Internet + Calculators: Introducing gCn 1.0

KermMartian · Last edited by KermMartian on 22 Feb 2011 03:43:22 pm; edited 1 time in total

At least six years after I first created the globalCALCnet (gCn) concept, and roughly eight years after my first designs for CALCnet, I am happy to announce gCn 1.0. While CALCnet 2.2 allows from two to two million calculators to connect in local-area networks, global CALCnet can link multiple CALCnet networks across the internet, and can even offer internet-based services to calculators, such as connections to IRC and other chat protocols, bridging between desktop and calculator games, calculator file repositories, and much more. To connect one or more calculators to global CALCnet, all one needs is a $30 Arduino development board or to build the cheaper but more complex USBHID Bridge design, previously known as the "$10 Bridge". Creation and usage of each type of bridge is detailed in the gCn documentation, as is loading of the requisite firmware to the bridge's microcontroller, and the usage of the gCnClient computer-side software, available for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.

Every project released that works over CALCnet works over globalCALCnet as well, including CALCnet Chat! v1.0, NetPong v1.0, the CALCnet SpeedTest program, and the up-and-coming Obliterate scorched-earth game. I strongly encourage everyone with an AVR microcontroller, an Arduino board, or a bit of electronics knowledge to put a gCn Bridge together and connect your calculators to the internet! On the ardent requests of many Cemetechians, I will in the near future be attempting to make a gCnClient that can link TI-84+ and TI-84+SE calculators to gCn directly via the calcilators' miniUSB port, which will require significant Doors CS modification as well as USB headaches host-side. Feel free to weigh in on your opinions or possible offers of assistance for that!

Downloads

globalCALCnet (gCn) Client v1.0

On the Design and Usage of globalCALCnet (gCn)

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merthsoft · File Archiver Joined: 09 May 2010 Posts: 2735

Well, you know I'm on top of it computer-side if you want me.
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souvik1997 · Guru-in-Training Joined: 19 Apr 2010 Posts: 2870

I can help with debugging gCn over USB. Smile

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KermMartian · Posted: 11 Feb 2011 05:37:08 pm Post subject:

Merth: Awesome. I'll probably try to stumble around it in C++ for the sake of my own experience, but perhaps it might be worthwhile to try some C# in tandem. May I look at your latest C# code at some point to see what the structure is like for doing this kind of thing? Souvik, I'm glad to hear it! I bet I'm going to have a lot of USB-gCn debugging volunteers.
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kindermoumoute · Newbie Joined: 07 Feb 2011 Posts: 22

That's tremendous !
But I prefer don't try, because the doc is in english... it's too risky. Laughing

KermMartian · Posted: 13 Feb 2011 11:14:44 am Post subject:

KermMartian · Posted: 13 Feb 2011 05:53:02 pm Post subject:

*bump* Many thanks to ticalc.org for featuring Doors CS 7.1, CALCnet, and gCn! I hope that this will help raise the community awareness of the project.
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Lionel Debroux · Power User Joined: 16 Nov 2009 Posts: 416

Great

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KermMartian · Posted: 14 Feb 2011 01:16:57 am Post subject:

Lionel Debroux · Power User Joined: 16 Nov 2009 Posts: 416

For general information (I don't think that we need this kind of hardware for a gCn bridge): one of the libusb maintainers is fond of a cheap Cortex M3 board, with a CPU significantly more powerful than the ATmega in the Arduino: http://events.ccc.de/congress/2010/wiki/MakeUSBDeviceWithCortexM3

KermMartian · Posted: 14 Feb 2011 09:50:02 am Post subject:

Oh yeah, I've seen the Cortex M3 before; that looks like a pretty powerful board. As you say, it would be somewhat overkill for use as a gCn bridge, but I bet it would be a lot of fun for some other microprocessor projects.
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ephan · Super-Expert Joined: 12 Nov 2010 Posts: 819

ticalc.org featured gCN!! Congratulations ;D

KermMartian · Posted: 14 Feb 2011 02:44:42 pm Post subject:

Sonlen · Calculator Deity Joined: 25 Aug 2010 Posts: 1679

KermMartian · Posted: 17 Feb 2011 05:21:20 pm Post subject:

In an ideological sense we already have overthrown MOS, since DCS can do much more, much better. However, it'll take a lot of time and effort for it to spread out among the millions of calculators out there, and for people to stop their knee-jerk defense of MirageOS (see also: fanboys of every company/brand/product out there) and begin defending DCS instead. Wink

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souvik1997 · Guru-in-Training Joined: 19 Apr 2010 Posts: 2870

We should get started on making those YouTube vidoes. Wink

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KermMartian · Posted: 17 Feb 2011 05:23:37 pm Post subject:

DJ_O · Posted: 17 Feb 2011 05:29:40 pm Post subject:

This is awesome. I'm glad this is finally out. Congrats on the feature on ticalc.org. I wonder if eventually Compynerd might be convinced again in adding CALCnet support to Eitrix. Hopefully now that Axe supports Axioms, some Axe coders might also be interested in this more now.
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KermMartian · Posted: 17 Feb 2011 05:30:39 pm Post subject:

souvik1997 · Guru-in-Training Joined: 19 Apr 2010 Posts: 2870

I'd love to try writing an Axiom for CALCnet. Very Happy

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