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--- airflash [2021/08/25 10:37]
sausage New photos
+++ airflash [2021/09/04 09:49] (current)
sausage [What use is this?]
@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 ===== What is the AirFlash? =====
-The AirFlash is an open-source standalone USB powered device that accepts up to four USB Flash drives and will serve their content out over WIFI to one or more users. This allows you to take it anywhere and plug it in to a USB power source. Within 90 seconds the device will be available.
+The AirFlash is an open-source standalone USB powered device that accepts up to four USB Flash drives and will serve their content out over WIFI to one or more users. You can take it anywhere and plug it in to a USB power source. Within 90 seconds the device will be available.
 Security is at a minimum. The WIFI password should be conveniently printed on the underside of the device for nearby users to gain access from their own computers.
@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 While the party host could just as easily open a share on his drive, they are usually patching and rebooting like the rest of us. And second, there is always that one person who can just never connect to the share. You know that person.
-Having a separate, portable, dedicted share is a handy tool to keep in your kit.
+Having a separate, portable, dedicated share is a handy tool to keep in your kit.
-===== How to build your own AirFlash =====
+===== Parts required =====
 You will need the following off-the-shelf parts which can be sourced from the following vendors:
@@ Line 41: / Line 41: @@
 {{ :airflash:airflash-logo-case.jpg?direct&600 |}}
+Huge thanks to my friend Sharm for producing the AirFlash case prints.
 ===== Assembly =====
 For assembly instructions for the Pi Zero W and the Zero4U 4-Port USB Board, see the manual here: http://www.uugear.com/doc/Zero4U_UserManual.pdf
-===== What is the rationale for the technology choices? =====
-Originally the AirFlash was going to be created using the ESP32 and harnessing the WIFI features and available FTP library. However, USB library support was difficult to find. And I wasn't overly keen to implementing a bit banged mass storage USB driver.
-Next I looked at the Raspberry Pi Pico and noticed it had some support for connecting a USB device. But I forgot that it didn't come with WIFI onboard. I didn't want to go into the complication of adding a module and then have casing considerations.
-I settled on the Raspberry Pi Zero W as it features WIFI, USB and good library support through the OS. Having a few seconds boot up time with an OS seemed a fairly pragmatic choice.
-For the OS, I chose piCore (a port of Tiny Core Linux), for it's robust use of persistence. Hard power cycles do not corrupt the data or OS content of piCore, so power can be pulled from the device without incident.
@@ Line 65: / Line 55: @@
 {{ :airflash:airflash-bare-test-drive.jpg?direct&600 |}}
-===== I just want the pre-built image =====
+===== I just want a pre-built image =====
 If you just want a working AirFlash setup, you can download this image that I made already set up and running.
@@ Line 78: / Line 68: @@
 If you would like the work through the process manually, continue on below.
+===== Second fastest way to build =====
+It is possible to install the piCore OS to an SD-Card as outlined in this article, but rather than follow the steps to create and edit all the files, you can download all the required files at the github repo instead:
+https://github.com/sausagejohnson/AirFlashOnPi
+===== What is the rationale for the technology choices? =====
+Originally the AirFlash was going to be created using the ESP32 and harnessing the WIFI features and available FTP library. However, USB library support was difficult to find. And I wasn't overly keen to implementing a bit banged mass storage USB driver.
+Next I looked at the Raspberry Pi Pico and noticed it had some support for connecting a USB device. But I forgot that it didn't come with WIFI onboard. I didn't want to go into the complication of adding a module and then have casing considerations.
+I settled on the Raspberry Pi Zero W as it features WIFI, USB and good library support through the OS. Having a few seconds boot up time with an OS seemed a fairly pragmatic choice.
+For the OS, I chose piCore (a port of Tiny Core Linux), for it's robust use of persistence. Hard power cycles do not corrupt the data or OS content of piCore, so power can be pulled from the device without incident.
 ===== The piCore Operating System =====

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