BirdBoxPiCam 2014; #2b Activity Based Power Control Details

Progress has been very slow through December, due to both project related issues, and real-life getting in the way (which is actually not a bad thing).

Project issues include a cmos 555 timer with a strange fault, a damaged RaspberryPi USB socket, and discovering my choice of relay was a bad one.

Although the relay had a 1A contact rating and looked suitable for a Raspberry Pi drawing less than 500mA, this rating is for a purely resistive load. (see earlier post for relay circuit details.)

Firefox Java Plugin Install on Lubuntu

I don't do this very often and keep forgetting how to do it.

So here is a note for the next time.

Installing Java for Firefox is not as easy on Linux as on some other operating systems. This is the process for a Debian based distribution like Lubuntu.

Photo Management on Lubuntu

I was recently asked for advice on photo management software, so I read a few reviews, then set about installing gThumb.

Up till now I've avoided this kind of application, because very early photo management programs just used to save data in a configuration file or database, which was only readable by the parent application.

Organising a photo collection is very time consuming, so I want to be sure this time is not going to be wasted.

Radio Caroline on the RaspberryPi

This is a simple project to create an internet radio and music box which can be attached to your home stereo amplifier.

It is also an excuse to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Radio Caroline, a station that fueled the British popular music industry in the 1960's.

I'll cover the RaspberryPi details later, but let's start with a history lesson.