Anthony B. drove down to the museum from Westchester County NY yesterday. We spent all day installing the TVs and wire conduit to hide the cords because we weren't about to dig into the walls. It turned out great! Anthony had the idea to paint the tops of the mounting hardware white so it blends into the ceiling color. Here are some pictures. The TVs are lightweight so the hardware just screws into studs, no lag bolts needed: www.vcfed.org/evan/before.jpg Before and after painting the posts: www.vcfed.org/evan/after.jpg and www.vcfed.org/evan/drill.jpg Anthony tried escaping into the attic, but I caught him: www.vcfed.org/evan/attic.jpg The results: www.vcfed.org/evan/room.jpg and www.vcfed.org/evan/hall.jpg Next project: content!
On Sun, Oct 23, 2016 at 3:11 PM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Anthony B. drove down to the museum from Westchester County NY yesterday. We spent all day installing the TVs and wire conduit to hide the cords because we weren't about to dig into the walls.
It turned out great! Anthony had the idea to paint the tops of the mounting hardware white so it blends into the ceiling color.
Here are some pictures.
The TVs are lightweight so the hardware just screws into studs, no lag bolts needed: www.vcfed.org/evan/before.jpg
Before and after painting the posts: www.vcfed.org/evan/after.jpg and www.vcfed.org/evan/drill.jpg
Anthony tried escaping into the attic, but I caught him: www.vcfed.org/evan/attic.jpg
The results: www.vcfed.org/evan/room.jpg and www.vcfed.org/evan/hall.jpg
Next project: content!
looks good.
Kudos on the fine work! On Sunday, October 23, 2016, william degnan via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
On Sun, Oct 23, 2016 at 3:11 PM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org <javascript:;>> wrote:
Anthony B. drove down to the museum from Westchester County NY yesterday. We spent all day installing the TVs and wire conduit to hide the cords because we weren't about to dig into the walls.
It turned out great! Anthony had the idea to paint the tops of the mounting hardware white so it blends into the ceiling color.
Here are some pictures.
The TVs are lightweight so the hardware just screws into studs, no lag bolts needed: www.vcfed.org/evan/before.jpg
Before and after painting the posts: www.vcfed.org/evan/after.jpg and www.vcfed.org/evan/drill.jpg
Anthony tried escaping into the attic, but I caught him: www.vcfed.org/evan/attic.jpg
The results: www.vcfed.org/evan/room.jpg and www.vcfed.org/evan/hall.jpg
Next project: content!
looks good.
I made a mistake with the links.
< The TVs are lightweight so the hardware just screws into studs, no lag bolts needed: www.vcfed.org/evan/before.jpg
That was supposed to be www.vcfed.org/evan/drill.jpg.
Before and after painting the posts: www.vcfed.org/evan/after.jpg and www.vcfed.org/evan/drill.jpg
These two were supposed to be www.vcfed.org/evan/before.jpg and www.vcfed.org/evan/after.jpg. Sorry for the confusion.
Hi Evan! This is fantastic! Great job! I know content is the next item you're going to work on, but how will the content be directed to the TVs? Do you plan to have the same content on both TVs simultaneously or some kind of a slideshow that would loop? The reason I ask is that I've played around with devices that convert HDMI cables to Ethernet for long distances (100+ ft) since HDMI has signal degradation at that length. Monoprice sells them http://www.monoprice.com/mobile/product/details/6532?gclid=CjwKEAjwv7HABRCSx... I'd be happy to help any way I can. Chris On Oct 23, 2016 3:26 PM, "Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic" < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Anthony B. drove down to the museum from Westchester County NY yesterday. We spent all day installing the TVs and wire conduit to hide the cords because we weren't about to dig into the walls.
It turned out great! Anthony had the idea to paint the tops of the mounting hardware white so it blends into the ceiling color.
Here are some pictures.
The TVs are lightweight so the hardware just screws into studs, no lag bolts needed: www.vcfed.org/evan/before.jpg
Before and after painting the posts: www.vcfed.org/evan/after.jpg and www.vcfed.org/evan/drill.jpg
Anthony tried escaping into the attic, but I caught him: www.vcfed.org/evan/attic.jpg
The results: www.vcfed.org/evan/room.jpg and www.vcfed.org/evan/hall.jpg
Next project: content!
On Oct 23, 2016, at 7:34 PM, Christopher Gioconda via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Hi Evan!
This is fantastic! Great job!
I know content is the next item you're going to work on, but how will the content be directed to the TVs? Do you plan to have the same content on both TVs simultaneously or some kind of a slideshow that would loop?
The reason I ask is that I've played around with devices that convert HDMI cables to Ethernet for long distances (100+ ft) since HDMI has signal degradation at that length. Monoprice sells them http://www.monoprice.com/mobile/product/details/6532?gclid=CjwKEAjwv7HABRCSx...
I'd be happy to help any way I can.
Chris
On Oct 23, 2016 3:26 PM, "Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic" < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Anthony B. drove down to the museum from Westchester County NY yesterday. We spent all day installing the TVs and wire conduit to hide the cords because we weren't about to dig into the walls.
It turned out great! Anthony had the idea to paint the tops of the mounting hardware white so it blends into the ceiling color.
Here are some pictures.
The TVs are lightweight so the hardware just screws into studs, no lag bolts needed: www.vcfed.org/evan/before.jpg
Before and after painting the posts: www.vcfed.org/evan/after.jpg and www.vcfed.org/evan/drill.jpg
Anthony tried escaping into the attic, but I caught him: www.vcfed.org/evan/attic.jpg
The results: www.vcfed.org/evan/room.jpg and www.vcfed.org/evan/hall.jpg
Next project: content!
I believe the TVs are multimedia TVs. You can just put a USB stick in them with a slideshow or MP4. Cheers, Corey
I believe the TVs are multimedia TVs. You can just put a USB stick in them with a slideshow or MP4.
Errr.... you missed something. :) USB is the easy / quick way to get started, and thats what I will do right away, but there may be benefits to controlling the TVs from a computer. For example we wouldn't have to climb up there every time we want to change the content.
On Sun, Oct 23, 2016 at 8:28 PM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
I believe the TVs are multimedia TVs. You can just put a USB stick in them with a slideshow or MP4.
Errr.... you missed something. :) USB is the easy / quick way to get started, and thats what I will do right away, but there may be benefits to controlling the TVs from a computer. For example we wouldn't have to climb up there every time we want to change the content.
re: media content this is the perfect opportunity to enlist some IX members who dabble with the RPi. I'm sure some member there or even here can create a media platform to hold and display your content This platform has many practical uses for media. There are some media players already available for the RPi, just load your content Adding GPIO control for sensory activation is only a matter of adding a python [or other] program to trigger on the signal And it's well with in budget Dan
Good thought. I've dabbled with Xibo (open spice digital signage) If I can get the pi's USB port to appear as a mass storage device to the tv, Xibo could serve to it. Dean On Monday, October 24, 2016, Dan Roganti via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
On Sun, Oct 23, 2016 at 8:28 PM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org <javascript:;>> wrote:
I believe the TVs are multimedia TVs. You can just put a USB stick in them with a slideshow or MP4.
Errr.... you missed something. :) USB is the easy / quick way to get started, and thats what I will do right away, but there may be benefits to controlling the TVs from a computer. For example we wouldn't have to climb up there every time we want to change the content.
re: media content this is the perfect opportunity to enlist some IX members who dabble with the RPi. I'm sure some member there or even here can create a media platform to hold and display your content This platform has many practical uses for media. There are some media players already available for the RPi, just load your content Adding GPIO control for sensory activation is only a matter of adding a python [or other] program to trigger on the signal And it's well with in budget Dan
Hi Dean, Wouldn't it just be easier to use the HDMI port on the RPi? Then, you can use any format for the content supported by Linux. Chris On Oct 24, 2016 7:36 AM, "Dean Notarnicola via vcf-midatlantic" < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Good thought. I've dabbled with Xibo (open spice digital signage) If I can get the pi's USB port to appear as a mass storage device to the tv, Xibo could serve to it.
Dean
On Monday, October 24, 2016, Dan Roganti via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
On Sun, Oct 23, 2016 at 8:28 PM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org <javascript:;>> wrote:
I believe the TVs are multimedia TVs. You can just put a USB stick in them with a slideshow or MP4.
Errr.... you missed something. :) USB is the easy / quick way to get started, and thats what I will do right away, but there may be benefits to controlling the TVs from a computer. For example we wouldn't have to climb up there every time we want to change the content.
re: media content this is the perfect opportunity to enlist some IX members who dabble with the RPi. I'm sure some member there or even here can create a media platform to hold and display your content This platform has many practical uses for media. There are some media players already available for the RPi, just load your content Adding GPIO control for sensory activation is only a matter of adding a python [or other] program to trigger on the signal And it's well with in budget Dan
On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 8:06 AM, Christopher Gioconda via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Hi Dean,
Wouldn't it just be easier to use the HDMI port on the RPi? Then, you can use any format for the content supported by Linux.
Chris
On Oct 24, 2016 7:36 AM, "Dean Notarnicola via vcf-midatlantic" < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Good thought. I've dabbled with Xibo (open spice digital signage) If I can get the pi's USB port to appear as a mass storage device to the tv, Xibo could serve to it.
Dean
On Monday, October 24, 2016, Dan Roganti via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
re: media content this is the perfect opportunity to enlist some IX members who dabble with the RPi. I'm sure some member there or even here can create a media platform to hold and display your content This platform has many practical uses for media. There are some media players already available for the RPi, just load your content Adding GPIO control for sensory activation is only a matter of adding a python [or other] program to trigger on the signal And it's well with in budget Dan
that was my original point Plus the RPi is small enough to attach to the back of the TV using a case and double sided tape Saving you an unnecessary long hdmi cable, or usb cable I would think there's an extra outlet in the attic to power this. And you can easily connect a wireless keybd/mouse S o you can change anything or manually operate the media player You could add a WiFi connection too so then you can remotely add content Dan
RPi 3 has on-board wifi and Bluetooth. I was saying just now to Dean, "Having tinkered with RPis for years, power regulation becomes an issue, since the USB port on the TV will shut off power when the TV is powered down (unless the TV will always be powered on OR there is a dedicated power outlet for the RPi)." To further clarify, the RPi has to shut down cleanly or you risk corrupting the SD card. Chris On Oct 24, 2016 8:38 AM, "Dan Roganti via vcf-midatlantic" < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 8:06 AM, Christopher Gioconda via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Hi Dean,
Wouldn't it just be easier to use the HDMI port on the RPi? Then, you can use any format for the content supported by Linux.
Chris
On Oct 24, 2016 7:36 AM, "Dean Notarnicola via vcf-midatlantic" < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Good thought. I've dabbled with Xibo (open spice digital signage) If I can get the pi's USB port to appear as a mass storage device to the tv, Xibo could serve to it.
Dean
On Monday, October 24, 2016, Dan Roganti via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
re: media content this is the perfect opportunity to enlist some IX members who dabble with the RPi. I'm sure some member there or even here can create a media platform to hold and display your content This platform has many practical uses for media. There are some media players already available for the RPi, just load your content Adding GPIO control for sensory activation is only a matter of adding a python [or other] program to trigger on the signal And it's well with in budget Dan
that was my original point Plus the RPi is small enough to attach to the back of the TV using a case and double sided tape Saving you an unnecessary long hdmi cable, or usb cable I would think there's an extra outlet in the attic to power this. And you can easily connect a wireless keybd/mouse S o you can change anything or manually operate the media player You could add a WiFi connection too so then you can remotely add content Dan
Absolutely correct. All these considerations underscore the need to make this a "phase two" project. It will definitely need some tinkering and testing to account for all the possible failure modes. Dean On Monday, October 24, 2016, Christopher Gioconda via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
RPi 3 has on-board wifi and Bluetooth.
I was saying just now to Dean, "Having tinkered with RPis for years, power regulation becomes an issue, since the USB port on the TV will shut off power when the TV is powered down (unless the TV will always be powered on OR there is a dedicated power outlet for the RPi)."
To further clarify, the RPi has to shut down cleanly or you risk corrupting the SD card.
Chris
On Oct 24, 2016 8:38 AM, "Dan Roganti via vcf-midatlantic" < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org <javascript:;>> wrote:
On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 8:06 AM, Christopher Gioconda via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org <javascript:;>> wrote:
Hi Dean,
Wouldn't it just be easier to use the HDMI port on the RPi? Then, you can use any format for the content supported by Linux.
Chris
On Oct 24, 2016 7:36 AM, "Dean Notarnicola via vcf-midatlantic" < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org <javascript:;>> wrote:
Good thought. I've dabbled with Xibo (open spice digital signage) If I can get the pi's USB port to appear as a mass storage device to the tv, Xibo could serve to it.
Dean
On Monday, October 24, 2016, Dan Roganti via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org <javascript:;>> wrote:
re: media content this is the perfect opportunity to enlist some IX members who dabble with the RPi. I'm sure some member there or even here can create a media platform to hold and display your content This platform has many practical uses for media. There are some media players already available for the RPi, just load your content Adding GPIO control for sensory activation is only a matter of adding a python [or other] program to trigger on the signal And it's well with in budget Dan
that was my original point Plus the RPi is small enough to attach to the back of the TV using a case and double sided tape Saving you an unnecessary long hdmi cable, or usb cable I would think there's an extra outlet in the attic to power this. And you can easily connect a wireless keybd/mouse S o you can change anything or manually operate the media player You could add a WiFi connection too so then you can remotely add content Dan
My smart TV has WiFi direct. Windows media player will just play direct to the TV.... On 24 Oct 2016 14:41, "Christopher Gioconda via vcf-midatlantic" < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
RPi 3 has on-board wifi and Bluetooth.
I was saying just now to Dean, "Having tinkered with RPis for years, power regulation becomes an issue, since the USB port on the TV will shut off power when the TV is powered down (unless the TV will always be powered on OR there is a dedicated power outlet for the RPi)."
To further clarify, the RPi has to shut down cleanly or you risk corrupting the SD card.
Chris
On Oct 24, 2016 8:38 AM, "Dan Roganti via vcf-midatlantic" < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 8:06 AM, Christopher Gioconda via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Hi Dean,
Wouldn't it just be easier to use the HDMI port on the RPi? Then, you can use any format for the content supported by Linux.
Chris
On Oct 24, 2016 7:36 AM, "Dean Notarnicola via vcf-midatlantic" < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Good thought. I've dabbled with Xibo (open spice digital signage) If I can get the pi's USB port to appear as a mass storage device to the tv, Xibo could serve to it.
Dean
On Monday, October 24, 2016, Dan Roganti via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
re: media content this is the perfect opportunity to enlist some IX members who dabble with the RPi. I'm sure some member there or even here can create a media platform to hold and display your content This platform has many practical uses for media. There are some media players already available for the RPi, just load your content Adding GPIO control for sensory activation is only a matter of adding a python [or other] program to trigger on the signal And it's well with in budget Dan
that was my original point Plus the RPi is small enough to attach to the back of the TV using a case and double sided tape Saving you an unnecessary long hdmi cable, or usb cable I would think there's an extra outlet in the attic to power this. And you can easily connect a wireless keybd/mouse S o you can change anything or manually operate the media player You could add a WiFi connection too so then you can remotely add content Dan
On 10/24/2016 08:38 AM, Dan Roganti via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
that was my original point Plus the RPi is small enough to attach to the back of the TV using a case and double sided tape
There are proper mounts that can be used (but a good tape will work)
Saving you an unnecessary long hdmi cable, or usb cable I would think there's an extra outlet in the attic to power this. And you can easily connect a wireless keybd/mouse So you can change anything or manually operate the media player You could add a WiFi connection too so then you can remotely add content
You can steal USB power from the USB port :-) You can put WiFi on it then you can access the Pi with SSH. Just another option. I wouldn't recommend fighting with the Pi Zero. Just get e Pi 3 and you will find it quite usable. If you turn off, or reconfigure the logging and a few other things you can use NFS or CIFS for the media. I'm doing this with the Atari 8 bit disk drives (the Pi emulates a disk drive). I'll demonstrate that at Festivus. -- Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry ncherry@linuxha.com http://www.linuxha.com/ Main site http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog Author of: Linux Smart Homes For Dummies
After all the comments, here's how I see this working: connect the Pi (or any appropriate microcontroller) to the TV via HDMI so we can get power from the USB port. There aren't outlets in the ceiling/attack and it would save us money on cabling. Then use WiFi or Bluetooth to wirelessly connect the Pi(s) to our network.
On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 11:23 AM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
After all the comments, here's how I see this working: connect the Pi (or any appropriate microcontroller) to the TV via HDMI so we can get power from the USB port. There aren't outlets in the ceiling/attack and it would save us money on cabling. Then use WiFi or Bluetooth to wirelessly connect the Pi(s) to our network.
Then where do you plug in the TV, if there's only a single outlet, couldn't you add a multi outlet adapter, to give you 3 outlets It's not safe to power off without a shutdown on the RPi, if the TV's usb port shuts off, just as with any Linux system. People do it anyway, when they unplug the adapter on the RPi, but they are just lucky till their SD card get scrogged Dan
On 10/24/2016 11:32 AM, Dan Roganti via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 11:23 AM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
After all the comments, here's how I see this working: connect the Pi (or any appropriate microcontroller) to the TV via HDMI so we can get power from the USB port. There aren't outlets in the ceiling/attack and it would save us money on cabling. Then use WiFi or Bluetooth to wirelessly connect the Pi(s) to our network.
Then where do you plug in the TV, if there's only a single outlet, couldn't you add a multi outlet adapter, to give you 3 outlets It's not safe to power off without a shutdown on the RPi, if the TV's usb port shuts off, just as with any Linux system. People do it anyway, when they unplug the adapter on the RPi, but they are just lucky till their SD card get scrogged Dan
Dan it can be done, if we can setup the SD read only, turn off swap and any application that write to the SD (such as syslog). When we need to write the SD (for configuration) we can remount the SD as write. -- Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry ncherry@linuxha.com http://www.linuxha.com/ Main site http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog Author of: Linux Smart Homes For Dummies
There ARE options for power regulation that aren't terribly expensive. This is an issue for automobiles where someone has installed a Linux computer off the cigarette lighter (which is switched on/off by the ignition). Here is one example, I've seen other fancier ones for more money: https://www.pi-supply.com/product/pi-ups-uninterrupted-power-supply-raspberr... Chris On Oct 24, 2016 11:56 AM, "Neil Cherry via vcf-midatlantic" < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
On 10/24/2016 11:32 AM, Dan Roganti via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 11:23 AM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
After all the comments, here's how I see this working: connect the Pi (or
any appropriate microcontroller) to the TV via HDMI so we can get power from the USB port. There aren't outlets in the ceiling/attack and it would save us money on cabling. Then use WiFi or Bluetooth to wirelessly connect the Pi(s) to our network.
Then where do you plug in the TV, if there's only a single outlet, couldn't you add a multi outlet adapter, to give you 3 outlets It's not safe to power off without a shutdown on the RPi, if the TV's usb port shuts off, just as with any Linux system. People do it anyway, when they unplug the adapter on the RPi, but they are just lucky till their SD card get scrogged Dan
Dan it can be done, if we can setup the SD read only, turn off swap and any application that write to the SD (such as syslog). When we need to write the SD (for configuration) we can remount the SD as write.
-- Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry ncherry@linuxha.com http://www.linuxha.com/ Main site http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog Author of: Linux Smart Homes For Dummies
I have noticed PI only seem to corrupt class 10 cards when you shut off the AC. If you shut off the 5v DC like what would happen when the TV is turned off, they seem fine. So rule #1 with the PI, don't power off by turning off the power strip. Cheers, Corey corey cohen uǝɥoɔ ʎǝɹoɔ
On Oct 24, 2016, at 10:51 AM, Neil Cherry via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
On 10/24/2016 11:32 AM, Dan Roganti via vcf-midatlantic wrote: On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 11:23 AM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
After all the comments, here's how I see this working: connect the Pi (or any appropriate microcontroller) to the TV via HDMI so we can get power from the USB port. There aren't outlets in the ceiling/attack and it would save us money on cabling. Then use WiFi or Bluetooth to wirelessly connect the Pi(s) to our network.
Then where do you plug in the TV, if there's only a single outlet, couldn't you add a multi outlet adapter, to give you 3 outlets It's not safe to power off without a shutdown on the RPi, if the TV's usb port shuts off, just as with any Linux system. People do it anyway, when they unplug the adapter on the RPi, but they are just lucky till their SD card get scrogged Dan
Dan it can be done, if we can setup the SD read only, turn off swap and any application that write to the SD (such as syslog). When we need to write the SD (for configuration) we can remount the SD as write.
-- Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry ncherry@linuxha.com http://www.linuxha.com/ Main site http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog Author of: Linux Smart Homes For Dummies
On Oct 24, 2016, at 11:51 AM, Neil Cherry via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
It's not safe to power off without a shutdown on the RPi, if the TV's usb port shuts off, just as with any Linux system. People do it anyway, when they unplug the adapter on the RPi, but they are just lucky till their SD card get scrogged Dan
Dan it can be done, if we can setup the SD read only, turn off swap and any application that write to the SD (such as syslog). When we need to write the SD (for configuration) we can remount the SD as write.
Yes, this is the correct way to do it. I do it all the time for things like routers. It's considerably easier to do on something like OpenBSD than on modern Linux (because most modern Linux distributions like to have a lot of different read/write directories for systemd and the like), but it's still pretty doable with tmpfs overlays and periodic syncs to flash (just use a journaled filesystem and hope you're not syncing when the power goes out). Updating the content is then another matter, but I highly recommend NFS for that purpose (rather than trying to swap out physical media). Connect your signage via Ethernet if you know what's good for you. - Dave
On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 12:41 PM, David Riley via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
On Oct 24, 2016, at 11:51 AM, Neil Cherry via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
It's not safe to power off without a shutdown on the RPi, if the TV's
usb
port shuts off, just as with any Linux system. People do it anyway, when they unplug the adapter on the RPi, but they are just lucky till their SD card get scrogged Dan
Dan it can be done, if we can setup the SD read only, turn off swap and any application that write to the SD (such as syslog). When we need to write the SD (for configuration) we can remount the SD as write.
Yes, this is the correct way to do it. I do it all the time for things like routers. It's considerably easier to do on something like OpenBSD than on modern Linux (because most modern Linux distributions like to have a lot of different read/write directories for systemd and the like), but it's still pretty doable with tmpfs overlays and periodic syncs to flash (just use a journaled filesystem and hope you're not syncing when the power goes out).
Updating the content is then another matter, but I highly recommend NFS for that purpose (rather than trying to swap out physical media). Connect your signage via Ethernet if you know what's good for you.
- Dave
I suppose if it's just a media player, where the video files are only reads. But many of my RPi's use File I/O often enough I also use the battery backup, its cheap, and RPI's use very little power So I have time to use shutdown And I heard the problems aren't strictly on Class 10 cards I see people on the forums with problems on Class 4 and 6 cards And I read not all SD cards have similar wear-leveling which can get corruptted on a power loss. Dan
On Oct 24, 2016, at 12:51 PM, Dan Roganti via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
I suppose if it's just a media player, where the video files are only reads. But many of my RPi's use File I/O often enough
Well, yeah, it obviously depends on your use case. If you're running a database server or something, it would be really dumb (unless you had some other form of storage, like a USB hard drive, attached). But for things that mostly sit still and don't need to write to anything aside from log files (thus tmpfs with periodic syncs to disk), mounting everything read-only is a pretty decent solution. You can even sync the volatile storage (/var, others) to NFS or over rsync if need be (I use rsync to local storage anyway just because it's good about minimizing writes).
I also use the battery backup, its cheap, and RPI's use very little power So I have time to use shutdown
That's definitely a good way to go, at least to have time to dump everything to non-volatile storage before shutting down safely. - Dave
Out of curiosity, do the monitors/Tvs hanging have a vga port on them? Many flat panels do, even to this day. I ask because while not as versatile a solution, I'd love to see the content being driven to the monitors from one of the 80s Classic machines we have. An early PC or Mac (Mac II/iici/iicx type models came out from '87-'89 or their PC equivalent) can easily drive a vga cable (with db15 to vga adapter in the case of an early Mac..... which is cheap and easy to find) up to 15m in length with a decent quality cable and usually without need for a buffer amp. I've done it in the past (waaaaay past!) myself with older CRT monitors back in the day. May be more work than wanted, just thought some vintage tech driving modern tech would be cool considering who we are and where it's being used!! I'd gladly help/donate equipment/software should this be an avenue of interest. Didn't want to make more work but I love seeing the tech of my youth still being useful! Tony Sent from my iPhone
On Oct 24, 2016, at 3:37 PM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Out of curiosity, do the monitors/Tvs hanging have a vga port on them?
Yes, but our plan is to use them only for information to help visitors.
Understood. Just thought it would be cool to display that info from a classic machine. Thanks, the pictures look good, thanks to you and Anthony for doing all that work! Tony
The TVs are plugged into extension cords routed through conduit. I suppose we could put small duplex taps there, but we need to minimize anything bulky in public view. On Oct 24, 2016, Dan Roganti via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 11:23 AM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
After all the comments, here's how I see this working: connect the Pi (or any appropriate microcontroller) to the TV via HDMI so we can get power from the USB port. There aren't outlets in the ceiling/attack and it would save us money on cabling. Then use WiFi or Bluetooth to wirelessly connect the Pi(s) to our network.
Then where do you plug in the TV, if there's only a single outlet, couldn't you add a multi outlet adapter, to give you 3 outlets It's not safe to power off without a shutdown on the RPi, if the TV's usb port shuts off, just as with any Linux system. People do it anyway, when they unplug the adapter on the RPi, but they are just lucky till their SD card get scrogged Dan
On Oct 24, 2016, at 12:54 PM, Systems Glitch via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
The TVs are plugged into extension cords routed through conduit.
Rut roh! Make sure they're listed for permanent/semi-permanent installation. Common gig for safety inspections.
Thanks, Jonathan
I'll second Jonathan's motion. Beyond the fire code issue (extensions cords mounted for a "permanent installed use" will pretty much fail you every time) they are a notorious cause of fires. We should quickly look for a permanent installation of outlets properly wired to plug these into to avoid any hazards. All the buildings and boats we have at one point or another have been checked for just this type of thing by either fire safety (buildings) or USCG (boats) inspectors. Tony
Of course the best solution for power would be mounted outlets added on the ceiling near the TV. Then you have fwo outlets. One for the TV one for the Pi so you don't have to worry about the Pi powering off with the TV. Of course that's a job for an electrician. Not something Evan and I could manage. We did talk about that for future changes. Especially after seeing the TV mounted for security at the deli which had its own outlet on the ceiling. Then the conduit can be used for hdmi or USB cable or whatever. Original Message From: vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org Sent: October 24, 2016 12:24 PM To: vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org Reply-to: vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org Cc: evan@snarc.net Subject: Re: [vcf-midatlantic] TVs installed! The TVs are plugged into extension cords routed through conduit. I suppose we could put small duplex taps there, but we need to minimize anything bulky in public view. On Oct 24, 2016, Dan Roganti via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 11:23 AM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
After all the comments, here's how I see this working: connect the Pi (or any appropriate microcontroller) to the TV via HDMI so we can get power from the USB port. There aren't outlets in the ceiling/attack and it would save us money on cabling. Then use WiFi or Bluetooth to wirelessly connect the Pi(s) to our network.
Then where do you plug in the TV, if there's only a single outlet, couldn't you add a multi outlet adapter, to give you 3 outlets It's not safe to power off without a shutdown on the RPi, if the TV's usb port shuts off, just as with any Linux system. People do it anyway, when they unplug the adapter on the RPi, but they are just lucky till their SD card get scrogged Dan
I know you all hate wireless, but if these have HDMI ports plug in an Amazon Firestick and then use MirrorCast (should work with recent Linux, Windows/10, Android) to send the data stream to the devices. Dave G4UGM
-----Original Message----- From: vcf-midatlantic [mailto:vcf-midatlantic- bounces@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org] On Behalf Of Anthony Becker via vcf-midatlantic Sent: 25 October 2016 17:30 To: vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> Cc: Anthony Becker <commodoreuser@verizon.net> Subject: Re: [vcf-midatlantic] TVs installed!
Of course the best solution for power would be mounted outlets added on the ceiling near the TV. Then you have fwo outlets. One for the TV one for the Pi so you don't have to worry about the Pi powering off with the TV.
Of course that's a job for an electrician. Not something Evan and I could manage. We did talk about that for future changes. Especially after seeing the TV mounted for security at the deli which had its own outlet on the ceiling.
Then the conduit can be used for hdmi or USB cable or whatever.
Original Message From: vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org Sent: October 24, 2016 12:24 PM To: vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org Reply-to: vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org Cc: evan@snarc.net Subject: Re: [vcf-midatlantic] TVs installed!
The TVs are plugged into extension cords routed through conduit. I suppose we could put small duplex taps there, but we need to minimize anything bulky in public view.
On Oct 24, 2016, Dan Roganti via vcf-midatlantic <vcf- midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 11:23 AM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
After all the comments, here's how I see this working: connect the Pi (or any appropriate microcontroller) to the TV via HDMI so we can get power from the USB port. There aren't outlets in the ceiling/attack and it would save us money on cabling. Then use WiFi or Bluetooth to wirelessly connect the Pi(s) to our network.
Then where do you plug in the TV, if there's only a single outlet, couldn't you add a multi outlet adapter, to give you 3 outlets It's not safe to power off without a shutdown on the RPi, if the TV's usb port shuts off, just as with any Linux system. People do it anyway, when they unplug the adapter on the RPi, but they are just lucky till their SD card get scrogged Dan
On Oct 25, 2016, at 12:29 PM, Anthony Becker via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Of course the best solution for power would be mounted outlets added on the ceiling near the TV. Then you have fwo outlets. One for the TV one for the Pi so you don't have to worry about the Pi powering off with the TV.
Of course that's a job for an electrician. Not something Evan and I could manage. We did talk about that for future changes. Especially after seeing the TV mounted for security at the deli which had its own outlet on the ceiling.
Then the conduit can be used for hdmi or USB cable or whatever.
Definitely a job for an electrician. That you guys got all that work done is awesome. Nice too with the conduit already in place for the future. Thanks again for getting that done! Tony
Definitely a job for an electrician.
Yes. I didn't know. Plain and simple. The extension cord installation is now considered "temporary". :) We were already in the process of seeking bids for professional electrical work in the museum (more circuits, track lighting), so I'll add a couple of ceiling receptacles to it.
I have a pair of BrightSign LS422 network digital players to experiment with. Content is loaded to the local memory card via Ethernet. If you connect a motion detector via the GPIO pins, it can change start/stop/ change content when someone walks up to the display. Product link: https://www.brightsign.biz/index.php?cID=221 Martin On 10/23/2016 7:34 PM, Christopher Gioconda via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
Hi Evan!
This is fantastic! Great job!
I know content is the next item you're going to work on, but how will the content be directed to the TVs? Do you plan to have the same content on both TVs simultaneously or some kind of a slideshow that would loop?
The reason I ask is that I've played around with devices that convert HDMI cables to Ethernet for long distances (100+ ft) since HDMI has signal degradation at that length. Monoprice sells them http://www.monoprice.com/mobile/product/details/6532?gclid=CjwKEAjwv7HABRCSx...
I'd be happy to help any way I can.
Chris
On Oct 23, 2016 3:26 PM, "Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic" < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Anthony B. drove down to the museum from Westchester County NY yesterday. We spent all day installing the TVs and wire conduit to hide the cords because we weren't about to dig into the walls.
It turned out great! Anthony had the idea to paint the tops of the mounting hardware white so it blends into the ceiling color.
Here are some pictures.
The TVs are lightweight so the hardware just screws into studs, no lag bolts needed: www.vcfed.org/evan/before.jpg
Before and after painting the posts: www.vcfed.org/evan/after.jpg and www.vcfed.org/evan/drill.jpg
Anthony tried escaping into the attic, but I caught him: www.vcfed.org/evan/attic.jpg
The results: www.vcfed.org/evan/room.jpg and www.vcfed.org/evan/hall.jpg
Next project: content!
Here's the question in a vacuum: can a virtual machine share its display to (for example) a specific VGA or USB port?
I have never attached a physical monitor to a VM, can't imagine that this is possible. If anyone has any hints, I would love to hear them. Chris On Sun, Oct 23, 2016 at 8:44 PM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Here's the question in a vacuum: can a virtual machine share its display to (for example) a specific VGA or USB port?
On 10/23/2016 8:35 PM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
I have a pair of BrightSign LS422 network digital players to experiment with. Content is loaded to the local memory card via Ethernet. I'm confused though. Can this send different content to different screens simultaneously? Yes - Can stream the content or store it locally on the memory card.
The escape was a worthy attempt. I got so close! Original Message From: vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org Sent: October 23, 2016 3:11 PM To: Vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org Reply-to: vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org Cc: evan@snarc.net Subject: [vcf-midatlantic] TVs installed! Anthony B. drove down to the museum from Westchester County NY yesterday. We spent all day installing the TVs and wire conduit to hide the cords because we weren't about to dig into the walls. It turned out great! Anthony had the idea to paint the tops of the mounting hardware white so it blends into the ceiling color. Here are some pictures. The TVs are lightweight so the hardware just screws into studs, no lag bolts needed: www.vcfed.org/evan/before.jpg Before and after painting the posts: www.vcfed.org/evan/after.jpg and www.vcfed.org/evan/drill.jpg Anthony tried escaping into the attic, but I caught him: www.vcfed.org/evan/attic.jpg The results: www.vcfed.org/evan/room.jpg and www.vcfed.org/evan/hall.jpg Next project: content!
Anthony can add details, but we found out the attic above our museum has a walkway, you can stand up, and there's even a light up there. What interesting uses can we make of this?
If storage is allowed, it would be a convenient place to keep items that will rotate on and off display. On Sunday, October 23, 2016, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Anthony can add details, but we found out the attic above our museum has a walkway, you can stand up, and there's even a light up there. What interesting uses can we make of this?
If storage is allowed, it would be a convenient place to keep items that will rotate on and off display.
No. That's why we have a warehouse. The attic is only accessible through a ladder to a small trap door at the other end of the of the building's hallway.
Yes, that would be a hindrance. Ease of hanging additional signage then? On Sunday, October 23, 2016, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
If storage is allowed, it would be a convenient place to keep items that will rotate on and off display.
No. That's why we have a warehouse.
The attic is only accessible through a ladder to a small trap door at the other end of the of the building's hallway.
Also of note is, since I've been up there There is no flooring up there. Just open joists and a center walkway built in WWII era. The walkway felt unsure at some points due to age (and my not being very slim anymore) The ceiling is open to the other building with no door so not very secure. The only opening is far down the other end of the hall and a size that limits what can go up there. The ladder is not something anyone would want to climb often and likely not intended for current occupancy/codes. So I imaging if it was getting more use than an occasional forray up there to locate joists to screw into, it likely would not be something infoage would be happy about. Easy to get hurt since it is straight up with no safety cage at all and you have to go around the lip of the hole at the top. Then you have the AC ducting added over the ceiling joists and registers up there that you have to be careful of damaging Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone. Original Message From: Dean Notarnicola via vcf-midatlantic Sent: Monday, October 24, 2016 7:27 AM To: vcf-midatlantic Reply To: vcf-midatlantic Cc: Dean Notarnicola Subject: Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Attic / was: TVs installed! Yes, that would be a hindrance. Ease of hanging additional signage then? On Sunday, October 23, 2016, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
If storage is allowed, it would be a convenient place to keep items that will rotate on and off display.
No. That's why we have a warehouse.
The attic is only accessible through a ladder to a small trap door at the other end of the of the building's hallway.
Thinking aloud: I found out that very long USB cables are quite cheap, for example 50 feet for $17. It would be easy to have such a cable go from the TVs through the attic and drop down near our office PC. Then we could easily change the content, or attach them to R.Pi boxes, or whatever.
Thinking aloud: I found out that very long USB cables are quite cheap, for example 50 feet for $17. It would be easy to have such a cable go from the TVs through the attic and drop down near our office PC. Then we could easily change the content, or attach them to R.Pi boxes, or whatever.
Had another idea! We know the TVs can read directly from USB sticks, but can they read from a PC connected by USB? If so, and if the TV's software lets you navigate folders, then we can attach them via long cables to a server, choose files through the TV remotes, and it's done! Dean is our docent next Saturday. Dean: I sent you a private message with some experiment instructions.
On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 2:04 AM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Thinking aloud: I found out that very long USB cables are quite cheap, for example 50 feet for $17. It would be easy to have such a cable go from the TVs through the attic and drop down near our office PC. Then we could easily change the content, or attach them to R.Pi boxes, or whatever.
Had another idea! We know the TVs can read directly from USB sticks, but can they read from a PC connected by USB? If so, and if the TV's software lets you navigate folders, then we can attach them via long cables to a server, choose files through the TV remotes, and it's done! Dean is our docent next Saturday. Dean: I sent you a private message with some experiment instructions.
the maximum reliable length of usb cable [passive] is 5m(~15ft) I suppose you mean you're getting a roll of cable with the active repeater built-in on the one end Dan
On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 7:23 AM, Dan Roganti via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 2:04 AM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Thinking aloud: I found out that very long USB cables are quite cheap, for example 50 feet for $17. It would be easy to have such a cable go from the TVs through the attic and drop down near our office PC. Then we could easily change the content, or attach them to R.Pi boxes, or whatever.
Had another idea! We know the TVs can read directly from USB sticks, but can they read from a PC connected by USB? If so, and if the TV's software lets you navigate folders, then we can attach them via long cables to a server, choose files through the TV remotes, and it's done! Dean is our docent next Saturday. Dean: I sent you a private message with some experiment instructions.
the maximum reliable length of usb cable [passive] is 5m(~15ft) I suppose you mean you're getting a roll of cable with the active repeater built-in on the one end Dan
Thanks, Dan, for mentioning the length limit for USB. Another option is USB over Ethernet. I bought a pair of adapters for my office so I could use a mounse and keyboard in a conference room for a PC that was in the server room. That particular set was about $300, but this one http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=6042 is a lot cheaper, however I have no experience how well the cheap one works. Chris
participants (14)
-
Anthony Becker -
Chris Fala -
Christopher Gioconda -
Corey Cohen -
Dan Roganti -
Dave Wade -
David Riley -
Dean Notarnicola -
Evan Koblentz -
Martin A Flynn -
Neil Cherry -
Systems Glitch -
Tony Bogan -
william degnan