Photo Booth (Box)

[Mike A]

I wasn't following that either. Why would displaying the local IP address be useful in this case?

[DaOld Man]

Good question.
I was thinking if a user wanted to upload the pics and videos from the box to their PC or laptop they will probably need to know the IP address.
Is this not true?
How do you find the box if it doesnt show up in your network on Windows?
My RPi does not show in the network, I use winsch to talk to it from my PC.
Is there something I need to turn on in RPi to allow windows to see it? I have SSH tuned on.
If there is another way that is simpler Im all ears.

[Malenko]

If you cant run some sort of external USB/detachable storage , you'd have to have an FTP server running on the pi.  You could ping the Pi using its host name or look for it in the router or ARP table to get the IP. 

I'd have a USB port (use an extender if you have to) and then have a button that says "copy pictures/video to USB". I think its the best/simplest solution.

[DaOld Man]

If you cant run some sort of external USB/detachable storage , you'd have to have an FTP server running on the pi.  You could ping the Pi using its host name or look for it in the router or ARP table to get the IP. 

I'd have a USB port (use an extender if you have to) and then have a button that says "copy pictures/video to USB". I think its the best/simplest solution.

Thanks Malenko.
I can ping the box's address in cmd window, just cant get it to show up in my windows workgroup.
Im sure there is something not set right on the RPi.
The box is already saving the pics to a usb thumb drive, but if the thumb drive is not present, it defaults back to the SD card.
Are you saying have it copy pictures from sd card to a usb drive?

[Malenko]

it not showing up means you don't have some sort of windows compatible share or discovery on. SAMBA is probably your best bet:
http://blogs.arcsoftwareconsultancy.com/pi/2013/03/07/windows-networking/

[DaOld Man]

Just a quick update:
I hooked up my HP 632C printer and after setting up cups, it appears to be doing what i want, however my ink cartridges are dry (been setting up for at least 4-5 years).
I dont know why its not giving me a low ink warning, but it goes through all the motions, just doesnt print anything out.
Ink cartridges for this printer are very high, around 70-80 bucks new for both tri-color and black. I can get refilled for around 30 , but the comments on those dont look very good.
Im thinking of ordering this printer from walmart:
Heres the link, pic below:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/HP-Deskjet-1112-printer-color-ink-jet/47039971

The printer is about 30 US bucks, and new cartridges are around 43 bucks for both.
I know the ink that comes with these cheap printers dont last long, but maybe it will be enough to test my setup and get everything fine tuned.

I also bought some new, thicker lexan. The first one was 0.080 plexiglass this new one is 0.093 Lexan.
You can see the thickness difference between the two. This new one is a lot more snug in the wood slot. Almost too snug, but I think it will be OK.
If I eve rdo this type project again, i will cut the slots 2 saw blade thicknesses.
Hopefully this new panel wont have the "flappyness" in area between speaker and monitor.
Got it cut out width X height, sticker placed where camera peep hole will be, and painted inside black. I will try to do the router routine tomorrow and cut out for monitor and speakers.
Paint needs to thoroughly dry first.
I will get some pics of that when it's done. Maybe post a pic of the rig I made to cut out the monitor and speaker holes.
Been fine tuning the software. I also wrote a setup program that allows you to set everything. It displays in a dos style, must have keyboard connected. Im thinking of having it display screens like the photobooth does, so user can use touch screen or mouse to set up everything. No hurry on that right now.

Well, here's the promised pic of that walmart printer. tell me what you think.

[Drnick]

The HP isn't a terrible printer and for that kind of money you can't really go wrong, The Inks it comes with should do about 15 or so full colour prints.  I would personally recommend a canon printer but that's just because I've seen so many of the HP inkjets come back from our sites whereas the Canons just seem to keep on ticking

[DaOld Man]

thanks Drnick, but too late. Ive already ordered it. 
But since the printer is cheaper than the new ink cartridges, (thats the one I bought, dont know about the Canon), if I dont like this printer I will look into the Canons.
Do you recommend any certain model?

[DaOld Man]

Got a pic of the rig I made to cut out the lexan. Laying underneath it is the first plexi glass front that I made.
I lay the cut to fit lexan in the rig, it has an edge along the top and blocks on either side to hold the plexi (lexan) tight while I run the router along the holes in the MDF.
I use an edge trim router bit, the bit's bearing rolls along the edge on the mdf cutouts and the cutting part of the bit slices through the plastic.
This provides a perfect cut in the lexan.
I stuck some frog tape on the bottom to keep from scratching the sprayed on paint on the lexan.
This worked out real good and I think it was worth the extra work to make the rig. It may never be used again, but I thought that when I cut out the plexi too.
I will try to get some pics when I cut out the lexan.

[DaOld Man]

Got the lexan cut out and painted a couple more coats because it did get a few small scratches in the paint. This will let light through to the outside.
Next time I will cut it out first, leaving the protective film on both sides, peel off inside film, then paint the inside. 

I have been thinking about changing the fonts on my screens.
I am asking for suggestions from you artists in the group.
Here is a sample with calibri on the picture button ans still comic sans on the other two. I also got rid of the net address button.
Seems like every time I edit these images, they look a little more fuzzy.
I may have to redo the whole thing once I get it looking like I want.
Again, Im asking for suggestions here, cause I am not an artist.

[DaOld Man]

the monitor is intermittently blanking out.
I tried a different monitor and it was blanking too. Tried running a HDMI to DVI cable to the test monitor and it did fine.
So I narrowed it down to the cheap HDMI to VGA converter.
Got a new one ordered and on the way.
Until then I will leave the back cover off.
I also decided to re-position the RPi. I raised it up and more to the center.
I like this a lot more.


I bought some thicker lexan. Got it cut out and back painted. This is not near as "flappy" as the plexi one was.
I spray painted the inside and after the paint dried, i saw a few places where light was coming through.
On the second coat something weird happened. the paint boiled up and left what looked like cracks in the paint.
I tried sanding down and painting those spots again.
After a lot of work it looks a lot better, but you can see what looks like smudges in the upper left corner in this picture.
I'm going to let it go for now, but I may have to try to make another one later.


Got the new printer hooked up and it was good.
The pictures are printing off center though. It is smaller than the 4 X 6 paper and printers to the left of the paper. But the whole picture is being printed. I cant figure why i cant center the pic though.
Also about the printing, Im thinking about giving the users the option to print out the pics they want to keep when the pictures are reviewed after taking.
The program can take 1 to 4 pictures per setting.
After the setting is finished, the pictures are displayed for a set time.
Im thinking of adding a button on each picture that user can touch to print, or maybe just touch the photo they want printed.
The photos are still saved to the memory stick.
Im thinking this will save a lot of waste if the picture didnt turn out good or the user just dont want a copy.

[JDFan]

In the printer settings is there a setting for the border size ? -- Maybe make the border on the left side larger. 

[DaOld Man]

I cant find that setting, but Im still looking.
I have to use CUPS with the RPi, so if anyone knows how to do this, I would greatly appreciate it.
Heres a picture of a picture, to show you what Im talking about.

[jdbailey1206]

I have to use CUPS with the RPi, so if anyone knows how to do this, I would greatly appreciate it.

Try this link.

And you guys need to stop posting pictures of what you really look like.  Its tripping me out.

[DaOld Man]

I have to use CUPS with the RPi, so if anyone knows how to do this, I would greatly appreciate it.

Try this link.

And you guys need to stop posting pictures of what you really look like.  Its tripping me out.

Thanks JD, but I have already done all that, I think that is the same site I used when I set up cups.
I have 4X6 selected in the printer default options.
I did try this:
lpoptions -p (my printer name) -o media=A6
from command line in putty, and it printed picture a little bigger but not much.
And its still off center.
I can probably use it like this, but if I print multiple photos per setting onto one paper, the photos on the left will be cut in half.
If I go with the touch to select which photos to print, they will be printed one per page anyway, so again, it really wont matter.
Am I making any sense here?

Sorry about posting that pic, but how do you know its really me? It could be my evil genius twin. 

[jdbailey1206]

And you guys need to stop posting pictures of what you really look like.  Its tripping me out.

Sorry about posting that pic, but how do you know its really me? It could be my evil genius twin. 

I can tell its you.  The man in this picture is way more devilishly handsome than an evil twin would be.   

[DaOld Man]

I can tell its you.  The man in this picture is way more devilishly handsome than an evil twin would be.   

Ha Ha!! Yeah I know, he got everything and I got nothing 

I have added the ability to touch the photo during the photos review.
If you touch it an icon will pop up that says it is printing, so user can choose the pictures they want to print.
Only problem I see is having to instruct everyone to touch the photo they want to print.
Im thinking maybe have the icons appear on each photo review, then tough that icon to print.
I will try to get a pic to explain more what Im up to here. 

[DaOld Man]

Ok, here are a few more pics.
Im just going to post these here, I dont care if they get lost later.
First pic is previewing picture taken with settings set to take only one pic per setting.
You can see the icon i talked about at the bottom, this only appeared because i touched the screen during preview.
Second pic is settings set to take 4 pics per setting, this is the screen that pops up before the fourth picture is snapped. There is also a sweet lady computer voice saying "Smile for the camera".(Maybe i will get a video when Im done with this.)
Third pic is the screen that tells the user the preview is coming up where they can observe their poses. (Female says "Lets look at your pictures".)
And last one is the preview screen for the 4 picture setting.
You can see where I have touched 3 of the four pics, and they will be printed.
Hey! whats that evil twin doing?
Sorry about the quality of these pics, I had to snap fast with my old IPhone 5.