Hello
Welcome to my corner on the web! My name is Ignas Bukys and I am excited to share my thoughts, experiences, and insights with you.
On this blog, you will find a diverse range of topics including technology and programming. All my projects (ongoing & finished) are listed here.
Whether you are here for personal growth, to learn something new, or simply to be entertained, I hope you find value in what I have to share. Thank you for stopping by and I hope you enjoy your visit.
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Geoid CC600 bicycle computer review
I like to try various gadgets for my bike. Some enhance my side, some are just, well, meh… :)
With a new bike computer, I have logged more than 1000 kilometers this season, and I’m eager to give my opinion, based on my personal experience. The gadget I’m talking about is the Geoid CC600. The Geoid CC600 uses a ESP32 chip which serves as the CPU. This allows for a feature set that, for its price point, is very impressive.
- 2.4' color screen with 3 physical buttons
- Backlight screen with ambient light sensor
- IPX7 waterproof level, but I would not keep it on rain
- GPS, Galileo, Beidou, Glonass and QZSS positioning systems
- Type-C standard charging port
- 17-24 hours battery life, based on settings and usage scenario
- Wifi, Bluetooth and ANT+ wireless protocols
- 100 hours of storage
- Supported sensors: Speed*, Cadence*, Heartrate* Power meter, Smart trainer, Electronic shifting, Tail light, Radar*
* - Tested: I own XOSS Vortex Speed and Cadence sensors (works in both BT and ANT+), Garmin Heartrate sensor and W100 Radar.
Thing that stood out to me about the device was the display. It is a bright, colored screen that is easy to navigate through even in direct sunlight, which is something I have struggled with in the past. The screen’s brightness coupled with the resolution means that all the essential metrics and even navigation details are squinted in.
I have to say that the CC600's capability to interface with ANT+ and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) is a given advantage. I have seamlessly connected it with my heart rate monitor, speed sensor, and cadence sensor, and all of the connections have remained consistent with no surprise disconnections during my rides. Also, the unit has quite a number of data fields which gives me the possibility to customize my display pages to show the information that I want to see at a glance.
The navigation feature is a breadcrumb style which is good for following a set route. I have used it to follow GPX files that I have uploaded from my phone and it has worked unbelievably well. While it lacks the detailed, full-map view of more expensive devices, its simple outline track and turn-by-turn prompts are adequate to keep the user on track. This is a no-frills navigation system that gets the job done quite well. One more thing that I like is that the navigation track is shown in color, which is good for visibility. Also, worth to mention, that routes created in OneLapFit application has additional information on map about sideroads, which will help you to orient where to make your turn. If you drive away from your route, your route will be rerouted if OneLapFit application is open on your phone
After 1000 kilometers, the Geoid CC600 has proven to be a reliable and capable bike computer. It's not perfect—the companion app can be a little clunky at times, and the setup was a bit cryptic initially. However, the hardware itself is solid, and for its price, it offers a great balance of features, especially for someone who primarily wants a device for tracking stats and following simple routes. If you're in the market for a budget-friendly bike computer with a vibrant display and essential features, the Geoid CC600 is definitely worth considering.
ZBT WE826: My experience in choosing and configuring a 4G router
In this post, I want to share my personal experience in choosing and configuring a 4G router for my home. Bigger project I was on, required me to install a network solution in a house, and the choice was determined by the ratio of the offered functionality and price.
Choice
Out of many choices, the ZBT WE826 model caught my eye. This router had an attractive price and seemed suitable for my needs. With a 4G module, the router costs about €60. I found information that it supports OpenWRT software. I purchased from the Aliexpress platform and received the package.
Challenges
However, after starting to use this router, problems arose. The 4G connection worked only for 3-8 hours (very randomly), and then disappeared. I wanted to make sure that the device was working properly and fairly stably, so at first I didn't change any settings and tried to use the one I received. I tried to reconfigure the device according to the seller's notes and advice, but it didn't help. The seller shared the firmware for the router based on the LEDE Reboot version from 2018. I decided to install it, but it wasn't successful either - the device worked for 8 minutes and rebooted. Apparently some script was working.
Solutions
Finally, I decided to install the latest OpenWRT firmware version specifically for my device. I chose the “ZBT W826 T 16M factory image” version. This solution turned out to be correct and my device with the new firmware started up. As expected, the 4G modem did not work and needed to be configured. Two sources helped me do this:
You need to understand that in order to install some packages into router, you need an internet connection. I didn't had a wired connection, so I thought, maybe I can share the internet on my mobile and make the router a Wifi client. It was fairly straight forward. I've managed to enable 4G support by following documentation. Left router to hang overnight to evaluate stability. To my deep disappointment, the initial situation repeated itself - the 4G connection disappeared after a few hours.
Since I was using the latest version of OpenWRT, I decided to describe my problem on the OpenWRT forum. A forum member, guru, AndrewZ, responded quite quickly and asked for additional data from the router. After an initial analysis, he suggested changing the 4G module mode and reconfigure the router. I read the procedure and decided to go this route. I have nothing to lose, even if I break my router!
I reloaded the OpenWRT firmware once again to start from fresh, shared the Internet via my mobile phone. I changed the module configuration to support the QMI protocol using AT commands. I configured the router according to the documentation. This process was a challenge, but in the end, I've managed to achieve the desired result.
Result
Now I have router that gives me low level configuration, has wide support for various software and active community in case something goes wrong. My ZBT WE826 router works stably and without problems. The 4G connection is stable, and the Wi-Fi coverage is very good. In addition, the form factor of the router is perfect for hanging on the wall, which is a big advantage.
Happy note
This project showed that even with an inexpensive device, good results can be achieved if you are ready to invest some time and effort. The main thing is not to give up and look for solutions, even if everything seems complicated at first.
My Love-Hate Relationship with the Elecrow CrowPanel 5.79" e-Paper Display
The Elecrow CrowPanel 5.79“ e-paper display initially seemed like a dream come true. A large, high-resolution display for all my e-ink project ideas? Sign me up! However, my journey with this display was a rollercoaster of emotions, filled with both excitement and frustration.
How it begun
Few weeks ago in Facebook Micropython group I've saw invitation to win E-Paper device based on ESP32 and gave it a go- filled in form. Only name and email was required. We live in spam world already, so I've decided to give it a go. To my surprise, I have received email asking me what model would I like to receive. Decided to try my luck on Elecrow CrowPanel 5.79. To my surpize- I have received parcel in my mail box. Unexpected, but very pleasant. In exchange for free item, Annie from Elecrow marketing asked me to share project on it. Searching for any library for the screen- nothing was found on the web. As it was not available- I've decided try and create it myself. Already had some experience on python coding, but writing low level communication for chips using non-full documentation and poorly documented code (but working Arduino samples from Elecrow website) was challenging task. Begun working on it and stumbled on fact, that screen is controlled by two SSD1683 chips.
The Challenge: Dual SSD1683 Drivers
One of the biggest hurdles I encountered was the presence of two SSD1683 driver chips within the display. This dual-chip setup added a layer of complexity to the control signals and data transmission. The documentation, while helpful, wasn't always straightforward, and I spent countless hours debugging communication issues. There are absolutely no details how to control SSD1683, which is in slave mode. It was trial and error journey from Arduino code samples provided.
The Phantom Middle: Conquering the Display Glitch
The most frustrating issue I faced was a peculiar display glitch. A portion of the screen, roughly in the middle, would remain blank or display corrupted data. After much head-scratching and experimentation, I discovered that the issue stemmed from a two SSD1683's controlling one screen. Screen row basically consist of 792 pixels, which is 99 bytes. But to display correctly, each chip has to receive 50 bytes of information. Screen on the left 50 leftmost and screen on the right- 50 rightmost. But as there is only 99 bytes available- one byte must be shared between chips. That solved my problem and I was finally able to coax the display into showing the full image.
Lessons Learned and Future Directions
This project, despite its challenges, taught me valuable lessons about hardware-software interaction, debugging techniques, and the importance of thorough documentation. While I wouldn't necessarily recommend this specific display for beginners due to its complexity, I believe the experience has significantly improved my embedded systems development skills.
Library: User-friendly library for controlling the CrowPanel
In the future, I plan to explore alternative e-paper display options. I also intend to create a more robust, making it easier for others to utilize this unique display.
TODO
- SDCard support
- Button
- Library for CrowPanel 4.2”
Overall:
The CrowPanel 5.79“ e-paper display was a challenging but rewarding project. It pushed my technical limits and provided valuable insights into the world of embedded systems. While I encountered significant obstacles, the feeling of accomplishment upon finally overcoming the display glitch was immensely satisfying.
If you have CrowPanel 4.2” panel on you hand and would like to help Micropython community with CrowPanel library I encourage you to share your own tips or tricks you've discovered along the way!
Disclaimer: This blog post is based on my personal experience and may not reflect the experiences of others.