C.H.I.P. – Blog. by Next Thing https://ntcblogbackup.wpengine.com News & Notes. Process & Projects. No BS. Srsly. Thu, 09 Nov 2017 03:16:07 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.5 Antique Second Life: Smart Home Wall Mount Rotary Phones & Bluetooth Toasters! https://ntcblogbackup.wpengine.com/appliance-second-life-smart-home-wall-rotary-phones-bluetooth-toasters/ https://ntcblogbackup.wpengine.com/appliance-second-life-smart-home-wall-rotary-phones-bluetooth-toasters/#respond Fri, 03 Mar 2017 19:39:56 +0000 http://blog.nextthing.co/?p=1440 blog-2

Phonos – A Wall Mount Phone retrofitted with a C.H.I.P. to Voice Control your Smart Home.

Hardware hacker jezra has two rad C.H.I.P. projects primed for a weekend build: a Bluetooth toaster and a wall mount rotary phone for smart home voice commands.

Hacking hardware with C.H.I.P. is a favorite Next Thing Co. past time, from C.H.I.P.py Ruxpin to the Alex ‘n Say to pretty much anything PocketC.H.I.P. There was a collective woooweee passing through the NTC office when we came across forum user jezra‘s recent C.H.I.P. projects: a voice control input system housed in a wall mount rotary phone and a Bluetooth speaker disguised as an antique toaster. While they may seem like surprising choices for a hack, we can’t find any fault with his reasoning.

“All devices eventually speak, and they always say the same thing. Sometimes their words are a deafening roar, and sometimes they whisper ever so softly, but their message never changes. Take me apart! Who am I to ignore such a plea? :)” Well said indeed, jezra.

Phonos: The Smart Home Rotary Phone

blog

Hey! You could put a C.H.I.P. in there!

Rotary phones must speak to hardware hackers in a deafening roar. Like Dial-a-Grue earlier this year, Phonos packs a C.H.I.P. with the Blather voice recognition software into a wall-mount phone. Resurrecting the phone into second life required soldering wires to the cradle set and rewiring the handset with a new speaker and puppy-chewed microphone.

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The entire Phonos process is given a great two-part write up on jezra‘s blog (Part 1Part 2). For those interested in getting meta, hear jezra’s own words on this Hacker Public Radio piece about Phonos recorded on Phonos.


Life Beyond Toast: A Bluetooth Toaster Story

Antique Toaster, complete with mood lighting

Antique Toaster, complete with mood lighting

When an antique toaster came into his life, there was only one course of action: transform it into an audio playing web accessible thing. On his blog, jezra gives an entertaining run-down on the process (complete with code!) to empower the appliance to be a Bluetooth speaker, a web accessible text to speech device and a Muttonchip audio player.

Hey! There's a C.H.I.P. in the Toaster!

Hey! There’s a C.H.I.P. in the Toaster!


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If you have a C.H.I.P. project, we want to see and share it! Snap some pictures, record some video and tweet your projects to @nextthingco, post in the NTC forums, or write them up at Hackster.io!

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Robot Arms, WetterBot and Pocket Operators! https://ntcblogbackup.wpengine.com/robot-arms-wetterbot-and-pocket-operators/ https://ntcblogbackup.wpengine.com/robot-arms-wetterbot-and-pocket-operators/#respond Fri, 17 Feb 2017 17:00:01 +0000 http://blog.nextthing.co/?p=1429 Meet WetterBot.

Meet WetterBot.

The C.H.I.P.ster community continues its 2017 hot streak with Jan Van den Brink’s C.H.I.P.-powered Robot Arm, @RobertKatzki’s WetterBot and a PocketC.H.I.P. + Pocket Operator Collaboration by @emdkay. Let’s dig deeper!

WETTERBOT – Your friendly neighborhood weather robot

At Next Thing Co., we LOVE robots. When Wetterbot hit our Twitter account, it was very quickly circulated around the office to much excited giggling. Housing a C.H.I.P. in a rad robot shell complete with blinking eyes,  Robert Katzki created his own weather robot. With the Dark Sky API, Wetterbot fetches the current weather along with the next day’s forecast.

wetterbot-3

The code is available on Github and you can learn more about the project at Robert’s website.


MeArm – Your friendly neighborhood DIY C.H.I.P.-powered Robot Arm

C.H.I.P.-powered Robot Arm!

C.H.I.P.-powered Robot Arm!

When Jan Van den Brink and his son applied their new 3D printer to his son’s graduation project, a C.H.I.P.-powered robot arm was born. Prints from Thingiverse provided a wonderful way to calibrate the printer, while C.H.I.P. proved more than capable of running the servos with a simple python script and a web server for control. With their 3D printer already set up, the total cost of the project was under $20!

Instructions can be found at Hackerster.io, complete with python script. Make your own and tweet us your results!


PocketC.H.I.P. + Pocket Operator!

PocketC.H.I.P. and Pocket Operator play well together!

PocketC.H.I.P. and Pocket Operator play well together!

Even before using them for PocketC.H.I.P. product research, we had Teenage Engineering’s Pocket Operators floating around the office. We never expected they’d play this well together.

By connecting the pocket companions with just a 1/8 cable, @emdkay used SunVox on PocketC.H.I.P. to generate samples on the fly for the Pocket Operator. Twitter was just as excited as we were. We’re definitely going to give this one a shot.

A sampling of the twitter reaction. We agree with the sentiment.

A sampling of the twitter reaction. We agree with the sentiment.


chipLogo64x64

If you have a C.H.I.P. project, we want to see and share it! Snap some pictures, record some video and tweet your projects to @nextthingco, post in the NTC forums, or write them up at Hackster.io!

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PocketC.H.I.P. Keyboard Mods, Mini Apple II, and Dial-a-Grue! https://ntcblogbackup.wpengine.com/pocketc-h-i-p-keyboard-mods-mini-apple-ii-and-dial-a-grue/ https://ntcblogbackup.wpengine.com/pocketc-h-i-p-keyboard-mods-mini-apple-ii-and-dial-a-grue/#respond Fri, 10 Feb 2017 17:00:58 +0000 http://blog.nextthing.co/?p=1408 Very Impressive PocketC.H.I.P. Keyboard Cover by Dichstudios!

Very Impressive PocketC.H.I.P. Keyboard Cover by Dichstudios!

The first C.H.I.P.ster projects of 2017 look great! Dichstudios has created a fantastic new PocketC.H.I.P. keyboard case (we have one on order!). Cupcakus created what may be the smallest Apple IIe ever in existence. Pneumatic is porting Zork, the classic text-based adventure game, to be played with only voice interaction, all encased within an old rotary phone! Let’s get to it!

DIY PocketC.H.I.P. Keyboard Mod!

Jutley was one of the first to get their hands on Dichstudios work.

Jutley was one of the first to get their hands on Dichstudios’ work.

One of our favorite forum posts to keep an eye on is this one about PocketC.H.I.P. custom cases. When Dichstudios released images of his new PocketC.H.I.P. keyboard cover, the forum went crazy.

xTHETRINCHOx was excited for the new keyboard cover.

Needless to say, xTHETRINCHOx was excited for the new keyboard cover.

Dichstudios sells the cover as a DIY kit on his website for $25. Check it out! We can’t wait to get ours!

Ready to order!

Ready to order!


Apple IIe Mini!

Cupakus' Apple IIe Mini. Powered by C.H.I.P. Quarter for scale.

Cupakus’ Apple IIe Mini. Powered by C.H.I.P. Quarter for scale.

We’ve seen our fair share of emulations on C.H.I.P. and PocketC.H.I.P., but Cupcakus when a step further. In addition to emulating the Apple software, he built the hardware around it.

With a series of 3D prints along with a 3″ LCD screen from Adafruit and a 12V drone battery, he created a portable Apple IIe workstation that gets 10-hours of battery life!

UPDATE: Cupcakus released his files on Github!

CONGO BONGO!

CONGO BONGO!


DIAL-A-GRUE

This phone is more than just a phone. It's a voice-driven adventure game powered by C.H.I.P.!

This phone is more than just a phone. It’s a voice-driven adventure game powered by C.H.I.P.!

A huge fan of Zork, the classic text-based adventure game, Mitch Patenaude is porting it’s text interaction to voice interaction using a C.H.I.P., ultimately encasing the project in an old Dutch phone. In honor of the game’s villain, he dubbed the project Dial-a-Grue.

 

Just pick up the phone, listen to the scenario, and speak what you want to do next. It’s a wonderful concept, and one we can’t wait to see progress further. You can learn more at dail-a-grue.com or hit up Pneumatic on the NTC forum!

Pneumatic's C.H.I.P. set-up.

Pneumatic’s C.H.I.P. set-up.


chipLogo64x64

Have a project you want to show off? Post in the forum or tweet it at us. We want to see how you’re using your C.H.I.P.s!

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Build Your Own C.H.I.P.Station Portable https://ntcblogbackup.wpengine.com/build-your-own-c-h-i-p-station-portable/ https://ntcblogbackup.wpengine.com/build-your-own-c-h-i-p-station-portable/#comments Tue, 29 Nov 2016 19:34:02 +0000 http://blog.nextthing.co/?p=1229

Readers with a sharp eye will notice that this PlayStation Portable (PSP) is rocking a C.H.I.P.ster logo. But this isn’t a fancy PSP desktop wallpaper, this PSP isn’t even really a PSP at all, this is a C.H.I.P.Station Portable (or CSP for short).

The latest work of C.H.I.P.ster JKW, C.H.I.P.Station Portable uses the stock PSP buttons, screen, and case, but replaces all of the other electronic guts with a C.H.I.P. and a custom DIP. You don’t have to wait in line for this custom console, it’s all open source, so you can build your own!

Once JKW got a hold of an old PSP, he carefully took apart the device and planned how to replace the stock hardware with a C.H.I.P.. He’s no stranger to custom hardware, he’s already made a number of DIPs and projects.

start

The shape of the PSP’s main printed circuit board (PCB) is quite irregular (visible below in turquoise). There are many odd corners and a number of mounting holes, which ensure the board fits snugly inside the plastic enclosure. All of which make it challenging to measure.

a94fb59d02387b69cbaf11bb4123fb8c1dbf3762_1_690x388

Rather than use calipers or a ruler, JKW cleverly used his mill to precisely measure and record the PCB dimensions. Armed with this knowledge, he began planning his custom replacement PCB design.

Designing the custom PCB for C.H.I.P.Station Portable

Designing the custom PCB for C.H.I.P.Station Portable

Once the design was laid out, JKW used his mill to do what it was made to do: mill circuit boards! With the custom board in-hand, all JKW had left to do was install it in the case, plug C.H.I.P. in, and start installing cool emulators like PCSX ReARMed and RetroArch.

csp

For more details on the bulid and how to make your very own C.H.I.P.Station Portable, take a look at the forum thread. And don’t forget to grab the open source design files for the custom DIP.

The command-line never looked so good!

The command-line never looked so good!


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If you’re like us, you’re probably still in awe of this awesome hack. What classic console do you want to see modded with C.H.I.P. next? Make sure to share your ideas in the comments below, and tweet us any mods you’re in the process of building.

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This C.H.I.P.-powered Art Project Can Read Your Mind https://ntcblogbackup.wpengine.com/this-c-h-i-p-powered-art-project-can-read-your-mind/ https://ntcblogbackup.wpengine.com/this-c-h-i-p-powered-art-project-can-read-your-mind/#comments Wed, 23 Nov 2016 18:33:05 +0000 http://blog.nextthing.co/?p=1219

Inhibition, a C.H.I.P.-powered electroencephalogram (EEG) headset, is the latest work of Marinos Koutsomichalis, a creative technologist and scholar interested in the interplay between humans and machines.

Commissioned by Onassis Cultural Centre and Ars Electronica for the Hybrids group exhibition, the piece is on display in the Athens, Greece through the end of January 2017.

EEG is traditionally known as a medical test for the human brain that’s been around since the 1920s. Electrodes are placed on the head to monitor and record voltage fluctuations between neurons in the brain. Doctors use this data to help diagnose abnormalities in brain functioning that could suggest preconditions for epileptic seizures or indicate the patient has sustained a head trauma. It’s a medical technology that reveals fundamental brain health, but recently there is a crop of new applications for EEG, such as Inhibition .

Inhibition is an artistic application of EEG, which records brain waves and relays the data to C.H.I.P. for processing. Worn just like a regular pair of studio headphones, Inhibition adds four boom arms each adorned with small electrodes, a C.H.I.P., and custom EEG DIP into the mix. That’s a whole ton of awesome extras to add to any project, let alone headphones.

Onassis Cultural Centre, Athens, GR 2016 (c) Andreas Simopoulos

Onassis Cultural Centre, Athens, GR 2016 (c) Andreas Simopoulos

Koutsomichalis uses C.H.I.P. to run machine learning and Super Collider, a powerful audio processing tool, to analyze the EEG DIP data and generate custom sound that’s intended to prevent the wearer from concentrating. The goal here isn’t only the distraction, but a type of real-time, personalized distraction that is only possible by monitoring brain waves and adapting customized audio on-the-fly.

And for Koutsomichalis personalization is what matters. Each tailored state of distraction, which he calls “meta-cognition,” is a blurring between the individual and the machine, with neither working harmoniously together.

It’s difficult to know exactly how to describe the experience without wearing , but you don’t have to travel to Athens to try it out. Inhibition is completely open source and is well documented. Koutsomichalis wants anyone who is interested in the project to build their own version and Koutsomichalis is preparing to present a number of workshops around the world featuring Inhibition.


chipLogo64x64

Now that an EEG DIP exists for C.H.I.P., how do you plan to use it in your projects? A mind-controlled robot, a desktop wallpaper selector based on your mood, tell us your plan in the comments below. And don’t forget to share project photo on Twitter and join the discussion in the forum. We can’t wait to see what you’re making!

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Turn Your Pringles Can into an Amazon Echo with C.H.I.P.! https://ntcblogbackup.wpengine.com/turn-your-pringles-can-into-an-amazon-echo-with-c-h-i-p/ Tue, 15 Nov 2016 22:55:13 +0000 http://blog.nextthing.co/?p=413

A while back, Sam Machin built a $10 Amazon Echo using C.H.I.P.! To celebrate the occasion, we all sat around and ate some Pringles chips. Then it hit us! Sam’s project needed an enclosure, and that now empty Pringles can was perfect.

Wasting no time at all, we bundled up all the electronics, Dave got creative with building a nifty cardboard support structure, and we shoved everything inside. The result, Pringles Alexa! Here’s how to build one.

pringles_amazon_alexa_powered_by_chip

Parts

  • C.H.I.P.
  • Pringles can
  • Scraps of cardboard
  • 3.7V LiPo battery
  • Pringles Alexa DIP (see the end of the write-up for the schematic and full BOM)

Tools

  • Soldering iron, solder, and protective eyewear
  • Needle nose pliers
  • Tweezers
  • Hot glue gun and glue

Part 1: Alexa Setup

1. Create an Amazon Developer Account

You’ll need to create an Amazon developer account for this project. Pringles Alexa uses the Amazon Alexa services to interpret voice commands and retrieve answers. Use your laptop and create an account here.

TIP: About half the project steps use the dashboard, so you might want to bookmark it for convenience.


2. Add a New Device

voiceservice

Create a device using the dashboard wizard. Click on the Alexa tab, select Add Device and click on the Alexa Voice Service icon.


3. Name Your C.H.I.P.

dogeinfo

Fill in the Device Type ID and Display Name, with the name of your C.H.I.P., then click the [Next] button.

Each field is case and space sensitive, so pick something you will remember, and that’s easy to type multiple times. We used sandcastle, but you can use whatever name you want.


4. Create a Security Profile

dogesec
Click on the drop-down menu Select Security Profile and select Create a new profile.

Fill out the Security Profile Name with the same name you used on the previous step for Device Name. Enter in whatever you want in the Security Profile Description, then click the [Next] button.


5. Configure the Security profile and Credentials

dogeauthsec

Select Web Settings and then click on the [edit] button near the top right of the page. You need to add the IP address of your C.H.i.P. in the Allowed Origins and the Allowed Return URLs, so click on [Add Another].

In the Allowed Origins enter the following:
http://localhost:5000

Add a second line to this section with your C.H.I.P.’s IP address. You’ll likely have to boot up your C.H.I.P., determine the IP address by typing ip addr show wlan0.
http://10.0.0.100:5000

In Return URL type:
http://localhost:5000/code
http://10.0.0.100:5000/code

Note: Remember again to swap out the 10.0.0.100 for your C.H.I.P.’s IP address.

Save the settings, but keep your browser window open to the security configuration tab. You’ll need to set up some code on C.H.I.P. before you can fill out the Authorization Token field.


Note: That’s all the dashboard setup you need to do right now, but keep this page open. During the setup on C.H.I.P., you’ll need to enter in the long ID and secret strings from the webpage into a C.H.I.P. config file.


PART 2: C.H.I.P. Setup

This project was created on a C.H.I.P. running the 4.3 GUI image. Our newer, 4.4 image implements some changes that are not compatible with this code. As such, you’ll need to flash your C.H.I.P. with the 4.3 GUI. For more information on the differences between 4.3 and 4.4, please see the online C.H.I.P. docs.

1. Install the Required Software

From the Terminal program, update C.H.I.P.’s list of packages by typing the following command, then press enter.
sudo apt update

Install the prerequisite software:
sudo apt install git libasound2-dev memcached python-pip python-alsaaudio mpg321


2. Clone the Git Repository

Sam Machin created this project and hosts his code on Github. To get a copy of his code, you’ll need to use git to clone his repository.
git clone https://github.com/sammachin/AlexaCHIP


3. Install More Required Software

Change directories to AlexaCHIP.
cd AlexaCHIP

Run pip to install some more required software that is not available in the Debian repositories.
sudo pip install -r requirements.txt


4. Configure Device Security

creds

Refer to the Amazon Developer Dashboard page from Step 4 of the previous section and select Security Profile, then General. This will display all of the fields necessary for your C.H.I.P.’s credentials, except for one. Input all the fields available into your creds.py file.
mv example_creds.py creds.py

Then open then file for editing and copy in the strings.
nano creds.py


5. Authorization Token

authtoken
Run python python ./auth_web.py, which starts a webserver on C.H.I.P. used to finalize the security credentials with Amazon.

On your laptop, use a web browser to visit C.H.I.P.’s IP address at port 5000. For example, I directed my web browser to 10.0.0.100:5000. Then enter in your Amazon username and password for your AWS account and

Note: You can determine your IP add by typing ip addr show wlan0 from the command line.


5. Change the Button’s GPIO Number

412

Open setup_gpio.sh with Nano and replace the number 409 with 412. When Sam wrote this project, he chose to use C.H.I.P.’s 409, but the version we built uses 412.
nano ~/AlexaCHIP/setup_gpio.sh

main412

You also need to edit main.py and change filename = ‘/sys/class/gpio/gpio409/value’ to read filename = ‘/sys/class/gpio/gpio412/value’.
nano ~/AlexaCHIP/main.py

Once you’ve made the edit, save and quit Nano.


6. ALSA Sound Configuration

alsa

Use Nano to open the ALSA configuration file at /usr/share/alsa/alsa.conf. Find the line that says, pcm.front cards.pcm.front and change it to read pcm.front cards.pcm.default. Save your work, exit Nano, and reboot your C.H.I.P..
sudo nano /usr/share/alsa/alsa.conf
sudo reboot


7. Modify main.py

Edit your main.py script based on jitto’s modifications to main.py.

-	with open('recording.wav') as inf:
+	with open('recording.wav', 'rb') as inf:

-	data = r.content.split(boundary)
+	data = r.content.split(boundary.encode('utf-8'))

-	audio = d.split('\r\n\r\n')[1].rstrip('--')
+	audio = d.split(b'\r\n\r\n')[1]

Note: It’s really easy to incorrectly edit this line! Not only do you need to remove .rstrip(‘–‘), but you also need to add the letter b to d.split(b’\r\n\r\n’)[1].

-   with open('recording.wav', 'w') as rf:
+	with open('recording.wav', 'wb') as rf:

-	audio = ""
+	audio = b""


8. Install Python3

Install Python 3 to take advantage of the code changes jitto implemented.
sudo apt install python3-pip

Use pip3, the Python package manager, to install a few required libraries.
sudo pip3 install python3-memcached pyalsaaudio

Reboot your system.
sudo reboot


9. Run setup_gpio script by typing

Run setup_gpio.sh as root to configure the button’s GPIO pin. You’ll need to run this script each time you start PringlesAlexa.
sudo setup_gpio.sh


10. Tweaking the Volume

alsa
You may need to play around with the volume output of C.H.I.P.’s mixer to obtain clear playback. There are a few ways to do this, but the easiest is to type the following amixer command in at the command prompt.
amixer set ‘Power Amplifier’ 55%

A second option — and one that’s more visual — is to run alsamixer, which is a ncurses based front-end for controlling the onboard mixer.
alsamixer

Note: Press the ESC key to quit the mixer.


11. Run the Client Software

To start the Pringles Alexa, simply run the command below.
sudo python3 main.py

After a moment you’ll hear a voice say, “Hello!” At this point, the system is ready to rock. Simply hold down the button and start your question off by saying, “Alexa” and pose your question.


Part 3: Custom Microphone and Speaker Circuit

We built a custom DIP that integrates the microphone, amp, speaker, and button into a single board that fits snugly inside a Pringles tube. You’ll find the schematic and bill of materials below. But if you’re looking for a less DIY option, you can use a USB sound card with audio in and out. You’ll still need to wire a button to GPIO 412.

Schematic

schematic

Bill of Materials

Qty Value Device Package Parts Description
1 LED5MM LED5MM LED1 LED
1 .47uF C-USC0805 C0805 C9 CAPACITOR, American symbol
1 0.1uF C-USC0805 C0805 C10 CAPACITOR, American symbol
1 100nF C-USC0805 C0805 C3 CAPACITOR, American symbol
2 1uF C-USC0805 C0805 C6, C8 CAPACITOR, American symbol
1 2K R-US_R0805 R0805 R2 RESISTOR, American symbol
1 2X20-CHIP-HEADERS2X20-PTH-CHIP 2X20-CHIP-HEADERS 2X20CHIP-TH J1 Through hole layout with chip reference
1 3300pF C-USC0805 C0805 C4 CAPACITOR, American symbol
1 4.3K R-US_R0805 R0805 R1 RESISTOR, American symbol
3 4.7uF C-USC0805 C0805 C1, C2, C5 CAPACITOR, American symbol
1 470uF C-USC0805 C0805 C7 CAPACITOR, American symbol
1 ALCO-1571294-3 ALCO-1571294-3 ALCO-1571294-3 U3
1 ELECTRET-MIC ELECTRET-MIC AOM-4454P-4 MIC1
1 PAM8403 PAM8403 PAM8403 U2
1 R100 R-US_R0805 R0805 R3 RESISTOR, American symbol
1 SPEAKER SPEAKER SPEAKER-CDS-25148-L100 U5

chipLogo64x64

Whether you’re ordering socks or checking the weather, make sure to share how you’re using Pringles Alexa. Leave a comment below, Tweet a photo, or describe your full build on the forums. We can’t wait to hear from you!

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PICO-8! Now Free for All C.H.I.P.s https://ntcblogbackup.wpengine.com/pico-8-now-free-for-all-c-h-i-p-s/ https://ntcblogbackup.wpengine.com/pico-8-now-free-for-all-c-h-i-p-s/#comments Mon, 14 Nov 2016 21:12:36 +0000 http://blog.nextthing.co/?p=1154

C.H.I.P.sters, PICO-8 is now available for C.H.I.P. and it’s completely free!

Plus, check out our new $29 PICO-8 Console Kit. It comes with a C.H.I.P., HDMI DIP, C.H.I.P. power adapter, game controller, and of course PICO-8! It’s the perfect little package for the aspiring game developer on your holiday shopping list.

splore

Whether you build a game from scratch or modify one of the 1000s of existing open source games, PICO-8 on C.H.I.P. is an easy and fun way to learn game development. Thanks to our super-friends at lexaloffle who created PICO-8, we are thrilled that every PocketC.H.I.P. and now every C.H.I.P. has access to PICO-8 for free! Here’s a step-by-step guide to get your game on with PICO-8 on C.H.I.P.!

1. Install PICO-8 on C.H.I.P.

Once installed, PICO-8 will automatically be added to the Game menu

Once installed, PICO-8 will automatically be added to the Game menu


With your C.H.I.P. connected to the internet, click the Computer Things! menu and select Terminal. Type the command below and then press enter. This updates the list of available packages on your C.H.I.P. and installs PICO-8. It’s that easy!
sudo apt update && sudo apt install chip-pico-8

To launch PICO-8, click the Computer Things! menu, hover over the Games submenu and select PICO-8.


2. Configure the Keys

Configuring the keyboard in PICO-8

Configuring the keyboard in PICO-8


By default, PICO-8 uses x to affirm a selection. To change the key bindings, press ESC, use the arrow keys to select Exit to Console, and press x to affirm the selection. At the new screen, type in keyconfig and press enter and configure the keys.


3. Take it to the Next Level!

PICO-8_1

Once you’ve installed PICO-8 on C.H.I.P., you’ll want to check out the following resources to really get the most out of the software. A great place to start is with the PICO-8 docs for PocketC.H.I.P.. Some of the information you’ll find there is PocketC.H.I.P. specific (like mention of the touchscreen), but it will provide you with a good starting point for gaining familiarity with PICO-8.

Here a few more helpful links:


chipLogo64x64

Now that PICO-8 is free for all C.H.I.P.s and PocketC.H.I.P.s, what type of game are you planning to write? Tell us in the comments below, share your screenshots on Twitter, and join the conversation in the forum. We can’t wait to see what you’ll create!

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Give Your Old Electronics New Life with These 3 C.H.I.P. Projects https://ntcblogbackup.wpengine.com/give-your-old-electronics-new-life-with-these-3-c-h-i-p-projects/ https://ntcblogbackup.wpengine.com/give-your-old-electronics-new-life-with-these-3-c-h-i-p-projects/#comments Tue, 08 Nov 2016 17:46:27 +0000 http://blog.nextthing.co/?p=1145 The electronic guts of a wireless speaker project that use C.H.I.P.

The electronic guts of a wireless speaker project that use C.H.I.P.

If you’re like most of us at NTC, you have a bunch of old electronics that lack Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity. Here are 3 projects that use C.H.I.P. to upgrade these old dust collecting devices and give them a second, more connected life!

C.H.I.P.Play Wireless Speaker

Don’t spend hundreds of dollars to get an AirPlay speaker, just use C.H.I.P. and upgrade the bookshelf speakers you already own. C.H.I.P.Play speakers are a great DIY introduction to C.H.I.P. and who doesn’t want to make their own wireless speakers?!

Apple’s AirPlay technology lets you seamlessly stream audio from your Apple laptop or phone right to AirPlay compatible speakers. But these types of speakers aren’t cheap, it’s Apple after all. Fortunately, with C.H.I.P. and a little help from Ben, you can transform any speaker into an AirPlay compatible C.H.I.P.Play speaker.

You’ll need a C.H.I.P., a 3.7V LiPo battery (to make your speakers more portable), an audio cable, and old speakers or amp. The project takes around 30 minutes to complete and is excellent for C.H.I.P. noobs. You can find Ben’s full instructions for the project on Hackster.io.


Wireless Speakers For All Platforms

infull

Not a fan of Apple AirPlay, no problem. Peter has you covered with instructions to turn your wired speakers into WiFi capable speakers.

Peter configure his C.H.I.P. to act as a Music Player Daemon (MPD) server, one half of the MPD client-server protocol for streaming audio. Unlike AirPlay, MPD is not proprietary, and there are tons of cross-platform clients available: iOS, Android, Windows Phone, and most desktop operating systems. Here’s the full list of MPD supported clients and plug-ins. Yeah, there are a ton!

Since Peter is a huge audiophile, he also added a few extras to the project like a decent amp and a dedicated hard drive for more of his music. While not required, they add that extra bit of polish that makes this project rewarding to build. Expect to spend about a half an hour building and many hours more listening to these WiFi connected speakers.


Read All The Things with C.H.I.P.py Ruxpin

Why buy a new Teddy Ruxpin, when you can hack your old one? C.H.I.P.py Ruxpin, the terrifying brainchild of Langley is the perfect project to build and gift this holiday season.

C.H.I.P.py is powered by C.H.I.P. and runs software to actuate its mouth, control audio output, and even hosts a web server where you can log in and tell C.H.I.P.py exactly what to say. Have writer’s block? Configure C.H.I.P.py to read a Twitter feed and sit back and enjoy. Trust us, life with C.H.I.P.py can get kind of weird.

C.H.I.P.py explained

C.H.I.P.py explained

Expect to spend close to 3 hours wiring and configuring C.H.I.P. for this project. You’ll also need about $50-$70 worth of parts, including an H-bridge circuit that’s wired between Ruxpin and C.H.I.P. and used to control the motors in the bear’s eyes and jaw. Langley has all the instructions, plus the parts and tools required for the project posted on Hackster.io. C.H.I.P.py is one project that’s definitely worth the time to make!


How are you using C.H.I.P. to upcycle old electronics? Let us know in the comments below, share your build instruction in the forum, and post project pictures on Twitter. We can’t wait to see what you’re making!

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Control PocketC.H.I.P. Remotely with VNC, Create Custom SysAdmin Tools, or Emulate the TI-99/4A https://ntcblogbackup.wpengine.com/control-pocketc-h-i-p-remotely-with-vnc-create-custom-sysadmin-tools-or-emulate-the-ti-994a/ https://ntcblogbackup.wpengine.com/control-pocketc-h-i-p-remotely-with-vnc-create-custom-sysadmin-tools-or-emulate-the-ti-994a/#comments Tue, 25 Oct 2016 20:27:07 +0000 http://blog.nextthing.co/?p=1113 Use VNC to graphically interface with PocketC.H.I.P. from remote devices

Use VNC to graphically interface with PocketC.H.I.P. from remote devices

Pocketeers are ditching the command-line and finding new ways to control of their PocketC.H.I.P.s using graphical interfaces. Others are reliving their first computer experience through emulation on PocketC.H.I.P.. Here’s the scoop.

Pocketchipfan (nice handle btw) recently wrote installation instructions for VNC, a client-server program that lets you control a remote computer using the hardware of a local one. 0xicl33n is working on a graphical interface for controlling system services like VNC and SSH so you don’t have to venture to the command-line. And romanaThree is reliving the early days of personal computing with a TI-99/4A emulator.

Remote Controlled GUI

Emdkay's PocketC.H.I.P. VNC Setup

Emdkay’s PocketC.H.I.P. VNC Setup

Using SSH to connect to remote devices is a great way to access them securely and efficiently, but the command-line interface can be a mysterious environment if you’re new to Linux. Pocketchipfan has a quick and easy solution: setup a VNC server on PocketC.H.I.P., which only requires two command-line commands, and then you’re . VNC (short for Virtual Network Computing) enables you to use a local computer’s keyboard, mouse, and display to control a remote machine as though you were sitting in front of it. Pocketchipfan posted VNC setup instructions in the forum and others have pitched in with additional tips and tricks.

Developed in the late 1990s, VNC is cross-platform, open source, and a great way to graphically control a remote device. Above is a shot of Pocketeer Emdkay with VNC in action. In this setup, PocketC.H.I.P. is running a VNC server and Emdkay’s iPad is running a VNC client. Any typing or touching done on the laptop will control PocketC.H.I.P.. It’s like turning the iPad into a PocketC.H.I.P.!


Customize the PocketC.H.I.P. menus

menu

Once you’ve installed services like SSH and VNC on PocketC.H.I.P., you’ll have to manage them through the systemd systemctl utility. 0xicl33n “didn’t want to be bother with that.” Instead, using Python 2.7 and a bit of code, 0xicl33n created a graphical front-end to start and stop system services.

The project is a work in progress, but you can track the development in the forum thread or the Github repository. And if you see a way to incorporate 0xicl33n’s code in your next project, make sure to make a mention of it in the thread. It’s always good to cite your sources. ໒( ͡ᵔ ▾ ͡ᵔ )७


Relive the 16-bit Future with a TI99/4A

ti-99

The TI-99 was the first 16-bit home computer. Released in 1979, the 99/4A was powered by a blazing fast 3.0Mhz processor, offered a full line of plug-and-play peripherals, and had a catalogue of about 100 games! C.H.I.P.ster romanaThree had one these machines back in the day and took the time to prepare a compiled version of a 99/4A emulator. You can grab a copy in the forum thread.

This brought back memories for Solarmax, since the 99/4A was his first computer and he lugged to college with him. These days you don’t need to haul around gear to use the 99/4A, or at least emulate it. PocketC.H.I.P. is more than up to the challenge emulating the software, plus it fits in most pockets. Just remember not to sit on it!

TI-99 and its full line of peripherals

TI-99/4A and its full line of peripherals


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Was your first computer a TI-99/4A like Solarmax or were you a 386 whiz kid?
Make sure to share your first computer memories in the comments below. And while you’re at it, make sure to share all your project photos on Twitter, Facebook, or in our forum.

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Make PocketC.H.I.P. Even More Cyberpunk with El Wire, Build a Router with C.H.I.P., & Upcycle an Old Printer with a C.H.I.P. Print Server https://ntcblogbackup.wpengine.com/make-pocketc-h-i-p-even-more-cyberpunk-with-el-wire-build-a-router-with-c-h-i-p-upcycle-an-old-printer-with-the-c-h-i-p-print-server/ https://ntcblogbackup.wpengine.com/make-pocketc-h-i-p-even-more-cyberpunk-with-el-wire-build-a-router-with-c-h-i-p-upcycle-an-old-printer-with-the-c-h-i-p-print-server/#comments Fri, 14 Oct 2016 19:34:10 +0000 http://blog.nextthing.co/?p=1101 Make PocketC.H.I.P. really shine with hot pink El wire!

Make PocketC.H.I.P. really shine with hot pink el wire!

It’s been a busy week at NTC HQ with the launch of C.H.I.P. Pro and GR8, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t make time to keep tabs on the latest C.H.I.P. and PocketC.H.I.P. projects!

Here are three great community created projects that you should try: add El Wire to your PocketC.H.I.P., turn C.H.I.P. into a WiFi router, and upcycle your old parallel printer with a C.H.I.P. print server.

C.H.I.P.sters and Pocketeers are always busing making projects, mods, and writing up documentation. To stay up on all the latest content, keep your browser tabs pinned to the blog, forum, Hackster.io, and Chip-Community.org.

Making PocketC.H.I.P Even More Cyberpunk

The absolutely coolest feature of 5T4RW1ND’s heavily modified PocketC.H.I.P. is the splash of hot pink from El wire. What’s not as easy to see about the hack is that it relies on a power inverter underneath a custom 3D printed keyboard enclosure!

Short for electroluminescent wire, El wire is a copper wire coated with phosphor, wrapped with a second wire, and protected within a transparent PVC sheath. When alternating current (A/C) is applied to El wire the phosphor illuminates in a neon-like glow.

But you can’t just directly hook PocketC.H.I.P. up to El wire. PocketC.H.I.P. uses direct current (D/C) from the 3.7 3,000mA LiPo battery, yet El wire requires A/C power. Fortunately, that’s a conversion that’s easily done using an inverter, and 5T4RW1ND wired one between PocketC.H.I.P. and the El wire.

Sharp-eyed Pocketeers will also notice this PocketC.H.I.P. also has a riff on Jose’s speaker hack project, a stylus sheath, and two custom feet for no-slip traction.


Share Your Internet Connection with RouterC.H.I.P.

Network Topology

RouterC.H.I.P. Network Topology

Yash Nayak is using C.H.I.P. as an inexpensive WiFi router to share a cable modem connection with multiple devices. You can read the full project instructions and it’s fairly easy to build your own version.

DNSmasq, a software package for setting up small networks, takes care of all the network routing and bridging. Nayak has all the steps covered to configured C.H.I.P. to broadcasts an SSID, making it appear to remote devices just like a WiFi router. In fact, it is.

Using C.H.I.P.’s flexible WiFi networking ability is a handy way to quickly create and extend a network. We used a similar setup with dnsmasq to create an ad-hoc network for RocketC.H.I.P..


Upcycle and Old Parrallel Port Printer

port

Gerocortex had used an old computer to act as a print server for his ancient parallel port printer. But when the computer died, he didn’t throw out the printer. Instead, he used a Parallel-to-USB adapter and wired the printer directly to C.H.I.P..

Before your race out to buy the converter cable, make sure your printer is compatible with CUPS. Once you’ve determined if it’s supported, all you need to do is install CUPS, the Common Unix Printing System.
sudo apt install cups.

All that’s left is to do is plug in the Parallel-to-USB between C.H.I.P. and the printer, and configure CUPS using its web-based configuration tools. The full instructions are available on CHIP-Community.org, and it’s just one of the many helpful guides on the site.

If you end up saving your old printer with C.H.I.P., we want to see the old ink-spewing monster! Snap a photo and share it with the community on PocketC.H.I.P. forum section.


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We want to see what you’re working on!

Pose with your project, take a quick snap, or describe it in writing, we love it all. You can find us on Twitter, reach us on Facebook, or, best of all, join the lively conversation on the forum.

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