[Feeler] Any Interest in Digital Tap Lists?

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Beautiful. Added to my mental brewery roadmap.

Any thought to hosting your project on GitHub (read the previous GitHub discussion) to foster collaboration? I would endeavor to help where I have the skills. I agree that storing it in a Debian repository would simplify maintenance for hacks like me, but GitHub (and google code and a bunch of similar resources) is great to get your cheerleaders--like me--in the game. And to separate the yelllers from the workers.

Glorious project. First need to build the keezer…
 
I am interested but will need my neighbour with his computer museum to assist. He will have all the parts I am sure. Let me know when all the kinks are out. Great idea! Nice presentation! Thanks for posting!
 
HornetSparky said:
Beautiful. Added to my mental brewery roadmap.

Any thought to hosting your project on GitHub (read the previous GitHub discussion) to foster collaboration? I would endeavor to help where I have the skills. I agree that storing it in a Debian repository would simplify maintenance for hacks like me, but GitHub (and google code and a bunch of similar resources) is great to get your cheerleaders--like me--in the game. And to separate the yelllers from the workers.

Glorious project. First need to build the keezer…
Click to expand...

I do not plan to make the main branch editable on Github. The avg user here just doesn't have the skills necessary to makes changes. Maybe to a select few who cut their teeth on branches and prove their mettle.
 
I'm in! I've been toying with the idea of LCD's that show much of this info and utilizing force sensors to display keg percentage left. However, the force sensors are giving me the same problems that others have experienced.

So yeah, I'd love to help where I can (I'm all self-taught - not a programmer by trade). I'm searching ebay on another tab for those flow sensors....
 
Just bought some flow meters. I'm willing to help out in any way I can. I'm a professional software engineer by trade

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Home Brew mobile app
 
Just bought the flow meters. I'll be your lowest common denominator in terms of computer skills.
 
Just starting to plan my keezer build, this sounds like a great next project. Looking forward to your write-up!
 
Why do I have a feeling that I'll end up trying to build one of these and then realize that 3 taps just isn't enough and end up building a 10 tap kegerator just to have more stuff to display? Too cool!
 
Very interesting! This would be a great addition to my keezer area. I only have 4 taps but this is an awesome way to display, even though my keezer is on my screen porch. I'm sure the display would last a while out there.

What about including a section for what's fermenting or "on deck"? I'm sure most folks don't have quite as many brews on tap as you.

(I was very satisfied with 4 until I saw yours - tap envy):D
 
I like this idea. I have four taps too but still would be a neat idea. Could this work on a windows computer? I have an old Asus eee top that is never in use and I could put it right on the keezer.
 
thadius856 said:
I do not plan to make the main branch editable on Github. The avg user here just doesn't have the skills necessary to makes changes. Maybe to a select few who cut their teeth on branches and prove their mettle.
Click to expand...


Just the potential to branch would be great. Certainly config control is always a challenge.
 
Eamster said:
I like this idea. I have four taps too but still would be a neat idea. Could this work on a windows computer? I have an old Asus eee top that is never in use and I could put it right on the keezer.
Click to expand...


I believe Thaddius is going to run this from a RaspberryPi running Linux. The shortest route to running it on a box that isn't an RPi would be to run Debian Linux (Ubuntu server might be a good place to start) on your machine and look at how you would get the flow monitors to talk to that machine. It is doable without question. Like all DIY projects here, the question is not if, but how hard.

If you don't care about real time keg status (I.e. You are willing to manually update the volume of each keg) then you should be able to host it on your machine much more easily. The most challenging part of the port to another machine, I think, will be the flow monitor interface.
 
Yeah no real time status for me. I am fine with just a manual entry. I figured I could use it to display the beer and maybe to stream netflix and some music when it is not displaying the beer list.
 
Wow. Lots of replies while I was at work today. HBT's blocked there, so... yeah. Catching up.

boombrewer said:
These are the ones I found - pretty sure the same as the others...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/swiss-flow-...32ca9cfe&quantity=1&autorefresh=true#payCntId
Click to expand...

Those are indeed the ones I bought.

AgentHubcap said:
Just bought some flow meters. I'm willing to help out in any way I can. I'm a professional software engineer by trade
Click to expand...

Oh, I'll certainly be picking your brain if I hit a wall.

CadiBrewer said:
Just bought the flow meters. I'll be your lowest common denominator in terms of computer skills.
Click to expand...

Challenge accepted.

Lost_Arkitekt said:
I think Thadius might be in cahoots with the flowmeter guy on eBay. Hahaha.
Click to expand...

If I was in cahoots with him, I wouldn't have told you I offered $20 ea and he accepted. :p

cheezydemon3 said:
IMPORTANT QUESTION.....



How in the hell do you get that many beers in that freezer??

;)
Click to expand...

With a step ladder.

*rimshot*

LAHammer said:
What about including a section for what's fermenting or "on deck"? I'm sure most folks don't have quite as many brews on tap as you.
Click to expand...

I don't see why not down the road. Though don't expect it in the first version.

HornetSparky said:
I believe Thaddius is going to run this from a RaspberryPi running Linux. The shortest route to running it on a box that isn't an RPi would be to run Debian Linux (Ubuntu server might be a good place to start) on your machine and look at how you would get the flow monitors to talk to that machine. It is doable without question. Like all DIY projects here, the question is not if, but how hard.

If you don't care about real time keg status (I.e. You are willing to manually update the volume of each keg) then you should be able to host it on your machine much more easily. The most challenging part of the port to another machine, I think, will be the flow monitor interface.
Click to expand...

Indeed, my Pi runs Raspian, which is an offshoot of Debian. This project will be based off Raspian because 1) it's pre-packed in the NOOBS image, 2) it's super easy to install, and 3) it boots to a desktop GUI by default.

I'll only be coding the flow meter interface for a single chipset hooked to the Raspberry Pi GPIO pins. If you don't care about automatic keg level updates, then you can easily host this on any machine with a properly configured as a web server with PHP support (future iterations will require SQL). That said, you'll be on your own for setup, configuration and any troubleshooting if you want to veer off the well-trodden path.

In the end, the Pi costs $35 plus shipping and peripherals. Not terribly much to lose.
 
I know you are going above and beyond with this, but could you tell us which Pi to buy and the peripherals as well?

You are definitely creating a ton of good karma with all this help you've been ushering.

Thanks from all of us, Thadius. :mug:
 
I was gonna write a whole list, but it's same things as posted elsewhere on the net. See the Raspberry Pi Quick Start Guide.

To supplement what they list, I would recommend that you use a wireless keyboard and mouse that use a single unified receiver. And a WiFi adapter based on the RTL8192CU chipset. A case may be nice if you're spill or accident prone.

Here's what I'm currently using:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009SQQF9C/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B7ID97A/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003MTTJOY/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003UE52ME/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004PCJQGS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Edit: Forgot the video cable.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009W8EWOG/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Looks awesome. Can this Raspberry Pi solution also be used for general web browsing in addition to the tap list display?
 
I have none of the skills required to set this up. But, I'd love to have a digital list like this on my soon to be wet bar in my basement. I would only need the digital list, and not the level indicator. What would a cost be to set this up and ship it for you? All I'd like to need to do is buy the display and plug it in, then update the list as needed

Thanks!
 
rgauthier20420 said:
I have none of the skills required to set this up. But, I'd love to have a digital list like this on my soon to be wet bar in my basement. I would only need the digital list, and not the level indicator. What would a cost be to set this up and ship it for you? All I'd like to need to do is buy the display and plug it in, then update the list as needed

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Me too!
 
This looks awesome. I am a web developer so if you need any help let me know.

One thing i was thinking is that you could probably use css masks and different background colors instead of creating 100s of images for each section. I started working on a proof of concept, but then realized i should get back to my real work. If you are interested I will continue later, but since you already made all of those images, maybe you aren't. Doing it this way would allow the colors to be editable just like the number columns and what data is to be shown.

The hops could also be just a 5 images: empty, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and full. and you can just have them positioned in the div. Actually now that I'm thinking about it more, you just need a full and empty. if you have two divs stacked, the top would have the background image of the empty and the bottom would be the full. Then you can just adjust the heights to be the percent you want it to be full. It would be even more granular than just the 1/4 increments.

Ping me if you want to talk about it more. I wouldn't mind helping out at all since i plan on building this eventually.
 
Love it... Def want to do it.

On the design front... Would there be a way to change the keg level display color to match the color of the Ctual beer in the keg (I.e. pull the color from the SRM colum and use it in the keg level too)?

Very generous of you to do this for the community!

:mug:
 
So, the Raspberry Pi Model B, SD Card, and Raspbian OS (or whatever for us non-computer geeks) is needed. I see your setup...like the way it sits up behind and all you have is the power cable.

However, now that there are flowmeters involved, how is this gonna work? How long are the flowmeter cables? Now, should the HDMI cable be longer than 3'?

My guess is that we should mount the Raspberry Pi to the back of the keezer and put a long, HDMI/DVI cable out from it. I plan on mounting my monitor to one of those desktop swivel mounts. I'm not sure if my monitor is 1080P. It is an old Sceptre X7G Agama that had "PivotScreen" (rotation) capabilities. But it is 17" and FREE. Haha. I like free.

Diggin' all of this though, Thadius. You da man! :fro:
 
What's your front end? Could you use twitter bootstrap or foundation?

I'm interested in this as well! Nice work so far! Is this on github yet?
 
rgauthier20420 said:
I have none of the skills required to set this up. But, I'd love to have a digital list like this on my soon to be wet bar in my basement. I would only need the digital list, and not the level indicator. What would a cost be to set this up and ship it for you? All I'd like to need to do is buy the display and plug it in, then update the list as needed

Thanks!
Click to expand...

EmDubeu said:
Me too!
Click to expand...

Appreciate the offer, but not interested in offering or selling them pre-configured.

If you can make decent beer, you've already demonstrated your ability to learn a technical skill. Setup won't be any harder than learning to brew an extract batch.

JayUnt said:
This looks awesome. I am a web developer so if you need any help let me know.

One thing i was thinking is that you could probably use css masks and different background colors instead of creating 100s of images for each section. I started working on a proof of concept, but then realized i should get back to my real work. If you are interested I will continue later, but since you already made all of those images, maybe you aren't. Doing it this way would allow the colors to be editable just like the number columns and what data is to be shown.

The hops could also be just a 5 images: empty, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and full. and you can just have them positioned in the div. Actually now that I'm thinking about it more, you just need a full and empty. if you have two divs stacked, the top would have the background image of the empty and the bottom would be the full. Then you can just adjust the heights to be the percent you want it to be full. It would be even more granular than just the 1/4 increments.

Ping me if you want to talk about it more. I wouldn't mind helping out at all since i plan on building this eventually.
Click to expand...

Yes! This! Please do send more details.

I can think of how to do it if I had a solid-color background (white border, transparent inner fill, matching solid color exterior fill), but I can't think of how to do this with an image background.

No need to type a whole lesson. I learn fairly well from tuts. I just don't know what I'd search for to locate this.

danz said:
Very cool stuff, you could also use this technique to change the color of the image.
Click to expand...

Cool! But, wouldn't that tint the white border too? :\

cyberbackpacker said:
Love it... Def want to do it.

On the design front... Would there be a way to change the keg level display color to match the color of the Ctual beer in the keg (I.e. pull the color from the SRM colum and use it in the keg level too)?

Very generous of you to do this for the community!

:mug:
Click to expand...

If I can figure out how to implement one of the above two suggestions, it would literally only take me a few additional lines of code.

Lost_Arkitekt said:
So, the Raspberry Pi Model B, SD Card, and Raspbian OS (or whatever for us non-computer geeks) is needed. I see your setup...like the way it sits up behind and all you have is the power cable.
Click to expand...

Raspberry Pi and an SD card, yep. Now that I think of it, you'll also need some sort of SD card reader. Many laptops/desktops have readers built in. Point-and-shoot digital cameras often come with one. You'll only need it for the very first step of the initial setup, so you could borrow one from a friend for a day. Worst case, you can pick up a USB card reader for a few dollars.

If you have time to wait for postal mail from China, eBay has them for $2 or so. eBay from a US seller will be ~$4-5 shipped, Amazon will be $5-10 with 2-day air delivery (Prime members).

Lost_Arkitekt said:
However, now that there are flowmeters involved, how is this gonna work? How long are the flowmeter cables? Now, should the HDMI cable be longer than 3'?

My guess is that we should mount the Raspberry Pi to the back of the keezer and put a long, HDMI/DVI cable out from it. I plan on mounting my monitor to one of those desktop swivel mounts. I'm not sure if my monitor is 1080P. It is an old Sceptre X7G Agama that had "PivotScreen" (rotation) capabilities. But it is 17" and FREE. Haha. I like free.

Diggin' all of this though, Thadius. You da man! :fro:
Click to expand...

Your (really old) Sceptre X7G Agama is max 1280x1024. It's also 4:3 instead of 16:9. Possibly usable, but you'd have to really give up a lot to make it fit.

HDMI/DVI cables are typically 6' out of the box. I linked to a 3' cable because I figured people would want to mount to the back of the TV/monitor and would prefer less cable clutter. I've tested a 10' cable no problem (Monoprice 28 awg).

The Pi has an HDMI overdrive mode you can enable to boost video signal output. I have a 50' HDMI cable going from the 3rd PC in my office to the living room TV that I haven't tested with the Pi, but may just for kicks 'n' grins. You can buy active (boosted) cables that can reach closer to 100', or a HDMI-to-Cat5 converter on each end to extend to around 300'. Point is, distance isn't really going to be the limiting factor.

What you propose is perfectly acceptable. Personally, I think I'll probably mount the GPIO extenders to my collar, the Pi to my monitor, and string a cable between. Or maybe even mount a separate Pi to the side of my keezer and let them talk wirelessly so I don't have a cable running from the keezer to the TV that I can get drunk and snag or break.

nextgenxx said:
What's your front end? Could you use twitter bootstrap or foundation?

I'm interested in this as well! Nice work so far! Is this on github yet?
Click to expand...

Front end is HTML mang. You're looking at Chromium (yanno, like Chrome) in Full Screen mode. Hold up one second...

...okay, done. Took about 5 minutes to sign up for a dynamic DNS service, download their update client, and forward incoming HTTP traffic to my Pi from my router.

In other words, it's on the public interwebs. Live, even. Take a look for yourself:

http://thadius856.servebeer.com/

CA_Mouse said:
Thad you have a a great talent dude!
Click to expand...

Thanks!
 
Thadius,

I'm only going to have 4 beers for now. Yes, my monitor is 1280x1024. I'm sure there will be some "letter box" effect somehow, but if I can make it work, till I can get a new monitor (already spent a ton on keezer and brewing setup in the last 3 months or so), that would be ideal.

You said I'd be giving up a lot to make it work, though. What exactly does that mean? Also, since I AM only using 4 beers for now...(and I'm sure most of us out here only have 2 to 4 taps), maybe there might be an option (if not hard) to put the other brews (not on tap) as "primary" or "secondary" fermenter? Just a thought.

Also, I have plenty of SD card readers and only mentioned the HDMI cable length due to putting the Raspberry Pi on the back of the keezer since somehow we are going to have to attach those flowmeter cables...which from what I read are only 15 cm. I just now found out we could have specified longer lengths. DOH! Haha.

Keep posting and we'll keep responding and asking questions.
 
BadNewsBrewery said:
Why do I have a feeling that I'll end up trying to build one of these and then realize that 3 taps just isn't enough and end up building a 10 tap kegerator just to have more stuff to display? Too cool!
Click to expand...

For the same reason I just ordered everything I need to build this?? Lol... The monitor for this will do double duty as my BCS monitor as well :) Its going to be nice to have this mounted up.
 
Have you done any research on how to hook up the flow meters to the raspberry pi? I think that will be the hardest part of the build.
 
AgentHubcap said:
Have you done any research on how to hook up the flow meters to the raspberry pi? I think that will be the hardest part of the build.
Click to expand...

Physically, it's pretty simple wiring.

Logically, it doesn't seem terrible. There's plenty of example code for pulse counting floating around out there. Though it will be a lot of hands-on tweaking, measuring, testing and refining.

I think calibrating the meters will be the difficult part. I'll have to figure out a way to do that accurately and repeatably. Maybe calibrate on a 10# pour of H2O or 1 gallon pour of H2O? We'll see.
 
Lost_Arkitekt said:
I'm only going to have 4 beers for now. Yes, my monitor is 1280x1024. I'm sure there will be some "letter box" effect somehow, but if I can make it work, till I can get a new monitor (already spent a ton on keezer and brewing setup in the last 3 months or so), that would be ideal.

You said I'd be giving up a lot to make it work, though. What exactly does that mean? Also, since I AM only using 4 beers for now...(and I'm sure most of us out here only have 2 to 4 taps), maybe there might be an option (if not hard) to put the other brews (not on tap) as "primary" or "secondary" fermenter? Just a thought.
Click to expand...

Compared to 1920x1080, 1280x1024 is pretty small. If mounted vertical, you only lose a few pixels in the side-to-side, but a lot top-to-bottom. Some rough math:

Top margin: 10px
Banner: 100px
Column headers: 50px
Bottom margin: 10px

Leaves you with 1110 pixels. Each row takes ~175px, so you could have only 6 rows on there. You may only have 4 taps, but that leaves room for only 2 bottles/coming soon/on-deck/planned.

Btw, bottles/coming soon/on-deck/planned/etc won't be in the initial release. I hope to incorporate it eventually tho.

Also, I have plenty of SD card readers and only mentioned the HDMI cable length due to putting the Raspberry Pi on the back of the keezer since somehow we are going to have to attach those flowmeter cables...which from what I read are only 15 cm. I just now found out we could have specified longer lengths. DOH! Haha.
Click to expand...

Splicing on some wire will be trivial. Couple wire strippings, crimps and done. Maybe some heat shrink wrap or tape to keep moisture out.
 

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