Database Develop

Best way to control a robot for the least $$$?

I have a robot lawnmower, Friendly Robotics Robomow RL500. It's like a Roomba for the lawn, you set it loose and let it go. Problem is, it's not very smart. For one, it gets stuck on occasion, requiring me to check on it regularly and free it if it gets stuck. It also needs to be driven out onto the lawn and turned on, and when it's done I need to go find it and drive it back. Worst of all, there is a part of the lawn that is too narrow for it to function automatically so I have to manually mow that part with an annoying wired controller, and it is much slower than a regular mower so walking behind it at a snail's pace holding a wired controller is very boring.
My idea is to make it so I can put a camera on it so I can drive it via Wifi from the comfort of my home. Somehow I will need to be able to stream video over Wifi and send commands to the robot as well, and whatever device receiving the commands will need to be able to activate the switches on the wired controller.
2 ways I thought of to do this:
1. Use one of my extra Windows Mobile phones as a "brain". They all already have a camera and Wifi. All I would need is the software to stream video over Wifi and a control program to control the robot. Microsoft has a Robotics Studio that may help me to write my own program using VS.NET. None of my phones have a serial port or USB Host controller, so I was thinking maybe I can use a Bluetooth-to-UART board and connect that to some kind of controller to activate the switches on the control panel.
2. Use a WRT54G and run Linux. This will probably cost more because I don't have a 54G. I will also need to buy some kind of camera for it, like a networked camera. It has an RS232 port that can be used to connect to some kind of controller to activate switches on the control panel. I KNOW this solution has been done, because there is a video out there of a 54G-controlled R/C car being controlled via Wifi and streaming video back. I would probably need to write my own program in C in Linux (I don't know C), unless I can find the link to that RC car again and see if that guy will share his source.
Any thoughts on which way is the best way to go?

Jejeje
Try this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaquxmK-kp4

video in/out on DS7

ok so i was very excited to get the wpa tweak working, got my DS7 on adhoc. have the front end installed and working, gps, internet radio, video player and thinking of how i'm going to build a mount and where to FG it into my truck. then my wife shattered my good time by asking "how are you going to hook up the back up camera?". my heart dropped, it sank even lower when i searched for video cables and couldnt find anything. so i ask, is there a way to get video in to have a back up camera play on my DS7?

wow 106 views and not one reply? i'm guessing that means no video in nor out huh?

since the wifi or bluetooth are about the only way to connect I would suggest trying that. the cable's not likely to work. try the droid wireless webcam app, for a starting point.
I'm not a dev so that's the best help I can offer.

Chemus said:
since the wifi or bluetooth are about the only way to connect I would suggest trying that. the cable's not likely to work. try the droid wireless webcam app, for a starting point.
I'm not a dev so that's the best help I can offer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i think you misunderstood, i want to connect my back up(attached to my vehicle) and have it displayed on my DS7

no I understood, I'm suggesting that you look for a way to make your backup camera wireless. I realize that the program I talked about is used to send video from the droid over ip. It's the closest thing I can think of to what you would need, even though it in the wrong direction.

well, I suppose the best thing to do would be to find a bluetooth webcam and some ducttape. elsewise a usb to bluetooth converter. unless you're willing to go the insane route.
1. get a cheapy Latitude off Ebay.
2. hook your backup cam to the laptop.
3. keep the laptop on car power with an inverter
4. Install Ubuntu, set up webcam software, hook it to the net with skype, set skype to auto answer with video and set the laptop to stay on when closed.
5. install a working skype on your tablet.
6. Call your bad laptop w/ skype whenever you need the backup cam.
cheap old latitudes are everywhere, for instance:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Dell-Latitude-C...ptops_Nov05&hash=item27bd70783c#ht_500wt_1156
http://cgi.ebay.com/DELL-LATITUDE-C...43370682?pt=Laptops_Nov05&hash=item4aadcb6fba
http://cgi.ebay.com/Dell-Latitude-D...ptops_Nov05&hash=item43a8fbe4ab#ht_656wt_1185

Ummm yeah, the DS7 has no video "input" for analog or digital video, output only via the PDMI through the dock (or hacked cable with decoder/encoder chip) .. So the only way to get video IN to the DS7 is wireless of some kind.

well i think i will get a used mirror for my truck and try to back mount a small monitor. that or just get a nice double din and retro fit that

angruss said:
well, I suppose the best thing to do would be to find a bluetooth webcam and some ducttape. elsewise a usb to bluetooth converter. unless you're willing to go the insane route.
1. get a cheapy Latitude off Ebay.
2. hook your backup cam to the laptop.
3. keep the laptop on car power with an inverter
4. Install Ubuntu, set up webcam software, hook it to the net with skype, set skype to auto answer with video and set the laptop to stay on when closed.
5. install a working skype on your tablet.
6. Call your bad laptop w/ skype whenever you need the backup cam.
cheap old latitudes are everywhere, for instance:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Dell-Latitude-C400-Notebook-/170681989180?pt=Laptops_Nov05&hash=item27bd70783c#ht_500wt_1156
http://cgi.ebay.com/DELL-LATITUDE-CPi-PENTIUM-NOTEBOOK-LAPTOP-Loaded-Clean-/320743370682?pt=Laptops_Nov05&hash=item4aadcb6fba
http://cgi.ebay.com/Dell-Latitude-D600-ST-D3KBG41-1-4GHz-Used-Laptop-/290597889195?pt=Laptops_Nov05&hash=item43a8fbe4ab#ht_656wt_1185
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol I used to do this as a baby monitor. Worked very well !!

Fire Tablet 7 (2015) or Lenovo Tab 2 A7 ???

Hi guys,
i want to buy me a cheap small android tabelt. So i looked for the fire tabelt 7 (2015) and the lenovo tab 2 a7-10. Both devices have the same price. Both devices can be rooted and booth devices have nearly the same specs.
Which one would you prefeer? I want to make a dashboard for my home automation, so i want to fix the tabelt on the wall in my living room. I also want to surf in the internet, but only very rare. Most thing would be controlling my smart home - so the power of the two tablets and the free space would be enough for this.
Can someone help my with my decision? I haven´t seen one of the tablets in real.

No experience with the lenovo can tell you the fire is amazing and has amazing battery life doesn't drain in standby doesn't lag for me and I'm on stock amazon with root
Sent from my Amazon Fire 2015

I would get the Fire, there is active development, other than that they are spec'd about the same.
Both have:
7inch displays at 1024px x 600px
MediaTek® MT8127 1.3GHz Quad-Core processors
1GB ram
Lenovo Tab 2 A7 has:
GPS
Kitkat
Vibration
$69.99
Fire has:
Two cameras
Lollipop
$50 or cheaper

I´m afraid of the streched display in landscape - this is the only tablet i know about the problem. If i will watch tv with the tablet, all persons will be a little bit fat. Circles will not be fully a circle, more like an egg.
Is this a big problem?

Bib_x said:
I´m afraid of the streched display in landscape...
Is this a big problem?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You tell us..?[emoji67]
Just get the Lenovo though.

Bib_x said:
I´m afraid of the streched display in landscape - this is the only tablet i know about the problem. If i will watch tv with the tablet, all persons will be a little bit fat. Circles will not be fully a circle, more like an egg.
Is this a big problem?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's an extra use that no one could have seen from op. Given prices and spec wouldn't be surprised if it's the same screen tbh. Speaker likely better on lenovo.
The reasons given for picking the fire by others above don't seem to be important for main use you envisage for it.
Is the home automation stuff all wireless? Assume you'll be leaving tablet connected to power supply when in situe so USB socket will be filled with charger

So the stretched screen is no big problem.
I want to use the tablet to control my home automation, which is running on a linux server. So the tablet will only show the dashboard - no device is connected to it directly, only wlan. The charger will be permanently plugged into the tablet.
Maybe sometimes i will watch a video-stream from my sat-receiver, when i´m in my bedroom or when my wife is in the home gym - indoor cycling or something like this.

Pond-life said:
That's an extra use that no one could have seen from op. Given prices and spec wouldn't be surprised if it's the same screen tbh. Speaker likely better on lenovo.
The reasons given for picking the fire by others above don't seem to be important for main use you envisage for it.
Is the home automation stuff all wireless? Assume you'll be leaving tablet connected to power supply when in situe so USB socket will be filled with charger
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
[emoji67] Home automation stuff is generally either wifi and sometimes (rarely) bluetooth. Also he could install wireless charging on the tablet which would leave his micro usb port open for other things if he wanted.

4t701 said:
[emoji67] Home automation stuff is generally either wifi and sometimes (rarely) bluetooth. Also he could install wireless charging on the tablet which would leave his micro usb port open for other things if he wanted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Didn't know that had been done. Wonder what else is in depths of this Fire section. That's rather cool addition

Bib_x said:
So the stretched screen is no big problem.
I want to use the tablet to control my home automation, which is running on a linux server. So the tablet will only show the dashboard - no device is connected to it directly, only wlan. The charger will be permanently plugged into the tablet.
Maybe sometimes i will watch a video-stream from my sat-receiver, when i´m in my bedroom or when my wife is in the home gym - indoor cycling or something like this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
-home automation
-linux server
-sat TV
-wife
-home gym
....
Sounds like a pretty nice setup you got there [emoji67] [emoji106]

I use it to watch TV via the charter spectrum app and I don't notice any distortion of the people.
---------- Post added at 11:44 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:44 AM ----------
Bib_x said:
So the stretched screen is no big problem.
I want to use the tablet to control my home automation, which is running on a linux server. So the tablet will only show the dashboard - no device is connected to it directly, only wlan. The charger will be permanently plugged into the tablet.
Maybe sometimes i will watch a video-stream from my sat-receiver, when i´m in my bedroom or when my wife is in the home gym - indoor cycling or something like this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use it to watch TV via the charter spectrum app and I don't notice any distortion of the people

Sounds like it will come down to whether you think the Fire's screen distortion might be a problem for you. I'm afraid we can't tell you how "bad" it is because it seems to vary widely from person to person. Some don't notice it, at all. Others, can not return their Fire fast enough! Despite the fact that they got it for only $35 on sale.
Imo, I'd go for a Fire. You can always return if you find you're one of the people who are greatly bothered by the distortion. Amazon's return are quite good.
Bib_x said:
I want to use the tablet to control my home automation, which is running on a linux server. So the tablet will only show the dashboard - no device is connected to it directly, only wlan. The charger will be permanently plugged into the tablet.
Maybe sometimes i will watch a video-stream from my sat-receiver, when i´m in my bedroom or when my wife is in the home gym - indoor cycling or something like this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
4t701 said:
-home automation
-linux server
-sat TV
-wife
-home gym
....
Sounds like a pretty nice setup you got there [emoji67] [emoji106]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1+
Would you share details of your linux server. Also which tv streaming solution you're using.

I have a linux sat-receiver, similar to dreambox. With this i can stream the tv-programm to any notebook, tablet or smartphone in my wlan. So i don´t need to install another big tv in the bedroom, i can take the small tablet with earplugs and so my wife can sleep while i watch tv.
My linux server is a odroid u3 with ubuntu. The server-software for my home automation is openhab. And my home automation equipment is mostly KNX (EIB), i don´t know if this is known outside europe. It is a wired solution, used in hotels, hospitals or company buildings. But with the openhab server i can control anything i want, not only KNX, also enocean, z-wave, my heating pump, media equipment (TV, Mediaserver, ...) and so on.
I can control the home automation on openhab with every webbrowser or with an android-app.

4t701 said:
[emoji67]Also he could install wireless charging on the tablet which would leave his micro usb port open for other things if he wanted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you give us a link to wireless charging for the fire tablet? I want to know more about that.

Bib_x said:
Can you give us a link to wireless charging for the fire tablet? I want to know more about that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is in this thread, they didn't mention a better source than the unreliable one the pic in 2nd post links to, and I couldn't find a better one either though.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/ama...o-photo-amazon-fire-2015-motherboard-t3227808

Cast without wifi or internet?

Trying to set up something in my camper so that I can watch downloaded movies or shows from my phones. I have a Note 3 with android 5.0.2 and miracast seems to be broken? When the Note 3 had 4.4 it worked fine and I used a Sony dvd player that it worked with just fine. It "sees" the player but won't cast to it.
I have a Google Pixel XL that does not see the dvd player for some reason. I brought a wifi router into the camper and tried to set up a chromecast (Gen 1). I can get it set up but then neither device, when connected to same wifi, see the device so that I can cast to it. I am going to grab a Gen 2 model from home and see if this will work.
Is there a simpler way to make this work? It was so easy just using miracast and now this has turned into a massive headache.

If you have the Stock FW on the CC, please ensure, that guest mode is enabled (via Google home). In this case the CC provided an own Wifi net if needed.

Mad07 said:
If you have the Stock FW on the CC, please ensure, that guest mode is enabled (via Google home). In this case the CC provided an own Wifi net if needed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've never been able to get the guest mode to work. It seems like no matter what the chromecast still needs an actual internet connection, even if only casting a movie/picture right from device.
So far what works for me but it's annoying. I have my actual Verizon phone turned on as hotspot, Set up the chromecast to connect to hotspot. I leave it up and running. My Note 3 has my movies on it so I connect to same hotspot and cast using Allcast app...I think. That's the only app that even seems to find the chromecast. Yes I have Google Home installed on both devices. If I turn off the hotspot Chromecast stops working. Neither device finds the chromecast after that unless I turn hotspot back on. Yes guest mode is turned on. A pin is never displayed but since devices don't see it it won't help anyway.
I had a spare wifi router and did the same test. Still need an actual data connection. If no data connection the devices do not see the Chromecast.
Technology is really frustrating at times. Miracast worked just fine until Google didn't like it and made the Chromecast. The Note 3 is old and close to being dead so I am not buying a MHL adapter for it nor will I buy a new tv that has something built in that does not seems to work either. Many other camping people are starting to run into this issue as well.

if you go in Google Home under your device, Settings, there is a possibility to switch the guest mode on. This means the CC works like a hot spot. Its written also on the screen. Every device, which is not in your network, could get an access. I don't know, at which time the guest mode will be disabled automatically. Maybe at this time, if you stream something over your own network to the CC.

Hi,
I bought a cheap "MiraCast" dongle from eBay that works great. Less than $14 with shipping included from China. They list them as a "2nd Generation Chromecast 2" screen mirroring devices, a little misleading, but I'm happy with the unit, as it was brand new, in a very nice box I might add. If you need a link, then PM me, or reply here.
PS, they picture a Chromecast shape, but the lead with a Wi-Fi antenna is a giveaway. Here is a link to get you started, and actually is titled better than the one I bought, which is sold out. There are lots more like it at varying prices. https://m.ebay.com/itm/2-Digital-HD...d=202018167243&_trksid=p2349624.c100408.m2460

Motorhome option to cast from phone or tablet or TV without Wi-Fi or hotspot connecti
I was looking at a thread that discuss different connectivity options without Wi-Fi but could not figure it out. Are there any updates to this? Right now the only results that I have is to hardwire an iPhone to the TV using the HDMI connection and Apple Adapter device. The Mira cast Dongle works most of the time but is intermittent at best.

My son upgraded to an iphone so I got his old S7. Using it and the sony dvd player I can use miracast again.
I have also set up my main phone as a wifi hotspot and connected a chromecast and my S7 to it as well and been able to cast. This method ties up both devices and then they also both need to be plugged in. My wifes Iphone can also cast to the chromecast when connected to my hotspot.
Best I can come up with for now.

Slow Googe Nest Mini

Hi,
Do you guys have any ideas why my google homes take 10 sec to give a response? - Both for google only requests and cloud requests.
My setup:
3 Google Home (Also combined into one group).
iobroker Smart Home with:
1 Chromecast Adapter
4 Sayit adapters
1 Cloud Adapter with IFTTT
Fritz.Box 7590
What tested:
Debug options are not available according to Google.
I also reset one completely as an example.
I have deleted the group.
I have disabled the Chromecast, Cloud, Sayit adapter from iobroker
Put all devices on the 2.4ghz network uniformly
put an alternative DNS in the router
reduced amount of connected devices in Fritz.Box
pulled out all but the Google Home with the best reception.
I have the feeling that the devices are in standby. Because a 2nd query then goes quickly. But how do you get out of there?
Took one out and exchanged it with Nest Mini V2. Worked 1 week well and fast but then it slowed down as all the others.
Greetings
maxpd

Same problem here... My Google Homes are slow to do an action like switch on a light...

I read about more and more people. Perhaps you can tell more about your setup?