Running PrusaLink on an external RPi for a MINI+?
I've been using PrusaLink on my Prusa MINI+ and I love it, it's great. No complaints. However, I'd like to add a camera to the setup, but as I understand it, it is only possible if I install PrusaLink on a Raspberry Pi with a camera connected to it. I see that some types of Prusa printers can then connect to the Raspberry Pi and have PrusaLink on the Pi manage everything. Is this also supported on the MINI+? I notice that it has a micro usb port on it that perhaps could be used to connect to the Pi. I'd be using a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W with a camera module v3 attached.
Second question: Would I need to run the official PrusaLink image from the GitHub repo? Or could I install it on top of Raspberry PI OS Lite?
RE:
Not supported, and not planned https://github.com/prusa3d/Prusa-Link/issues/809
Better luck with octoprint or https://github.com/nvtkaszpir/prusa-connect-camera-script
See my GitHub and printables.com for some 3d stuff that you may like.
RE: Running PrusaLink on an external RPi for a MINI+?
I may be misunderstanding something, so please forgive my confusion, but I think perhaps that GitHub issue you linked may be obsolete. PrusaLink is currently running natively on my MINI+ with the latest firmware. That GitHub issue seems to indicate that perhaps that wasn't possible in the past, but it appears to be now. I've been using PrusaLink successfully without issue. My question was, could I connect a Raspberry Pi to the micro USB port on the side of the MINI to have PrusaLink running on the PI instead, as you can for other Prusa printers?
Further, if Octoprint can talk to the mini over the usb port, that suggests that the hardware is capable of accepting commands via some API, which presumably is what PrusaLink on Pi is doing with the other printers. I'd rather stay with just the Prusa software if possible.
Again, I may be misunderstanding something about how this is implemented.
RE: Running PrusaLink on an external RPi for a MINI+?
As far as I remember PrusaLink started as standalone python app, which supports only specific printers.
Later on oher printers reached the point that the PrusaLink was embedded in the printer firmware, which may be further limited per printer model.
That does not mean that you can run python PrusaLink with those printers. Of course you could try.
See my GitHub and printables.com for some 3d stuff that you may like.
RE: Running PrusaLink on an external RPi for a MINI+?
I believe you are correct. In my case I've been using the PrusaLink that is embedded in the firmware, which works fine. However, again my question was if I instead run the Python version of PrusaLink from a Pi, and connect it via USB, would it work that way. The answer appears to be no, at least when I connect it doesn't show up.
This would be a great feature to have, and technically must be possible if Octoprint can do it (which I may try next). I would much rather use PrusaLink than Octoprint though.