Tanner's WebsiteSomething I should’ve done long ago – enabling OTA (Over The Air) firmware updates so I don’t have to disassemble the project box and move the tree every time I want to change its code.
To add a touch of UX, the pixels represent the upload progress. 😎
I’m finally taking the time to make the NeoPixel Christmas tree smarter this year.
My current plan is to:
It’s fun to design UX for limited hardware. In this case, the tree starts with an orange pattern that rotates until a WiFi connection is successful. If it fails the tree will go red, otherwise the tree briefly goes green to let the end user know all is well before starting its first sequence.
Nifty! 🎄
If the objective was to make the robot less creepy, I’ve failed miserably.
Much like the first time I laid eyes on flip dots, when I learned of the computer-1 Mini-ITX case by Teenage Engineering I knew I had to get my hands on it. Maybe I have a thing for bright orange objects.
It’s been a few years since I built my previous PC and the Mini-ITX form factor has always been appealing to me for a workstation, so the hankering to do a new build was strong.
Though I’m a long time nerd it may be surprising that I’ve really only built one custom PC until now. This is mostly due to living in Mac-land and not being a hardcore gamer. My Linux servers have either been in the cloud or a leftover prebuilt that was “good enough” because Linux will pretty much run on anything (and that’s part of the fun).
The parts I went with are modest and didn’t need to be the latest and greatest. The goal for this build was a dependable workbench machine that won’t be my daily driver (iOS development pays the bills), nor replacing my gaming PC.
A project from a few months ago:
— Tanner Stokes (@TannerStokes) March 18, 2022
I wrote a macOS app that put particles on the screen to show air quality levels. A few floaters? You’re fine.
But if your screen looks like this, get out. 😂 pic.twitter.com/r5tniUZzK6
The 64×32 @adafruit Matrix Portal is a great device, just possibly a little too low res for an external macOS screen. #notquiteretina 😆 pic.twitter.com/MUzGMQQ3Xi
— Tanner Stokes (@TannerStokes) February 11, 2022
I saw flip dots (also called flip discs) last year for the first time and instantly knew I needed some in my life. If you’re not familiar with them, check out how they work!
The particular model I have is the ALFAZETA XY5, which may be the easiest way to get up and running, but certainly not the least expensive.
After getting the board, all you need is:
I plan to write in more detail how it all works, but for this demo the stack is: