• Registered: 2019-10-09
  • Posts: 21

Topic: Yet another chumby project

Well, I scrapped my Raspberry Pi in a chumby project.
The Pi runs really hot, the rat's nest of wiring made me nervous, and there was no decent user interface.

Don't despair, because I have found something that may work as an alternative.

Here's the PyPortal Titano from Adafruit:
https://www.adafruit.com/product/4444

It's expensive and uses a language with which I have no experience. The big upside is that it's compact, runs cool, has a touchscreen, built in wifi, connector for a speaker, connector for physical buttons.
The biggest upside? It's exactly the same size and resolution as the original chumby screen!


https://imgur.com/a/pQ70QRX


I'm just learning python, but it may be possible to paste multiple .py programs onto an SD card and have the pyportal cycle through them.
(either on a timer or with a press of Chumby's bend switch) This looks tricky and I can't promise I will ever get it working.

There are already a good amount of Chumby-like projects freely available:
https://learn.adafruit.com/pyportal-wea … n/overview
https://learn.adafruit.com/pyportal-qua … k/overview
https://learn.adafruit.com/pyportal-alarm-clock
https://learn.adafruit.com/search?q=pyportal

There are some limitation to the PyPortal that mean it will never be as robust as a Chumby, but we can approximate it.

  • Duane
  • Duane
  • Blue Octy
  • Offline
  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2006-08-24
  • Posts: 8,209

Re: Yet another chumby project

These do seem pretty light from a performance standpoint, but could be used for some simple chumby-like functionality.

From what I can tell, these are running at 120MHz vs the original 2006-vintage chumby at 350MHz, with 256KB of RAM vs chumby's 32MB, and 8MB flash storage vs chumby's 64MB.  I would have expected something a bit beefier after 14 years.

You are correct about the recent RPis getting a bit out of hand from a heat standpoint - I feel they hit the sweet spot at the RPi 3B, balancing power, performance and heat.  Starting with the 3B+ and the 4, you now have to pay explicit attention to active heat dissipation - plus all different power and HDMI connectors on the 4.

I look forward to see what you do with it!

Duane's Website

3 Reply by infocastme (edited by infocastme 2020-10-28 04:53:29)

  • From: Arizona
  • Registered: 2012-05-17
  • Posts: 294

Re: Yet another chumby project

Amazon had the Pine64 for $7.99 for awhile. It came back at $15.99. Still a bargain. I bought 2 while they were cheap. I need to see if I can Chumyize it!

https://www.pine64.org/devices/single-b … rs/rock64/

https://www.amazon.com/Iconikal-Rockchi … d_rp_1_1_t

  • From: Lakeland florida
  • Registered: 2011-06-01
  • Posts: 36

Re: Yet another chumby project

What are you trying to get it to do that is making it overheat?
The chumpi I designed has been running now for years, perhaps I can offer assistance?