juicebox

Rayman

The Juicebox is really a hacker's dream...· It's now $5 (maybe $10 with shipping), and runs embedded linux.· The manufacturer has posted the source code to the linux OS it runs...

It's already been hacked several ways...
http://elinux.org/JuiceBox_Hardware

I think I'll add an SD card to it (been done a thousand times) and use the Prop to move files around on the SD card and control the buttons.· So, essentially I'll have a $10 MP3 player or picture viewer...

Don't need the Prop for this, but what I really want to do is dynamically create and show pictures so as to have a cheap (but slow) 12-bit color display...

If I had more time, I think I'd put my own code on the thing·so that it would accept commands via the serial interface...

Rayman

Just had a moment to hack my new Juicebox...· (This thing really plays poor quality video, I see why it failed...).

Anyway, took a Dremmel tool to the sample clip that came with the thing (in a seperate package) and soldered up an SD connecter and now have a ~$5 or so MP3 player/photo viewer...

Here's a link to the wiring diagram I used:· http://joevennix.blogspot.com/2006/01/juicebox-digital-picture-frame-how-to.html

Next, I used the power from the SD card to power up a Prop Proto board with tv, mouse, keyboard, and 2 serial cameras attached (running my BlackJack game [noparse]:)[/noparse] ...

Next step:· Use the Prop to play/show what I want...· (I don't know how well this will actually work...)

Rayman

PS: It seems to work fine with the same 1 GB SD card I used with the Prop, even though the pages say 512 MB is the limit...

Rayman

Coincidently, I'm not so sure those pull-up resistors on pins 1 and 9 of the SD card are required!

Oldbitcollector (Jeff)

I keep waiting for you to say that you've sent video from the Prop to the juicebox screen. [noparse]:)[/noparse]

Then you'd have a $5 version of the LED screen device..

OBC

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Just getting started with Propeller?

Propeller Cookbook

PropDOS

Rayman

I think it's going to work [noparse]:)[/noparse] Put 2 pics on the SD card and when put in photoview mode, it toggles endlessly between them every 4 seconds.

Hooked up a scope to the data line and I see just a burst of activity every 4 seconds, only lasting about a tenth of a second. So, I think I can overwrite the image in the space inbetween and thereby get a screen that updates every 4 seconds... Not exactly video rate, but should be OK for some things...

Paul Sr.

Rayman said...
The Juicebox is really a hacker's dream... It's now $5 (maybe $10 with shipping), and runs embedded linux. The manufacturer has posted the source code to the linux OS it runs...

Where did you pick this up for $5?

Rayman

I got this one from Amazon.com, but they seem to have increased their price to $9

I just bought another one for $5 from:

http://www.overstockdealz.com/products.asp?id=H3904

You can also get 2 for $25 with free shipping from:

http://www.overstock.com/Bulk-Electronics/Mattel-Juice-Box-Media-Players-Case-of-2/2192839/product.html

Besides this, there are are a few on Ebay.· But, the market does appear to be about gone...

But, I'm very optomistic about turning this thing into a display for the Prop.· Now think I can ~ 2 fps update rate, maybe more. (by displaying a single image and using the ">>" key to reload and display the same image, updated by the Prop).

Harley

Thanks Rayman,

Overstock still had at least one left. Yep, $4.99 + 4.99 shipping.

Ten bucks for a small LCD; not too shabby. And plays music and videos.

Did Mattel ever take a loss on the JuiceBox?
Probably never will find an old operating iPhone near that price.!

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Harley Shanko

Paul Baker

The juicebox failed because Mattel opted for a proprietary format for the cards, this meant that only Mattel produced material could be played. While this isn't much of a restriction for someone hacking it, it was rather restrictive for a commercial product.

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Paul Baker
Propeller Applications Engineer

Parallax, Inc.

Harley

Rayman, and any others,

What is the LCD screen size (physical and pixels horiz and vertical)? I looked for that but didn't find it in my haste to order one.

Hopefully it will be fine for pure text on background. Don't know if blacks are very black, or whites white; or other color combinations with decent contrast.

And, hopefully there is a way for a Propeller to get its 'hands' on the display, one way or another. Does anyone have a schematic for the JB?

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Harley Shanko

Rayman

Look here for hardware:
http://elinux.org/JuiceBox_Hardware

Display is 2.7" with 240x160xRGB resolution. I converted a couple images and put them on the SD card. One looked as good as could be expected. The other one (penquins on ice) didn't look so good... But, the contrast and brightness is adjustable.

Rayman

I'm having trouble sharing the SD card with the Prop... Might be a no-go [noparse]:([/noparse]

Oldbitcollector (Jeff)

IIUC, you can put linux on these. Is it possible that these could be loaded with
linux and used RS232 as a terminal screen? Still worth it for $5.

OBC

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Just getting started with Propeller?

Propeller Cookbook

PropDOS

Harley

Rayman said...
Look here for hardware:
http://elinux.org/JuiceBox_Hardware

Thanks for that reference, Rayman. Right off it doesn't quite look as good a deal for controlling the display as I wished. Loads of info on that site. But not giving up just yet. First, need to receive my JB and study what all can be gleaned from !OMG! he's opening it up.

As a friend of mine used to say when I showed him some new hardware "Got a screwdriver" as he knew I was into hacking gizmos.


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Harley Shanko

Rayman

Wait... I think I've got it!· Had to put in some series resistor on the Juicebox signals to keep it from interfering...· Also, had to call the SD driver's STOP function to keep the Prop from interfering with the JB.

Anyway, I just had a prop create a ".jbp" picture while the JB was on (and powering the Prop) and then had the JB show this picture (by manually pushing the JB's buttons).·

But, it seemed like it took the prop ~1 second to mount, write 57,600 bytes, close, and stop.· This could limit the refresh rate significantly...

Here's a photo of my setup:

Rayman

Look familiar?· Generated this jbp image from the VGA screen buffer·using a Prop being powered by the Juicebox, sharing an SD card.· Generated the jbp in SPIN, in a not so tight loop that takes nearly 5 seconds to complete...· May have to use another cog to do this in the background...·

Harley

Rayman,

Not too shabby a LCD display. Need to convert your SPIN to assembly to speed up that looong processing time.

I'm wondering, since a Prop wouldn't have direct access to the LCD, to have the Prop look like a SD/SPI interface and have it dump directly to the JB processor. Seems if a screen only is presented in b/w, then the Prop RAM could contain a bitmapped image of what's desired on the JB.

That is, if the JB did need to run at 400 Kb that provides 50 clocks (at 80 MHz clock) per bit. And if the math is correct, 240 x 160 / 8 = 4800 bytes; 4800 x 2 = 9600 bytes of Prop RAM only needed to hold a b/w image. Now generating a desired image, a bit-mapped one, is a different chore. This would require an adapter board that appears as a SD card on one side and the other wired as required to connect to the Prop. I was thinking of using JB display as a debug display.

Just a thought. Anyone able to say it is impossible timing? Whether it is worth while is a different concern; like maybe a portable video player is much cleaner approach, though a bit more costly.

Thanks for provideing this info and picture.

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Harley Shanko