Divoom Pixoo Slingbag is nice looking bag, with a 16x16 RGB LED screen in it. I was curious and wanted to look inside. (I must caution you if you buy one for yourself; there are always discounts, don't pay full price. And their after-sales marketing is often overwhelming.)

The bag is constructed well, of decent quality materials. The LED grid works very well. The app for it, on the other hand, is absolute hell. Other people have made alternative clients for them, like the DivoomClient for ESP32, Divoom Timebox Evo, but the only one I personally tried out was the Windows Diwoom client. Which worked pretty well, but made me realise the bluetooth communication isn't protected at all. If there isn't a client currently connected to the bag, there's nothing stopping anyone else from connecting and changing the displayed image. So clearly the hardware had to come out.

( Details )

Outside view of the bag, new display in place, running Rainbow example
Photo by chebe

This bag is quite eye-catching, and people have asked me questions about it whenever I've brought it out. I look forward to customising the animations, eventually. There are repos that will decode the actual animations from the app, but there doesn't seem to be a ready library for implementing them in MicroPython (I saw a promising one for CircuitPython, which alas is not MircroPython), but I'll keep investigating. Also, the original display is still functional, so that might find a use somewhere that isn't public.

Some time ago I got myself an Adafruit LED Glasses Starter Kit. But other than turning it on and running the example code I hadn't done much with it. Then with the return of Congress I, of course, wanted all the LEDs, so I dug it out. First things first, how am I going to wear this?

( Physical details )

Front panel and driver attached to my glasses
Photo by chebe

( Code details )

The fabric choice in the top was driven by the fabrics I wanted to use in the trousers. The trousers in question being a soft tuxedo-style; BurdaStyle Smoking Trousers (Plus Size), March 2013, numbered 140B, (same pdf as the 'Marlene (as in Dietrich) Trousers'). The provided image doesn't really show anything, so let me describe them. These are a non-stretch straight-leg pattern to be made up in crepe. It closes with an invisble zipper in the centre-back, and there are back waist darts. The (front) pockets are curved, and the waistband has a two-overlapping-at-centre-front-curved-pieces detail, that is actually sewn together, with two buttons as just decoration. The pattern also has optional side stripes, which it suggests to use a sequin fabric with.

( Many details )

Burda Smoking Trousers, finished, front view
Photo by chebe

Not too long ago I got my hands on a Purism Librem 5. I'm still trying to get to know this device, so I can't say much about it yet. Except that I love everything it's going for. I just don't know how to make it work for me. Mainly because, with a fully charged battery, and all the hardware switches in the off position, by morning there is hardly any charge left. *sad shrug*

But you know me; if it's a small piece of tech it needs a case! You cannot buy a case for this phone. You must make your own. Thankfully there is a whole case repo with options for you. I went with the slim phone case.

You might have noticed that these cases are meant to be printed in TPU. I've never tried TPU before, so let's give that a go! I ordered the TPU from my printer manufacturer in the hopes that it would work with less effort. I, um. Well, it's a case, that's for sure. But. This is stringy. When the print comes off the bed I had to pull/scrape away as much excess material as I could. I had to snip some blobs off. I tried to melt some problems away. But mostly that resulted in nearly creating holes. There are places where the layers didn't bond, and I had to cut some of them off. The inside corners of the case gathered a lot of extra material, and makes the case fit even tighter. But it does fit. So, mostly a success I guess. (If I try another print I'd pick a chonky case.) TPU is tricky y'all.

Librem5, in a black TPU case, front
Photo by chebe

( More photos )

Hello readers! Last time I got my Adafruit HalloWing badge working with the SD Card Shield under Arduino. But that's a lot of naked electronics to have dangling around my neck. Let's make a case for it!

Someone already remixed the Hallowing badge case to fit a battery, so I had a go at remixing it further. I brought the model into Windows 3D Builder, cut, and extruded the depth of the case to 2cm. Which it turns out fits everything nicely! Except, the SD card is a bit squished against the edge of the case (you might need to put the SD card in after fitting the badge into the case). If I do this again next time I'd widen that bottom opening just a smidgen.

( Slight complication )

Finished badge case
Photo by chebe

This project was absolutely an exercise in persistence.

I had previously restored my parents' old turntable, but the plastic hinges on the lid were broken, which made it awkward to use long term. Even the stereo system in that post got shuffled around and packed away in the shed as not-strictly-necessary.

Fast-forward a few years into a more dystopian future and an ongoing pandemic, and we find me, spending a lot of time at home, looking for projects to distract myself. I had recently gotten a 3D printer for the first time, and I came across a kickstarter for the SongBird turntable kit. They would supply the hardware, electronics, acrylic, and 3D models, which you then print yourself at home. This seemed ideal to me, because if anything ever broke I would (or at least should) be able to replace just that part easily. I backed it in May.

The kickstarter campaign fulfilment was a bit delayed (by the creators catching covid), but not for long as all the parts went up on MyMiniFactory in October, followed by a few updates (that resulted in a naming schema I could not follow). I read the instructions, and decided to not make things difficult for myself and to simply use PETG like they do. I'd never used PETG before, so I did a bit of research and ordered some filament (ROSA3D PETG Standard Light Green and ROSA3D PETG Standard Black) and a Spring Steel Sheet applied PEI Flex Plate for my printer. They arrive, and I print out all the parts before the end of the year.

( Parts list )

But we all know a turntable cannot be used on its own, it needs speakers, and a preamp, so I have to dig out, and clean up, my old stereo system and preamp. I found my old Cambridge Audio 640P preamp, and couldn't find the power plug. So I order a replacement. All this takes a while. June rolls around and I, at least, finally get all the parts assembled into a turntable!

All parts assembled
Photo by chebe

I also needed furniture to fit the stereo into my office, which had to be found, ordered, stained, and assembled. Which required rearranging other things, changing power strip layouts, and then I get covid. This takes a while.

In the instructions they say we need a 'Rega Baerwald alignment protractor V2', and they provide a link to a forum, that is shutting down leaving the file inaccessible. I bought an alignment protractor, but I'm glad backers are sharing copies of the file in the comments now (not least because the place I got my alignment protractor no longer seems to be stocking them).

I finally get enough energy to do the rearranging and I realise I do not have two sets of phono-to-phono cables, and that I really need two sets of phono-to-phono cables. I also find out that I have to order them, because nowhere locally physically stocks them?!

Everything arrives, and I'm setting it all up, going through the fiddly calibration guide, and, it's not working. I get the multimeter out and take the turntable apart. But everything seems okay. I try the stereo system AUX with a portable CD player, and that's working. I even test the brand new cables. That leaves the preamp. The power light comes on, but there's no sound coming through. So I order a replacement, the Behringer PP400 Phono Preamp that they mention in the instructions. Which means I can also print the preamp mount part (pa1mk3-1), to tuck the preamp under the metal arm.

Printed in black;
- pa1mk3-1, at fast quality (3 hours), doesn't look great, but does the job. (Slicer also complained model had problems that it repaired.)

A month later the new preamp arrives, which I attach with two M3 x 5mm screws, and I wire everything up. Finally I can listen to some vinyl.

( Pictures )

Close up of needle, just because
Photo by chebe

Clip of turntable in action
Video by chebe

I picked up some Rainbow silk PLA filament. How could I not? This was my first time printing with silk PLA, and first time using a rainbow filament. To try out the effect I picked some larger pieces to print; headphones stands. Perhaps a bit of a spoiler, but I think the promotional shots are misleading. The colours change very very slowly.

First I grabbed this wavy headphone stand. It prints flat, in two pieces. That wouldn't show off the filament changing colour best, so I rotated the model to print from bottom up. I figured the gentle curves would be okay, but was worried the two overhangs at the top (supporting the headphones band) would fail, so I edited them out with Windows 3D Builder, before importing into my slicer and printing (zero supports).

This is the raw print, with zero tidy-up. The silk really makes every imperfection stand out. The under-side of the arches are a little noodly, but can be cleaned up easily. You can just about make out a colour gradient, rather than colour change, through the height. But it does its headphones job nicely.

( Wavy headphones stand )

Okay, so didn't really manage to get a nice colour change effect there, let's try again, but with a model that uses even more filament! Enter the Stylish headphones stand. No modifications, just printed straight up (zero supports).

Again this is the raw print, with zero tidy-up. The circular/cylindrical stand really shows off the silk PLA to good effect. The underside of the arch is a tiny bit noodly, but again can be cleaned up easily. And finally, just at the very top, we do get to see the filament change colour! That was two headphones stands before we got to the first colour transition. Not the impression given in the promotional pictures. But it does do its headphones job nicely.

( Stylish headphones stand )

Previously on dreamwidth:chebe we played with setting up Android on a RaspberryPi 3. Which led us to ordering a RaspberryPi 4. Well friends, it arrived. I installed the LineageOS Raspberry Pi 4 port by KonstaKANG, and set up a few things, like the Play store. It worked beautifully. We're not talking lightning fast speeds, but. it. works. So now to make it usable.

( The screen and case )

( The stand and arrangement )

My Android control console
Photo by chebe

So picture it. (Or simply remember it.) A pandemic has struck, and lockdown implemented. You are now cut off from all your activities, socialising, friends, as they take place an hour's bus ride (or flight) away. The internet is your only connection. You have a desktop computer, but no webcam. And webcams are sold-out everywhere. What do/did you do?

I was quite lucky, in many ways, but specifically here in that a year before the pandemic I had upgraded to a rather fancy digital micro-four-thirds camera. And it just so happened to be one of the few that the camera manufacturer had enabled with not just HDMI output, but clean HDMI output. They posted an article detailing how to steam video with some Olympus cameras. Following the guide I got a HDMI capture device. (Or rather two; I got on a waiting list for the expensive kind, and ordered a UK£10 version from ebay.) And a HDMI-to-micro-HDMI cable.

And for a few video chats my friends had to look at me in 4K. At least for a couple of hours, until the battery died. See the camera can be charged over USB, but not while actually in use. And the manufacturer does not sell a mains adapter for my model of camera. So I ended up buying the first webcam that came into stock.

Several months go by and I have acquired a 3D printer. I am browsing the internet for things I can do with a 3D printer and I find an article on camera tools which has some cool things, but as I browse the wider 3D printed camera stuff category I come across the concept of printing dummy batteries, to be able to use any size battery with your camera. I even found one for my exact battery, in the Olympus OM-D BLS-50 Dummy Battery. The instructions on assembly are on the original model. But my experience was not as smooth as that.

( Process )

This project has made me see the full potential of 3D printing. We're not just making our own pet projects. We can build things to add functionality that is not available at any price to the things we already own. And propagate it to the entire world. Okay, I get it now.