RaspLed

RaspLed is a software/hardware demo tool to check if a web site is up or down. Is order to present the status of the site a RGB led is used.

List of materials

• Raspberry Pi 3 (should work in other models) + power source + SD card
• Proto board for rapid prototyping
• RGB LEd
• Resistors x3
• Some small wires

Optional:

• Monitor + keyboard + mouse

How It Works

Small program that runs in the rasp and check if there is internet reachable and later an internet site.

LED status:

• yellow - Connection unknow
• blue - Internet not recheable
• red - Site down
• green - Site Up & running

Board pinout

For this demo GPIO ports 17,27 and 22 are used, but can be modified at raspled/ledsManager.py

kRedPinAddress = 17
kGreenPinAddress = 27
kBluePinAddress = 22

Be aware of GPIO adresses are not pin position. GPIO17 is PIN11

LED pinout

Check your RBG LED datasheed, but most common configuration is:

• Pin1 - Red channel
• Pin2 - Cathode
• Pin3 - Green channel
• Pin4 - Blue channel

Don't forget to attach a small resistor to color channels.

Software dependencies

• python-gtk2 for UI
• Pango for text rendering
• pi-blaster for IO comunications

Usage

First, install all software dependencies.

Clone this repo and configure appropiate path on files raspled.ini, startRaspLed.py, raspled/configurationManager.py and raspled/screenManager.py

By default /home/pi is configured.

Run:

$ python startRaspLed.py

It's recomended to install it when starting GUI, this way it can works automatically, with or without monitor attached:

$ sudo nano ~/.config/lxsession/LXDE-pi/autostart

@lxpanel --profile LXDE
@pcmanfm --desktop --profile LXDE
@xscreensaver -no-splash
@xset s noblank
@xset s off
@xset -dpms
@unclutter -idle 0.1 -root
@sudo python /home/pi/startRaspLed.py

All traces go to file raspled.log, it's recommended to check it of when looking for problems.

$ tail -f ./raspled.log

Config

Edit raspled.ini that contains basic configuration. Most important options are:

• Log level
• Site URL
• Pooling interval (seconds)

Disclaimer

This is a demo project executed in about 6 hours in order to refresh some python concepts and to play a little bit with leds and wires. Don't look for a nice implementation in code ;)

Any doubt or comment is welcomed.