OctoGoatBox
Release status: working
| Description | Dual core ARM Cortex-A7 OctoPrint Server
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| License | GPLV3
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| Author | |
| Contributors | |
| Based-on | [[]]
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| Categories | |
| CAD Models | |
| External Link |
Contents
About the OctoGoatBox
Basically, the OctoGoatBox is a dual core Allwinner A20 Android TV Box running a derivative of Debian Wheezy and one or two instances of OctoPrint. We are going to repurpose the generic mass-manufactured Android TV Box hardware into a small Linux server running OctoPrint by booting a custom version of Debian Wheezy with a custom Linux kernel from an SD card. And we'll connect this small OctoPrint server to our LAN either through WiFi or through Ethernet.
Hardware requirements
- Allwinner A20 Android TV Box with 1GB RAM (check the Discussion tab for recommendations).
- 8GB (or larger) SD Card or microSD card with adapter, class 10.
- (Optional) Inexpensive webcam to make timelapses of or simply monitor our 3D prints.
It is assumed that your work environment includes a local network with an accessible WiFi/Ethernet router.
Choice of Linux distribution
We are going to use Bananian, which is Debian Wheezy armhf with a significant amount of customization for A20 hardware. I also tried Linaro/Ubuntu 14.04 armhf, it works but requires more customization and is much higher maintenance than Debian / Bananian.
Webcam support
In theory just about any webcam with a Linux driver would work here. In practice the choice boils down to two options:
- If you need high-quality video you need a webcam with compressed MJPEG video format support. These are a little bit more expensive.
- If you only need 320x240 video support (for e.g. monitoring your prints and eventually posting a couple of timelapses on YouTube), an inexpensive (about $5) webcam with basic YUYV video format support will do OK.
Check the Discussion tab for recommendations.
HOWTO
Generic instructions:
1. Download Bananian. https://www.bananian.org/download
2. Follow installation instructions to flash SD card.
3. It should boot right up (green light blinks) and get a DHCP address from your LAN router. SSH into it, user/password root/pi. Change root password.
4. Next apt-get install mc, usbutils, wireless-tools, wpasupplicant, build-essential and any other packages your life depends on.
5 fix /etc/environment and /etc/default/locale to avoid stupid messages about LC_ALL not set, etc
6. Add user pi with password raspberry
7. Install development branch of OctoPrint as explained in GitHub wiki following instructions for Raspbian installation.
8. Insert USB WiFi dongle and check that it is correctly detected and driver loads (dmesg).
9. Fix /etc/network/interfaces so Banana Pi connects through WiFi interface by default.
10. Configure Wifi router so BananaPi gets same local IP address every time.
Note that OctoPrint seems to somehow hog the i/o on the BananaPi until it is properly configured and is connected to a 3D printer through the USB serial interface, for some unknown (to me, at least) reason. I am guessing there is a timeout somewhere in the OctoPrint code that has to kick in and then everything works fine... just be patient.
