Art, Computer

3DMouse and blender

Yesterday i got two 3DConnexion 3D CAD mouses (mice) from my friend Vincent. While we where fixing his Mikrotik network i got to play with these cool devices.

I always wanted one of those, but they are quite expensive

First i tried to install the Software from 3DConnexion. It kindda worked but needed some workarounds and still wasn’t okay.

Downloaded 3dxware-linux-v1-8-0.x86_64.tar.gz (Maybe this version is TOO new, SpacePilot i a little ouder)
there is a install-3dxunix.sh, but it was made for Suse/Redhat

This program needed motif .. and a lot of libraries (libmotif/libxm)
After that some fonts xfonts-100dpi xfonts-75dpi


workaround was starting by 
sudo /etc/3DxWare/daemon/3dxsvr -userName ${USER} -d usb

After that the demo program worked perfectly … but Blender didn’t
After some tinkering it work a little, it was far to sensitive, and was all over the place.

Luckily i found a opensource replacement. https://spacenav.sourceforge.net/
git cloned the package, then i notished .. there is a precompiled version for ubuntu!

apt-get install spacenavd .. start the service .. and go!

i cloned the test demos (libspnav) and compiled those test programs.

apt-get install libglu1-mesa-dev
git clone https://github.com/FreeSpacenav/libspnav.git
cd libspnav
./configure
make
... fly is a nice little test program

So lets start blender

Pan tilt roll .. nice!

This wil speedup modeling, and for sure sculpting !

Some settings which worked for me .. let the tweaking begin!

Computer, Photography

Challenged myself into programming a photo quiz

Got bored, and challenged myself …

How about a quess the picture from our photo collection??
(123580 photos .. )
So i show a random picture, and when i press ESC it will show some information about the picture …
Quess the year and the event

Well i gave myself 15 minutes to program something ..

I was watching a tv show meanwhile .. but i managed to come up with this …

This script is showing a picture, when you press ESC it wil show some details.After that it will select another random picture.

Improvements : reading tags and other metadata from my photo database, to give more information.

#!/bin/bash
while true ; do
shuf -n 1 allpix > /tmp/randompix
pix=$(cat /tmp/randompix | cut -f2 -d\> | cut -f1 -d\<)
dir=$(cat /tmp/randompix | cut -f4 -d\> | cut -f1 -d\< |cut -f3 -d\; | sed 's#\\#/#g')
displaypath=/mnt/${dir}/${pix}
info=$(cat /tmp/randompix | rev | cut -f-4 -d\\ | rev | cut -f1 -d \<)
convert -background black -fill white  -size 1920x1080 -pointsize 24 label:"$info" info.jpg
pqiv -i --fullscreen "$displaypath"
pqiv -i --fullscreen info.jpg
done

Which gave me … this

Welllll .. it toke 20 minutes .. so i lost
(Must have been the wine)

IOT / Domoticz

Homewizard Watermeter

Today i got my watermeter in.

It’s a little device you can place on your watermeter.

You get a plastic clip/holder which you can use to place the device on your watermeter. You can easily remove the device to read the values.

The device measures the little round gauge, so it has no idea what the current values are. Add the current values of your meter to the output of the device.

The device works by measuring the rotation of the red part.

By default it sends the information over the internet to a server. Your phone connects to this server and the app wil give you the graphs.

If you want your own intergration, you have to enable “local api”
See image on the right.
When you want realtime data, you have to connect a usb-c power supply.
When using batteries, the device wil only connect to wifi once per 5 minutes, and you can’t use the API.

I wrote a little test script in bash to draw graphs using mqtt and Nodered.

#!/bin/bash
calib=29.621
data=$(curl -s http://10.1.1.176/api/v1/data)
totalwater=$(echo $data | cut -f9 -d\" | tr -d ':,')
currentwater=$(echo $data | cut -f11 -d\" | tr -d ':,}')
totalwater=$( echo $totalwater + $calib | bc)
mosquitto_pub -h 127.0.0.1 -m "$totalwater" -t watermeter/total
mosquitto_pub -h 127.0.0.1 -m "$currentwater" -t watermeter/current

Variable calib is what my watermeter was when i attached the device.
It wil add this to the newly measured values.

Home Assistant found the device using autodiscovery

I have to look into adjusting for offset in HA

Photography

Acdsee quick negative converting

Using a setup like this, i could digitize these negatives quite quickly.
But they’re are all beige. (And negative ofcourse)
I made a tutorial for people who need to digitize and convert non-raw black-white, color negatives, and negatives on these kind of beige film using windows.

I’m using a D7100 Nikon with a 70mm lens. The lightbox is a Haiser Slimlite Plano.

Setup your camera, focus one time, and put it on manual.
Cut from a piece of black paper a frame in which you keep the negatives.
(Taking a picture without, can result in weird inconsistent lighting, and will have effect on auto-leveling in Acdsee)

Take the pictures and move them to your machine.

Openup acdsee, select a picture and press CTRL-E

Crop and rotate first, else it wil have a effect on leveling!

Next press White Balance and select auto

After that press Special Effect and Negative

Still not okay

Next press Auto Levels .. and presto (Move the slider to your liking ..)
Note! .. changing the order of Cropping, White Balance, Effect and Auto Levels will affect the result!

This is probably all scriptable in Linux, but this is a Windows howto.

Computer, Movies

Kdenlive and credit scroller

For a video project iḿ working on, i needed a vertical credit scroller.
I’ve put together a little howto.

Tools used:

  • OBS – Recording the howto
  • Kdenlive – generating the Credit scroller, and recording voiceover howto clip
  • Vlc

And this is the result

Computer

IRQ redirect for other programs

I’ve got a ROM in my 6502 which can load programs at $0200.
When running own programs i want to use IRQ’s, but my rom is also using IRQ routines.
So i was wondering if i could ‘hijack’ this IRQ for own program purposes.

So i’ve altered the rom to use a vector in userspace.

  • CPU starts, getting vector from FFFC
  • Goto $8000 main ROM program
  • Setting a jmp routine on zero page $F0
    • 4C C9 FF
    • 4C C9 FF ; second time, first one will redirect
  • Running my program on $0200
  • Change first jmp C9 FF to my own IRQ part
    • Changed jmp vectors
    • 4C 6E 02 ; jmp $026E (myprg)
    • 4C C9 FF ; jmp $FFC9 (rom)
  • Run rest of program

All seems fine and dandy … buzzer is sounding, but no blinky leds.
When flashing the rom with only my program, everything works ..
So whats going on? .. anyone?

00000000  78 a9 6e 85 f1 a9 02 85  f2 58 a9 ff 8d 03 50 8d  |x.n......X....P.| ; sei , lda #$6e, store $f1, lda #$02, store $f2 - so address $026e
00000010  02 50 a9 00 8d 01 50 8d  00 50 85 04 20 45 02 a9  |.P....P..P.. E..|
00000020  77 8d 04 50 a9 07 8d 05  50 20 2f 02 4c 29 02 38  |w..P....P /.L).8|
00000030  a5 00 e5 04 c9 19 90 0c  a9 40 4d 00 50 8d 00 50  |.........@M.P..P|
00000040  a5 00 85 04 60 a9 00 85  00 85 01 85 02 85 03 a9  |....`...........|
00000050  c0 8d 0b 50 a9 a0 8d 0e  50 a9 0e 8d 08 50 a9 27  |...P....P....P.'|
00000060  8d 09 50 a9 00 8d 04 50  8d 05 50 58 60 40 48 a9  |..P....P..PX`@H.| ; at $6e opcode 48 (pha) 
00000070  0e 8d 08 50 a9 27 8d 09  50 e6 00 d0 0a e6 01 d0  |...P.'..P.......|
00000080  06 e6 02 d0 02 e6 03 68  4c f3 00                 |.......hL..|

ROM parts

MYIRQ = $F0                                     ; Own IRQ vector <=================== my additions/alterations

; Below definitions for VIA 1 my loadable program uses VIA 2
PORTB = $6000                                   ; VIA port B 
PORTA = $6001                                   ; VIA port A
DDRB = $6002                                    ; Data Direction Register B
DDRA = $6003                                    ; Data Direction Register A

-------------8<------- snip

PROGRAM_LOCATION = $0200                        ; memory location for user programs

    .org $8000

main:                                           ; boot routine, first thing loaded
    ldx #$ff                                    ; initialize the stackpointer with 0xff
    txs

; ISR redirect code  <=================== my additions/alterations
    sei
    lda #$4C
    sta MYIRQ
    sta MYIRQ + 3
    lda #<ISR
    sta MYIRQ + 1
    sta MYIRQ + 4
    lda #>ISR
    sta MYIRQ + 2
    sta MYIRQ + 5
    cli

; End ISR redirect <=================== till here

; below this the standard rom routines

-------------8<------- snip
    .org $FFC9                                  ; as close as possible to the ROM's end

ISR:                                                  <====================== Whole ISR not my code
CURRENT_RAM_ADDRESS = Z0                        ; a RAM address handle for indirect writing
    pha
    tya
    pha
    lda ISR_FIRST_RUN                           ; check whether we are called for the first time
    bne .write_data                             ; if not, just continue writing
    lda #1                                      ; otherwise set the first time marker
    sta ISR_FIRST_RUN                           ; and return from the interrupt
    jmp .doneisr
.write_data:
    lda #$01                                    ; progressing state of loading operation
    sta LOADING_STATE                           ; so program_ram routine knows, data's still flowing
    lda PORTB                                   ; load serial data byte
    ldy #0
    sta (CURRENT_RAM_ADDRESS),Y                 ; store byte at current RAM location
                                                ; increase the 16bit RAM location
    inc CURRENT_RAM_ADDRESS_L
    bne .doneisr
    inc CURRENT_RAM_ADDRESS_H
.doneisr
    pla                                         ; restore Y
    tay
    pla                                         ; restore A
    rti

    .org $fffc
    .word main                                  ; Main ROM program
    .word MYIRQ                                 ; Redirect to OWN irq vector <=================== my additions/alterations

RAM Program

; Second VIA stuff
PORTB = $5000
PORTA = $5001
DDRB = $5002
DDRA = $5003
;------------------8<-------------

; Vector pointer on zero page
MYIRQ = $F0 

ticks = $00 ; 4 Bytes
toggle_time = $04 ; 1 Byte

    .org $0200

start:
; IRQ REDIRECT
    sei               ; irq masked
    lda #<irq         ; get low byte IRQ routine address 
    sta MYIRQ + 1     ; store at $F1

    lda #>irq         ; get high part of address
    sta MYIRQ + 2     ; store at $F2
    cli               ; irq enabled
; IRQ END REDIRECT

; init of program part
    lda #%11111111
    sta DDRA
    sta DDRB
        lda #$00
    sta PORTA
    sta PORTB
    sta toggle_time
    jsr init_timer
    lda #$77
    sta T1CL
    lda #$07
    sta T1CH

loop:                       ; loop 
    jsr update_led          ; update led routine
    jmp loop

update_led:
    sec
    lda ticks
    sbc toggle_time
    cmp #25
    bcc exit_update_led
    ; Toggle led
    lda #%01000000
    eor PORTB
    sta PORTB
    lda ticks
    sta toggle_time
exit_update_led:
    rts

;-----------------------------8<------------- snip

irq:
    pha
    lda #$0e
    sta T2CL
    lda #$27
    sta T2CH
    inc ticks
    bne end_irq
    inc ticks + 1
    bne end_irq
    inc ticks + 2
    bne end_irq
    inc ticks + 3
end_irq:
    pla
    jmp MYIRQ + 3           ; jmp to vector which points to ROM routine ; should be $FFC9
Brewing / Fermenting / Booze

Coffee (And more)

We looove coffee, so we keep track ..

The problem with something so suggestive as taste .. it depends on your mood, time of day, the weather ..
Also we started with a few, after that you really should revisit previously tasted coffees. Maybe they are worse, or better than you tasted after that.

Maybe i have a Winter Coffee … or a hangover coffee, who knows.

But here are the ones we’ve sorted. (Maybe there are ones in multiple categories .. )

Maybe i have to look at countries, brands, the family of beans being used, and how the beans are roasted.
I’ll have to revisit this post

We didn’t like

Coffee’s kindda okay

Coffee we liked a lot

I made some Coffee liqueur in the past, coffee ice, used it glazing meat on my smoker and cocktails.

Coffee liqueur

Coffee liqueur: 3 cups sugar, 2 cups water, vanilla, 8 tablespoons grounded coffee and 700cl rum .. vodka wil work also.
Heat without the alcohol, strain and add the alcohol in a container.
Leave for several days, and enjoy.
(note .. rum adds more flavour, depends of you want this)

Take a italian ham, prosciutto for example put a coffee bean in it. And eat this .. its amazing!

These coffee variations i’ve tried also. And ofcource i had to try Kopi Luwak.

Kopi luwak is a coffee that consists of partially digested coffee cherries, which have been eaten and defecated by the Asian palm civet.

Computer

6502 update

  • New amplifier part using a LM386
  • Buzzer and led on VIA 2, blinky and sound timed by the internal timers of the 6522
  • ACIA testing still going on, writing software
  • Mini matrix keyboard removed, and used the temporary cursor buttons for the test with a rom which allows for a 8bits upload method using a arduino and the 6522. (I’m working on the big keyboard)

Work in progress code

PORT2B = $5000 		; VIA PORTB
PORT2A = $5001 		; VIA PORTA
DDR2B = $5002  		; Data direction register
DDR2A = $5003  		; Data direction register

PORTB = $6000 		; display
PORTA = $6001 		; control display + matrix keyboard
DDRB = $6002  		; data direction register
DDRA = $6003  		; data direction register
SID = $7000   		; sid base address

E  = %10000000		; enable bit
RW = %01000000		; RW bit 
RS = %00100000		; Register Select bit 
HOME = %00000010 	; VIA PORTB HOME command
DADDR = %00010000 	; VIA DADDRESS

LINENO = $0200		; temp address linenumber (move to other location)
NEXTLINE = 40		; 2x16 Chars but internally 40


  .org $8000

reset:
  ldx #$ff
  txs		; reset stack

; ###################################################
; #                 DISPLAY CONTROL                 #
; ###################################################
; VIA Setup

  lda #%11111111 	; Set all pins on port B to output
  sta DDRB
  lda #%11100000 	; Set top 3 pins on port A to output
  sta DDRA

; DISPLAY Setup
  lda #%00111000 	; Set 8-bit mode; 2-line display; 5x8 font
  jsr lcd_instruction
  lda #%00001110 	; Display on; cursor on; blink off
  jsr lcd_instruction
  lda #%00000110 	; Increment and shift cursor; don't shift display
  jsr lcd_instruction
  lda #$00000001 	; Clear display
  jsr lcd_instruction

; ###################################################
; #             PRINT MESSAGE LINE NO 0             #
; ###################################################
  lda #0  		; set line number
  sta LINENO      	; store for subroutine
  jsr gotoline		; move cursor

  ldx #0		; message index pointer
print:
  lda message0,x 	; start of message
  beq nextprint      	; stop when null in message (asciiz <- Zero padded)
  jsr print_char	; print char
  inx			; incr index
  jmp print		; resume print
; ###################################################
; #             PRINT MESSAGE LINE NO 1             #
; ###################################################
nextprint:
  lda #1  		; set line number
  sta LINENO      	; store
  jsr gotoline
  ldx #0  		; index pointer                 
print2:
  lda message1,x  	; absolute address message + x in A
  beq sidsound        	; if x is 0, end of message     
  jsr print_char  	; jump subroutine
  inx             	; increment x
  jmp print2      	; loop print2



; ###################################################
; #             SID SOUND                           #
; ###################################################
sidsound:
  lda #0		
  sta SID+$5		; attack/decay duration
  	
  lda #250
  sta SID+$6		; sustain level/release duration
  	
  lda #$95		; frequency voice 1 low byte
  sta SID+$0
  	
  lda #$44		; frequency voice 1 high byte
  sta SID+$1
  
  lda #%00100001	; sawtooth + gate
  sta SID+$4		; control register voice 1
  
  lda #$0f		; filter mode and volume (bits 3-0 main volume)
  sta SID+$18		; filter mode and volume



; ###################################################
; #             2ND VIA                             #
; ###################################################
  lda #%11111111 	; set port A output
  sta DDR2A

  lda #%11111111	; all ones!
  sta PORT2A
; ###################################################
  lda #%11111111 	; set port A output
  sta DDR2A

  lda #%11111111	; all ones!
  sta PORT2A



; ###################################################
; #             MAIN PROGRAM LOOP                   #
; ###################################################
loop:
  jmp loop
;                   1234567812345678
message0: .asciiz  "VIA 1,2 SID TEST"
message1: .asciiz  "   FASH  2022   "

; ###################################################
; #             ONLY SUBROUTINES                    #
; ###################################################

; ###################################################
; #             Subroutine gotoline                 #
; # Moves character placement position on display   #
; # Needs : $LINENO ADDRESS                         #
; # Exit values : -                                 #
; # Destroys registers: -                           #
; ###################################################

gotoline:
  pha                             ; store a
  txa
  pha                             ; store x
  ldx LINENO
  lda #HOME                       ; cursor down
  jsr lcd_instruction
  lda #$80
nextline:
  ldx LINENO
  cpx #00
  beq endnextlines
loopline:
  adc #40
  jsr lcd_instruction
  dex
  stx LINENO
  jmp nextline
endnextlines:
  pla                             ; pop a
  tax                             ; a to x
  pla                             ; pop a
  rts




; ###################################################
; #             LCD SUBROUTINES                     #
; ###################################################
lcd_wait:
  pha
  lda #%00000000  ; Port B is input
  sta DDRB
lcdbusy:
  lda #RW
  sta PORTA
  lda #(RW | E)
  sta PORTA
  lda PORTB
  and #%10000000
  bne lcdbusy
  lda #RW
  sta PORTA
  lda #%11111111  ; Port B is output
  sta DDRB
  pla
  rts
lcd_instruction:
  jsr lcd_wait
  sta PORTB
  lda #0         ; Clear RS/RW/E bits
  sta PORTA
  lda #E         ; Set E bit to send instruction
  sta PORTA
  lda #0         ; Clear RS/RW/E bits
  sta PORTA
  rts
print_char:
  jsr lcd_wait
  sta PORTB
  lda #RS         ; Set RS; Clear RW/E bits
  sta PORTA
  lda #(RS | E)   ; Set E bit to send instruction
  sta PORTA
  lda #RS         ; Clear E bits
  sta PORTA
  rts

nmi:
  rti

irq:
  rti

  .org $fffa
  .word nmi
  .word reset
  .word irq
;  .word $0000
Art, Photography

Photoshoots again

Today we did a photoshoot again. (Arja needed some pictures again). Nice to have some practice again.
I’ve been setting up a little studio in our shed. i’ve got a nice interchangeable background with multiple colors/fabrics. (White/Black/Chromagreen/Blue cloth)
I also installed the semi professional lights below.

Nice lightweight stands, with a lightbox, and a remote trigger system.
It has two modes. Flash and permanent lighting. It’s a nice piece of equipment, don’t get me wrong. But lately i’ve been using this!

These are led panels, meant for installing in suspended ceilings. I’ve got these from a friend.

Backdrop
Power supply in front of panel

I like these because they are white, and the other one a little yellow. And produce a lot of light!
Unlike the permanent lighting mode of the FalconEyes. (When using the permanent lighting mode you see what the lighting wil be. Unlike using a flash. (Which is also great, when going for other photographs)

When using a reflector like below, you can see the effect instantly.

We used the golden part to get a little warmth into the pictures.

I’m using my big painting-easel to hold the led panels. I just placed the picture holder upside down.

Those led panels are cheap, and you can get them in 3000k,4000k and 6000k (Kelvin) those three i’ve seen in online shops doing a quick search.

The rest of my equipment is for another post.

  • Nikon D750
  • Nikon D7100
  • Lenses: 60mm/35mm/200mm and 300mm

Computer

Blender transparent animation for logo

First test to make a personalised logo for myself to use embedded on movies or in OBS streams.

Created a simple animation in Blender.

We need to export in RGBA (A for aplha), One of the supported video codex you can use is : Quicktime – QT rle.
Select this one, and make sure it’s RGBA and not RGB

Now i can use the exported video file in OBS for streaming.
I made the animation i a way that it can be looped.
(Don’t forget to set this option in OBS.)

Also useable in Kdenlive editor as watermark.

"If something is worth doing, it's worth overdoing."