RPi Smart Still Controller v1.0.4

v1.0.4 - October 8, 2024
Total rewrite of the C undercarriage executables in Python in order to fully support Banana Pi and Orange Pi clones. This was inspired by the Raspberry Pi Foundation pulling an underhanded money grab by sabotaging pre-Model 5 units with Raspbian 12 in order to make people replace them with Model 5 units. Thanks to the Raspberry Pi drought, there are lots of clones out there that out-spec and out-perform all Raspberry Pi units for a fraction of the cost. Sorry, I'm not supporting that movement.

The rewrite of the undercarriage executables in Python was due to the fact that the C code relied on WiringPi which has been abandoned by its author and was specific to the Broadcom processor. The various modified versions for Banana Pi and Orange Pi are flakey (at best) and don't work with all of their various processors. However, the RPi.GPIO Python library is available for Banana Pi and a version called OPi.GPIO is available for Orange Pi. So, Python it is, even though I detest that whitespace-aware unencapsulated clumsy-ass language that can be broken by a single extra space anywhere. 😆

The Pi Hat boards have had some time to cook and other code adjustments have been made to better support system builds based on the Pi Hat. Information on the original prototype system will remain here, but the focus from here on out will be on Pi Hat based builds. Pi Hats, LIDAR Hydrometer Readers, and related 3D printed parts are available on my website.

Be sure to refer to the Wiki for installation instructions and more.

Stay tuned to my YouTube channel for more information and updates on new features.

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v1.0.3 - August 17, 2024
Odd numbered release to denote that this isn't a guaranteed stable update due to new hardware being introduced. There is now a directory at /Diagrams/Raspberry-Pi-Hat/ which contains all you need if you want to order printed circuit boards to simplify assembly. Keep in mind that no PCB makers will sell you a singular assembled board, you have to buy these in quantities. You may also just order printed circuit boards and assemble them yourself if you have experience and the necessary tools for working with surface mount components. (This was later changed to use conventional through-hole components)

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v1.0.2 - May 11, 2024
First official stable release. I originally intended for this to be released on December 31, 2023 but a blizzard completely sidetracked a whole mess of my plans which took me over 4 months to get back on track. Various commits have been made since then for various reasons, so the current version is 1.0.2 as of May 31, 2024.

I have performed test runs of all of the default programs in the system and had no problems. Keep in mind that my programs will not be compatible with your still unless you have the 100% same setup that I have, so you absolutely will need to modify settings. Better yet, use these as a reference point for creating your own programs, see the Wiki topic on this for more information.