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by BMS Doug
Mon Jun 16, 2014 10:10 am
Forum: Automation, sensing and robotics
Topic: Dalek
Replies: 48
Views: 13278

Re: Dalek

These guys are making a full-size Dalek: https://www.facebook.com/SoMakeIt/photos/ms.477654742364944.477654745698277.477654739031611.477654819031603.bps.a.471455232984895/477654742364944/?type=1&theater My sister-in-law has one in her garage (old movie prop one). I think scaling up to a fully opera...
by BMS Doug
Mon Jun 16, 2014 9:34 am
Forum: Automation, sensing and robotics
Topic: Dalek
Replies: 48
Views: 13278

Re: Dalek

I also ordered a 10000mah powerbank , that should work as a battery for the Dalek. It works, but its slooooooowwwwww, I'd rather have more speed available so a higher voltage is required. I guess I could get a step up regulator but I'll probably just source a higher voltage battery. (the powerbank ...
by BMS Doug
Fri Jun 13, 2014 1:59 pm
Forum: Advanced users
Topic: PI controller quadrocopter
Replies: 1
Views: 796

Re: PI controller quadrocopter

hi Velvet,

congrats on the quadcopter, I'd be interested in seeing your source code. I'm planning on using something very similar with my Dalek so I'd definitely be interested in seeing your solution.
by BMS Doug
Wed Jun 11, 2014 2:26 pm
Forum: General discussion
Topic: Is the Pi right for my project?
Replies: 8
Views: 1302

Re: Is the Pi right for my project?

Richard_robust has a very similar project and has successfully written python code to display a JPEG file for a short period of time when a button is pushed. import numpy as np import cv2 img = cv2.imread('richard.jpg',-1) cv2.imshow('richard.jpg ,img) cv2.waitKey(5000) cv2.destroyAllWindows() modi...
by BMS Doug
Tue Jun 10, 2014 3:31 pm
Forum: Beginners
Topic: Help ..Question..
Replies: 4
Views: 681

Re: Help ..Question..

on the remote hit the "digital" button or navigate through the menu to the digital television guide (if this doesn't help then an image of your TV remote may be needed or at least the make and model of your TV).
by BMS Doug
Tue Jun 10, 2014 12:20 pm
Forum: Other projects
Topic: RS323 URL Interface
Replies: 27
Views: 5341

Re: RS323 URL Interface

do your commands correctly drive your device when you run them locally from the pi?
by BMS Doug
Tue Jun 10, 2014 9:51 am
Forum: Automation, sensing and robotics
Topic: Cable Testing
Replies: 8
Views: 2808

Re: Cable Testing

Thanks for the reply, Doug. I will keep the ADC in mind, a good feature to add on to the project. The problem I have is that I want to map the cable (I read my post, and I wasn't very clear, my apologies), to test if it is, for example, a straight cable, or a crossover, or another type, etc. I will...
by BMS Doug
Tue Jun 10, 2014 9:24 am
Forum: General discussion
Topic: Is the Pi right for my project?
Replies: 8
Views: 1302

Re: Is the Pi right for my project?

The hardware setup you described is not quite right, the light in the "camera" is entirely for show. The camera slides across a bar and there are 3 metallic object prox. sensors. the button lights up indicating the camera is in the right position, the cameare lights up to indicate taking the x-ray....
by BMS Doug
Tue Jun 10, 2014 8:40 am
Forum: Other projects
Topic: 5v - 12v step up for portable Pi
Replies: 13
Views: 5844

Re: 5v - 12v step up for portable Pi

I recently received the monitor in the mail! After a bit of testing using a variable power supply, I have discovered that this particular monitor will run off of as little as 4.6v without modification! Although, decreasing the voltage used increases the current needed so it will use 330 - 340mA (th...
by BMS Doug
Tue Jun 10, 2014 8:31 am
Forum: Automation, sensing and robotics
Topic: Controlled Shutdown at Power Failure
Replies: 72
Views: 60101

Re: Controlled Shutdown at Power Failure

Interesting topic. There is already a product using supercapacitors instead of batteries to backup power for the Raspberry Pi for a short time. The main difference: The supercapacitors work with their full charge, not only with a small change of charge around the 5V. A step-up/step-down converter i...
by BMS Doug
Tue Jun 10, 2014 8:20 am
Forum: Automation, sensing and robotics
Topic: Cable Testing
Replies: 8
Views: 2808

Re: Cable Testing

you wouldn't need to worry about the GPIO capacity if you are using the 23017 as it has its own ability to source and sink current (only 25mA per input though). My suggestion would be to use a voltage source and a (minimum) 2 input Analogue to digital converter (Perhaps the MCP3202, a two channel 12...
by BMS Doug
Tue Jun 10, 2014 7:48 am
Forum: Troubleshooting
Topic: Help! I think my raspberry pi is dead!
Replies: 12
Views: 1439

Re: Help! I think my raspberry pi is dead!

Not sure what you do when buying from Ebay. If you had bought from one of the usual suppliers (RS, Farnell etc), in Europe you would have a two year warrantee. Other places, I don't know. if purchased from a retailer then he should still be able to return it, if purchased from a person then he's pr...
by BMS Doug
Tue Jun 10, 2014 7:45 am
Forum: General discussion
Topic: rotary encoder.
Replies: 14
Views: 3939

Re: rotary encoder.

but what if I have the wheel moving like a wheel of fortune, people actually spinning the wheel how would that work then ? how would the rings and terminals be different? The above explains very good on a needle moving. a mechanical rotary encoder isn't ideal for a spinning wheel application (frict...
by BMS Doug
Mon Jun 09, 2014 11:08 pm
Forum: Automation, sensing and robotics
Topic: Power model railway turnouts from a Pi
Replies: 40
Views: 11426

Re: Power model railway turnouts from a Pi

RFID reader built under the track with a small RFID tag attached to the bottom of each train? optical sensor in track with QR code or similar identifier? I think you missed the word "cheap", or have a different understanding of it to me. ;) RFID tag reader, about £10 Webcam mounted in track facing ...
by BMS Doug
Mon Jun 09, 2014 10:59 pm
Forum: Troubleshooting
Topic: Help! I think my raspberry pi is dead!
Replies: 12
Views: 1439

Re: Help! I think my raspberry pi is dead!

Probably would have been better to add this post to your other one instead of starting a new thread. I have less than 2 months with my raspberry pi, I had been using it with RaspBMC , and I update it to the latest version after I plugged it in to a Ethernet cable, so then i was going to connect it t...
by BMS Doug
Mon Jun 09, 2014 10:47 pm
Forum: General discussion
Topic: Is the Pi right for my project?
Replies: 8
Views: 1302

Re: Is the Pi right for my project?

This seems very simple, you want to connect up one pushbutton input to activate a light (possibly by relay) and three photo sensitive inputs (one for each xray position) (activated by the camera light) each of which would display a different jpeg image. This can all be done in python fairly easily. ...
by BMS Doug
Mon Jun 09, 2014 1:12 pm
Forum: Automation, sensing and robotics
Topic: Dalek
Replies: 48
Views: 13278

Re: Dalek

I had a mad idea and have now ordered a bunch of short cable extenders, I'll move the pi to a less space hogging position inside the dalek and make the other usb port and the HDMI port accessible by removable blue spots. Then if I ever want to use the Pi as a computer I can drive it over to the TV a...
by BMS Doug
Mon Jun 09, 2014 12:09 pm
Forum: Other projects
Topic: Computer Display?
Replies: 3
Views: 1603

Re: Computer Display?

I'm not sure what you mean by I wanted to have the pi display on my pc you want to use your PC to access the data or you want access to it but have no nearby monitor? some ideas: create a webserver in the Pi that displays the values you are interested in on a webpage, navigate to the page from your ...
by BMS Doug
Mon Jun 09, 2014 11:52 am
Forum: Automation, sensing and robotics
Topic: Power model railway turnouts from a Pi
Replies: 40
Views: 11426

Re: Power model railway turnouts from a Pi

mattfletcher wrote:Linked to each other across the relay boards, but completely separate from the Pi?
to the pi and the MCP23017's as well.

the common grounds are required for the communications to operate.
by BMS Doug
Mon Jun 09, 2014 11:49 am
Forum: Troubleshooting
Topic: Old VGA monitor
Replies: 4
Views: 924

Re: Old VGA monitor

fruitoftheloom wrote:You appear not to have mentioned Adaptor you are using, see:

http://elinux.org/RPi_VerifiedPeriphera ... VGA_Cables
+1 your adapter is vital to getting your Rpi to work with a VGA screen, you'll need an externally powered adaptor.
by BMS Doug
Mon Jun 09, 2014 11:38 am
Forum: Automation, sensing and robotics
Topic: Power model railway turnouts from a Pi
Replies: 40
Views: 11426

Re: Power model railway turnouts from a Pi

You will need an isolated supply (common GND) for the relays. I don't understand (hardware is really not my thing). Do you mean I would need a separate 5V power supply plugged into each relay board? If so, that should be OK, I'm going to be using an old ATX PSU to provide 5V power for scenery light...
by BMS Doug
Mon Jun 09, 2014 11:24 am
Forum: Automation, sensing and robotics
Topic: Power model railway turnouts from a Pi
Replies: 40
Views: 11426

Re: Power model railway turnouts from a Pi

The GPIO expander of choice is the MCP23017 So would two MCP23017 and four of these: http://r.ebay.com/B0QNTG do what I'm looking for? Yes, those would be enough. The MCP23017 are available as a standalone chip or on a breakout board, I would advise you to get a couple of chip carriers and make you...
by BMS Doug
Mon Jun 09, 2014 8:37 am
Forum: Beginners
Topic: What's the best way to take the Pi on the go?
Replies: 8
Views: 1220

Re: What's the best way to take the Pi on the go?

BMS Doug wrote:this one is half the price but has good reviews:

specifies that it can simultaneously output 1A (pi) and 2.1A (other devices)
I've just ordered one of these to be my Dalek battery
by BMS Doug
Mon Jun 09, 2014 5:10 am
Forum: Automation, sensing and robotics
Topic: Dalek
Replies: 48
Views: 13278

Re: Dalek

dom wrote:
BMS Doug wrote:Her sister has a full sized (old movie prop) dalek in her garage.
Surely that must be stage 2 of your project?
Stage 5 or 6 maybe, the cost of scaling up that far may be prohibitive.
by BMS Doug
Sun Jun 08, 2014 9:55 pm
Forum: Automation, sensing and robotics
Topic: Dalek
Replies: 48
Views: 13278

Re: Dalek

Great project Doug! You can use the HC-SR04 with just one Pi GPIO pin - I really don't recommend trying to use it on an I/O expander. GPIO --> Trig pin Divide the 5V output of the echo pin as follows: echo pin ---> 2k4 ---- (*** Trig Pin & GPIO ***) ---- 4k7 ---> GND Regards, Bill Hi Bill, I have p...

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