Tuesday 24 July 2012

Thursday 19 July 2012

View from the window. (Desktop sharing to Mac)

I have already installed stuff on the RPi Raspian using sudo apt-get install netatalk based on instructions on http://www.sanityinc.com/articles/mac-screen-sharing-with-linux i copied on existing config file to /etc/avahi/services/rfb.service and edited it. As in a previous post I had vac server set up using "sudo apt-get install vncserver" (May be vnc-server ?). In finder on a Mac I can see the RPi, click on it and then press the screen sharing button. This uses the vnc client in OSX. This client was a bit better than the vac client I downloaded for the mac as it supports later OSX style full screen with multi finger swipe between desktops.

Share and share alike (Sharing RPI files to a Mac)

Setup file sharing on my RPi so files were visible on my Mac. (RPi image 2012-07-15-wheezy-raspbian.zip). Basically followed the instructions on http://gettingstartedwithraspberrypi.tumblr.com/post/24398167109/file-sharing-with-afp-and-auto-discovery-with-bonjour I did the sudo apt-get install netatalk. This appeared to install the avahi-demon and also set it up to run on boot. It also added the config file /etc/avahi/services/afpd.service. So the single install did it all. Remember to log on as your RPi user and password. I had to click the "connect as" button in finder. I could see files. Not done any transfers yet. Will also try on the previous debian wheezy beta image.

Gone native (New Raspian image, debian wheezy on steroids)

A new image is available from the raspian guys. It's a Debian wheezy release targeted for the RPi hardware. I think old wheezy beta was built for arm 4 achitecture. This raspian distro is build for arm 6 architecture and is target for the RPi chip. It is a lot faster. With previous releases the CPU usage would peak frequently and the Pi would run slow. This occurs less often now during usual use of the X desktop. I recommend an upgrade.

Wednesday 11 July 2012

Java

Installing java using sudo get-apt install openjdk-6-jre. I will let you know if this was a mistake. (Edit: This seamed a good idea after all. Ran javadrone app. It was slow but worked. May return to java again, I try to keep you posted.)

Lots of Bull (Raspbmc media centre and Redbull TV)

Installed raspbmc by following the linux instructions using the RPi. I added a new SD card on USB and very carefully installed raspbmc to it. Installation was very easy to do. I have installed lots of plugins. Not get GeekBeat to play yet but RedBull TV, 500px, TED have all works. Also played movies from my "My Book Live" disk using its built in twonkey server. Conneted RPi to WD's twonky using upnp.

Monday 9 July 2012

Magic lamp (Geany IDE, omxplayer)

It looked like wheezy does not have as much clutter. geany was missing but I installed this using apt-get. Its a very light wieght IDE which was usefull for C code development using a make file. omxplayer is intalled and working. omxplayer --adev hdmi gives me audio to the HDMI.

Saturday 7 July 2012

Climbing a mounting (Debian wheezy mounting a net disk)

So pynieghborhood has let me down. However to command line mount.cifs //192.168.100.3/Public /mnt/Public appears to work OK as su. Managed to copy across some files. To add a password to su use sudo passwd.

Install tightvncserver and vlc

I found this about installing tightvncserver and vlc. tightvncserver is demoed on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5QCoh8S0N4&feature=youtu.be.
Looks like the network file sharing is not working on my RPi, yet. So also installing vncviewer and pyneighborhood. Note: On Raspian I noticed that sudo apt-get install vnc-server aliases to the "tight" vnc.

Update and upgrade

Wheezy boot fine. There is a new config stage, looks a bit like a bios config stage. In theory it has also extended the partition on the second boot. The screen is not full size but I have fixed that before. Ran sudo apt-get update and also sudo apt-get upgrade both took a long time. Also ran fbset which displays the screen setup. It is booting in 16 bit scene mode. To be honest 16 bit mode was pretty good on squeeze, even for video. I may tinker with this later but on squeeze omxplayer did not work in 32bit mode. Having said that I did use the config tool to give me 64MB of graphics memory. This may help with video type stuff.

Class 4 (SD cards, speed and compatibility)

I read up on SD cards from good old Wiki. The class rating is the cards basic speed in Mega bytes per second. Each disk has its class printed on it inside a "C", looks like a copyright symbol but with a number in it. Note there is lots of chat about SD card compatibility with Raspberry Pi. The general advice is it stick to known brands. I don't know if this chatter was mainly about Beta boards, it has died down in more resent posts. There is a compatibility list at http://elinux.org/RPi_VerifiedPeripherals#SD_cards

Stage 7 (installing the debian wheezy beta release)

This morning I will have a go at creating a new wheezy disk. I've downloaded 2012-06-18-wheezy-beta.zip from the Raspberry Pi page http://www.raspberrypi.org/archives/1435.I have a 4GB Kingston class 4 card and will use a MacBook Air following the OSX instructions on page http://elinux.org/RPi_Easy_SD_Card_Setup. Basically good old "dd" the destroy disk command. Slight brown trousers time if I resort the image to the wrong disk. Note: The debian wheezy image is now replaced. At time of writing the Raspian wheezy image image appears on the download page.

Friday 6 July 2012

Squeezed out (Replacing debian squeeze with debian wheezy beta)

I have run debian squeeze on PiOne for a while now. Its pretty messed up with all the experimental stuff install on it. So its time to go for Wheezy. I have to try and remember what I did. I upgraded firmware, added WiFi, got motion running with a PS3 web cam. I had omxplayer running full screen, 1080p with sound. This was in 16 bit frame buffer mode. I managed to install vnctight (I think thats what it was called) and could use a vnc client to connect to it. Was able to connect across the WiFi to a net disk. This may or may bot have been related to pyneighberhood. I could not get DNLA server running. Probably need to try raspbmc on a separate card for that. It may do airplay too. (If their web page ever reappears.) Installed chromium browser. Also installed the rpi-update, Xchat and Xpdf. OK I think thats a brain dump. Lets flash the card and do it all again.