The First of the Year
And so it begins, the first 2 projects.
So, these weren’t on the initial plan but hey! We’ve got 52 weeks (and at least 26 posts) right? Two projects I’m working on in the mission to learn Python and get back into programming in the preparation for the innards of one cube on the Portal themed coffee table, I am embarking on 2 Raspberry Pi based projects.
One of these is based on a creation introduced to me by my colleague David Leech that uses a popular presentation technique – the Traffic Light System. The original format this ran on was a timed slideshow presentation with a number of preset options to choose from. This file still remains in use today for certain occasions and complements a customised version designed in Max 5 using Max/MSP and Jitter. This version has been refined recently to include optional audio cues and a countdown timer for those that would prefer it to a sudden change in colour. The hope now is to expand the same technology in a hardware form. Whether this will be used in production remains to be seen, but as a starting project I feel it’s a good way to start getting used to the GPIO interface.
The second project I intend to start on is a long term project I have been planning for months that’s focused on an idea of expanding legacy AV systems that currently can’t be monitored on a network. Many modern systems from brands such as AMX and Extron now have web based remote control built in, which is fantastic. But for meeting rooms, pro home systems and teaching spaces it’s hard to remember if you left something on, to find out if you need to buy a new lamp next month or trying to help your colleauge to pull his laptop up on screen. I’m not trying to rebuild a system from scratch at this point, but to see if I can extend the same modern functionality into older systems and to help them gain a new lease of life.
I’ll be posting updates on my progress at least once a month on here for either or both, depending on what takes priority at the time.
I hope what I can learn over the next few months on these projects may help to inspire others into creating this year and achieving potential or to help those hobbyists that are maybe taking a break or out of motivation to get started again and to help spread the creativity in this year of doing.
Mike