Looking for Projects -
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Hi everyone,
I've been extremely bored recently, and want to actually build something interesting, even if I don't follow completely through. Does anyone here have any ideas for interesting projects? I'm really at a loss of what I want to do.
Things I don't want to do:
- Web Development (I work in a Web Shop, its getting boring)
Things I've recently been interested in:
- OS Development
- Embedded Systems
- Video/Image Streaming
- Wireless Streaming
Frankly, I guess I am looking for project ideas that are approachable in the embedded world. I am not looking to do anything novel, as I said, I just want to build something. I like the R-Pi as a platform, but I want to learn/do some lower level concepts, without the abstraction of an OS; but that may be asking for too much trouble to get a generic micro controller.
My initial project though was to use a R-Pi and a couple Bluetooth receivers, and try to stream images from a computer to a Bluetooth connected R-Pi. Not enough bandwidth there though.
Sorry I'm just rambling now, I just can't think of fun embedded projects....
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Make your own bootloader+OS. It's not too hard to pick up if you're willing to give assembly a shot (and it sounds like you are).
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Already done that actually (working x86 boot loader, with pinch of OS salt), part of the projects I've put on hiatus. Looking for something with a little less scope than an OS.
Thanks for the suggestion though.
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https://www.sparkfun.com/news/1203 perhaps?
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https://www.sparkfun.com/news/1203 perhaps?
I'll take a look, thanks again.
On another note, does anyone have any details on the specific differences between an R-Pi and Arduino board? If I understand, the R-Pi is complete package (software, some RAM, video output, etc..), where the Arduino is more of a processor on a board, with expansion slots. Correct?
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Arduino also uses an ARM processor and is intended mostly as something you'll run some small embedded thing on, using its own development studio thing and the set of libraries you get with it.
Pi is a general-purpose x86 architecture computer with some added GPIO stuff.
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This is a good idea, making a processor in VHDL/Verilog is actually pretty easy once you understand how it works.
See if you can make your own OS run on your own processor! Then make Doom run on that OS.
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That right there is an interesting idea; any resources on some sample projects there so I can take a look / learn what I might be getting into?
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I would try googling "sparkfun fpga," I saw a few helpful links with that. Plus sparkfun sells FPGA kits.
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Arduino also uses an ARM processor and is intended mostly as something you'll run some small embedded thing on, using its own development studio thing and the set of libraries you get with it.
Pi is a general-purpose
x86ARM architecture computer with some added GPIO stuff.FTFY
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Whoops, my bad, mixed it up with something then.
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I like the R-Pi as a platform, but I want to learn/do some lower level concepts, without the abstraction of an OS; but that may be asking for too much trouble to get a generic micro controller.
Grab yourself a BeagleBone Black and figure out something realtimey to use the PRUs for?
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Pi is a general-purpose x86 architecture computer
Nope. There's an ARM in there as well, just a gruntier one than any of the Arduino boards have.
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Embedded Systems
I like the R-Pi as a platform, but I want to learn/do some lower level concepts, without the abstraction of an OS; but that may be asking for too much trouble to get a generic micro controller.
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but I want to learn/do some lower level concepts, without the abstraction of an OS; but that may be asking for too much trouble to get a generic micro controller.
There's also this: http://nand2tetris.org/
I think you can't get much lower level.
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There's also this: http://nand2tetris.org/
I think you can't get much lower level.
I've seen this before, but I think now is the time to actually try it out. I'm going to be starting with this.
https://www.adafruit.com/product/2000
And once I get something running there, I will probably be moving to this MC; seems to be exactly what I was looking for.
Thanks all for your replies! Now to think of something to build (after the nand2tetris fun).
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Video/Image Streaming
Make something like this, but live: https://benlubar.github.io/cmvjs/
(Technically it already supports streaming, but you need to host the video from the filesystem that the game is running on.)
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If you want to work, but there's nothing you yourself want to build, the logical conclusion is to take on some contracting work instead. You get a real product you can put on CV with a straight face, and also you get paid.
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Does anyone here have any ideas for interesting projects?
You could try writing a programming language, including (if it is a software language) an optimising compiler for it. It doesn't have to be one that's got any real chance of seeing the light of day if its main purpose is to stop you from going insane at work.
A lot of programming languages are just generic. They don't try to integrate with the sort of environment you've got on a Pi or an Arduino at all. Write something where the sorts of things that make those platforms distinguished are first-class citizens; does that change how you think about doing small projects on those systems? It's my belief that it does, as languages are embodiments of abstractions and abstractions always both enable and constrain.
If you're really insane, write a full JIT for an existing dynamic programming language. That's much more difficult…
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My resume is fine and I have a full time job. I just get bored and want to work on random things; I like to learn.
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You could try writing an IRC bouncer/proxy on an Arduino.
Even if you don't know a lot about IRC, the bare-minimum you need to know is fairly small; I've known people connect to IRC using telnet before.
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I've known people connect to IRC using telnet before.
Yes, because IRC is a very simple protocol from the olden days of the internet. Just like you can make an HTTP request with telnet...
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Definitely do-able, if a little tedious...
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Just like you can make an HTTP request with telnet...
I've done that. If you're using old versions of the protocol, it's only annoying. Full HTTP/1.1 though… no, I wouldn't want to do that.
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I will probably be moving to this MC; seems to be exactly what I was looking for.
You might want to consider this one as well:
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You can make an HTTP connection with a Telnet CLIENT but I think by definition you cannot make a HTTP connection with telnet.
Just sayin'.
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Really?
GET / HTTP/1.1
is hard?
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Doing anything other than the most trivial of GETs is indeed hard. Multiplexed chunks with compression…
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hard
Meh. I just pick up a standard coin-operated pay phone and scream at it until something blows up.