Topic: chumby registration code

hi,
i've just see that chumby site is dead and in new sony/chumby site i can't log in (invalid username or password). when i create a new account, it ask me a registration code and i don't remember where i can read it. can anyone help me? i have a classic chumby and i want to add widgets. thanks

Re: chumby registration code

In 2011, Chumby Industries went out of business. The service was run by volunteers and paid for by a succession of entities. It was at this time that Sony cloned the system. That system is only for Dashes. However, Duane, a former Chumby employee, made servers that were extremely cheap to run. The catch? There's only one widget: the Star Trek clock. If you REALLY want widgets, a fellow named Zurk made an offline firmware with a selection of widgets, However, for the Classic users, this firmware no longer is updated. Not only that, but it requires extensive XML configuration for it to even work. Pretty much, you have two choices: Stay on the stub server until Duane optimizes the old server's code enough for it to be run by either donations or a subscription model, or leave the stub server and use Zurkware instead.

Re: chumby registration code

so...in some way, i can have widgets? can you help me please? a tutorial, a link...please.... smile

4 (edited by demarks51 2013-04-20 08:39:43)

Re: chumby registration code

Chumby Inc is dead.
To allow our chumbies to function in anyway there are only two options:
1-Stay with the limited "stub" service that Duane is providing at this time and hope for better days ahead.
This includes a single blue space clock and a multitude of music options. It is still a great alarm clock (and a picture frame if using the 8inch)
2-Look for Zurk's firmware and follow his directionis to utilize it. It has a limited amount of widgets but some think it is very useful.

If you are interested in option #1, I suggest you familiarize yourself with recent posts on the forum and get up to speed with what is going on since the new era of Chumby. Most seem to be content and are grateful for what we have at this time. It may get much better and details of the future is pretty sketchy at this time but things are looking up. Even if we stay at this same level I like the limited service but it would be a bonus with whatever could be added.

Zurkware people tend to frequent this site too but they get support through zurk's sourgeforce site. Google zurk's firmware and you will find it. I have tried it but I lean towards staying with the stub service. Zurk's option is a bit more techy to tweak it to your liking. I have 5 chums and use them mostly for internet clocks and internet radio options so I am not too dissatisfied with AS IS.

Lasty, Sony has done its own thing and those customers need to contact them even though it seems they are not prepared to do anything about their Dash units. Looks like they have turned their back on those customers. I don't know if it is possible to "retro-fit" these units to work within the new server (in other words chumbize them). They run on a separate hardware similar but not the same as chumby. Infocast units have made the transition but I really don't have enough knowledge to tell you if Dashes can benefit from the New Blue Octy company. Duane would know if that is possible. I know his first priority is Chumby branded, then Infocast and then possibly Dashes. Being that Dash units will have no where to go, at some point Duane may invent a way to reach out to them at some later point in time.

Hope this helps with my very limited understanding. There are some very nice and helpful people around here who are eager to encourage the continuation of chumby world.

Please correct anything I have written that is not right.

Owner of 3 Sony Dash, 2 Info 8.

Re: chumby registration code

The Sony Dash units have different firmware than Chumbys. While I suspect that Duane has the technical knowledge needed to make a Dash run on his Chumby server, I am also pretty sure that because of licensing issues, that will never happen.

@auenegheps: I have four Chumbys in various flavors. One is running zurkware and the others are running off of the new server, but modified to allow me to pin a different widget on the screen, rather than the Star Trek Clock. As demarks51 suggested, a search for zurk's info on Sourceforge will quickly turn up his website. He also has posted some information in this forum; although that pertains mainly to the start of his project.

Using the Search function on this forum will turn up all sorts of posts that may help you.

zurk and others in his group provide pretty good documentation that will allow you to start running his software. You will also get enough information to allow you to understand what you need to do run different widgets, assuming you have at least some programming experience. However, getting access to those widgets these days, without the Chumby server, is much more challenging.

Re: chumby registration code

Actually, there's absolutely nothing I can do for dash - they require cryptographically signed firmware, and I don't have the keys to create it.  While Chumby did have the toolchain and most of the source code to build the firmware, it did not have the ability to sign it for production devices (only prototypes), so there was no way to install or deploy anything.

As a result, I didn't archive any of the source code or toolchains for the dash and destroyed it all when I took down the Amazon servers - this really was done mainly to help Chumby comply with its agreement with Sony to destroy everything if the contract was terminated, which it was when it went out of business.

Re: chumby registration code

is the best buy/insignia contract terminated as well ?

Re: chumby registration code

Technically, yes, however, since their devices are supportable, I'm treating them the way I'm treating the Chumby devices.

The relationships between Chumby and Sony and Chumby and Insignia were very different in nature.

Actually, there were two Sony deals - one for the dash, and one for the S1 tablet.  In the latter case, the Chumby application is just a preload of a custom version of the "chumby Lite" application, owned entirely by Chumby (and subsequently Blue Octy).

As a courtesy, I keep both Sony and Insignia informed of what's going on as appropriate, though I really have no legal obligation to either to do so.