HeaterMeter Hardware v4.2.4


 
Many thanks to Bryan and anyone else who has been involved in the development along the way. First time soldering up something like this and it worked first time. Only the servo and wifi are untested at this point. Love it and can't wait to use it.
 
Hey Bryan, been out of town a while, just now catching up, hope things are leveling off for you with the changes in your career...
I noticed today that the rPi B model on Amazon is starting to climb up in price, while the B+ model price is down where the B model used to be. I know the header was moved on the B+ model and so it won't work with the HM, I am wondering if you are planning to alter the HM to work with the B+ eventually? It seems being tied to model B is a dead end, if not for lack of availability the rising prices on the B model seem to make it a less attractive option. Or maybe you have another path forward for the HM in mind? Inquiring minds want to know...
 
I believe Byran was fiddling with trying to design a layout for the B+, last weekend but could not find a good layout.

There is also a chance it might be headed to a newer platform and away from the rpi, to the RT5350.
 
Yeah despite the Pi foundation saying that Model Bs will still be made, they're getting more and more rare. I've spent a bunch of time trying to work out a layout using the new Model B+ but I haven't found anything I am happy with. The extra USB ports get in the way so it makes the device a lot larger no matter what arrangement I try. I can either make the HeaterMeter nearly twice as thick or an extra inch tall. I find both these options rather unsatisfactory.
 
Since the majority of folks are probably using the HM with a USB wifi adapter, the Model A is a good choice. If the unit went into AP mode upon initial boot, you could connect to it and and then set your real wifi config info. Similar to how you configure a Google Chromecast or Belkin WeMo device.
 
Steve_M said:
Since the majority of folks are probably using the HM with a USB wifi adapter, the Model A is a good choice. If the unit went into AP mode upon initial boot, you could connect to it and and then set your real wifi config info. Similar to how you configure a Google Chromecast or Belkin WeMo device.
Click to expand...

Model As are even harder to find then Bs. I have not found a new one in a while.
 
Bryan Mayland said:
Yeah despite the Pi foundation saying that Model Bs will still be made, they're getting more and more rare. I've spent a bunch of time trying to work out a layout using the new Model B+ but I haven't found anything I am happy with. The extra USB ports get in the way so it makes the device a lot larger no matter what arrangement I try. I can either make the HeaterMeter nearly twice as thick or an extra inch tall. I find both these options rather unsatisfactory.
Click to expand...

But are you considering possibly using the Display port and a small-screen LCD-panel instead of the hard connected LCD?
I would think that it might take a bit, but you could end up with more capabilities...? Or maybe the 16x2 onto a Ribbon cable, to the display port?
 
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Daniel Cassady said:
But are you considering possibly using the Display port and a small-screen LCD-panel instead of the hard connected LCD?
I would think that it might take a bit, but you could end up with more capabilities...? Or maybe the 16x2 onto a Ribbon cable, to the display port?
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Let the devices with displays do that (phones, computers, tablets). My guess is that not many people are interacting with the HM in a way that requires a display for more than just proof that the unit is actually on.
 
Steve_M said:
It was announced that a new A is coming soon, most likely with the updated GPIO pin header of the B+
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It seems the rPi + layout may be the only path forward, if both A and B models go with the plus layout the original versions may become impossible to find. So it's either adapt to the + layout or go with that other alternative module that was discussed a while back, or some third option?

I think going taller with the HM is prob the right choice. The HM board got wider when we went from 4.1 to 4.2, but the overall height and thickness of the board set decreased. If we need more space to accommodate the extra USB then perhaps shrink the width of the HM board back down and make it taller instead? Right now my HMv4.2 in my sliding back case is the smallest unit I have built, it's really small and tidy... but it is a bit wide and I think I would almost prefer a taller slim unit rather than a short wide one.... That said, I'm not holding a rPi B+ so I don't know what set of complications it creates...

HM_MagSM.jpg

I keep my HM stuck on the side of my microwave in the kitchen with a magnet on the rear of the case. It works out real nice, but thinner and taller would be even better for me...
 
I don't think the A+ will be as big a change since the extra USB ports on the B+ come from the USB hub that is built into the network chip, which the model A doesn't have.
 
See now that's something I could work with! Unfortunately I think a lot of people will still want to use Model Bs for the ethernet jack :(

Also it might be as rare as the existing Model A, which means it would cost more.
 
Bryan Mayland said:
See now that's something I could work with! Unfortunately I think a lot of people will still want to use Model Bs for the ethernet jack :(

Also it might be as rare as the existing Model A, which means it would cost more.
Click to expand...

That's a B+, that's been modded down to a slimmed version. Not something a regular person will want to try anyway with the higher temp desoldering of lead free solder.
 
Michael Werner said:
Under what conditions are the leds supposed to light up? Right now I'm only getting a blink of yellow on power up. No red, no green.
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The led are configurable in the UI. Fan running, lid mode, alarm etc can be configured for each led. A left click on the top-hat turns on Lid Mode and the default configuration turns on the yellow led.
 
All of them should blink at least once on startup. If the LCD is working but the LEDs are not that probably just means the LEDs are in backward?
 
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