Garlicoin has recently gone crazy on Reddit thanks to the meme and a user called DigitalizedOrange stating he’d create a coin if his post got enough upvotes. That was last month and this week Garlicoin went live. I fancied mining some of the coin, more for shits and giggles than anything. I mined BTC long ago, then Dogecoin with GPU and ASIC miners, and when that all turned non profitable I stopped and got into margin trading the BTC on various exchanges. I look back on the days of mining Doge with fondness since the community rallied together to sponsor various projects, including getting the Jamaican Bobsled team to the 2012 Sochi Winter Olympics. We also sponsored a Nascar (the Dogecar) driven by Josh Wise, and we bought socks for the homeless. These were good times, Doge had value, was easy to mine, and much fun was had. Unfortunately since…Continue reading GPU & CPU Mining Garlicoin on Windows 10 Machine
Author: Puk
Installing a Mouseover to Amazon Firestick & Virgin TV Go App by sideloading using a Mac
Got yourself a swanky new Firestick? Definitely worth installing a mouseover, read down for more info. I wanted to watch TV around the house, but refused to let Virgin install their triple shielded coax around my property. So had to look at other routes to get my cable tv channels into the other rooms. I found they recently updated their TV Anywhere app to TV Go, which thankfully is a little better than it’s shockingly awful predecessor. I’ve accomplished this by sideloading the TV-Go app onto an Amazon Firestick, and also installing a mouseover toggle onto it, so it’s a bit more user friendly. Firstly, I use a Mac and love using the terminal, I long ago gave up using Windows and would use Linux if it was a little more user friendly to my mac. Anyhow, this process will be done using a Mac, I don’t have an android…Continue reading Installing a Mouseover to Amazon Firestick & Virgin TV Go App by sideloading using a Mac
Claiming your Bitcoin Gold (BTG) from your Bitcoin (BTC)
There seems a little confusion on this around the net, so here’s an easy way to do it, after all it’s free money so you might as well, as it currently stands BTG is worth about $130/coin. Currently there’s only a wallet on an android device for BTG called Coinomi so this is the way I’m going to claim mine, but I don’t have an Android phone, so what do I do? I use an Android Emulator on my mac. Firstly you need to secure your coins, and separate it from the block that has your BTG. So we do this by making a new wallet, that has new private keys. Send the contents of your existing wallet to this wallet address, this will be your new wallet. Now to claim the BTG. Close your new wallet, open the old one and extract the private keys. For example…Continue reading Claiming your Bitcoin Gold (BTG) from your Bitcoin (BTC)
Remove the default user Pi from your RasberryPi for a bit of extra security
An easy way of making your Pi that little bit more secure is to remove the default user, Pi. So when setting up a new Pi installation this is one of the first things I do which is very simple. SSH into your Pi as usual: ssh pi@192.168.0.2 Switch to the root user: sudo -i Create a new user: adduser puk Will result in the below, add a decent password when asked and then repeat it: Adding user `puk’ … Adding new group `puk’ (1001) … Adding new user `puk’ (1001) with group `puk’ … Creating home directory `/home/puk’ … Copying files from `/etc/skel’ … Enter new UNIX password: <REDACTED> Retype new UNIX password: <REDACTED> passwd: password updated successfully Changing the user information for puk Enter the new value, or press ENTER for the default Full Name []: Puk Room Number []: Work Phone []: Home Phone []: Other []:…Continue reading Remove the default user Pi from your RasberryPi for a bit of extra security
Using PiVPN to turn your RaspberryPi into a VPN. Access your home network securely from anywhere, secure any wifi connection
I wanted a secure way of accessing my home network whilst away. Not only for my Home Assistant installation but to access files, photos, be able to work on scripts and the like. I did some research into various ways but kept coming back to a VPN. I found other reasons for using a VPN too, mainly to secure usage of public wifi, prevent region locking, and to use my PiHole DNS advert blocker. For instance, if I’m using public wifi at a cafe/shopping center I can connect via my VPN to secure any passwords/bank details that I enter. If you don’t realise anyone sharing the same wifi network can gain access to your passwords or data that you enter, scared? Have a read how they do it here. This same Pi is running an instance of PiHole for DNS level advert blocking, when I’m connected to my VPN, I’ll…Continue reading Using PiVPN to turn your RaspberryPi into a VPN. Access your home network securely from anywhere, secure any wifi connection
New Toy! Evolve Bustin, Gen 2, Electric Skateboard, esk8. First Mod, Remote LED Charging Monitor
Ive got a new toy! Well, a second hand new toy! An Evolve gen 2, esk8 board. The specs look pretty cool, top speed 38kmh, range of 30km. Albeit a little less since the lion battery is now 18months old. But it was cheap, like the budgie! This variation is the Bustin limited edition series, but is based on the Bamboo GT. I haven't been on a skateboard for twenty years so it took me a few kms to get use to even being on a board again. I remember that I skate goofy but it feels weird so I may try regular tomorrow, perhaps absence has changed my style. This thing is so quick. I've mainly used the low speed setting, the fast speed is like a rocket! The brake is surprisingly effective too, and the motor regenerates the battery on braking, great! These boards were nearly £1300 new so…Continue reading New Toy! Evolve Bustin, Gen 2, Electric Skateboard, esk8. First Mod, Remote LED Charging Monitor
AlexaPi, AVS timeout in non Alexa Countries, java.util.concurrent.TimeoutException
With Amazon only supporting a few countries with Alexa, being the UK, Germany and the USA, you may get timeouts on the java app with an error of: java.util.concurrent.TimeoutException It’s a pain when this happens as you have to login with VNC and click the OK button to reset the application. To help prevent it, you can alter the timeout threshold in the java file located at: /home/pi/Desktop/alexa-avs-sample-app/samples/javaclient/src/main/java/com/amazon/alexa/avs/http/AVSClient.java#L69 You can edit this with: sudo nano /home/pi/Desktop/alexa-avs-sample-app/samples/javaclient/src/main/java/com/amazon/alexa/avs/http/AVSClient.java You’re after line 69, it looks like this, alter the timeout as below: Restart your Alexa and job done!
Controlling Infa-Red IR devices with Home-Assistant & AlexaPi on a Raspberry Pi (Non smart, Dumb devices)
In this post I’m continuing my Home Automation and Home-Assistant journey. I already have an Xbox-One with a kinect so routinely say “Xbox on” which turns on the TV, SoundBar and Foxtel (cable) box. This also accepts volume up/down, change of channel, record, Netflix and games. So I’m moving to a completely voice driven household with using Alexa or Siri to operate the lights. But how do I go further? What else is there in the house that I can’t talk to, what remote controls do I still use? There are several things in my apartment that cannot be controlled via wifi, I live in a typical late 90s midcity Australian apartment and have the ubiquitous through house aircon/heating unit with buttons on a wall and a remote control in the living room and vents to each room in the apartment. So since my apartment reaches dizzying temps in the…Continue reading Controlling Infa-Red IR devices with Home-Assistant & AlexaPi on a Raspberry Pi (Non smart, Dumb devices)
Increase WordPress Upload Filesize, WordPress App HMAC error
I find WP a help and a hindrance at times. It’s a pretty good platform, albeit a little slow and bloated so I try and keep the plugins few and far between. I recently found I couldn’t upload pictures via the WordPress app, and got an error of “The corresponding HMAC for this file does not match”. After some googling, it would appear this is because of the max upload file size. I tried a couple of different routes to fix this, firstly .htaccess file, secondly wp_config.php updating, using a plugin. None worked. The easiest way I found was simply to create a file called php.ini in your /wp_admin/ with these two lines in it: upload_max_filesize = 32M post_max_size = 32M Job done!
Using IFTTT and Alexa Voice Service AVS on a RaspberryPi to control HomeAssistant
This is the next post in my multipost of using a Raspberry-Pi 3 as the center of my Home Automation world. Firstly I set a Raspberry-Pi 3 up in headless mode, then installed Pi-Hole to block adverts at local DNS level, so saving you much needed bandwidth. Next, I installed Home-Assistant, and then Homebridge, which allowed me to use Siri to access my various bulbs in the house. Lastly I installed Amazon AVS but all it does is tell me the time, weather, flash forcast, todo lists etc. Here’s the previous posts: Part 1, Headless Pi Part 2, Pi-Hole, HomeAssistant, LimitlessLED Part 3, Homebridge, Siri, Apple Home Part 4, Alexa AVS on a Pi Config files Using IFTTT Now due to it’s limitation, I can’t simply say “Alexa, find my devices” to find the lights that I can control in my home. So I need IFTTT. If you’ve never used…Continue reading Using IFTTT and Alexa Voice Service AVS on a RaspberryPi to control HomeAssistant
Airfix 1/72 Fokker Eindecker e.ii, A01086
I’ve wanted to make one of the new Airfix models for a while, since they were bought by Hornby in 2006 they’ve started to roll out new kits made from new moulds with new decals, instructions, and type of plastic. They make a nice kit, not a lot of flash to cut away and very few mould lines. The plastic is a great material, not shiny and hard like Tamiya. A real nice thing to make. I added the rigging wire and chose to paint it a Fokker grey, rather than the boxart of canvas. These planes rarely left the factory in the same colour so it leaves a little room to play with. The rigging wire i used fuse wire, hardly to scale, but it was all I had and this was just meant to be a brief weekender kit and to test new Airfix’s new material. A lovely…Continue reading Airfix 1/72 Fokker Eindecker e.ii, A01086
Setting up a Raspberry-Pi, Home-Assistant, Homebridge, Siri and Alexa. Part 4: Installing Alexa-Pi, Amazon’s Alexa Voice Service
Welcome to Part 4 of my multipart blog of setting up a Raspberry-Pi to be the center of your homeautomation world. To recap what I’ve done so far: Set the Pi in headless mode, ie it’s never going to be connected to a monitor Installed HomeAssistant so I can control lights in my apartment, set automation like lights on at sunset if i’m home. Installed Pi-Hole for network wide advert blocking. Setup Homebridge, to link HomeAssistant to Apple Home on my IOS devices, so Siri can control my lights, show me temperatures in the apartment etc. Here are the previous posts: Setting up a Raspberry-Pi, with Pi-Hole, Home-Assistant, Homebridge, Siri and Alexa. Part 1, Setting up a headless (monitorless) Pi http://www.pukit.com/2017/04/05/setting-up-a-raspberry-pi-with-pi-hole-home-assistant-homebridge-siri-and-alexa-part-2-installing-pi-hole-and-home-assistant-using-limitless-led-lamps/ http://www.pukit.com/2017/04/07/setting-up-a-raspberry-pi-with-pi-hole-home-assistant-homebridge-siri-and-alexa-part-3-installing-homebridge-and-using-siri-and-apple-home/ And now for making my Pi into a cheap Amazon Echo. Now know from the outset, that a RaspberryPi with Alexa cant do all the things an Echo…Continue reading Setting up a Raspberry-Pi, Home-Assistant, Homebridge, Siri and Alexa. Part 4: Installing Alexa-Pi, Amazon’s Alexa Voice Service
Setting up a Raspberry-Pi, with Pi-Hole, Home-Assistant, Homebridge, Siri and Alexa. Part 3: Installing Homebridge and using Siri and Apple Home
This is part 3 of my multi-post of setting up a Pi with HomeAssistant, Homebridge, Siri and Pi-Hole. If you want the previous parts here they are: Part 1, Setting up a Pi in headless mode Part 2, Installing Pi-Hole, Home-Assistant and setting up Limitless-LED (Milight) bulbs So now onto the fun part, you want to control the lights you’ve setup previously with Siri, either by talking to your IOS device, or using the favourites option on your slide up menu, which you probably didn’t know existed! Installing Homebridge Lets crack on. SSH via terminal into your Pi (Putty if you’re a Windows user) and install homebridge: Install git and make: sudo apt-get install git make Now to install Node, this is on a Pi3, if you’re on a lower pi refer to this site for installing homebridge. curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_7.x | sudo -E bash – sudo apt-get install -y…Continue reading Setting up a Raspberry-Pi, with Pi-Hole, Home-Assistant, Homebridge, Siri and Alexa. Part 3: Installing Homebridge and using Siri and Apple Home
Setting up a Raspberry-Pi, with Pi-Hole, Home-Assistant, Homebridge, Siri and Alexa. Part 2: Installing Pi-Hole and Home-Assistant, using Limitless-LED lamps
Welcome to Part two of my home automation/raspberry-pi blog posts. If you missed setting up the headless Pi, here’s part one. So I’ve got my Pi quite happily working away in headless mode, slimmed down installation and on the network. Time to put it to use! The first thing I install is Pi-Hole. This enables network wide ad blocking via DNS. It’s superb, literally superb. Read up on it at https://pi-hole.net/. Here’s how to install it: Open a terminal, ssh into your Pi. ssh pi@192.168.0.24 Run the installer: curl -L https://install.pi-hole.net | bash The installer will ask for your password at somepoint, then load a graphical interface for your setup. Select both IPv4 and IPv6 ad blocking. You can edit your static ip address here, if you didn’t in my previous blog post. Make a note of your password it presents you, although you can edit it later. See if…Continue reading Setting up a Raspberry-Pi, with Pi-Hole, Home-Assistant, Homebridge, Siri and Alexa. Part 2: Installing Pi-Hole and Home-Assistant, using Limitless-LED lamps
Setting up a Raspberry-Pi, with Pi-Hole, Home-Assistant, Homebridge, Siri and Alexa. Part 1, Setting up a headless (monitorless) Pi
My previous post of setting up a Raspberry-Pi with HA, HB, Siri got a massive amount of hits and I had a few emails, as tbh, the post was more for me than general public so I’m going to write it again, in a multi-blog entry. First of all setting up a Pi to run without a monitor, headless we call it. Firstly I will state that all my work is done with a Macbook Pro, you can obviously, 100% use Windows, but for SSH you’ll have to download Putty or some other client, I won’t go into Putty usage here, it is however very intuitive to use. The only real difference between using a terminal on a Mac and Putty is the way you connect, in Putty you have a connection tab, enter the details in that, IP, username, password, in a terminal shell you simply use one line…Continue reading Setting up a Raspberry-Pi, with Pi-Hole, Home-Assistant, Homebridge, Siri and Alexa. Part 1, Setting up a headless (monitorless) Pi
Uptime of my RaspberryPi HomeAssistant & Homebridge, Siri Failing to Operate HomeBridge
So I just thought I would upgrade my Home-Assistant installation. I logged in via ssh and ran the usual update command, then thought i’d check the uptime. I cant remember the last time I shut down my Pi, other than when I went on holiday for a month. 62 Days isn’t too bad, that was the day I returned from holiday! There isn’t a time HomeAssistant or HomeBridge has failed properly on me yet, other than my own issue. I have noticed that when using Siri on my iPhone6 to turn the lights on/off or report room temperatures, on occasion I get a reply like “I didn’t hear back from your devices Puk” or “Sorry I couldn’t do that Puk”. I admit I did get a little frustrated with this, then when I sat down to think about it and check it out, my installation is fine and working, this…Continue reading Uptime of my RaspberryPi HomeAssistant & Homebridge, Siri Failing to Operate HomeBridge
TinyWhoop Quadcopter Build
So I fancied having a crack at the Tiny-Whoop craze. I had a micro-quad for a while but was a bit annoyed with breaking props once a day. This TinyWhoop is based on the Eachine E010 mini quad. In itself the quad is a great little thing, but it has the option of turning into something really fun! $20AUD delivered, what more do you need! Time for an upgrade then. I’ve already got a half decent transmitter from my other quads, so I don’t need the cheap Chinese thing, I’ve got some Dark Edition, Insane speed brushed motors too thanks to Benedikt at Micro-Motor Warehouse. Time for a sit down and think what I actually need. I want to replace the flight controller with something more useful, the BeeBrain is ideal and made for purpose, unfortately a little pricey for me, BangGood do a ripoff called the Beecore which can…Continue reading TinyWhoop Quadcopter Build
Fixing a Pebble Steel with screen tearing
So I’ve been a fan of Pebble since its initial kickstarter. Think I’ve had five as it stands but have always gone back to my trustworthy Steel. The week long battery life and step tracking covers all I want in a smart watch. That being said now I’m starting to control my house with Siri I may end up getting an iWatch in the near future. Here’s my problem. This is a first gen Steel, so is now nigh on three years old. It was actually replaced under warranty by Pebble for this problem but has been sat in my drawer since. I thought I’d have a go at fixing it and having a google found I could. Flip the watch and unscrew all four screws: Use a torx 3 screwdriver. Pop your fingernail under the edge and pop the back off. The reason the screen tears is due to…Continue reading Fixing a Pebble Steel with screen tearing
Using Siri to turn on lights in your home, home automation with Home Assistant and Homebridge and LimitlessLED
This post has become outdated and the information is rather scant and badly addressed. Due to the amount of hits this thread has gotten, i’ve written a multipart post on setting up a Pi3 to be a headless pi-hole, home-assistant, homebridge, siri and alexa interfaced system. Click here for the first part – Setting up a Raspberry-Pi with pi-hole, Home-Assistant, Homebridge, Siri and Alexa, Part 1, setting up a headless, monitorless Pi So my RaspberryPi has been working away as a Pi-Hole for a few weeks now, and I decided to see what else I could use it for whilst it’s sitting idle. I’ve always liked the idea of home automation, but always found it a touch expensive, now prices are coming down I thought I’d dip my toes in the water. Please be aware, this blog post isn’t a full howto, it’s more of a reminder to me of…Continue reading Using Siri to turn on lights in your home, home automation with Home Assistant and Homebridge and LimitlessLED
Play Nes, Snes, Sega Roms on an Xbox-One with Nesbox!
I follow /r/xboxone on reddit and this popped up the other day. A guy has managed to make Microsoft’s Xbox browser, Edge, play roms due to its javascript support. Simply upload any rom for gameboy, NES, sega, snes, to your onedrive account (obviously for legality you need to already own said game), open the browser at: https://nesbox.itch.io/x1 And the Xbox will launch the emulator. Select the Rom and happy days! Here’s Sonic playing a demo: