• jbens
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  • Registered: 2010-03-06
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Topic: A way to show web pages in Chumby (maybe URL to Image)?

The power of Chumby lies in its ability to view Internet content. As far as I have found, this is limited to viewing RSS and images, and of course to specialized widgets (showing e.g. weather info etc).

IMHO the general ability to view web page would be a great addition to RSS and images! 

Even if there are severe limitations in screen size etc., this would open a general way to view your own content from web pages (e.g. by creating your own page in whatever language you wish).

So, has anyone found a way to view web pages?

There seems to be some web services which allow you to create a image snapshot of web page (e.g. see discussion http://www.zubrag.com/articles/create-w … mbnail.php )

Maybe it would be possible to create an image snapshot of web page and then view it in Chumby by using the imageURL widget (which seems to be such an important widget that I would like to see more advanced versions of it!!).

  • jbens
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Re: A way to show web pages in Chumby (maybe URL to Image)?

Ok, found a widget "Generic picture widget" that should be able to grab web pages to pictures and show them in Chumby. The widget is configurable at http://members.my-chumby.de/.

The problem is that when using the widget to capture web page, the image is embedded with large error message "SIZE NO LONGER SUPPORTED", quite much spoiling the experience. Error message reveals the machinery behind the widget, which comes from: www.websnapr.com (this functionality is now only for paying customers).

Darn, that was just the thing I was looking for. Good try.
Other web services seem to demand cash also.

Maybe the widget should be removed because on nonfunctionality?

  • Registered: 2010-02-09
  • Posts: 40

Re: A way to show web pages in Chumby (maybe URL to Image)?

From another post of mine:

I created a batch script that uses Siteshoter (sic)  to grab the html from the iGoogle widget then convert it to a Chumby resolution JPG and FTP it to some free webspace. I've done the same on a few different websites to get information for my morning commute. It's quite a useful & quick way of getting information to the Chumby where there isn't an obvious feed, but requires a PC/server to be always on to do the capture of the webpages.

The only problem is that you need an 'always on' PC to do the screen-grabbing & uploading. I have a home server that is on all the time so I can use this. If I had a decent web-host I would probably code something to automatically do the screen-grab online & at run-time.

  • jbens
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Re: A way to show web pages in Chumby (maybe URL to Image)?

Yes, this would require either PC, web-host server or some (free) web thumbnail service.

Spesific, do you have already some idea what Linux tools/commands are needed to grab a html to picture? I could try this with my web-hosting. 

Webthumb was the only one I found (from 2003?), but not sure if I can get it work:
http://www.boutell.com/webthumb/