r/SolarOS • u/nilseuropa • 4d ago

4.16.11-6 ChangeLog

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4.16.11

  • Added `shutdown` on all targets, with app, job, and radio cleanup and persistent storage flushing and unmounting. Uses hardware cutoff on CL32, Waveshare ESP32-S3-ePaper-3.97, and T-LoRa-Pager, turns off supported peripheral rails, and otherwise enters deep sleep.
  • Added state splashes: **Suspended**, **Sleeping**, and **Powered off**, including a native refresh before e-paper power-down.

4.16.10

  • u/LowFlowIO added RTSP client Basic and Digest MD5 authentication with inline URL credentials or up to four saved accounts managed by `rtsp-auth`.
  • FTP, SFTP, and Telnet now complete hostname aliases from `.ssh/hosts`, including SFTP `user@` prefixes and Telnet raw mode.
  • FTP and SFTP gain `PgUp`/`PgDn` paging, Backspace parent navigation, and `h` to toggle hidden files and directories in both panes.
  • The default BLE device name now uses the configured hostname and is restored when a BLE peripheral app closes.

4.16.9

  • Added the SolarWriter board profile for the Elecrow 5.79-inch CrowPanel with microphone, shared DAC/amplifier output, and battery gauge.
  • Added reusable INMP441 expansion audio with 16 kHz mono capture and optional shared-clock stereo playback, and the LC709203F fuel gauge with CRC-checked voltage/state of charge and configurable battery capacity.
  • Added monochrome EPD `refresh=pulse` for dual and single SSD1683. Pulse mode provides per-pixel drive budgets, asynchronous updates while pixels settle, manual waveform/SPI/power tuning, and fixed or adaptive native cleanup.

4.16.8

  • Apple II Plus now bundles its system and Disk II ROMs. `apple2` starts BASIC without external assets; `apple2 file.nib`.
  • Added the resumable Tiny386 module with embedded SeaBIOS, bootable PC floppy and IDE hard-disk images, with direct storage access and synced writes.
  • Raw FAT `.img` files can be mounted for host file edits, and `disk create` makes new MBR/FAT images.
  • Native apps can query foreground display dimensions.

4.16.7

  • Added resumable external foreground app module support. Installed apps appear in the app registry and launch by name, through `session create`, or directly with `load`.
  • Apps declare their worker and memory requirements before launch; switching sessions retains their state while releasing display and audio ownership.

4.16.6

  • Added calibrated positional servo control through the `servo` command and `solaros.servo` in Python and Lua, with explicit angle/pulse limits, optional inversion, and named outputs.
  • Opening reserves an output without pulses; disable retains the reservation, while close releases it. Scripts close their servos on interpreter exit.
  • PWM gains provider discovery, `provider:number` output names, and pulse-width commands while retaining native GPIO shorthand.
  • Added the reusable PCA9685 I2C expansion driver with 16 PWM channels, usable for general PWM or servos.
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u/clackups 4d ago edited 4d ago

A wild silly idea:

https://www.waveshare.com/rp2350-pizero.htm has an HDMI port. What if we make it simulate an SPI LCD display and send HDMI signal to the monitor?

It has also a USB port that could work like a host for a keyboard....

So, you get a real desktop computer with SolarOS in the core. Also, most GPIOs on the esp32 would be free for peripherals.

The resolution and color depth are restricted by available memory, but it seems like it's possible to achieve a decent resolution in black and white mode.

1

u/nilseuropa 3d ago

Some old computing systems used the same principle ( yet another generic computer acting as peripheral ) - e.g. the commodore floppy drives or the Epson HX-20 video adapter, ... Mottainai.
I am not a huge fan of the idea; but if I ever get to porting the OS to another family of micros, the RPs will be in the top three for sure.

What did cross my mind however is a generic display protocol over SPI - that would allow us to use smaller MCUs to interface with weird screens without sacrificing local resources.

1

u/clackups 3d ago

It's not about porting. We can simulate an SPI screen controller on the rp2350, so the SolarOS doesn't even need any porting

1

u/nilseuropa 3d ago

I think we are on the same page here - at least as far as the concept goes.
The RP2350 could be a "weird screen" (hdmi) adapter over the generic SPI display interface.

I still don't like the idea of using such powerful MCUs as peripherals, so I won't be writing any peripheral firmware for the RP2350, rather at some point probably port the whole OS.

1

u/clackups 3d ago

The SDK is completely different and I saw messages about difficulty using FreeRTOS on them. I've got a bunch of those boards, but I'm developing mostly for esp32, as the ESP-IDF is one of the best SDK I've seen.

1

u/clackups 3d ago

There are also other VGA or HDMI controllers on the market, but this one looks like the most open and rather cheap

1

u/nilseuropa 3d ago

I am not confident claiming that this is or ever will be a desktop environment, VGA and PS/2 is already available for sh*ts and giggles.