Topic: infocast graphics programming

Based on what I have read here and in a few blogs, the chumby/infocast is an excellent linux system for the current best buy price (~$80), but I have one question: I want to use infocasts in my process control system. The internet would not be involved. Based on what i have read here, I should be able to use the USB port to gather data from my system, and install nano-x so i can use a C program to draw plots and text on the screen.

In other words, I would not use the "chumby" system at all, in its usual sense. Are there any flaws in my plan? I believe Duane told someone that the chumby had no native windowing capability, or something like that, and my impression is that Flash is used exclusively for screen content, but with nano-X I should be able to draw graphics and text without involving Flash, right? 

Thanks in advance for any replies smile

Re: infocast graphics programming

I don't think you'd have to use nano-x, but if that's a technology that you know well I'd guess it ought to be suitable.  You should also read through the Web Browser thread in this forum though; the browser (which also executes completely outside of the "chumby"system) is built with Qt and demonstrates the use of high level programming constructs without the need to run a separate X server process. Qt is a good technology to use as the basis for writing Process Control GUIs (I'm not as sure about the robustness and longevity of the Insignia hardware in a Process Control setting though, and it sounds like availability might become a problem pretty soon).

Good luck!

Re: infocast graphics programming

That's excellent news, because I currently use Qt (pyQt, to be exact) in the laptops i use. They don't play any significant role in the actual control part of the system, they just make the status and history visible to humans, so the Infocast would be a great replacement at $80, since the cheapest laptop is about $300.

According to bestbuy, there were units available in my area yesterday, so I might try to grab a few in case they are being discontinued.  Even at their normal price they are cheaper than any laptop, and it's getting harder to find inexpensive linux laptops anyway, and i hate giving money to the evil empire in Redmond for software that i will erase.

Thank you.