The Smell of Molten Projects in the Morning

Ed Nisley's Blog: Shop notes, electronics, firmware, machinery, 3D printing, laser cuttery, and curiosities. Contents: 100% human thinking, 0% AI slop.

Category: Software

General-purpose computers doing something specific

  • ShopVac Hose Barb Adapter

    A small ShopVac arrived with a ribbed hose carrying an absurdly long wand, so I conjured a barbed adapter with a much shorter tapered snout for the machine tools:

    Vacuum hose fittings - hose barb to nozzle
    Vacuum hose fittings – hose barb to nozzle

    Trimming the hose end at one of the ribs makes a tidy fit:

    Vacuum hose fittings - ribbed hose barb
    Vacuum hose fittings – ribbed hose barb

    Now I need not trip over the vacuum hose between the bandsaw bench and the sander bench…

    The OpenSCAD code as a GitHub Gist:

    // Vacuum Hose Fittings
    // Ed Nisley KE4ZNU July 2016
    // March 2017
    Layout = "HoseBarb"; // PVCtoHose ExpandRing PipeToPort FVacPipe FVacFitting HoseBarb
    //- Extrusion parameters must match reality!
    // Print with 2 shells and 3 solid layers
    ThreadThick = 0.25;
    ThreadWidth = 0.40;
    HoleWindage = 0.2;
    Protrusion = 0.1; // make holes end cleanly
    //———————-
    // Dimensions
    ID = 0;
    OD = 1;
    LENGTH = 2;
    VacNozzle = [30.1,31.8,30.0]; // nozzle on vacuum hose (taper ID to OD over length)
    MINOR = 0;
    MAJOR = 1;
    PITCH = 2;
    FORM_OD = 3;
    HoseThread = [32.0,(37.0 + HoleWindage),4.25,(1.8 + 0.20)]; // vacuum hose thread
    NumSegments = 64; // .. number of cylinder approximations per turn
    $fn = NumSegments;
    ThreadLength = 4 * HoseThread[PITCH];
    ScrewOAL = ThreadLength + HoseThread[PITCH];
    WallThick = 2.5;
    echo(str("Pitch dia: ",HoseThread[MAJOR]));
    echo(str("Root dia: ",HoseThread[MAJOR] – HoseThread[FORM_OD]));
    echo(str("Crest dia: ",HoseThread[MAJOR] + HoseThread[FORM_OD]));
    //———————-
    // Wrap cylindrical thread segments around larger plug cylinder
    module CylinderThread(Pitch,Length,PitchDia,ThreadOD,PerTurn,Chirality = "Left") {
    CylFudge = 1.02; // force overlap
    ThreadSides = 6;
    RotIncr = 1/PerTurn;
    PitchRad = PitchDia/2;
    Turns = Length/Pitch;
    NumCyls = Turns*PerTurn;
    ZStep = Pitch / PerTurn;
    HelixAngle = ((Chirality == "Left") ? -1 : 1) * atan(Pitch/(PI*PitchDia));
    CylLength = CylFudge * (PI*(PitchDia + ThreadOD) / PerTurn) / cos(HelixAngle);
    for (i = [0:NumCyls-1]) {
    Angle = ((Chirality == "Left") ? -1 : 1) * 360*i/PerTurn;
    translate([PitchRad*cos(Angle),PitchRad*sin(Angle),i*ZStep])
    rotate([90+HelixAngle,0,Angle]) rotate(180/ThreadSides)
    cylinder(r1=ThreadOD/2,
    r2=ThreadOD/(2*CylFudge),
    h=CylLength,
    center=true,$fn=ThreadSides);
    }
    }
    //– PVC fitting to vacuum hose
    module PVCtoHose() {
    Fitting = [34.0,41.0,16.0]; // 1 inch PVC elbow
    Adapter = [HoseThread[MAJOR],(Fitting[OD] + 2*WallThick + HoleWindage),(ScrewOAL + Fitting[LENGTH])]; // dimensions for entire fitting
    union() {
    difference() {
    cylinder(d=Adapter[OD],h=Adapter[LENGTH]); // overall fitting
    translate([0,0,-Protrusion]) // remove thread pitch dia
    cylinder(d=HoseThread[MAJOR],h=(ScrewOAL + 2*Protrusion));
    translate([0,0,(ScrewOAL – Protrusion)]) // remove PVC fitting dia
    cylinder(d=(Fitting[OD] + HoleWindage),h=(Fitting[LENGTH] + 2*Protrusion));
    }
    translate([0,0,HoseThread[PITCH]/2]) // add the thread form
    CylinderThread(HoseThread[PITCH],ThreadLength,HoseThread[MAJOR],HoseThread[FORM_OD],NumSegments,"Left");
    }
    }
    //– Expander ring from small OD to large ID PVC fittings
    // So a small elbow on the bandsaw fits into the hose adapter, which may not be long-term useful
    module ExpandRing() {
    Fitting_L = [34.0,41.0,16.0]; // 1 inch PVC pipe elbow
    Fitting_S = [26.8,32.8,17]; // 3/4 inch PVC elbow
    difference() {
    cylinder(d1=Fitting_L[OD],d2=(Fitting_L[OD] – HoleWindage),h=Fitting_L[LENGTH]); // overall fitting
    translate([0,0,-Protrusion])
    cylinder(d=(Fitting_S[OD] + HoleWindage),h=(Fitting_L[LENGTH] + 2*Protrusion));
    }
    }
    //– 1 inch PVC pipe into vacuum port
    // Stick this in the port, then plug a fitting onto the pipe section
    module PipeToPort() {
    Pipe = [26.5,33.5,20.0]; // 1 inch Schedule 40 PVC pipe
    difference() {
    union() {
    cylinder(d=Pipe[OD],h=(Pipe[LENGTH] + Protrusion));
    translate([0,0,(Pipe[LENGTH] – Protrusion)])
    cylinder(d1=VacNozzle[OD],d2=VacNozzle[ID],h=VacNozzle[LENGTH]);
    }
    translate([0,0,-Protrusion])
    cylinder(d=Pipe[ID],h=(Pipe[LENGTH] + VacNozzle[LENGTH] + 2*Protrusion));
    }
    }
    //– Female Vac outlet inside PVC pipe
    // Plug this into PVC fitting, then plug hose + nozzle into outlet
    module FVacPipe() {
    VacPort = [30.0,31.3,25]; // vacuum port on belt sander (taper ID to OD over length)
    Pipe = [26.5,33.5,20.0]; // 1 inch Schedule 40 PVC pipe
    difference() {
    cylinder(d=Pipe[OD],h=VacPort[LENGTH]);
    translate([0,0,-Protrusion])
    cylinder(d1=VacPort[ID],d2=VacPort[OD],h=(VacPort[LENGTH] + 2*Protrusion));
    }
    }
    //– Female Vac outlet on 3/4 inch fitting OD
    // Jam this onto OD of fitting, plug hose + nozzle into outlet
    module FVacFitting() {
    Adapter = [26.5,(33.5 + 2*WallThick),17.0]; // overall adapter
    //VacPort = [30.0,31.3,25]; // vacuum port on belt sander (taper ID to OD over length)
    VacPort = [30.1,31.8,30.0]; // vacuum port for bandsaw = inverse of hose nozzle
    Fitting = [26.8,32.8,17]; // 3/4 inch PVC elbow
    TaperLength = 5.0; // inner taper to avoid overhang
    difference() {
    cylinder(d=Adapter[OD],h=Adapter[LENGTH]); // overall fitting
    translate([0,0,-Protrusion])
    cylinder(d=(Fitting[OD] + HoleWindage),h=(Adapter[LENGTH] + 2*Protrusion));
    }
    translate([0,0,Adapter[LENGTH]])
    difference() {
    cylinder(d=Adapter[OD],h=TaperLength);
    translate([0,0,-Protrusion])
    cylinder(d1=(Fitting[OD] + HoleWindage),d2=VacPort[ID],h=(TaperLength + 2*Protrusion));
    }
    translate([0,0,(TaperLength + Adapter[LENGTH])]) // vac fitting
    difference() {
    cylinder(d=Adapter[OD],h=VacPort[LENGTH]);
    translate([0,0,-Protrusion])
    cylinder(d1=VacPort[ID],d2=VacPort[OD],h=(VacPort[LENGTH] + 2*Protrusion));
    }
    }
    //– Hose barb to male vacuum taper
    module HoseBarb() {
    HoseFitting = [29.0,32.2,38.5];
    Barb = [HoseFitting[OD],35.5,4.0];
    BarbOffset = 17.0;
    Seat = [HoseFitting[OD],36.0,5.0];
    SeatSupport = [HoseFitting[OD],Seat[OD],(Seat[OD] – HoseFitting[OD])/2];
    OAL = HoseFitting[LENGTH] + SeatSupport[LENGTH] + Seat[LENGTH] + VacNozzle[LENGTH];
    NumSides = 4*8;
    difference() {
    union() {
    cylinder(d=HoseFitting[OD],h=HoseFitting[LENGTH],$fn=NumSides);
    translate([0,0,BarbOffset])
    cylinder(d1=Barb[ID],d2=Barb[OD],h=Barb[LENGTH],$fn=NumSides);
    translate([0,0,HoseFitting[LENGTH]])
    cylinder(d1=SeatSupport[ID],d2=SeatSupport[OD],h=SeatSupport[LENGTH],$fn=NumSides);
    translate([0,0,HoseFitting[LENGTH] + SeatSupport[LENGTH]])
    cylinder(d=Seat[OD],h=Seat[LENGTH],$fn=NumSides);
    translate([0,0,HoseFitting[LENGTH] + SeatSupport[LENGTH] + Seat[LENGTH]])
    cylinder(d1=VacNozzle[OD],d2=VacNozzle[ID],h=VacNozzle[LENGTH],$fn=NumSides);
    }
    translate([0,0,-Protrusion])
    cylinder(d1=HoseFitting[ID],d2=(VacNozzle[ID] – 10*ThreadWidth),h=OAL + 2*Protrusion,$fn=NumSides);
    }
    }
    //———-
    // Build things
    if (Layout == "PVCtoHose")
    PVCtoHose();
    if (Layout == "ExpandRing") {
    ExpandRing();
    }
    if (Layout == "PipeToPort") {
    PipeToPort();
    }
    if (Layout == "FVacPipe") {
    FVacPipe();
    }
    if (Layout == "FVacFitting") {
    FVacFitting();
    }
    if (Layout == "HoseBarb") {
    HoseBarb();
    }
  • Streaming Radio Advertisements: Carpet Bombing

    After a protracted silence in a Radionomy stream, the Raspberry Pi player offered this log:

    2017-03-05 11:17:07,890 INFO: Starting mplayer on Plenitude -> /home/pi/Playlists/Radio-PLENITUDE.m3u
    2017-03-05 11:17:13,651 INFO: Track name: []
    2017-03-05 11:44:02,296 INFO: Track name: [David Wahler - Whispers from Eternity]
    2017-03-05 11:46:36,995 INFO: Track name: [Radio PLENITUDE - Jingle Intro Publicité]
    2017-03-05 11:47:07,117 INFO: Track name: []
    2017-03-05 11:49:07,080 INFO: Track name: [Radio PLENITUDE - Jingle Extro Publicité]
    2017-03-05 11:49:10,079 INFO: Track name: [Jef Mounet & Danièle Mounet - L'ancre musicale Natures d'Eau]
    2017-03-05 12:02:02,271 INFO: Track name: [Radio PLENITUDE - Jingle Intro Publicité]
    2017-03-05 12:02:32,424 INFO: Track name: []
    2017-03-05 12:04:32,243 INFO: Track name: [Radio PLENITUDE - Jingle Intro Publicité]
    2017-03-05 12:05:01,925 INFO: Track name: [Targetspot - TargetSpot]
    2017-03-05 12:07:02,276 INFO: Track name: [Radio PLENITUDE - Jingle Intro Publicité]
    2017-03-05 12:07:31,968 INFO: Track name: [Targetspot - TargetSpot]
    2017-03-05 12:09:32,262 INFO: Track name: [Radio PLENITUDE - Jingle Intro Publicité]
    2017-03-05 12:10:02,192 INFO: Track name: [Targetspot - TargetSpot]
    2017-03-05 12:12:02,311 INFO: Track name: [Radio PLENITUDE - Jingle Intro Publicité]
    2017-03-05 12:12:32,184 INFO: Track name: [Targetspot - TargetSpot]
    2017-03-05 12:14:32,085 INFO: Track name: [Radio PLENITUDE - Jingle Intro Publicité]
    2017-03-05 12:15:02,217 INFO: Track name: [Targetspot - TargetSpot]
    2017-03-05 12:17:02,057 INFO: Track name: [Radio PLENITUDE - Jingle Intro Publicité]
    2017-03-05 12:17:32,445 INFO: Track name: [Targetspot - TargetSpot]
    2017-03-05 12:19:32,083 INFO: Track name: [Radio PLENITUDE - Jingle Extro Publicité]
    2017-03-05 12:19:35,171 INFO: Track name: [Jean-Marc Staehle - Bercé par tant de beauté]
    2017-03-05 12:23:42,410 INFO: Track name: [Francesco - Sur le chemin]
    2017-03-05 12:29:50,265 INFO: Track name: [Michel Pépé - Pacifica]
    2017-03-05 12:35:07,493 INFO: Track name: [Radio PLENITUDE - Jingle Intro Publicité]
    2017-03-05 12:35:37,377 INFO: Track name: [Targetspot - TargetSpot]
    2017-03-05 12:37:37,478 INFO: Track name: [Radio PLENITUDE - Jingle Extro Publicité]
    2017-03-05 12:37:41,476 INFO: Track name: [Music And Wellness (Musique Et Bien Etre) - Absolute Winner]
    2017-03-05 12:46:36,742 INFO: Track name: [Radio PLENITUDE - Jingle Intro Publicité]
    2017-03-05 12:47:06,668 INFO: Track name: [Targetspot - TargetSpot]
    2017-03-05 12:49:06,538 INFO: Track name: [Radio PLENITUDE - Jingle Extro Publicité]
    2017-03-05 12:49:10,270 INFO: Track name: [Patrick Vuillaume &Nicole Bally - Pearls of Light (Instrumental by Nicole Bally)]
    2017-03-05 12:53:45,357 INFO: Track name: [Trine Opsahl - Sister moon]
    2017-03-05 12:54:58,596 INFO: Track name: [Peter Kater - Rebirth]
    2017-03-05 13:04:52,726 INFO: Track name: [Radio PLENITUDE - Jingle Intro Publicité]
    2017-03-05 13:05:22,665 INFO: Track name: [Targetspot - TargetSpot]
    2017-03-05 13:07:21,561 INFO: Track name: [Radio PLENITUDE - Jingle Extro Publicité]
    2017-03-05 13:07:25,808 INFO: Track name: [Deuter - Flowing]
    2017-03-05 13:12:55,970 INFO: Track name: [Radio PLENITUDE - Jingle Intro Publicité]
    2017-03-05 13:13:25,859 INFO: Track name: []
    2017-03-05 13:15:26,449 INFO: Track name: [Radio PLENITUDE - Jingle Extro Publicité]
    2017-03-05 13:15:33,022 INFO: Track name: [Radio PLENITUDE - Jingle Intro Publicité]
    2017-03-05 13:15:59,437 INFO: Track name: [Targetspot - TargetSpot]
    2017-03-05 13:17:59,559 INFO: Track name: [Radio PLENITUDE - Jingle Extro Publicité]
    2017-03-05 13:18:06,133 INFO: Track name: [O - Part I]
    

    The Jingle lines introduce a short interlude of chimes separating music from advertisements. The Intro chimes play for 30 seconds and the Extro chimes play for three to five seconds. Some stations have similar interludes, others do not; apparently the station gets to choose the format.

    The [Targetspot - TargetSpot] lines mark two minutes of TargetSpot insertion: either advertisements (if you’re in their target market) or generic musical interludes similar to the station’s genre (if you’re out-of-market). The ads and music often lack volume-matching with the streaming music, rarely have lower volume, and the ads are incomprehensible to my ears. The musical interludes seem to be randomly chosen from a small set of candidate tracks that, along with the chimes, become annoyingly familiar in short order.

    The [] lines (yes, an empty string) mark two minutes of Public Service Announcements, advertisements, or generic musical interludes. I’m uncertain how they differ from the [Targetspot - TargetSpot] insertions.

    At a minimum, Radionomy inserts two minutes of TargetSpot / PSAs after every 12 to 15 minutes of music. Adding in the Jingle markers, ads occupy just under 20% of the total “airtime” for this station.

    However, bizarre events like the 17 nonstop minutes of jingles and ads inserted just after noon occur with inexplicable frequency. I’ve noticed half an hour of similar back-to-back-to-back ads on other stations, so it’s not a rare event.

    To quote the TargetSpot website:

    TargetSpot serves ads in real time to each listener’s personalized stream, creating a one-to-one relationship between the advertiser and the listener. The result is a dramatic increase in message relevancy and campaign effectiveness

    Those keyword markers turn out to be incredibly convenient. Just sayin’…

  • Tour Easy Rear Fender Clip

    One of the clips holding the rear fender on my Tour Easy broke:

    Rear fender clip - broken
    Rear fender clip – broken

    Well, if the truth be told, the fender jammed against the tire when I jackknifed the trailer while backing into a parking spot, dragged counterclockwise with the tire, and wiped that little tab right off the block. After 16 years of service, it doesn’t owe me a thing.

    Although the clip around the fender sits a bit lower than it used to (actually, the entire fender sits a bit lower than it should be), you can see the tab had a distinct bend at the edge of the aluminum block supporting the underseat bag frame: the block isn’t perpendicular to the tire / fender at that point.

    After devoting far too long to thinking about how to angle the tab relative to the clip, I realized that I live in the future and can just angle the clip relative to the tab. Soooo, the solid model has a rakish tilt:

    Fender Clip - Slic3r preview
    Fender Clip – Slic3r preview

    The original design had a pair of strain relief struts where the tab meets the clip, but I figured I’ll add those after the PETG fractures.

    I mooched the small bumpouts along the arc from the original design; they provide a bit of stretch & bend so to ease the hooks around the fender.

    The hooks meet the clip with very slight discontinuities that, I think, come from slight differences between the 2D offset() operation and the circle() diameter; the usual 1/cos(180/numsides) trick was unavailing, so I tinkered until the answer came out right.

    Despite those stretchy bumps, it took three iterations, varying the chord height by about 1.5 mm, to securely snap those hooks onto the fender:

    Rear fender clip - 3D printed improvement
    Rear fender clip – 3D printed improvement

    Yeah, sorry ’bout the fuzzy focus on the screw head.

    It’s impossible to measure the chord height accurately enough in that position and I was not going to dismount the rear tire just to get a better measurement.

    You can see how the clip’s rakish tilt matches the fender’s slope, so the tab isn’t bent at all. It’ll probably break at the block the next time I jackknife the trailer, of course.

    I heroically resisted the urge to run off a lower fender mount.

    The OpenSCAD source code as a GitHub Gist:

    // Tour Easy rear fender clip
    // Ed Nisley KE4ZNU February 2017
    Layout = "Build"; // Build Profile Tab Clip
    //- Extrusion parameters must match reality!
    ThreadThick = 0.25;
    ThreadWidth = 0.40;
    HoleWindage = 0.2;
    Protrusion = 0.1; // make holes end cleanly
    inch = 25.4;
    function IntegerMultiple(Size,Unit) = Unit * ceil(Size / Unit);
    //———————-
    // Dimensions
    // special case: fender is exactly half a circle!
    FenderC = 47.0; // fender outside width = chord
    FenderM = 18.5; // height of chord
    FenderR = (pow(FenderM,2) + pow(FenderC,2)/4) / (2 * FenderM); // radius
    echo(str("Fender radius: ", FenderR));
    FenderD = 2*FenderR;
    FenderA = 2 * asin(FenderC / (2*FenderR));
    echo(str(" … arc: ",FenderA," deg"));
    FenderThick = 2.5; // fender thickness, assume dia of edge
    ClipHeight = 18.0; // top to bottom, ignoring rakish tilt
    ClipThick = 3.0; // thickness of clip around fender
    ClipD = FenderD; // ID of clip against
    ClipSides = 4 * 8; // polygon sides around clip circle
    BendReliefD = 2.5; // bend arch diameter
    BendReliefA = 2/3 * FenderA/2; // … angle from dead ahead
    BendReliefCut = 1.0; // factor to thin outside of bend
    TabAngle = -20; // angle from perpendicular to fender
    TabThick = 2.0;
    TabWidth = 15.0;
    ScrewOffset = 15.0; // screw center to fender along perpendicular
    ScrewD = 5.0;
    ScrewSlotLength = 2*ScrewD;
    //———————-
    // Useful routines
    module PolyCyl(Dia,Height,ForceSides=0) { // based on nophead's polyholes
    Sides = (ForceSides != 0) ? ForceSides : (ceil(Dia) + 2);
    FixDia = Dia / cos(180/Sides);
    cylinder(r=(FixDia + HoleWindage)/2,
    h=Height,
    $fn=Sides);
    }
    //———————-
    // Clip profile around fender
    // Centered on fender arc
    module Profile(HeightScale = 1) {
    linear_extrude(height=HeightScale*ClipHeight,convexity=5) {
    difference() {
    offset(r=ClipThick) // outside of clip
    union() {
    circle(d=ClipD,$fn=ClipSides);
    for (i=[-1,1])
    rotate(i*BendReliefA) {
    translate([ClipD/2 + BendReliefD/2,0,0])
    circle(d=BendReliefD,$fn=6);
    }
    }
    union() { // inside of clip
    circle(d=ClipD,$fn=ClipSides);
    for (i=[-1,1])
    rotate(i*BendReliefA) {
    translate([ClipD/2 + BendReliefCut*BendReliefD/2,0,0])
    circle(d=BendReliefD/cos(180/6),$fn=6);
    translate([ClipD/2,0,0])
    square([BendReliefCut*BendReliefD,BendReliefD],center=true);
    }
    }
    translate([(FenderR – FenderM – FenderD/2),0]) // trim ends
    square([FenderD,2*FenderD],center=true);
    }
    for (a=[-1,1]) // hooks around fender
    rotate(a*(FenderA/2))
    translate([FenderR – FenderThick/2,0]) {
    difference() {
    rotate(1*180/12)
    circle(d=FenderThick + 2*ClipThick,$fn=12);
    rotate(1*180/8)
    circle(d=FenderThick,$fn=8);
    rotate(a * -90)
    translate([0,-2*FenderThick,0])
    square(4*FenderThick,center=false);
    }
    }
    }
    }
    //———————-
    // Mounting tab
    module Tab() {
    linear_extrude(height=TabThick,convexity=3)
    difference() {
    hull() {
    circle(d=TabWidth,$fn=ClipSides);
    translate([(ScrewSlotLength – ScrewD)/2 + (FenderR + ScrewOffset),0,0])
    circle(d=TabWidth,$fn=ClipSides);
    }
    circle(d=ClipD,$fn=ClipSides); // remove fender arc
    hull() // screw slot
    for (i=[-1,1])
    translate([i*(ScrewSlotLength – ScrewD)/2 + (FenderR + ScrewOffset),0,0])
    rotate(180/8)
    circle(d=ScrewD/cos(180/8),$fn=8);
    }
    }
    //———————-
    // Combine at mounting angle
    module Clip() {
    difference() {
    union() {
    translate([-FenderR,0,0])
    Tab();
    rotate([0,TabAngle,0])
    translate([-FenderR,0,0])
    Profile(2); // scale upward for trimming
    }
    translate([0,0,-ClipHeight]) // trim bottom
    cube(2*[FenderD,FenderD,ClipHeight],center=true);
    translate([0,0,ClipHeight*cos(TabAngle)+ClipHeight]) // trim top
    cube(2*[FenderD,FenderD,ClipHeight],center=true);
    }
    }
    //———————-
    // Build it
    if (Layout == "Profile") {
    Profile();
    }
    if (Layout == "Tab") {
    Tab();
    }
    if (Layout == "Clip") {
    Clip();
    }
    if (Layout == "Build") {
    Clip();
    }

    The original doodle, with some measurements unable to withstand the test of time:

    Rear Fender Clip - measurement doodles
    Rear Fender Clip – measurement doodles
  • Another Numeric Keypad Snowflake

    I got another batch of wireless keypads that, from the outside, look identical to the previous set:

    Wireless USB Numeric keypads
    Wireless USB Numeric keypads

    The keypad on the right reports Model ID 0x4182, the same as the black plastic batch, and different from the 0x4101 of the previous batch (on the left). Apparently, the small USB dongle carries the Model ID data and the keypads can carry anybody’s logo.

    The Vendor ID, of course, still shows Creative Lab’s 0x062a and all the serial numbers are 1.

    Fortunately, the udev rules already have that combination and the streaming player can’t tell the difference.

    Those labels on the keytops still don’t quite fit, but we’re coping as best we can.

     

     

  • Raspberry Pi 3: Disabling the Build-In WiFi

    streaming media player in the Basement Laboratory Warehouse Wing has a concrete block wall between it and the WiFi router, so that even high(er)-gain USB antennas can’t grab enough signal for reliable streaming. After some fiddling, I snaked a cable from a hub, along the floor joints, to the Pi and declared victory. It turned out the Pi, an old Pi 1 Model B, had some trouble keeping up with the times, and I eventually swapped it for a Pi 3.

    Forcing a static address for the wired port followed the now-standard recipe, with eth0 instead of wlan0 in /etc/dhcpcd.conf.

    However, plugging a network cable into the Pi 3 then produces two network connections: the wired one I wanted and the aforementioned unreliable WiFi link through the built-in hardware. The only reliable way to turn off the WiFi connection seems to require applying The BFH through a line in /etc/rc.local:

    sudo ifconfig wlan0 down
    

    Removing my WiFi credentials from /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf prevents the hardware from connecting before the hammer comes down.

    And then it streams perfectly…

  • Cheap WS2812 LEDs: Test Fixture Mount

    Mounting the ungainly WS2812 LED test fixture seemed like a Good Idea to keep the electricity out of the usual conductive litter:

    WS2812 array test fixture - rear
    WS2812 array test fixture – rear

    The solid model shows more details:

    LED Test Fixture - solid model
    LED Test Fixture – solid model

    The power wires along the array edges slide into the rear (thinner) slot, with enough friction from a few gentle bends to hold the whole mess in place.

    The knockoff Arduino Nano rests on the recessed ledge in the pit, with M2 screws and washers at the corners holding it down (the PCB’s built-in holes might work with 1 mm or 0-90 screws, but that’s just crazy talk). I soldered the power wires directly to the coaxial jack pins under the PCB; they snake out to the LEDs through the little trench. There should be another cutout around the USB connector for in-situ programming, although the existing code works fine.

    The front (wider) slot holds a piece of translucent white acrylic to diffuse the light:

    WS2812 array test fixture - front flash
    WS2812 array test fixture – front flash

    It’s painfully bright: a few layers of neutral density filter would be appropriate for a desk toy.

    The array runs hot enough at MaxPWM = 255 to produce a gentle upward breeze.

    It looks even better without the flash:

    WS2812 array test fixture - front dark
    WS2812 array test fixture – front dark

    You’ll find many easier ways to get RGB LED panels, but that’s not the point here; I’m waiting for these things to die an unnatural death.

    The OpenSCAD source code as a GitHub Gist:

    // LED Test Fixture
    // Ed Nisley KE4ZNU – February 2017
    ClampFlange = true;
    Channel = false;
    //- Extrusion parameters – must match reality!
    ThreadThick = 0.25;
    ThreadWidth = 0.40;
    function IntegerMultiple(Size,Unit) = Unit * ceil(Size / Unit);
    Protrusion = 0.1;
    HoleWindage = 0.2;
    //- Screw sizes
    ID = 0;
    OD = 1;
    LENGTH = 2;
    Insert = [2.8,3.5,4.0]; // M2 threaded insert
    ScrewOD = 2.0;
    WasherOD = 5.0;
    //- Component sizes
    PCBSize = [18.0,43.5,1.6]; // microcontroller PCB
    PCBClear = 2*[ThreadWidth,ThreadWidth,0]; // clearance around board
    PCBShelf = [ThreadWidth,ThreadWidth,0]; // shelf under perimeter
    PCBCavity = PCBSize – PCBShelf + [0,0,2.5]; // support shelf around bottom parts
    LEDPanel = [70,40,4.0]; // lying flat, LEDs upward
    LEDWire = [LEDPanel[0],LEDPanel[1] + 2*5.0,2.0]; // power wires along sides
    Diffuser = [LEDPanel[0],LEDPanel[1] + 2*4.0,3.5];
    echo(str("Diffuser panel: ",Diffuser));
    WallThick = 8.0;
    BaseThick = 3*ThreadThick + Insert[LENGTH] + PCBCavity[2];
    Block = [3*WallThick + PCBSize[0] + LEDPanel[2] + Diffuser[2],
    2*WallThick + IntegerMultiple(max(PCBSize[1],LEDWire[1]),5),
    BaseThick + LEDPanel[0]];
    echo(str("Block: ",Block));
    CornerRadius = 5.0;
    NumSides = 4*5;
    //- Adjust hole diameter to make the size come out right
    module PolyCyl(Dia,Height,ForceSides=0) { // based on nophead's polyholes
    Sides = (ForceSides != 0) ? ForceSides : (ceil(Dia) + 2);
    FixDia = Dia / cos(180/Sides);
    cylinder(r=(FixDia + HoleWindage)/2,h=Height,$fn=Sides);
    }
    //- Build it
    difference() {
    hull() // main block with rounded corners
    for (i=[-1,1], j=[-1,1])
    translate([i*(Block[0]/2 – CornerRadius),j*(Block[1]/2 – CornerRadius),,0])
    cylinder(r=CornerRadius,h=Block[2],$fn=NumSides);
    translate([2*WallThick + PCBSize[0] – Block[0],
    0,
    (Block[2]/2 + BaseThick)])
    cube(Block + [0,2*Protrusion,0],center=true); // cut out over PCB
    translate([WallThick + (PCBSize + PCBClear)[0]/2 – Block[0]/2,
    0,
    0]) {
    translate([0,0,(BaseThick + (Protrusion – PCBSize[2])/2)])
    cube(PCBSize + PCBClear + [0,0,Protrusion],center=true); // PCB recess
    translate([0,0,(BaseThick + (Protrusion – PCBCavity[2])/2)])
    cube(PCBCavity + [0,0,Protrusion],center=true); // cavity under PCB
    translate([PCBSize[0]/2 + WallThick/2 – Protrusion/2,PCBSize[1]/2 – 15/2,BaseThick – PCBCavity[2]/2 + Protrusion/2])
    cube([WallThick + PCBShelf[0] + Protrusion,
    15,PCBCavity[2] + Protrusion],center=true); // wiring cutout
    for (i=[-1,1], j=[-1,1]) // screw inserts
    translate([i*(PCBSize[0] + ScrewOD)/2,j*(PCBSize[1] + ScrewOD)/2,-Protrusion])
    rotate(180/(2*6))
    PolyCyl(Insert[OD],BaseThick + 2*Protrusion,6);
    }
    resize([2*Block[0],0,LEDPanel[0] + Protrusion]) // LED panel outline
    translate([0,0,BaseThick])
    rotate([0,-90,0])
    translate([(LEDPanel[0] + Protrusion)/2,0,0])
    cube(LEDPanel + [Protrusion,0,0],center=true);
    translate([-Block[0]/2 + 2*WallThick + PCBSize[0] + LEDWire[2]/2 + 5*ThreadWidth,
    0,BaseThick]) // LED wiring recess
    rotate([0,-90,0])
    translate([(LEDWire[0] + Protrusion)/2,0,0])
    cube(LEDWire + [Protrusion,0,0],center=true);
    translate([Block[0]/2 – Diffuser[2]/2 – 5*ThreadWidth,0,BaseThick]) // diffuser
    rotate([0,-90,0])
    translate([(Diffuser[0] + Protrusion)/2,0,0])
    cube(Diffuser + [Protrusion,0,0],center=true);
    }
  • Cheap WS2812 LEDs: Test Fixture

    Given that I no longer trust any of the knockoff Neopixels, I wired the remaining PCB panel into a single hellish test fixture:

    WS2812 4x7 LED test fixture - wiring
    WS2812 4×7 LED test fixture – wiring

    The 22 AWG wires deliver +5 V and Common, with good old-school Wire-Wrap wire passing to the four LEDs betweem them. The data daisy chain snakes through the entire array.

    It seems only fitting to use a knockoff Arduino Nano as the controller:

    WS2812 4x7 LED test fixture - front
    WS2812 4×7 LED test fixture – front

    The code descends from an early version of the vacuum tube lights, gutted of all the randomizing and fancy features. It updates the LEDs every 20 ms and, with only 100 points per cycle, the colors tick along fast enough reassure you (well, me) that the thing is doing something: the pattern takes about 20 seconds from one end of the string to the other.

    At full throttle the whole array draws 1.68 A = 60 mA × 28 with all LEDs at full white, which happens only during the initial lamp test and browns out the supply (literally: the blue LEDs fade out first and produce an amber glow). The cheap 5 V 500 mA power supply definitely can’t power the entire array at full brightness.

    The power supply current waveform looks fairly choppy, with peaks at the 400 Hz PWM frequency:

    WS2812 4x7 array - 200 mA VCC
    WS2812 4×7 array – 200 mA VCC

    With the Tek current probe set at 200 mA/div, the upper trace shows 290 mA RMS. That’s at MaxPWM = 127, which reduces the average current but doesn’t affect the peaks. At full brightness the average current should be around 600 mA, a tad more than the supply can provide, but maybe it’ll survive; the bottom trace shows a nice average, but the minimum hits 4.6 V during peak current.

    Assuming that perversity will be conserved as usual, none of the LEDs will fail for as long as I’m willing to let them cook.

    The Arduino source code as a GitHub Gist:

    // WS2812 LED array exerciser
    // Ed Nisley – KE4ANU – February 2017
    #include <Adafruit_NeoPixel.h>
    //———-
    // Pin assignments
    const byte PIN_NEO = A3; // DO – data out to first Neopixel
    const byte PIN_HEARTBEAT = 13; // DO – Arduino LED
    //———-
    // Constants
    #define UPDATEINTERVAL 20ul
    const unsigned long UpdateMS = UPDATEINTERVAL – 1ul; // update LEDs only this many ms apart minus loop() overhead
    // number of steps per cycle, before applying prime factors
    #define RESOLUTION 100
    // phase difference between LEDs for slowest color
    #define BASEPHASE (PI/16.0)
    // LEDs in each row
    #define NUMCOLS 4
    // number of rows
    #define NUMROWS 7
    #define NUMPIXELS (NUMCOLS * NUMROWS)
    #define PINDEX(row,col) (row*NUMCOLS + col)
    //———-
    // Globals
    // instantiate the Neopixel buffer array
    Adafruit_NeoPixel strip = Adafruit_NeoPixel(NUMPIXELS, PIN_NEO, NEO_GRB + NEO_KHZ800);
    uint32_t FullWhite = strip.Color(255,255,255);
    uint32_t FullOff = strip.Color(0,0,0);
    struct pixcolor_t {
    byte Prime;
    unsigned int NumSteps;
    unsigned int Step;
    float StepSize;
    float TubePhase;
    byte MaxPWM;
    };
    // colors in each LED
    enum pixcolors {RED, GREEN, BLUE, PIXELSIZE};
    struct pixcolor_t Pixels[PIXELSIZE]; // all the data for each pixel color intensity
    unsigned long MillisNow;
    unsigned long MillisThen;
    //– Figure PWM based on current state
    byte StepColor(byte Color, float Phi) {
    byte Value;
    Value = (Pixels[Color].MaxPWM / 2.0) * (1.0 + sin(Pixels[Color].Step * Pixels[Color].StepSize + Phi));
    // Value = (Value) ? Value : Pixels[Color].MaxPWM; // flash at dimmest points
    // printf("C: %d Phi: %d Value: %d\r\n",Color,(int)(Phi*180.0/PI),Value);
    return Value;
    }
    //– Helper routine for printf()
    int s_putc(char c, FILE *t) {
    Serial.write(c);
    }
    //——————
    // Set the mood
    void setup() {
    pinMode(PIN_HEARTBEAT,OUTPUT);
    digitalWrite(PIN_HEARTBEAT,LOW); // show we arrived
    Serial.begin(57600);
    fdevopen(&s_putc,0); // set up serial output for printf()
    printf("WS2812 array exerciser\r\nEd Nisley – KE4ZNU – February 2017\r\n");
    /// set up Neopixels
    strip.begin();
    strip.show();
    // lamp test: run a brilliant white dot along the length of the strip
    printf("Lamp test: walking white\r\n");
    strip.setPixelColor(0,FullWhite);
    strip.show();
    delay(250);
    for (int i=1; i<NUMPIXELS; i++) {
    digitalWrite(PIN_HEARTBEAT,HIGH);
    strip.setPixelColor(i-1,FullOff);
    strip.setPixelColor(i,FullWhite);
    strip.show();
    digitalWrite(PIN_HEARTBEAT,LOW);
    delay(250);
    }
    strip.setPixelColor(NUMPIXELS – 1,FullOff);
    strip.show();
    delay(250);
    // fill the array, row by row
    printf(" … fill\r\n");
    for (int i=0; i < NUMROWS; i++) { // for each row
    digitalWrite(PIN_HEARTBEAT,HIGH);
    for (int j=0; j < NUMCOLS; j++) {
    strip.setPixelColor(PINDEX(i,j),FullWhite);
    strip.show();
    delay(100);
    }
    digitalWrite(PIN_HEARTBEAT,LOW);
    }
    // clear to black, column by column
    printf(" … clear\r\n");
    for (int j=NUMCOLS-1; j>=0; j–) { // for each column
    digitalWrite(PIN_HEARTBEAT,HIGH);
    for (int i=NUMROWS-1; i>=0; i–) {
    strip.setPixelColor(PINDEX(i,j),FullOff);
    strip.show();
    delay(100);
    }
    digitalWrite(PIN_HEARTBEAT,LOW);
    }
    delay(1000);
    // set up the color generators
    MillisNow = MillisThen = millis();
    printf("First random number: %ld\r\n",random(10));
    Pixels[RED].Prime = 11;
    Pixels[GREEN].Prime = 7;
    Pixels[BLUE].Prime = 5;
    printf("Primes: (%d,%d,%d)\r\n",Pixels[RED].Prime,Pixels[GREEN].Prime,Pixels[BLUE].Prime);
    unsigned int PixelSteps = (unsigned int) ((BASEPHASE / TWO_PI) *
    RESOLUTION * (unsigned int) max(max(Pixels[RED].Prime,Pixels[GREEN].Prime),Pixels[BLUE].Prime));
    printf("Pixel phase offset: %d deg = %d steps\r\n",(int)(BASEPHASE*(360.0/TWO_PI)),PixelSteps);
    Pixels[RED].MaxPWM = 127;
    Pixels[GREEN].MaxPWM = 127;
    Pixels[BLUE].MaxPWM = 127;
    for (byte c=0; c < PIXELSIZE; c++) {
    Pixels[c].NumSteps = RESOLUTION * (unsigned int) Pixels[c].Prime;
    Pixels[c].Step = (3*Pixels[c].NumSteps)/4;
    Pixels[c].StepSize = TWO_PI / Pixels[c].NumSteps; // in radians per step
    Pixels[c].TubePhase = PixelSteps * Pixels[c].StepSize; // radians per tube
    printf("c: %d Steps: %5d Init: %5d",c,Pixels[c].NumSteps,Pixels[c].Step);
    printf(" PWM: %3d Phi %3d deg\r\n",Pixels[c].MaxPWM,(int)(Pixels[c].TubePhase*(360.0/TWO_PI)));
    }
    }
    //——————
    // Run the mood
    void loop() {
    MillisNow = millis();
    if ((MillisNow – MillisThen) > UpdateMS) {
    digitalWrite(PIN_HEARTBEAT,HIGH);
    unsigned int AllSteps = 0;
    for (byte c=0; c < PIXELSIZE; c++) { // step to next increment in each color
    if (++Pixels[c].Step >= Pixels[c].NumSteps) {
    Pixels[c].Step = 0;
    printf("Color %d steps %5d at %8ld delta %ld ms\r\n",c,Pixels[c].NumSteps,MillisNow,(MillisNow – MillisThen));
    }
    AllSteps += Pixels[c].Step; // will be zero only when all wrap at once
    }
    if (0 == AllSteps) {
    printf("Grand cycle at: %ld\r\n",MillisNow);
    }
    for (int k=0; k < NUMPIXELS; k++) { // for each pixel
    byte Value[PIXELSIZE];
    for (byte c=0; c < PIXELSIZE; c++) { // … for each color
    Value[c] = StepColor(c,-k*Pixels[c].TubePhase); // figure new PWM value
    // Value[c] = (c == RED && Value[c] == 0) ? Pixels[c].MaxPWM : Value[c]; // flash highlight for tracking
    }
    uint32_t UniColor = strip.Color(Value[RED],Value[GREEN],Value[BLUE]);
    strip.setPixelColor(k,UniColor);
    }
    strip.show();
    MillisThen = MillisNow;
    digitalWrite(PIN_HEARTBEAT,LOW);
    }
    }
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