Pi Zero W

I have a PI 2 Model B (without the wireless features) and wanted to play with a camera so it made sense to invest $10 in a Pi Zero W. I can't imagine using a webcam that's wired up (I have no wired network in this rental house.)

Since it's the first Pi Zero for me I got the cute C4Labs Zebra Zero+ protoboard setup from Adafruit at the same time.

If it works out and it's fun I will set up more Pi cameras without the protoboard.

First boot

1. Plug in a cable to the Windows machine and see if it recognizes the Pi Zero as a smoke test.
2. Download Raspian ZIP image from https://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/raspian
3. Download Etcher from https://www.balena.io/etcher/
4. Run Etcher to copy image to 32GB card (32GB is overkill but it's the first one I grabbed.)
5. While waiting, dig up the HDMI cable and USB keyboard.
   1. Discover there are many more connectors in the world and they used an HDMI I don't have.
   2. Order a Type A (std HDMI) to Type C (Mini). Note the BeagleBoneBlack uses Type D (Micro).
   3. Wait a few days.
   4. OR headless mode https://learn.adafruit.com/raspberry-pi-zero-creation/text-file-editing
6. Transfer card to Pi
7. Connect HDMI monitor and USB keyboard
8. Power on via a cellphone charger and a generic micro USB cable
9. Log in and create an account
10. Configure WiFi.
11. Is there an ssh server running on this thing?

Headless mode

1. Enable WiFI so card comes up on network.
2. Enable ssh so I can log in.

Put the SD card in the Mac. Create these files.

cd /Volumes/boot
touch ssh
vi wpa_supplicant.conf

wpa_supplicant.conf should contain

ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=netdev
update_config=1
country=US

network={
   ssid="YOURSSID"
   psk="YOURPASSWORD"
   scan_ssid=1
}

The wpa_supplicant.conf file gets moved on boot so don't freak if it "disappears".

Remember to update the network server dnsmasq settings to issue it a proper IP address.

ssh pi@zebra
pi@zebra's password:
Linux raspberrypi 4.14.79+ #1159 Sun Nov 4 17:28:08 GMT 2018 armv6l

The programs included with the Debian GNU/Linux system are free software;
the exact distribution terms for each program are described in the
individual files in /usr/share/doc/*/copyright.

Debian GNU/Linux comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY, to the extent
permitted by applicable law.

SSH is enabled and the default password for the 'pi' user has not been changed.
This is a security risk - please login as the 'pi' user and type 'passwd' to set a new password.

pi@raspberrypi:~$

and there was much rejoicing... seconds later, I realized that I cannot show it off because there are no LEDs to blink, no beeper, just this cold dead looking thing... anticlimax hits.

Serial console: I did not add enable_uart=1 to config.txt because I don't need it right now.

Camera notes

Camera related links

MotionEyeOS https://www.raspberrypi-spy.co.uk/2017/04/raspberry-pi-zero-w-cctv-camera-with-motioneyeos/

MotionEye on Raspian https://www.techcoil.com/blog/how-i-setup-a-raspberry-pi-zero-w-cctv-camera-with-motioneye-and-raspbian-stretch-lite/

Built into a dummy camera case: https://www.instructables.com/id/Zero-Security-Camera/ Pi Zero (not wireless) + USB - LAN adapter

Cool 3D-printed case: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2544275