Skip to main content

Digital Solargraphy

Logging all the progress here

Status: In Progress

Stage: POC

Goals:

  1. Should be able to take a picture on boot
  2. Shutdown after capturing & saving picture

Hardware needed

  1. Raspberry Pi Zero W
  2. Camera
  3. USB to UART board
  4. WittyPi4 - ordered - will use for future improvements

Hardware details

  • Raspberry pi zero w
    • Processor -> BCM2835
    • ARM port -> arm6hf
  • Camera
    • 5MP with fisheye lense

Step 1

Building Operating System Why? Need for quick boot

Using Buildroot (buildroot-2023.02.6.tar.gz)

sudo apt install sed make binutils gcc g++ bash patch gzip bzip2 perl tar cpio bc unzip rsync wget libncurses-dev

wget https://buildroot.org/downloads/buildroot-2023.02.6.tar.gz
tar xvzf buildroot-2023.02.6.tar.gz
cd buildroot-2023.02.6

make list-defconfigs # select raspberrypi0w_defconfig -> save -> name your .config file
make menuconfig # for adding whatever you want to add in OS -> save
make all

2-3 hours for building image Build stuck, restarted the build, it's been 12+ hrs, still building.

Open Questions

  1. can i use a soda can instead of 3D printing the case ?

    • how will i fit ND filter ?
    • High temperature withstand
    • Waterprofing ?

  2. can i use PVC Pipe for the case ?

    • how will i fit ND filter ?
    • High temperature withstand
    • Waterprofing ?