Portsdown 4 - Web Control without a Touchscreen

[G8GKQ]

In response to a number of user requests, I have just released an update (202212210) for the Portsdown 4 which allows web control of the system without a touchscreen connected. There is no need to update if you are not going to use this capability.

"Screenless" web control requires the system settings to be changed in the ssh console menu, and then the system rebooted. Full details of how to enable the capability (and revert back to touchscreen use) are at the bottom of this wiki page https://wiki.batc.org.uk/Portsdown_4_Web_Control.

Please report any problems with the capability here.

Dave, G8GKQ

[g8lce]

Once the touchscreen is not needed all that is needed is a Raspberry 4. As these are like hens teeth, how difficult would it be for the system to get ported to a Rock 4 or even a Rock 5 which has a HDMI input!
https://www.okdo.com/p/okdo-rock-5-mode ... ortex-a76/

I expect expletives in reply as I think this is asking too much!

Martin G8LCE

[G8GKQ]

I'm waiting for somebody to try it. It might work.

Dave, G8GKQ

[g0mjw]

Once the touchscreen is not needed all that is needed is a Raspberry 4. As these are like hens teeth, how difficult would it be for the system to get ported to a Rock 4 or even a Rock 5 which has a HDMI input!
https://www.okdo.com/p/okdo-rock-5-mode ... ortex-a76/

I expect expletives in reply as I think this is asking too much!

Martin G8LCE

Not asking too much but I checked and the Rock 5 costs £165 and at that price, which is perhaps too much, it might be better to consider changing to a laptop running linux. It has a screen already, and a keyboard, networking probably, maybe even a built in camera, audio and battery for portable use. USB could be used for any GPIO, but that platform change means a complete re-write of almost everything.

Fortunately, there are some encouraging noises about the PI4 availability improving next year, so we may be OK with what Dave has already developed.

Mike

[g8lce]

I have a spare RPi4 so used the Touchscreen remote control feature I think. BUT I updated without checking to the latest updated software and now cannot enable the web control. I have other Portsdown 4s and updated those to the latest firmware and they work from the remote touchscreen control but they also have screens. It is the one without a screen I cannot remote web control. And yes I have tried to enable it from the SSH console menu.

Martin G8LCE

[G8GKQ]

Hi Martin

Please cut and paste the contents of the file

Code: Select all

/home/pi/rpidatv/scripts/portsdown_config.txt

here and then we can see what has gone wrong.

Dave

[g8lce]

Had some trouble doing that! Hope I have got the right data...

Screenshot 2023-01-07 171229.jpg (98.68 KiB) Viewed 5339 times

Martin G8LCE

[G8GKQ]

Martin

Please follow the instructions on the Wiki page that is linked in the first post about this capability. Particularly the section that details how to set up the Portsdown 4 to work without a touchscreen: https://wiki.batc.org.uk/Portsdown_4_We ... _Connected

I think that will solve your problem.

Dave

[g8lce]

Thanks Dave,

That was the reason.

Now to see what else I can do with a Portsdown 4.

Works well using the 3rd harmonic from a Pluto into a waveguide to send DATV to a 10GHz satellite RX! (over a larger distance than I would have thought)

Thanks

Martin G8LCE

[G8GKQ]

I have just published a minor update (202301090) to the Portsdown 4 Web Control functionality (suggested by Phil M0DNY).

Along with some structure improvements and a favicon, the web page now shows if the connection has been lost.

I have also made some changes to the SSH Console Menu to reduce the risk of a recurrence of the problem that Martin descrivbed above.

Thanks to Phil for his continued innovation.

Dave, G8GKQ