Stories with Tag Project

• The most unhinged video wall, made out of Chromebooks

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  Posted: 2025-03-01 17:54:55

  Verbose tl;dr

  Varun K. created a sprawling, unconventional video wall using 35 old Chromebooks, controlled by a single Raspberry Pi. He leveraged the Chromebooks' existing screens and minimal onboard processing, creating a distributed system where the Pi sends individual frames to each Chromebook over Wi-Fi. While acknowledging performance limitations like noticeable latency and occasional frame drops, Varun highlights the project's simplicity and low cost, achieved by repurposing readily available hardware and open-source software. The result is a functional, albeit quirky, video wall capable of displaying images, videos, and even simple animations across its unconventional canvas.

  In an elaborate undertaking of both hardware and software ingenuity, Varun Vyas meticulously documented the creation of a truly unconventional video wall. This digital display, far from employing commercially available components, was constructed from an assemblage of repurposed Chromebooks, specifically eleven aging Acer C720 models. Vyas's narrative details the intricate process of transforming these discarded laptops into a synchronized visual canvas.

  The project commenced with the acquisition of the Chromebooks, chosen for their affordability and the relative ease with which their operating system could be manipulated. Vyas elected to utilize Chromium OS, a freely available open-source version of the Chrome OS, which allowed for greater control over the devices. A crucial element of the project involved networking these individual machines into a cohesive unit. This required the careful configuration of each Chromebook, ensuring they were all on the same network and able to communicate effectively.

  The software component of the project presented a significant challenge. Vyas developed a bespoke system involving a Node.js server and custom client-side JavaScript code to manage the distribution and synchronization of video content across the array of Chromebooks. This system meticulously divides the target video into segments corresponding to the resolution of each individual Chromebook screen and then transmits these segments to the appropriate device. Furthermore, the software accounts for the physical arrangement of the Chromebooks, ensuring the segments are displayed in the correct order to form a coherent whole. The implementation of this system required careful calibration and adjustment to minimize latency and achieve seamless playback.

  The physical construction of the video wall was equally intricate. Vyas devised a mounting system involving laser-cut acrylic and standoffs to securely hold the Chromebooks in a specific configuration, resembling a rectangular grid. This required precise measurements and careful alignment to ensure a uniform display surface. The entire assembly was then mounted on a wall, creating a striking, albeit unconventional, display.

  Beyond the technical details, Vyas's account also reveals the numerous challenges and setbacks encountered during the project. From troubleshooting network connectivity issues to optimizing video playback performance, the narrative portrays the iterative process of refining and perfecting the system. The result is a testament to Vyas's resourcefulness and technical prowess, demonstrating the potential for creating innovative and visually captivating displays using readily available and often discarded technology. The final product, while perhaps not the most practical solution for large-scale displays, is a fascinating example of ingenuity and a compelling exploration of the possibilities inherent in repurposed hardware.

  • Chromebooks
  • Video Wall
  • DIY
  • Hardware Hacking
  • Displays
  • Multi-Monitor
  • Linux
  • Chromium OS
  • Tiling Window Manager
  • i3
  • X11
  • Frame Buffer
  • Open Source
  • Project

  Summary of Comments ( 9 )
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43221697

  Verbose tl;dr

  HN commenters were impressed by the author's ingenuity and dedication to the project, with several praising the "janky" yet functional nature of the setup. Some questioned the practicality and cost-effectiveness compared to purpose-built video wall solutions, noting potential issues with synchronization and performance. Others discussed alternative approaches, including using Raspberry Pis or older hardware, and offered suggestions for improvements like utilizing a more robust synchronization mechanism or exploring different software solutions. A few users shared their own experiences with similar projects, highlighting the challenges and rewards of DIY video walls. There was also some lighthearted banter about the "unhinged" nature of the project, embracing the unconventional approach.

  The Hacker News post discussing "The most unhinged video wall, made out of Chromebooks" generated a number of comments, mostly expressing fascination and amusement at the project.

  Several commenters focused on the practicality and cost-effectiveness of the setup. Some questioned the choice of Chromebooks, suggesting that smaller, cheaper single-board computers like Raspberry Pis would be a more suitable and economical alternative. They pointed out the relatively high cost of Chromebooks compared to these alternatives, especially considering the limited processing power needed for simply displaying video tiles. Discussions around power consumption and heat dissipation also emerged, with users speculating about the overall efficiency of the system.

  The unconventional and "unhinged" nature of the project was a recurring theme. Commenters appreciated the creator's ingenuity and willingness to experiment, using terms like "mad genius" and "glorious hack." The visual impact of the video wall, particularly its size and the synchronization of content across multiple screens, was also highlighted.

  Some commenters delved into the technical aspects, discussing the software and hardware involved in synchronizing the Chromebooks and displaying video across them. They explored potential improvements and alternative approaches, including using specialized video wall controllers or distributed rendering techniques.

  A few comments touched on the potential applications of such a setup, ranging from artistic installations and public displays to monitoring dashboards and gaming setups. However, the general consensus seemed to be that the project was more of a fun experiment than a practical solution for most use cases.

  Finally, several commenters expressed interest in seeing more details about the project, including the specific hardware and software used, the configuration process, and the challenges encountered during the build. This curiosity reflects the overall positive reception of the project and the community's appreciation for creative and unconventional technical endeavors.

• Show HN: Trolling SMS spammers with Ollama

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  Posted: 2025-01-22 19:23:48

  Verbose tl;dr

  The author created a system using the open-source large language model, Ollama, to automatically respond to SMS spam messages. Instead of simply blocking the spam, the system engages the spammers in extended, nonsensical, and often humorous conversations generated by the LLM, wasting their time and resources. The goal is to make SMS spam less profitable by increasing the cost of sending messages, ultimately discouraging spammers. The author details the setup process, which involves running Ollama locally, forwarding SMS messages to a server, and using a Python script to interface with the LLM and send replies.

  Evan Widloski has developed a system to automatically engage and playfully frustrate SMS spammers using a large language model (LLM) named Ollama, hosted locally on his machine. He describes his motivation stemming from annoyance with frequent spam text messages and a desire to waste the spammers' time and resources, potentially discouraging their operations.

  His technical implementation involves forwarding incoming spam SMS messages to a Python script. This script utilizes the Twilio API to identify the originating phone number. This number is then checked against a blocklist to prevent responses to legitimate messages. If the number is not blocked, the script formats the received spam message and feeds it into the Ollama LLM. The LLM is prompted to generate a nonsensical or absurd reply, designed to keep the spammer engaged in a pointless conversation.

  Widloski details specific prompting strategies to guide the LLM's responses, such as instructing it to impersonate a confused persona, ask irrelevant questions, or fabricate outlandish scenarios. The generated response is then sent back to the spammer via the Twilio API.

  He highlights the cost-effectiveness of running the LLM locally, minimizing expenses associated with cloud-based LLM services. Furthermore, he showcases examples of successful interactions with spammers, illustrating how the LLM-generated responses effectively lead the spammers on, often through multiple exchanges. Widloski also acknowledges potential drawbacks and ethical considerations, such as the possibility of the LLM inadvertently revealing personal information or generating offensive content. He emphasizes that his project is a personal experiment and stresses the importance of responsible use of LLMs. The post concludes with a reflection on the effectiveness of the approach and future possibilities, including refining the prompting strategy and incorporating more advanced language models.

  • SMS
  • Spam
  • Trolling
  • Ollama
  • LLM
  • Large Language Model
  • AI
  • artificial intelligence
  • Chatbot
  • Humor
  • Software
  • Project
  • HN
  • Hacker News
  • Show HN

  Summary of Comments ( 21 )
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42796496

  Verbose tl;dr

  HN users generally praised the project for its creativity and humor. Several commenters shared their own experiences with SMS spam, expressing frustration and a desire for effective countermeasures. Some discussed the ethical implications of engaging with spammers, even with an LLM, and the potential for abuse or unintended consequences. Technical discussion centered around the cost-effectiveness of running such a system, with some suggesting optimizations or alternative approaches like using a less resource-intensive LLM. Others expressed interest in expanding the project to handle different types of spam or integrating it with existing spam-filtering tools. A few users also pointed out potential legal issues, like violating telephone consumer protection laws, depending on the nature of the responses generated by the LLM.

  The Hacker News post titled "Show HN: Trolling SMS spammers with Ollama" generated a moderate amount of discussion, with a handful of commenters engaging with the original poster's project of using a local large language model (LLM) to engage with and frustrate SMS spammers.

  Several commenters expressed amusement and appreciation for the project's concept. One user praised the creative use of an LLM for this purpose, finding the idea of tying up spammers' resources with a bot entertaining and potentially helpful in reducing their effectiveness. Another commenter expressed a similar sentiment, enjoying the "trolling" aspect and appreciating the potential for wasting spammers' time and money.

  A couple of users raised practical questions and concerns. One individual inquired about the cost-effectiveness of running the LLM locally for this purpose, wondering if the expense of compute resources would outweigh the benefits. Another commenter raised a point about potential legal implications or risks associated with engaging with spammers, though no specific legal issues were identified.

  The original poster actively engaged with the comments, responding to questions and clarifying certain aspects of the project. They addressed the cost concern by explaining their utilization of a relatively small and efficient LLM, and also noted that the compute costs were currently negligible for their usage pattern.

  While there wasn't extensive debate or deeply analytical discussion, the comments generally reflected positive interest in the project, with users finding the idea clever and potentially useful. The main points of conversation revolved around the amusement factor, the practicality and cost of the approach, and potential risks involved. The lack of a large number of comments suggests that while the project intrigued some users, it didn't spark widespread or highly controversial discussion.