Operation on PC
Prepare the PC for remote
Install python-tk for a remote interface
sudo install apt-get install python-tk
For Windows users:
Go to the Python website www.python.org, find the latest Python 2 and install. After installation, DO restart the computer.
Operation on Raspberry Pi
Install python-dev, python-smbus
Install python-dev and python-smbus:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get install python-dev
sudo apt-get install python-smbus
Setup I2C port
Run the command to open Raspberry Pi Software Configuration Tool (raspi-config)
sudo raspi-config
Enable I2C:
Select Advanced Options => I2C => <Yes> => <Ok> => <Yes>
Select <Finish>. Close the window.
If a message of rebooting appears, click <No>. Before reboot, we still need to complete some configurations.
MJPG-streamer
Introduction
The acquisition and transmission of video data by the SunFounder Smart Video Car is fulfilled based on MJPG-streamer.
MJPG-streamer is a command line application that copies JPG-frame from a single input plugin to multiple output plugins. It can be used to stream JPEG files over an IP-based network from the webcam to a viewer like Firefox, Cambozola and Videolanclient or even to a Windows mobile device running the TCPMP-Player.
It was written for embedded devices with very limited resources in terms of RAM and CPU. Its origin, the “uvc_streamer” was written, because Linux-UVC compatible cameras directly produce JPEG-data, allowing fast and performant M-JPEG streams even from an embedded device running OpenWRT. The input module “input_uvc.so” captures such JPG frames from a connected webcam.
Installation
Plug the USB camera into Raspberry Pi, and run the command lsusb. The GEMBIRD represents the USB camera; since it is printed on the screen, it indicates the system has recognized the camera.
lsusb
You’ll see:
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ lsusb
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 1908:2310 GEMBIRD
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0424:ec00 Standard Microsystems Corp. SMSC9512/9514 Fast Ethernet Adapter
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0424:9514 Standard Microsystems Corp.
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Check whether the driver for the camera works normally:
ls /dev/vid*
You’ll see:
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ ls /dev/vid*
/dev/video0
If /dev/video0 is printed, the driver is in the normal state.
Then, install the following software needed:
sudo apt–get install subversion
sudo apt–get install libv4l–dev
sudo apt–get install libjpeg8–dev
sudo apt–get install imagemagick
Compile the source code of MJPG-streamer:
cd /home/pi/Sunfounder_Smart_Video_Car_Kit_for_RaspberryPi/mjpg–streamer/mjpg–streamer
sudo make USE_LIBV4L2=true clean all
Install:
sudo make DESTDIR=/usr install
Testing
Type in sudo sh start.sh and press Enter.
Type in the following address (replace 192.168.0.126 with your Raspberry Pi IP address) at the address bar of your browser (Firefox is recommended):
Press Enter and you will see the view captured by the camera displayed on the screen in a real-time manner.