Products/BluePD documentation
From BlueMelon
Introduction
Your purchase of the BluePD module is much appreciated. BluePd opens up the world of physical computing in which you can start controlling electronics by writing your own applications visually. This manual contains all the necessary information you need to start designing. For more information and examples please visit our website at www.bluesense.org. In addition to the standard BlueSense modules, Blue Melon is also able to provide help for larger projects. We wish you pleasure with the realization of your electronic set-up.
Why BluePD?
The standard version of Pure Data runs on Apple, Linux and windows computers. Blue Melon has developed a library of externals for these three platforms with which one is able to access the BlueSense modules in Pure Data. The disadvantage of this solution is that one always needs access to a computer to use BlueSense. BluePD was built to provide a physical computing alternative. Your custom developed application can now be run on a mini computer. Development of the application is done on your computer while the application is running live on BluePD. At the moment your "patch" is finished, it runs standalone on the BluePD without help from a computer.
First Steps
This chapter describes the first steps of a project. Details of connecting are discussed later. When running into any problems, please read the other chapters for solutions.
- Take the 12V adapter and plug it into the BluePD power inlet.
- Take an BM7002 digital output module and plug it using an flat cable into the BluePD box. Please ensure that the red marked site is at the '1' side of the connector.
- Connect a second 12V adapter and a 12V light source with the BM7002 module as described in the figure below.
- Connect the ethernet cable with ethernet connector B (the ethernet port next to the serial connector) and with your router. This ethernet port is used to give the BluePD a static IP address. The default IP is 10.0.0.1
- Plug both 12V adapters into an available outlet.
- Start your webbrowser and surf to the following addres: "10.0.0.1"
- Follow the links towards the tools page and download the installation software for your platform. Install it, and use it to run the editing software called: "PD-Gui".
- In the menu chose open and load the example "demo.pd"
- Switch to edit modus and exchange in the "BlueSenseOCOutput" object the number next to "BlueSenseOCOutput" (the module serial number) with the serial number of the digital output module you connected in step 2. The serial number is visible on the module itself.
- Open the "File" menu and save the patch in the "startup" directory.
- Exit the application: the light source should keep on blinking.
- The ethernet cable can now be unplugged. When restarting the BluePD, "demo.pd" should start when the module is done restating. If all is well the light will start blinking.
Connecting
Below you can find a photo of both sides of BluePD. The different connectors are numbered, and will be discussed below.
Front
- Power connector: plug here the supplied 12V adapter.
- Audio line in.
- Audio line out.
- Microphone in.
- BlueSense port: connect this to your BlueSense modules. BlueSense modules are connected via simple flat-cable. Please ensure that the red marking on the flat cable is on the '1' side of the connector of the BlueSense Module. The other side of the flat cable can be connected with BluePD.
Back
- Ethernet port A: connect this port with a standard ethernet cable to your router when you want BluePD to have an IP addres assigned via DHCP.
- Ethernet port B: connect this port with a standart ehternet cable to your router when you want BluePd to use a static IP. The default address is 10.0.0.1.
Installation and configuration
To configure BluePD follow these steps:
- Connect one of the two ethernet ports with a router.
- Connect the 12V adapter to the power inlet.
- When you choose to connect BluePD via ethernet port A to a router, the router is required to support DHCP. An IP address will be assigned automatically to BluePD.
- When you choose to connect BluePD via ethernet port B, BluePD will use a statically assigned IP address. The default IP address is 10.0.0.1. This address can be changed by using the administrative website.
Administrative website
The most important settings of BluePD can be modified by using the built-in website. Start your favorite web browser and surf to BluePD's URL. When BluePD has been connected to a router via ethernet port B this URL will be "http://10.0.0.1" (unless the IP has been changed previously). After connecting your web browser will display the following webpage.
To modify settings you will have to supply a username and passowrd. The default username and password are respectivily "admin" and "admin". After supplying the correct login information the main BluePD control page will be displayed:
- 1: This option allows you to choose the fixed IP address when BluePD is connected via ethernet poort B. The default address is "10.0.0.1".
- 2: You can choose the port number on which BluePD allows incomming edditting (via BluePD-GUI) connections. The default port is "5400" .
- 3: You can modify the username and password required to login on the administrative website.
- 4: The website displays the current state of Pure Data.
- 5: This option allows you to upload new patches (programs) and datafiles into BluePD. These files form the source code of your own written programs.
- 6: Choose this option to upgrade the firmware of BluePD.
- 7: Choose this option to reset BluePD into the factory default state. (WARNING: all patches and data files will be deleted!).
- 8: Messages in Pure Data which are sent to the "Print" object will be logged when the editing software is not active. You can view the message log on the website.
- 9: To develop applications for BluePD you either need a standard Pure Data installation on your computer or you can use a special version of PD-GUI to edit live patches on BluePD. The special version of PD-GUI can be downloaded from the built in BluePD administrative website.
- 10: You can modify the username and password required in the editing software PD-GUI to login on live running patches. The default username and passworde are respectively "pdadmin" and "pdadmin".
FTP access
It is possible to use a standard FTP client to access the storage memory (SD-Card) of BluePD. The storage memory can be used to store patches, data files and sound files. To access FTP you will need to supply the same username and password which are used to log into the administrative website.
Editing software: PD-GUI
When the editing software package has been downloaded from the "administrative website" you can install the application. The first time PD-GUI starts it will try to connect to IP "10.0.0.1", port "5400", username "pdadmin" and password "padadmin". If it fails to login PD-GUI will present a login dialog to change the login settings. These settings are saved automaticcally and are used each time when PD-GUI is restarted. When you have supplied the correct login settings PD-GUI will connect with the live running patch on BluePD.
BluePD programming
To start programming first start PD-GUI. Connect to your live running patch as described in "Editing software: PD-GUI". PD-GUI will present your patch:
You can now start editing as you would normally using Pure Data. There is a subtle difference between Pure Data and BluePD. When you close PD-GUI all open patches will be left running. If you close the patches and then close PD-GUI no patch will be left running and your application will stop working. If you want the application to continue after your editing session, do not close the patches, just close PD-GUI.
For information on editing we refer to the Pure Data and BlueSense manual and documentation. More information can be found on www.bluesense.nl and www.puredata.org
Patches
Developing an application in Pure Data and BluePD consists of construction socalled patches. A new patch is started by selecting "New" in the "File" menu of the main Pure Data window. An empty patch is presented when selecting this menu option. The newly created patch can be filled with objects and messages. While the patch is opened BluePD will execute it.
Important: If you do not save the patch, the patch will be lost after resetting BluePD!
Automatic starting of patches
When the BluePD system has been powered up after a powerdown BluePD will look inside its "startup" file directory. If a patch (a file with a name ending in ".pd") is found in this directory it will be started. Only one patch will be loaded, other patches (or abstractions) should be included in this patch.
Patches opening
A patch can be opened by selecting the "Open" in the "File" menu of the main Pure Data window. A list will appear with existing patches as available on the BluePD SD-Card. Besides the possibilty to use PD-GUI to edit live patches you can also upload Pure Data patches which you have created with Pure Data previously. These patches can be uploaded via FTP or via the administrative website.
Saving patches
A patch can be saved on the internal SD-Card of the BluePD system. Choose the "Save" option of the "File" menu in the patch you would like to save. Patches which are saved in the "startup" directory are started automatically when BluePD is powered up.
Problems and solutions
- Problem: when BluePD is switched off and my patch is opened. The patch does not seem to become active.
- Use the "loadbang" object to automatically send messages when a patch is opened the first time (on power up).
- Problem: When "PD-GUI" is closed BluePD seems to become inactive.
- Be sure to only close the "PD-GUI" window. Do not close the individual running patches.
- Problem: What are the default usernames and passwords?
- Website: username "admin", password "admin"
- FTP: username "admin", password "admin" (always the same as website)
- PD-GUI: username "pdadmin", password "pdadmin"
- Problem: connected BlueSense modules do not work as expected.
- Only one "BlueSenseMaster" object should exist in all opened patches. If more the one master object exists a conflict can occur.
Appendix A: Technical specifications
Software specificaties
- PD-version: 0.41:
- Externals: BlueSense
- FTP (uploaden/downloaden patches and data files) (default username: admin, password admin)
- Website (uploaden/downloaden patches and data files) (default username: admin, password admin)
Technical specifications
- BlueSense compatible
- 32 MB memory
- 1Gb storage capacity
- Fanless systeem
- Input/Output ports:
- BlueSense
- Ethernet A (DCHP)
- Ethernet B (Instelbaar IP, default 10.0.0.1)
- Dimensions
- 165x135x35 (mm)
Wireless (BM7506 only)
- Range boost option
- 2.4Ghz
- range 50-100m.
Elektrical specifications
- 230V -> 12V adaptor
- 12 V
Package contents
- BlueSense BM7505 or BM7506 (wireless)
- 12V adapter
Appendix B: Pure Data information
Manual
- http://puredata.info/docs: various manuals.
- Youtube tutorial:
Links
- http://www.puredata.org: Real-time graphical dataflow programming environment for audio, video, and graphical processing.
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_Data: Wiki site
Downloads
- http://puredata.info/downloads: Pure Data versions (Mac OSX, Windows and Linux)
Links