 this week from Buy.com. The Recorder-2 is a tiny MPEG-4 recorder which records video straight to a CompactFlash (CF) card. Its the size of a deck of cards and it is awesome.

Its designed to snarf video from any composite video source. This means it has no TV tuner in itself. However, hook it up to your VCR, satellite TV receiver, or video camera and it will compress anything its fed to an MPEG4 file silently and professionally. You can choose resolutions from 176×144 at 15 frames per second (fps) to above-VHS-quality 640×480 at 30fps. It records sound in 128Kbps mp3 stereo, too.
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MPD – Music Player Daemon

I’ve been under a rock (and roll – hah!), but I just found out about MPD, otherwise known as the music player daemon. I’ve had my music server parked by my stereo for years and have been logging into the command line to play music. MPD makes this unnecessary.
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New Year’s Day Projects

I spent a good portion of the holiday break catching up on house projects. First the Christmas tree and all decorations were packed up and placed back into the attic. Then more mulch was added to the side flowerbed. I turned my attention to the hole dug under the air conditioner by the varmit who visited us earlier, getting it patched up better than new. While there was a break in the rain, I realigned a downspout so it drains onto the driveway rather than the yard. This should help the new grass take better hold in that spot.

I also changed out the kitchen light fixture, something that had been bothering us for months. I also hung the flourescent shop light in the garage, providing much light there. I plugged various holes in the cabinets and other dark places with steel wool to seal out the mice. I cleaned under the fireplace and wiped all the soot off the fireplace glass. It looks worlds better now.

One thing I started but didn’t finish is putting another shelf over our washer and dryer. Hammering and drilling isn’t compatible with napping children so it will wait for another day. Part of that involves moving the existing shelf lower to make even more use of space.

On the geek side, I reflashed Linux onto my Linksys NSLU2 device and got it using the 1GB flash drive I added to it. I put Openslug on it since I didn’t need a web interface for it anymore. Instead I got a barely-usable Linux distro with no support for simple things like USB printers. It took a few hours just to get CUPS installed and working with HTTPS. When I found there was no USB printer support in the kernel (or modules) I threw in the towel. I’m not looking forward to having to recompile (and cross-compile, too) the Openslug kernel simply to get printer support, but it looks like that’s what I have to do. Linux on the NSLU2 isn’t just cutting edge, it’s bleeding cutting edge, only suitable for geek sadomasochists.

I’m sure I’m forgetting something in my list of projects but that’ll do for now.