Anyone running OctoPrint on $9 chip?  

Re: Anyone running OctoPrint on $9 chip?

David

I know its another story, but the WiFi on the RPi3 has not been up to the job so I am used a wired connection. I have seen others on here with the same issue.

My Pi is only 3 metres away from the closest AP in direct line-of-sight.

Peter

Re: Anyone running OctoPrint on $9 chip?

I've got a few C.H.I.P.'s but haven't used them for OctoPrint yet; the Pi's have been running it for me.

One of the things that immensely helped with the Pi's wireless performance was to drop the MTU on the wireless interface. I might have some router misconfiguration I need to look into, but in the meantime just dropping the MTU to 1400 or so (default is 1500) fixed the wireless performance issues for me. And both Pi's are sitting across the house, non-LOS.

Re: Anyone running OctoPrint on $9 chip?

Regarding the RP3 and WIFI, there are some software configuration issues that have been found that make a big difference. I have other RPI3 images that run with no WIFI issues, but the RPI3 image I downloaded of OctoPi seems to not have the right configuration.

The last I researched there was a setting that would put the RPI3 wifi in low power / sleep mode. I wonder if users who have installed OctoPrint manually on the latest RPI3 images still see the wifi issues?

This thread hints to the possible problem in the image:
http://raspberrypi.stackexchange.com/questions/43473/does-the-bcm43438-wifi-chip-in-raspberry-pi-3-support-power-management-setting

Re: Anyone running OctoPrint on $9 chip?

Hi David,

the C.H.I.P. can be more economical to control the printer. I choose for the C.H.I.P. or ESP3d.
Only problem is that you have to do it yourself and there are no scripts yet to get it nice as on the RPs. There it starts with more or less economical, if your time is a big value then go with the RPs. I like to build things get background even i am a noob in Linux. BTW i don't own any RPs. The RP community is great but the hardware is not great compared to other boards.

I have installed OctoPrint on the C.H.I.P. by following https://bbs.nextthing.co/t/octoprint-runs-on-chip/2435 . Follow the https://github.com/foosel/OctoPrint/wiki/Setup-on-a-Raspberry-Pi-running-Raspbian instruction and change the 'pi' to 'chip' or create a user 'pi' and login with that user to go trough the installation.
If you want to get it auto started then be make sure that you change the 'pi' in the ~/OctoPrint/scripts/octoprint.init and ~/OctoPrint/scripts/octoprint.default files to 'chip'.
!!! And do not forget to delete the '#' in front of 'DAEMON=/home/pi/OctoPrint/venv/bin/octoprint' !!!
!!! Then copy these modified files!!!

The OS is the headless version because this board is made for that. Adding an additional HDMI DIP makes the C.H.I.P. more expensive and in that price range are much better options.
I will try to use the U14L TX and RX pins to communicate with the Rambo mini P3 TX2 RX2 pins to get the USB 2.0 port free for the webcam. Here i have to check how-to mod the marlin firmware to get them to 'talk'. I am not sure, but i think the the Prusa MultiColor board uses these pins to switch with the 4x NEMAs. Have to check that and maybe i have to switch to P1 TX1 RX1 or P2 TX3 RX3 pins which are going to the LCD screen.

Still busy to get the Logitech C920 as Webcam to stream the prints. Buying the Raspberry PI camera is an option but I got the Logitech under 50€, which is better and can be used for other things.
I also have a LiPo attached so it will not crash by accidentally unplug the C.H.I.P. from power.

I am also trying out to use an ESP8266/Sonoff with ESP3D from Luc https://github.com/luc-github/ESP3D to control the 3D printer. BTW ESP3D is the same used by the DuetWiFi board. There will be no WebCam for time lapses but therefor you got ActionCams like an EleCam Elite 4k.

Plans are to use the 'MK2chip' or 'MK2ESP3D' to control the printer power (using a relay or the Sonoff), some LED lights, enclosure temperature and fans, a smoke senor, and whatever comes in my mind.

Let's see what i will use.

Re: Anyone running OctoPrint on $9 chip?

This information is great!

Have you seen this device with regard to controlling lighting? I was thinking about it for my MK2 setup:
RGBWW LED Strip Light WiFi Controller Dimmer ESP8266

https://eryk.io/2015/10/esp8266-based-wifi-rgb-controller-h801/

Re: Anyone running OctoPrint on $9 chip?

Nice thing. Just can't see how much flash this board has. I will need min 4 MB to get OTA to run, but the Flash chips are cheap and quite okay to replace. This module does not expose more GPIO pins, so it is just for the lights.
I would go for white, maybe warm white (to get natural colors of the print?) LEDs with enough lumen to get nice time laps or streams.

Re: Anyone running OctoPrint on $9 chip?

And here I am with a CHIP and an HDMI adapter to spare. I was wondering if it could be used for the MK2 and Octoprint. I click on this thread an low and behold, it can! Wow, I might seriously need to look into this.

Re: Anyone running OctoPrint on $9 chip?

So yeah, if you're going down this route...

The Raspberry Pi is overall a more powerful platform (CPU, RAM, camera, USB ports).

However, the C.H.I.P. has a few things going for it:

1. Built-in battery backup
2. GPIO Expander which can sink a lot more current than the Pi can

And probably a couple things I'm forgetting.

What I would do is wire the Pi or C.H.I.P. into the 5v standby power of an ATX PSU, and then put the Mk2 and the LED's on the switched part of the ATX PSU. And have the Pi/C.H.I.P. control the soft power signal on the ATX PSU of course.

That gets you a lot of functionality for not a lot of effort.

Re: Anyone running OctoPrint on $9 chip?

Don't forget that the CHIP also has built in WIFI.

Regarding the built in battery smart charger, people are using economical video cam lipos/nicads that will give them about 20 mins of runtime.

Nice thread regarding powering the CHIP from batteries: https://bbs.nextthing.co/t/cheap-battery-solution-light-modding-required/2704/148

Re: Anyone running OctoPrint on $9 chip?

Interesting option. Did it start to stutter while printing and uploading a new file?

Carsten

Re: Anyone running OctoPrint on $9 chip?

Regarding:

ESP8266/Sonoff with ESP3D from Luc https://github.com/luc-github/ESP3D

The next version of the ESP is out and has board support in the Arduino IDE.

Specs for ESP32:
Dual-core Tensilica LX6 microprocessor
Up to 240MHz clock frequency
520kB internal SRAM
Integrated 802.11 BGN WiFi transceiver
Integrated dual-mode Bluetooth (classic and BLE)
2.2 to 3.6V operating range
2.5 µA deep sleep current
28 GPIO
10-electrode capacitive touch support
Hardware accelerated encryption (AES, SHA2, ECC, RSA-4096)
4MB Flash memory

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/13907

Re: Anyone running OctoPrint on $9 chip?

What I would do is wire the Pi or C.H.I.P. into the 5v standby power of an ATX PSU, and then put the Mk2 and the LED's on the switched part of the ATX PSU. And have the Pi/C.H.I.P. control the soft power signal on the ATX PSU of course.

That gets you a lot of functionality for not a lot of effort.
It would be nice if the MK2 came with an ATX PSU, but it does not and this does not has any of these features (standby, soft power).

Re: Anyone running OctoPrint on $9 chip?

I will try to use the U14L TX and RX pins to communicate with the Rambo mini P3 TX2 RX2 pins to get the USB 2.0 port free for the webcam. Here i have to check how-to mod the marlin firmware to get them to 'talk'. I am not sure, but i think the the Prusa MultiColor board uses these pins to switch with the 4x NEMAs. Have to check that and maybe i have to switch to P1 TX1 RX1 or P2 TX3 RX3 pins which are going to the LCD screen.
Update:
The MiniRambo P1 TX1 RX1 and P2 TX3 RX3 pins are used to control the LCD and SD card reader. This is not an option anymore.
The P3 TX2 RX2 pins are used by the Prusa Multi Material upgrade. I will try to use these pins to get them talk to each other, because at this moment i don't plan to get the Multi Material upgrade.
So if somebody plans to get the Prusa Multi Material upgrade, the only option to communicate is via the MiniRamboUSB port.

Background info:
LCD schematics: http://reprap.org/mediawiki/images/7/70/Controller_final_reprapdiscount.pdf
Rambo mini schematics: https://github.com/ultimachine/Mini-Rambo/blob/1.3a/board/Project%20Outputs%20for%20Mini-Rambo/Mini-Rambo.PDF
BETA Original Prusa i3 MK2 to Multi Material upgrade manual: http://manual.prusa3d.com/Guide/4.+Electronics+Assembly/223 Step 13.

Re: Anyone running OctoPrint on $9 chip?

Regarding:

ESP8266/Sonoff with ESP3D from Luc https://github.com/luc-github/ESP3D

The next version of the ESP is out and has board support in the Arduino IDE.

Specs for ESP32:
Dual-core Tensilica LX6 microprocessor
Up to 240MHz clock frequency
520kB internal SRAM
Integrated 802.11 BGN WiFi transceiver
Integrated dual-mode Bluetooth (classic and BLE)
2.2 to 3.6V operating range
2.5 µA deep sleep current
28 GPIO
10-electrode capacitive touch support
Hardware accelerated encryption (AES, SHA2, ECC, RSA-4096)
4MB Flash memory

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/13907
The ESP32 is great. But at this time i think it is more economical to get the ESP8266/Sonoff+memory upgrade. The ESP32 Arduino IDE is still in development.
The Sonoff TH10/16, Dual and POW even have a CE certificate. Depending which Sonoff you choose you get 2 extra GPIO pins can be used to control the LED light, FAN even use I2C.

Background info:
Sonoff: https://www.itead.cc/smart-home/sonoff-th.html
Sonoff TH16 programming and the I²C bus:
Remote Motion Detector Using a Hacked SONOFF Switch for Home Automation Projects:
SuperHouseTV #21: Six Sonoff Secrets: Storage, Safety, Switches, Sensors, Software, and Sites:

Re: Anyone running OctoPrint on $9 chip?

I haven't got a chance to play with the Chip yet, but I do have Octoprint running on a $15 Pine64 board. https://www.pine64.org/

It's working great for me. And I did buy the $10 bluetooth/Wifi daughterboard. So, not quite as economical as a Chip (but I have two pines so I use what I have).

Re: Anyone running OctoPrint on $9 chip?

I haven't got a chance to play with the Chip yet, but I do have Octoprint running on a $15 Pine64 board. https://www.pine64.org/

It's working great for me. And I did buy the $10 bluetooth/Wifi daughterboard. So, not quite as economical as a Chip (but I have two pines so I use what I have).
Nice, how is the Pine64 Os and support? Never bought one, because the support and OS seams to be not that good and take ages to get it running.

Re: Anyone running OctoPrint on $9 chip?

I will try to use the U14L TX and RX pins to communicate with the Rambo mini P3 TX2 RX2 pins to get the USB 2.0 port free for the webcam. Here i have to check how-to mod the marlin firmware to get them to 'talk'. I am not sure, but i think the the Prusa MultiColor board uses these pins to switch with the 4x NEMAs. Have to check that and maybe i have to switch to P1 TX1 RX1 or P2 TX3 RX3 pins which are going to the LCD screen.
Update:
The MiniRambo P1 TX1 RX1 and P2 TX3 RX3 pins are used to control the LCD and SD card reader. This is not an option anymore.
The P3 TX2 RX2 pins are used by the Prusa Multi Material upgrade. I will try to use these pins to get them talk to each other, because at this moment i don't plan to get the Multi Material upgrade.
So if somebody plans to get the Prusa Multi Material upgrade, the only option to communicate is via the MiniRamboUSB port.

Update 2:
Got the C920 running (not completely finished, but it works) and as expected the delay with WiFi is quite big, but that's enough to monitor the print remotely 😉 .
Best news is that i was able to use the microUSB C.H.I.P. port, using a MICRO-USB-OTG-ADAPTER and standard USB-A to USB-B cable, to connect to a Arduino Mega 2650 (with Marlin firmware) 😀
Knowing that i can communicate via the microUSB OTG i do not have to use the MiniRambo P3 Rx Tx pins AND i have the USB 2.0 port free to connect other things.

To power the C.H.I.P. i will now have to use its U13 GND and CHG-IN PINs because the microUSb port is not a power source anymore.

Re: Anyone running OctoPrint on $9 chip?

Nice, how is the Pine64 Os and support? Never bought one, because the support and OS seams to be not that good and take ages to get it running.

Actually, the support is great through the forums. But the support is through the community and not the makers of the boards. It looks like there is much more programming knowledge at the community level than at the manufacturer. Pine has given the community a ton of information on the board so the community is going to town. Quite a selection of OS's to choose from now.

Re: Anyone running OctoPrint on $9 chip?

Update 2:
Got the C920 running (not completely finished, but it works) and as expected the delay with WiFi is quite big, but that's enough to monitor the print remotely 😉 .
Best news is that i was able to use the microUSB C.H.I.P. port, using a MICRO-USB-OTG-ADAPTER and standard USB-A to USB-B cable, to connect to a Arduino Mega 2650 (with Marlin firmware) 😀
Knowing that i can communicate via the microUSB OTG i do not have to use the MiniRambo P3 Rx Tx pins AND i have the USB 2.0 port free to connect other things.

To power the C.H.I.P. i will now have to use its U13 GND and CHG-IN PINs because the microUSb port is not a power source anymore.

Wait, so that micro USB can be used as another host port with an OTG adapter? I've been needing a second port for a project without going to a hub...