[Discuss] Hardware Hacking

[tmetro-blu at vl.com (Tom Metro)]

Mark Woodward wrote:
> I took a look at the hardware hacking list, it seems pretty slim. 

The list had never been formally announced, so those on it were people
who happened across it.


> Maybe I'm mistaken, but the hardware list seems more geared toward
> hacking Linux onto other hardware, rather than hacking hardware to
> interface Linux with the real world.

The Hardware Hacking list is about whatever the list members want to
make it about, and what you describe above seems perfectly on topic.

There are a lot of places to discuss hardware hacking topics, so
ultimately I'd like to see the BLU HH list have a bias towards local
items - status updates from projects we've seen presented at past BLU
meetings, notices of events from other local hardware groups (see
http://blu.wikispaces.com/Hardware+Hacking ), and just people talking
about projects they've developed at home or in local universities.


> If anyone is curious/interested, I'd love to start a thread or two 
> talking about how to do some stuff with Linux and I/O cards that may be 
> a gateway drug to more interesting hardware hacking.
> 
> As a starter, I'd recommend the Velleman K8055 I/O board. It has Linux 
> drivers these days, or you can use the one I wrote from linuxpcrobot.org.
> 
> Also, take a look at X10. There are some projects that will interface 
> Linux with an X10 controller so you can control lights and appliances 
> with bash scripts and "heyu"
> 
> As an example, I have a K8055 and an X10 controller connected to my 
> desktop. I have a generic infrared motion detector connected to the 
> K8055. I have the office lights, printer, and screens connected to AC 
> through X10 appliance modules. I replaced the gnome screen saver with 
> XScreenSaver so that I could access the screensaver status easily.

Home automation is another good HH topic. I'll respond further on the HH
list.

 -Tom

-- 
Tom Metro
Venture Logic, Newton, MA, USA
"Enterprise solutions through open source."
Professional Profile: http://tmetro.venturelogic.com/