Raspberry Pi OS Lite with GUI, RDP, VNC, Chrome

Updated 2024-03-02 !

I like the Raspberry Pi(RPi), with Raspberry Pi OS Lite (no Desktop is included), headless operation, and then adding the software You need. Until now I haven't had a use case where I needed a Desktop but now was time. 

Why don't use the Raspberry Pi OS with Desktop ?? In that package there is a lot of software I don't need and I really want to optimize the RPi. I think that the less software You install the happier RPi will be...

😉

Raspberry Pi OS install with Mac/Windows/Linux

Updated 2023-12-06 !

When starting up a new project with Raspberry Pi I like to start up fresh and with a minimal OS. Therefore i always use Raspberry Pi OS(ROS) Lite and then adding what I need. 

Doing it right You don't have to use an external display, keybord and mouse, just a "ssh" client.

Flash to a SSD ? Check this post.

Homebridge made simple, Homebridge

Updated 2023-10-26 !

HomeBridge(HB) is the software where You make Your home automation devices appear in the Apple Home App as native products. In this post a Raspberry Pi is used as the HB server.

There has really been big improvements in the installation process and I think the HB version is better/easier than HOOBS.

Migrate from HOOBS ?! Link

Apple HomeKit doing Matter upgrade with Hombridge

Matter is the the new standard making your smart home devices talking to each other and some Apple Home hubs can be updated.

There is a nice article from "The Verge" which explains it all.

Using Homebridge(HB) it could be nice to know what happens when you upgrade your HomeKit hub to the new standard so his post will just give some quick tips

Here is a support article from Apple and please note that if you upgrade you will not be able to use an iPad as a Home hub anymore.

Bootable installer for "any" MAC OS, II

In a former post I used a nice Python program to get the installers but as you know there are no Python installed in later Mac OS.

The program used in this post is the fantastic Open Core Legacy Patcher. (No Python dependencies.) This patcher is made for supporting old Mac:s with new OS:s, which is not officially supported, but here we just use it for getting the USB installer.

Shelly devices as "native" Apple HomeKit accessories

I have been using Shelly devices for quite some time both on our boat, off grid, and also as HomeKit (HK) accessories via Homebridge (HB). 

I was really amazed when I found that some smart guys have created a software package that replaces the stock, official, Shelly firmware with the "Shelly-HomeKit" package which emulates a "native" Apple HomeKit accessory.

It's very nice done, really simple, and the flashing of the software is done over the air (OTA) with your ordinary WEB-browser.

Shelly 1 quick install

Updated 2023-05-04 !

This post focus on Shelly 1(S1), a really a nice automation device with great versatility, but much of the content is also valid for some of Shellys other devices using the gen1 API.

Setup for the later version, Shelly Plus 1, is found here !!

S1 is a WiFi switch, 16 Amps, with dry contacts and the function "without Internet" + that the S1 can use a 12V DC source makes it perfect for an "use case" in a boat/mobile home.

It's compatible with Alexa, Google or HomeKit using HomeBridge or as a "native" HomeKit device using Mongoose firmware(Flashed via a standard WEB browser !)

Shelly PLUS 1 quick install

Updated 2023-05-03 !

In a former post I made a writing about Shelly 1(S1) and this post will handle about the successor Shelly PLUS 1(SP1) but much of the content is also valid for some of Shellys other devices which uses the same software/API.

To keep it simple, SP1 is a WiFi switch, 16 Amps, with dry contacts but compared to the S1 the hardware and the software is updated. 

The function "without Internet" + that the SP1 can use a 12V DC source makes it perfect for an "use case" in a boat/mobile home.

HomeKit bridge with Shelly/Shelly 1

Updated 2023-05-01 !

I really recommend flashing, via WEB-browser, the device with Mongoose software to avoid Homebridge.

 
HomeBridge is used for this setup and to make it appear in the Apple Home app.

The main advantage with the Shelly devices are that they are WiFi enabled and therefore You don't have to use a hub, this compared to z-way/zigbee and some other solutions. 

First install Shelly1(S1).

Bootable installer for "any" MAC OS

Updated 2023-06-11 !

The use case is that I had an old iMac, max OS is High Sierra, that crashed and it didn't work with an Internet or Time Machine restore.

The other MAC:s I have are running Catalina or Big Sur and if you try to download and older OS, via app-store, you just get an error saying that the running OS don't accept the download of an old OS.

The universal way to create an USB installer seems to be using the command "createinstallmedia", requires OS X 10.7 Lion or later, but you need the respective OS install app !

A new, better ??, without Python dependences is found here.

macOS Ventura on unsupported Mac

In former posts, Big Sur and Monterey, I went through how to update an old MacBook Air 4.2, (mid 2011, SSD, 4 Gb memory) which has a Non-Metal GPU.

In this post I will update a MacBook Air 6.2 with SSD, Mid 2013, to Ventura with the same patcher but the latest version 6.2 !! 

This is despite that max OS for this Mac is Big Sur

Awesome !!!

Supported models are found here.

Raspberry/Linux print server Windows/Apple, CUPS

Updated 2023-03-12 !

When we upgraded our WiFi to a Mesh solution, TP-link Deco M9, our old printer, WiFi connected, didn't want to "play" with us anymore. This was due to stronger encryption which wasn't supported. Since the printer just have WiFi or USB connection, no standard Ethernet, I was looking for another solution.

We have no computer running 24/7 except a Raspberry Pi, RPi, which is handling our home automation, Homebridge. So the solution was to use CUPS on that RPi.

On the web there are several posts/manuals how to install CUPS on a RPi so this post will refer to one of these and then some additional hints regarding, Apple AirPrint, Windows Network Printer, scanning....

Victron monitoring solution, Venus, on Raspberry

Updated 2022-09-18 !

Victron have a state-of-the-art monitoring solution used by the GX products. It can monitor their other system components such as inverter/chargers, solar chargers, shunts, and batteries both local and remote all over the world.

If you have a smaller Victron solution it is nice to know that the same software, Venus OS(VOS), can run on a Raspberry Pi(RPi) instead of the more expensive and versatile GX products.

macOS Monterey on unsupported Mac

Updated 2022-08-16 !

In a former post I went trough how to update an old MacBook Air 4.2, (mid 2011, SSD, 4 Gb memory) to Big Sur and in this post I will update the Mac to Monterey with the same patcher !! 

This is despite that max OS for the Mac is High Sierra. This is done, among other things, due to that the patcher handles Macs with graphic cards from 2008 - 2011 which Monterey doesn't do natively.

Since my former upgrade, to Big Sur, included a format of the SSD disk I here used the patcher to do an upgrade from Big Sur to Monterey.

Awesome !!!

Exhaust temperature measure, boat

Updated 2022-06-10 !

In other posts I blogged about a way to measure temperature with a Raspberry Pi(RPi), direct connected or via WiFi, together with the marine applikation SignalK(SK). In this post I will follow up with a short brief about the practical solution, measuring exhaust temperature in a boat and sending an alarm if the temperature exceeds a set value .

In "wet exhaust" systems it is very important that the cooling water, injected in the exhaust system, always is present otherwise major damages can follow.

If you wan't to avoid a RPi check this post with approved NMEA 2000 temperature sensors from Yacht Devices 

macOS Big Sur on unsupported Mac

Updated 2022-03-03 !

I'm having an old MacBook Air 4.2, (mid 2011, SSD, 4 Gb memory), which have been running Catalina for quite some time despite that the max OS is High Sierra. I have been using the great work by dosedudes1 and his Catalina patcher.

Unfortunately he didn't continue with patches for newer OS:s but have helped with a new patcher. This patcher even handles Macs with graphic cards from 2008 - 2011.

Using the patcher i got the mentioned Mac up and running with Big Sur after just over an hour.

 

New post !! Upgrade to Monterey.

SIGNL4, automated alerting with free mobile app

I'm involved in several projects where you, as quick as possible, want to get an alert if anything fails. After a lot of Googling I found SIGNL4.

They have several ways to create an alert, can involve a team, have a nice app and is free, up to 5 users, if you use the "STARTER" option.

In this post, as an example, I will show how I detect if my AIS receiver/dispatcher stops receiving AIS targets, sent to Vesselfinder, and how an alert is forwarded to the SIGNL4 app.

I'm using NodeRed on a Raspberry Pi to realize the function

Homebridge made simple, HOOBS

Updated 2021-08-08 !

I have written several post about the HomeKit Bridge, Homebridge(HB), but if You want another simple way, with GUI, to handle the server and plugins the guys at HOOBS have done a nice software package.

I personally prefer the Homebridge "native" install, which seems to be updated more frequently.

HomeKit bridge with Z-Wave

Updated 2021-05-21 !

These devices are available for Apples HomeKit. The devices are Bluetooth, BLE, or WiFi connected so it could be a limited range in Your house.

The Z-Wave solution have a smarter setup running on a type of network called a "mesh network". One Z-Wave product will pass the signal along to another (“hop”) until the final destination is reached. Every device, not battery charged, acts as a messenger; the more devices you have, the more powerful and strong your network is.

Raspberry USB SSD boot made simple ? Check link 

IKEA Bäve dimmer hack II

Updated 2021-04-25 !

Dimming not dimmable LED, IKEA Bäve, produced before 2019-11 

In former post I used a Fibaro Z-Wave RGBW controller but in this post I will use an IKEA original !