[Q] Android powered Coffee table - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

So I want to build a coffee table with a touch screen in the top. There are multiple youtube videos showing how to do this, it basically uses a projector that projects up onto something on top of the glass as the display and a camera that can see infrared as an input to register the blobs. There are a couple ways of doing the infrared, I am currently thinking FTIR:
All the guides that I have found require a computer to run the the software, but I am wondering if I can use an android mini pc, similar to this:
I can't post links, but if you googlePQ Labs istick A200 cnx software) it should be the first hit.
the sensor costs $575, and I would just buy a desktop and stick that in if i was going to spend that much. I can't find any software that allows you to run an external camera off of usb on android and use it as an input for multitouch. does this exist? any other ideas for enabling touch on an android stick?

midnightsnacker41 said:
So I want to build a coffee table with a touch screen in the top. There are multiple youtube videos showing how to do this, it basically uses a projector that projects up onto something on top of the glass as the display and a camera that can see infrared as an input to register the blobs. There are a couple ways of doing the infrared, I am currently thinking FTIR:
All the guides that I have found require a computer to run the the software, but I am wondering if I can use an android mini pc, similar to this:
I can't post links, but if you googlePQ Labs istick A200 cnx software) it should be the first hit.
the sensor costs $575, and I would just buy a desktop and stick that in if i was going to spend that much. I can't find any software that allows you to run an external camera off of usb on android and use it as an input for multitouch. does this exist? any other smart solutions for touch enabling and android stick?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just buy one
Or
Look up to this guy as inspiration!

Related

DSLR Remote for Android ?

the Iphone works with an DSRL Remote app. I have an HTC HD2 and it works with winmobile 6 and with android now. Does somebody know an app which works on android or winmobile 6 like the DSRL Remote camcorder app ?
Greeting from Germany
Carsten
been thinking of that for some time now, would LOVE that. But I read somewhere that it may be a problem to use the USB port as host...
http://www.gphoto.org/ ?
i recently found out that it is possible to do this with a nintendo ds but it requires some DIY work or paying someone to do this for you, surprisingly even in germany there seem to be some people building these.
my uncle bought one of these cables/modules for his canon 5dmk2 a few weeks ago. since i got my hands on it I thought about how awesome such a feature would be (preferably wireless) on an a phone.
I would love something like that! An android phone would make the holy grail of dSLR remote controls. Time intervals, exposure settings, super-smooth HDRI with bracketing of multiple photos, live view, hell even motion activated shooting (figure out a way to detect motion from image through the live view and trigger a shutter release every time that happens).
Anyone up for this?! I'll be getting both my SGS and 5DMKII in about a month, super willing to beta-test
I'd love this too for Nikon Devices!
minus30 said:
I'd love this too for Nikon Devices!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is possible. Only drawback is that a laptop is needed like with the iphone app.
So a possible setup would be like this:
Camera <-> USB cable <-> Laptop running Linux <-> WLAN/Edge/3G <-> Android
The only big dislike is the laptop in that chain
klaus27 said:
It is possible. Only drawback is that a laptop is needed like with the iphone app.
So a possible setup would be like this:
Camera <-> USB cable <-> Laptop running Linux <-> WLAN/Edge/3G <-> Android
The only big dislike is the laptop in that chain
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's the same setup used for the iPhone, it's basically a remote control setup and I can't really see how it helps that much, it feels like more of a gimmick rather than something helpful since you still need to carry a laptop with you.
Now, if the camera could be directly connected to the phone, that'd be awesome, since you pretty much carry a phone with you at all times.
zeusalmighty said:
It's the same setup used for the iPhone, it's basically a remote control setup and I can't really see how it helps that much, it feels like more of a gimmick rather than something helpful since you still need to carry a laptop with you.
Now, if the camera could be directly connected to the phone, that'd be awesome, since you pretty much carry a phone with you at all times.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the point. It is not possible... well, everything is, but the effort cannot be worth the outcome.
It is more likely to do it with an Arduino board with Wlan chip and USB host.
But then again, you have to reverse engineer the Nikon and Canon protocols or use the linux library.... Should be possible, but you need to buy some hardware anyway.
Check this:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...h/gphoto/remote.html&cd=1&hl=de&ct=clnk&gl=de
Cheap plug-computers like sheevaplug or this one: http://www.ionicsplug.com/cumulus.html would make it kind of easy as they run linux, have USB connector(s) and have WLAN (sheevaplug needs USB WLAN stick).
Cross-compiling gphoto library, writing a software which talks through gphoto to the cam and report the capabilities back to the connected Android / Iphone.
Only (major) drawback is that those plug computers need a power supply. I have seen someone running sheevaplug with solar panel .
Sheevaplug is around 75€, so quite affordable.
I need to connect my 5DM2 and check whether things like touch-focus, live preview and stuff would be possible...
What do you think about the power plug issue?
Hehe, I like how you assumed that I can understand these things I dont
At work atm but will try to read through the article, but as I understand so far, this guy uses a small linux computer that can communicate through a WLAN adapter so you basically have a wifi remote control. Looks pretty darn cool, especially for the money, and using a solar panel would be awesome!
Only thing is that it doesn't have that much to do with android as far as I can tell, if it's a web interface then you can use it with any device, right?
What I was thinking was more in the likes of a replacement for the $100+ timer triggers with your phone. I think it should be possible but maybe people wouldn't invest in it (though I think they should).
BTW, I just remembered that you can also trigger the camera through the headphone jack, as with those diy remote releases. Do you think there could be a way to use the SGS headphone jack to cause shutter releases? You wouldn't get any control of the settings from the phone, but you could still program time intervals or bulb shots! Hey, even motion sensing shots, provided you dock your phone some place. And you have to admit it doesn't sound too difficult, right?
See the diy thing here: http://www.instructables.com/id/Rem...or-Canon-Cameras/step2/Cut-off-the-ear-peice/
If/when someone does make something like this, I would think a small netbook would be sufficiently portable, compared to a 15" or 17" laptop, to use as the "host" device.
zeusalmighty said:
Hehe, I like how you assumed that I can understand these things I dont
At work atm but will try to read through the article, but as I understand so far, this guy uses a small linux computer that can communicate through a WLAN adapter so you basically have a wifi remote control. Looks pretty darn cool, especially for the money, and using a solar panel would be awesome!
Only thing is that it doesn't have that much to do with android as far as I can tell, if it's a web interface then you can use it with any device, right?
What I was thinking was more in the likes of a replacement for the $100+ timer triggers with your phone. I think it should be possible but maybe people wouldn't invest in it (though I think they should).
BTW, I just remembered that you can also trigger the camera through the headphone jack, as with those diy remote releases. Do you think there could be a way to use the SGS headphone jack to cause shutter releases? You wouldn't get any control of the settings from the phone, but you could still program time intervals or bulb shots! Hey, even motion sensing shots, provided you dock your phone some place. And you have to admit it doesn't sound too difficult, right?
See the diy thing here: http://www.instructables.com/id/Rem...or-Canon-Cameras/step2/Cut-off-the-ear-peice/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see. The thing is there are ready to use solutions out there which do exactly what you are requesting.
My approach was a different one. I wanted to be able to mount the camera somewhere, connect sheevaplug, then go somewhere and remotely control the camera in every aspect. Imaging you have to shoot a marriage. You could place the camera somewhere, take a seat somewhere and see exactly the live-view image from the camera, can point somewhere on the touchscreen to focus on that point, control exposure settings and hit the button to take the shot.
That was my approach. If I would be able to achieve this just with a sheevaplug computer for 75€, that would be great. But there still is the issue with the power necessary to run the computer.
Another problem would be to gain the time needed to write the app. I am able to do that, but time is rare...
I can understand the appeal, as I said it would be awesome to have such a setup, just not for me so far. I'll try to understand how the shutter release works through the remote and report here, i think the headphone jack would be really nice considering that no amount of extra equipment would be necessary, apart from the cable.
Just a quick question, why would you require any coding on the phone, why not use a VNC-like application and install the official canon application on windows?
zeusalmighty said:
I can understand the appeal, as I said it would be awesome to have such a setup, just not for me so far. I'll try to understand how the shutter release works through the remote and report here, i think the headphone jack would be really nice considering that no amount of extra equipment would be necessary, apart from the cable.
Just a quick question, why would you require any coding on the phone, why not use a VNC-like application and install the official canon application on windows?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
have you ever tried to watch a movie through a VNC connection?
Sheevaplug is driven by a Marvell ARM CPU, no x86 which would be needed by Windows. So only possible way would be to install linux with virtualization, setup windows XP in a container, install EOS software and a VNC server, then use a crappy VNC client on Android to control my camera? Sounds like a crappy setup to me
Having a small, slick and performant native UI would be muuuuuuch better.
I personally don't think that you will succeed with this headphone jack thingie. But I wish you good luck
Hehe, thanks
Good luck with ur project.
Lookie what I just found...
Googling aroud on more general terms for this topic, i found someone pointing to libgPhoto, a multi platform camera control lib: *crap, cannot post links, wtf*
*edit* google for libGphoto, it also has a remote.
Looking a bit further, i came across this:
google for : gitorious agphoto2 commits / master
Now i haven't found any more info on the project yet, but this looks like a project that some of us here on XDA could maybe join in on.. The only problem that then remains is the usb-usb cable There's an actual start on porting an existing lib available!
Just to keep this discussion running (I am not a programmer).
Take a look at:
http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/msg00321.html They are making progress on a workable solution...
klaus27 said:
I see. The thing is there are ready to use solutions out there which do exactly what you are requesting.
My approach was a different one. I wanted to be able to mount the camera somewhere, connect sheevaplug, then go somewhere and remotely control the camera in every aspect. Imaging you have to shoot a marriage. You could place the camera somewhere, take a seat somewhere and see exactly the live-view image from the camera, can point somewhere on the touchscreen to focus on that point, control exposure settings and hit the button to take the shot.
That was my approach. If I would be able to achieve this just with a sheevaplug computer for 75€, that would be great. But there still is the issue with the power necessary to run the computer.
Another problem would be to gain the time needed to write the app. I am able to do that, but time is rare...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You just want cash
I'm in for this and would pay for software like this. I even got time for programming but cant do this alone. Just got my nikon D5000
Revisit: Direct Tether for xoom?
With all of our marvelous hacking friends, I don't see why we couldn't expect direct tethering for a DSLR on Xoom or other tabs with usb capabilities.
TheZuneLune said:
With all of our marvelous hacking friends, I don't see why we couldn't expect direct tethering for a DSLR on Xoom or other tabs with usb capabilities.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am teaching myself how to use my DSLR, and I begin thinking... "Wow, a lot of these settings could be a lot easier and more intuitive to control... why isn't there a DSLR powered by Android?"
Anyway, I found this thread and I figured I'd post my Xoom hooked up to my Canon. ..Not that either recognizes the other.

[Q] Use Android Tablet as USB, touch screen, monitor

I have been searching lately and haven't found anything . Is
there a way to use a 7" Android Tablet (rooted Nook Color
running CM7 ) as a graphics tablet for pc? Such as the ones
made by Wacom where you can see what you are drawing
on the tablet and on the pc screen. I know you could
technically use a remote desktop program but that's awfully
laggy. I was hoping there may be a way to use the usb cable
to plug up the tablet to the computer and simply use it as a
editable surface to draw on .
If this is obvious, I 'm sorry. I have just been thinking about
this a lot as I currently own a Bamboo Fun tablet as well but
I' d like to see more detail on the tablet itself.
I tried iDisplay and it 's too laggy. A usb method would
be optimal and I figured since I'm rooted someone may
have figured something out ...
Also, I have USB hosting active on the tablet if thats
necessary.
I know it has come up before (about 6 months ago from my searches) and was wondering if anything has happened at all. I would prefer that I have the option of extending my screen (for entertainment) or duplicating it (for art work)
Me too
I wish I was bringing you an answers but instead, I'm asking the same question. Every few weeks I scour the web for an alternative to iDisplay, specifically something that is wired for speed. I travel over half the year and I'm in the habit of lugging a small monitor with me so I can work efficiently. I know Toshiba has a portable usb monitor...isn't there a way to make our tablet's function this way as well?
If there is anything out there to try/buy or support? I'm in. Any guidance would be appreciated.
Thanks for putting your name on the list! I have been looking everywhere for something that could work with no luck. It doesn't seem like it should be hard to tap into the screen of a tablet through usb. Especially seeing as we have the drivers and what not.
Tapping into the monitor would be nice but to take it a step further, integration would be optimal. Such as the integration of the two touchscreens in the acer notebook. Your android device could be used as a virtual navigation device, you could use it to hold windows or play media, or you could even use it in art related programs as a drawing tablet.
It seems like there should be a bigger demand for this. I'm surprised there isn't
I've been interested in developing stuff like this for a while now, but unfortunately, I just haven't found the time to devote to such Android development.
For this to work, your PC would be acting as the USB host. The tablet would still just be a USB device connected to your PC like it always is (you would not be using your tablet as a hosting device for this). The PC would need the proper driver software (which, as noted, already exists). But software on the tablet would also have to advertise and implement additional usb profiles/protocols in order to inform the host that it has additional USB monitor/touchscreen functionality. This is the part that to my knowledge, does not yet exist. (if it does, let me know, ya'll may have done more research on this than I have)
In other words, yeah, there are drivers for a PC that know how to talk to a usb monitor/touchscreen. But on the other end there needs to be software that knows how to act as a usb monitor/touchscreen and fulfill the other half of that conversation. When you buy a usb monitor/touchscreen from Wacom or Toshiba, they're providing a device which already knows how to act and talk as a usb monitor/touchscreen. But that software is running on their device, so unless they've made some libraries available somewhere or there are some standard libraries available somewhere for this, it isn't as easy as one might think.
This might make more sense if you consider a simpler device like a usb keyboard. Your PC knows how to receive keystrokes from a usb keyboard because it has the appropriate driver software. However, if you wanted your tablet to act as a usb keyboard, you would need software on the tablet that knows how to send keystrokes over USB using the standard usb protocols/profiles.
Hope that makes sense.
~Troop
WM8505 Generic Chinese Android Tablet
CPU VIA WM8505 400MHZ ARM926EJ-S
Memory DDR2 128MB
HDD 2GB
Screen Size 7 inch TFT High Clear DigitalScreen
Resolution 800*480; 262,114 colors
It's running a modded Android 1.6. I'm just wonderign if anyone knows if it's possible to use this as a USB monitor. Or even remove the screen to mod it to be used as a USB monitor. I don't care if it's touchscreen or not.

[Q] External Touchscreen Display

For the past few days I have been racking my brain and searching multiple forums for the answer(s) and I finally turn to XDA to hopefully help answer.
The thought: I would love to be able to take my DroidX connect it via HDMI to a 7" monitor in my car to have a nice view of the navigation, access to my music and all of the other items that the phone has to offer (which include data connection and accurate GPS). Sure I can buy an android based headunit or build a carPC but why when I have what all of that has to offer in my pocket? Then I got to thinking, to take it a step further, why not use a 7" touchscreen monitor so that I am not just passing video and sound via the HDMI but that the monitor registers touches to the phone.
WebTop is a great middle of the road solution as it would output the HDMI and allow the user to utilize the phone as the mouse touchpad on the screen. Sadly it is only offered for a select few phones. So on to my questions.
1. Did I some how miss a WebTop project being worked on that would do what I am talking about?
2. Am I wrong in thinking that drivers need to be worked out depending on the phone AND which 7" TS was used?
3. Most, if not all, android phones have video out capabilities, so outputting to the screen would be workable, but is there a better way to get the input hurdle worked out.. not a question just an open suggestion box.
Looks like a few more days or looking would have helped. Customgadz has what I need.
so what did you find? I searched for Customgadz, with no results. did you use hdmi mirroring with Android, or does this work with webtop?
Looks like the australian website has a solution to control an android device with a 4 wire external touchscreen using a module.
search for "customgadz remote touch"
Only pre-order now and the website states they start delivering end of januari

[Q] Releasing custom Android Built TV Box? Is it possible?

Hey there, i hope i`m right in here and you pros can answer me some questions.
We are currently building a new software which will be released soon, i won`t go into details in here, because we not ready to release some infos about it yet. Anyway, thats not the problem....
Here is my question: Our Software could expand to TVs and now we are searching on how to get our solution onto TV Screens. We cam across all those Android based TV Boxes, we ordered some and tested them, unfortunatly they didn`t offer everything we needed.
Sooo, is it possible to release a custom Android Installation on such a Box?
What if we get the blank hardware boxes, can we get an Android Installation up and running? (With the paid help of some XDA-Developers..)
We would really need a stripped down Version only with our APP and some other stuff running.
Also another question, if it is possible to release a custom box, is it legal to Google`s Terms?
We are brand new in this field, so please be so kind and help us out. If it is possible and we can implement this thing we are definitly will be going over xda-developers, because we just don`t have any clue about Android Systems.
Are you meaning something like this?
http://www.pcworld.com/article/244278/meet_cotton_candy_the_dualcore_android_usb_device.html
We all know that Android is flexible enough to be put on phones, tablets, laptops, and TVs. FXI, a technology lab based in Norway, decided to add USB drives to Android’s host of platforms.
FXI’s Cotton Candy USB device might look like any other flash drive, but it packs smartphone parts like a dual-core 1.2GHz Samsung Exynos processor and its own ARM GPU for 1080p video playback. It also has lots of connectivity, including Wi-Fi, HDMI, Bluetooth, and a MicroSD card slot to expand its 1GB of storage.
This Raspberry Pi-eqsue miniature PC comes with Android 2.3 (also known as Gingerbread). When you plug it into a PC or Mac, it automatically bring up a separate pop up for the Gingerbread OS. This functionality could be used to bring Android apps or games to any computer. Alternatively, if your HDTV has HDMI ports, you could potentially turn it into a smart, Internet-connected monitor.
Angry Birds might be a little hard to play on your TV. [Photo: FXI]
The only down side of the device is that it is not supported by Google, so you won’t be browsing the marketplace anytime soon. Instead, FXI is working to get a third-party app store together. For now, though, you'll have to side-load any apps you want to run on it.
FXI is in talks with other companies to bring Cotton Candy to market by the second half of 2012 and predict that the device will cost "well under $200" according to The Verge.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
MoPhoACTV Initiative
Yes, thats also this kind of thing we might need. But currently we are more looking into these kind of Boxes: cect-shop.com/Android-TV-Box_c55_x1.htm
And we would need a custom Android installation on one of these boxes? As asked above, is this possible and legal?
Why android?
i don't know the exact details about, but I think getting regular linux to run on a set op box is easier and cheaper to customize with exactly the software you want it.
It doesn`t have to be Android. Andorid was just a possible solution we found and the other reason is that i`m capable of programming apps for Android so it was the closest possibility.
You say Linux...hmm... also a possible solution.
Lets tell you at least some details. The Box should run only with our application, and should be able to be connected to a TV where the application is started then and does their thing. It`s a specialized kind of Software Application for targeted companys.
What it should be able to do:
At least an output resolution of 1280 * 720
Connectable with HDMI, DVI etc. to Televisions
As you say Linux, are you capable of doing such a thing? We might need you...
Or do you have some resources where we can find some developer who can achieve this?
surekin said:
It doesn`t have to be Android. Andorid was just a possible solution we found and the other reason is that i`m capable of programming apps for Android so it was the closest possibility.
You say Linux...hmm... also a possible solution.
Lets tell you at least some details. The Box should run only with our application, and should be able to be connected to a TV where the application is started then and does their thing. It`s a specialized kind of Software Application for targeted companys.
What it should be able to do:
At least an output resolution of 1280 * 720
Connectable with HDMI, DVI etc. to Televisions
As you say Linux, are you capable of doing such a thing? We might need you...
Or do you have some resources where we can find some developer who can achieve this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think any experienced linux dev is capable of doing such a thing, not that difficult. Get a good supported distro, remove all the bells and whistles and let it just boot to your application. I think that is the most elegant solution. Android is much more difficult to customize in such a way. I might have the technical skills to pull it off, but I'm not interested, sorry.
It all depends on your needs and resources. Try googling for embedded linux. linuxfordevices.com is a good place to start i think.
Why the choice for a setopbox and not a regular application? In call centers and other businesses normal programs are used to display information on a large screen, while running on a regular OS. The cost of having to develop and deliver support on not only the software, but also on the setopbox and its embedded OS is quite large. You have to take that into account. Given that you post this question on this forum, I suspect that your resources are rather limited. If I were you, I would reconsider the choice for a setop box.
First, thx for your time...and second, i understand what you mean in your post, but our software already runs on Mac OS, Windows and iOs, so we already have an application running. The settopbox would just be an addition, because some of our customers might need such a thing. Thats the reason why i`m doggling around searching for some ideas.
Our resources are limited sure, but not too limited, the reason why i posted here, is because i`m searching for answers here too, and xda is always a good place to ask in my opinion. We are going other ways too, let me make that clear!
So, i understand what you meant by Linux, i am now contacting some Linux devs who might want to achieve this.
Thx!

[Q] G-Tablet hacking without screen

Hi all,
The backlight on my G-Tablet failed today, the LCD itself still works but without the backlight its pretty much useless as a tablet.
So I am trying to figure out if I can salvage it for other uses, mainly 'headless' (no screen) ARM Linux development. Tegra 2 should still pack a punch, without having to buy a Beagleboard or similar.
So, I want to know:
1. Will a HDMI cable/dock display everything on screen from bootup onwards? (i.e does CWM work with HDMI-out). Are there any kernel-level dependencies on having HDMI out working?
2. Are there any serial, jtag or the like pads on the PCB? Serial would be very useful, but it seems no one has looked for either..
Tremere said:
2. Are there any serial, jtag or the like pads on the PCB? Serial would be very useful, but it seems no one has looked for either..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you just want to do development--ie. you just want to use the gTab as a headless computer--you can setup and use ADB and/or a ssh/telnet server on the tablet.
True, I would be looking to natively boot a Linux distribution rather than use Android, I would have to put ADB support into the system ( at least we have a capable kernel already). That probably won't give me any kernel boot messages.
I'll just order the HDMI cable and see if that does the trick.
Tremere said:
True, I would be looking to natively boot a Linux distribution rather than use Android, I would have to put ADB support into the system ( at least we have a capable kernel already). That probably won't give me any kernel boot messages.
I'll just order the HDMI cable and see if that does the trick.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any updates on this? My backlight went out as well and would like to know if you got the hdmi to display on a monitor or TV?
truvoo said:
Any updates on this? My backlight went out as well and would like to know if you got the hdmi to display on a monitor or TV?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Have you checked the cable(s) to the LCD?
2. HDMI via the dock should work, not certain if only the cable alone will do the job on all ROMs.
3. If the HDMI cable does not work, then running a VNC server on the gTablet (after install using: adb install ... ) should work too.

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