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  • M5Stack, MicroPython
    4 min | 14701

    #MicroPython: M5CAMERA timelapse video using MQTT

    M5Stack, MicroPython | 4 min | 14701


    The M5Camera is a camera unit based on ESP32 chip has an OV2640 and also includes a PSRAM. As you may already know, M5Stack is an open-source modular toolkit for IoT developments based on ESP32. There are four versions of this camera (see Fig. 1). I got the M5-Camera B and this is a tutorial to use the camera to generate timelapse videos. However, this module doesn't have a microSD slot. Therefore, the application will publish the photos on an MQTT Broker, so that an MQTT subscrib...

  • M5Stack, MicroPython
    4 min | 22635

    #MicroPython: Support for cameras: M5CAMERA, ESP32-CAM etc.

    M5Stack, MicroPython | 4 min | 22635


    This tutorial updates the article: MicroPython: Taking photos with an ESP32-CAM, in which I described the steps to add support to the ESP32-CAM on MicroPython. In this tutorial, I've updated the driver, and more cameras/boards are now supported. I tested the driver on the ESP32-CAM and the M5CAMERA (model B). It should also work with every board that has an OV2640, and it can be extended to support the OV3660 (I didn't find any board with an ESP32 that uses this camera)....

  • Product Reviews, Raspberry Pi
    3 min | 4687

    #CrowPi2: a Raspberry Pi Notebook for Extended Creativity

    Product Reviews, Raspberry Pi | 3 min | 4687


    Last year, Elecrow sent me the CrowPi and I used it in some of my projects, including this video:

    Together with the Corel USB accelerator, I programmed a YOLOv2 object detector, etc.

    The CrowPi kit is magnificent and has everything you need to start playing with the Raspberry Pi. Furthermore, you get everything in a suitcase, that you can close and clean your "mess" in seconds. :)

    Today, Elecrow is announcing a Kickstarter campaign to support the Crowpi2. This time, they integrated the Raspberry Pi in a notebook-like case (see fig. 1), and I think it i...

  • Raspberry Pi
    3 min | 70526

    #Raspberry Pi: Amazon Prime, Netflix, etc. and a DRM solution!

    Raspberry Pi | 3 min | 70526


    It is a rainy day and you have a Raspberry Pi, which is running Raspberry OS (Raspbian), and you think: I can make a media center to watch some movies/series. You configure everything, and then you see something like the next picture, every time that you want to watch Amazon Prime, Netflix, etc. using the Chromium Web Browser:

    Update 2021.04.05: Installing the Widevine DRM package to the Raspberry Pi is a straightforward process, follow the instructions from this tutorial: Raspberry Pi: Amazon Prime, Netflix, Disney, Spotify - a DRM official solution
    Fig. 1: Trying to play Amazon ...
  • M5Stack, MicroPython
    5 min | 10831

    #M5Stack: Introducing the brand new M5Stack ATOM Echo using MicroPython

    M5Stack, MicroPython | 5 min | 10831


    Last week, I've received a brand new M5Stack ATOM Echo parallel to the market launch (see Fig. 1). You might already know the M5Stack company. They make robust and open-source development kits with stackable modules. The kits allow you to make rapid and high-quality prototypes.

    Today, the M5Stack launches the ATOM Echo. Check out this video, and see how it works with MicroPython:

    M5Stack ATOM Echo

    M5Stack ATOM Echo is a tiny programmable smart speaker and is part of the M5...

  • MicroPython
    2 min | 9325

    #MicroPython: DIY rotating platform using an ESP32 connected to Wi-Fi

    MicroPython | 2 min | 9325


    As you may have noticed in my past videos, I've been using a self-made rotating platform to display the projects. In this article, I'll describe and present it to you. It is still in its baby step, and I need a case to put everything inside. However, the code is available. The microcontroller is an ESP32, which is connected to Wi-Fi and hosts a website to configure the angle, speed, and direction of rotation. The ESP32 is programmed using MicroPython. Check out the following video!...

  • Product Reviews
    3 min | 2714

    #Gearbest: I bought something there and I regret it!

    Product Reviews | 3 min | 2714


    I've never used my blog to criticize a company. But this time, I need to express my complete disappointment with Gearbest. The last days, I have had the worst shipping experience, and I do have extensively worked with companies in and outside of the EU. In a nutshell, I ordered a home appliance on Feb. 21, and I'm still waiting to receive it. They've extended the shipping deadline twice (each time for one month), and now the tracking number has expired.

    2020-05-07 15:00:09
    Hungary, Customs clearance processing complete.
    2020-03-04 10:00:03
    Hungary, Parcel is in clearance.
    2020-02-28 17:00:36
    ...
  • LoRa/LoRaWAN, M5Stack, MicroPython
    2 min | 5003

    #M5Stack: LoRaWAN and MicroPython on the 'Fire'

    LoRa/LoRaWAN, M5Stack, MicroPython | 2 min | 5003


    I've just updated the LoRa/LoRaWAN repository for MicroPython and added a configuration that works on the M5Stack Fire using the LoRa868 Module. Therefore, this will help you connect the M5Stack Fire to the "The Things Network (TTN)"!

    If you're new to MicroPython read this tutorial: Tutorial: Getting Started with MicroPython on ESP32, M5Stack, and ESP8266If you want to know more about the LoRaWAN and MicroPython, read this article: Tutorial: ESP32 running MicroPython sends data o...

  • Analytics, Cloud Platforms
    8 min | 19822

    #GCP: Data pipeline - from datastore to Google Data Studio

    Analytics, Cloud Platforms | 8 min | 19822


    This tutorial is about exporting data from Google Firestore to Google Data Studio to visualize it; or to import it on Google Colab to analyze it and train a machine learning model.

    Data Report
    Fig. 1: Data diagrams on Google Data Studio

    This is the third tutorial from the series "implementing real-time data pipelines - from generation to models" and the other tutorials are the following:

  • General
    3 min | 2991

    #Timeular: Track your time using an Octahedron on Linux

    General | 3 min | 2991


    Last year, I bought a Timeular tracker and I've been using it the past months to check the time I spent on my activities and plan my days better. Furthermore, on work-from-home days, it's hard to track how many hours I work per day, and the tracker helps me a lot with this! Therefore, I still recommend it.

    I also wrote an article about the tracker and the Timeular application: Timeular: Tracking your time using an Octahedron. Both work great on Windows, Mac OS, and Android....

  • Analytics, Cloud Platforms, M5Stack
    13 min | 42701

    #GCP: Implementing Real-Time data pipelines - from ingest to datastore

    Analytics, Cloud Platforms, M5Stack | 13 min | 42701


    Two weeks ago, I published a tutorial that explains how to connect an M5Stack running MicroPython to the Google Cloud Platform using the IoT Core, and I did mention that upcoming tutorials will examine the following topics:

    • Collecting and synchronizing external data (weather from OpenWeatherMap) and other sensors -window/door status, sneezing detector-.
    • Saving the data to a NoSQL database
    • Displaying the obtained data on Google Data Studio (chec...