It would be great to at least open source the Software on the device so we can modify it to publish directly do the tidbyt device without the overall infrastructure. Thanks a lot.
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Last year I created a Python script that serves as a Python-based server emulation for managing and displaying WebP images on Tidbyt devices based on certain conditions. The updated (refactore) version allows users to specify device names (helpful if you own multiple devices) and control the logging level through command-line arguments. The script is structured to continuously manage and display different apps based on time conditions and app settings.
Use Cases for the Emulation
- Handle the management for a Tidbyt digital display device
- Use .webp files generated from .star files to render animations
- Ability to display WebP’s for specific durations
- Ability to turn off rendering certain WebP’s based on nighttime when the display should be off or show darker versions
- Ability to queue the order of the Tidbyt apps
- Ability to continuously cycle through the selected apps
- Already have the next WebP ready to be sent to Tidbyt when the current WebP finishes displaying
The main goal of the script is to allow users to control the display of WebP images on a Tidbyt device based on time settings (daytime vs nighttime) and pre-set schedules. It also offers a facility to customize display content and duration for each app. It utilizes command-line arguments to configure the device name, day start/end times, and logging level, making it flexible for different environments and use cases.
The script with its readme file are located on my GitHub repository: GitHub - jekeybl/PythonTidbytServer: Python emulation of the Tidbyt server
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This is awesome!
The only problem with this approach is that it still relies on pixlet push and this in turn relies on the Tidbyt Servers. In the event of the servers getting shutdown this will also stop working.
Some folks on Discord are experimenting with custom firmwares and alternatives that would allow the device to fetch the images from a simple http server.