1-Stream is an IPTV streaming platform with smart load balancing that allows providers to scale their service and integrates geo-location to ensure content delivery from the closest available server for quicker load times and less buffering. One popular professional IPTV platform used to be Xteam Codes for which I wrote a detailed four-part review but they started having trouble on September 18, 2019 with Xtream Codes IPTV Panels having a legal dispute related due to piracy, despite not providing any streams, and it seems they may never come back online, as their latest update contesting the claims date from January 2021. A lot has happened during these two and a half years in the IPTV scene with many alternatives, most of them with another similar name but based on almost the same old, PHP-based vulnerable platform found in the former Xtream Codes Panel version 2.9.3, which could never provide good […]
Doom ported to Raspberry Pi RP2040
Doom has been ported to all sorts of platforms, including ESP32 platforms with 4MB PSRAM but “RP2040 doom” port of Doom to the Raspberry Pi RP2040 is more challenging, since RAM is limited to the measly 264KB built-in into the microcontroller, and for boards with only 2MB flash like the Raspberry Pi Pico, storage capacity becomes an issue. But Graham Sanderson solved all those issues by compressing the data, changing the code to use less RAM, making full use of the two Arm Cortex-M0+ cores, both overclocked at 270 MHz, in order to run Doom (DOOM1.WAD) on Raspberry Pi Pico at 320×240 resolution @ 60 fps, and the full Ultimate Doom and DOOM II WADs expected to fit into Raspberry Pi RP2040 boards with 8MB SPI flash. The port was based on Chocolate Doom, OPL2 emulation for audio support was derived from the emu8950 project, and sound effects were compressed […]
DingDian S3 – A Pocket-sized Intel Pentium N6000 mini PC (Crowdfunding)
DingDian S3 is an ultra-compact, pocket-sized mini PC powered by an Intel Pentium Silver N6000 Jasper Lake processor, and equipped with 16GB RAM, and up to 1TB SSD with two M.2 sockets for either SATA or NVMe storage. The mini PC also includes a 2.5GbE port, an Intel AX201 WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 M.2 module, a 4K-capable HDMI 2.0 port, four USB ports, and a 3.5mm audio jack. DingDian S3 specifications: SoC – Intel Pentium Silver N6000 quad-core Jasper Lake processor @ 1.10 GHz / 3.3 GHz (Turbo) with Intel UHD graphics 605; 6.5W TDP System Memory – 16GB LPDDR4 Storage – 128GB SATA SSD, 512GB or 1TB NVMe SSD Video Output 1x HDMI 2.0 port up to 4Kp60 1x DisplayPort Alt Mode via USB-C port up to 4Kp60 Audio – 3.5 audio jack, digital audio via HDMI Networking 2.5GbE via Intel i225 controller Dual-band 802.11b/g/n/ax WiFi 6 and […]
ANNKE NC800 security camera review – Part 2: color night vision, vehicle & human detection
I started the review of ANNKE NC800 security camera with color night vision last month by checking out the specifications and package content. I’ve now had time to install and test the camera with a focus on night image quality and person and vehicle detection. ANNKE NC800 installation The camera should be powered by a PoE injector, but since I don’t have any spare one, I just used an Ethernet cable and a 12V power supply. The kit includes bits to make sure the Ethernet cable is waterproof, but I would have had to cut the plastic bit on top of my connector, so I skipped that part. The cable is also protected from rain and sun where I’ll install it. I also installed a MicroSD card after formatting it to FAT32 to make sure it is recognized by the system, but it may not be necessary as the card […]
Pockit modular Linux computer gets a Raspberry Pi CM4 upgrade
We first wrote about the Pockit modular Linux computer with hot-plugging magnetic blocks about a year ago. The system was based on a STM32+ESP32 mainboard with a socket for an optional Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3 and included magnets and electrical contacts to snap and hot-plug modules/blocks while the computer is running. The developer (Anil Reddy) has made good progress with the project and added the option to use a Raspberry Pi CM4 with Pockit (provided you can find one) to improve performance, for example for computer vision. Other changes include support for AI accelerators, an improved dashboard, home automation integration, and more. Pockit now supports over 80 feature BLOCKS ranging from a rotary encoder to a microSD card reader to various camera types, an HDMI block, AI accelerators, and so on. All of which can be magnetically snapped while the computer is running, and automatically detected in the dashboard. […]
SparkFun Raspberry Pi RP2040 & MicroMod boards take mikroBUS Click expansion boards
We’ve previously written articles about boards featuring the mikroBUS interface supporting thousands of Click expansion boards from Mikroelectronika, and now the company has collaborated with Sparkfun who launched MicroMod and Raspberry Pi RP2040-based boards with a mikroBUS socket, plus Qwicc connectors. Raspberry Pi RP2040 is the well-known dual-core Arm Cortex-M0+ microcontroller found in Raspberry Pi Pico and a range of third-party boards, while Sparkfun MicroMod‘s are M.2 MCU modules with chips from Microchip, Nordic Semi, Ambiq, Espressif Systems, and NXP. Sparkfun RP2040 mikroBUS development board specifications: MCU – Raspberry Pi RP2040 dual-core Cortex M0+ microcontroller up to 133 MHz with 264 KB SRAM Storage – 16MB QSPI flash, MicroSD card socket (on the bottom side) USB – USB Type-C port Expansion mikroBUS Socket 2x Qwiic connectors Thing Plus (or Feather) pin form factor with 18 GPIO pins including up to 4x 12-bit ADC, up to 8x 2-channel PWM, up to […]
Arduino Nicla Vision – A tiny STM32H7 board with 2MP camera, WiFi & Bluetooth LE, sensors
Arduino Nicla Vision is an ultra-compact (~2.3×2.3 cm) board powered by an STMicro STM32H7 dual-core Cortex-M7/M4 microcontroller, and equipped with a 2MP camera, a WiFi & Bluetooth LE module, and a few sensors. Those features make the board suitable for machine vision and edge computing applications such as asset tracking, image detection, object recognition, and predictive maintenance. For instance, image detection, facial recognition, automated optical inspection, vehicle plate reading, or gesture recognition can be added to projects, either using Nicla Vision as a standalone board or in combination with Portenta or MKR boards. Arduino Nicla Vision specifications: Microcontrollers – STMicro STM32H757AII6 dual-core MCU with Arm Cortex M7 @ 480MHz, Cortex-M4 @ 240MHz, 2 MB flash, 1MB RAM Storage – 16MB QSPI flash Connectivity – 2.4GHz WiFi 802.11b/g/n up to 65 Mbps and Bluetooth 5.1 BR/EDR/LE via Murata 1DX module Camera – 2MP GC2145 color camera. USB – Micro USB port […]
Eufy Security Video Smart Lock is a 3-in-1 doorbell, security camera, and door lock (Crowdfunding)
Smart Home security may involve a door lock, a doorbell, and a security camera, but instead of providing three different devices, Eufy Security Video Smart Lock combines all three features into a single device that can be installed on your front door. The device’s smart lock can be opened via a fingerprint scanner, an Android app, or voice commands through Alexa or Google Assistant, while you can watch the feed from the integrated 2K camera through the app whenever motion detection, combined with human detection, detects visitors. Eufy Security Video Smart Lock key features: 2K video camera with 160° field-of-view, 4:3 aspect ratio, 4 LEDs for night vision Video storage – Stored locally with SD card in the Chime (Gray box in the photo below), optional cloud storage coming Fingerprint sensor with 0.3s unlock, self-learning algorithm PIR and Radar motion detection, human detection, Range: 6 meters Auto-lock after up to […]