Building a Merlin or Orion Motorized Pano-head
4. Nokia 770 configuration
The Nokia tablets come in three models: the 770, N800 and
N810 .
All will work as a controller. The later models have more
memory
and better internet features like Flash 9 compatibility. They also cost
more. Right now on Amazon.com, the 770 runs $200, while the N800 runs
$300
and the N810 runs $385. I picked up a used 770 for $85 with
shipping. They run Maemo, a Linux port for Nokia devices. I am new to
Linux, but managed to get everything configured. The instructions start
here: Papywizard
Installation Wiki
I will cover the more complicated 770 install, as that’s what
I did.
Flashing the new OS
The 770 ships with Maemo OS2006, which can not support the python,
needed to run Papywizard. You need OS2007
HE (HE=hackers addition). The download requires you enter
your Nokia serial number. I used the Latest Fiasco version.
You will also need a flasher,
with versions available for OS X, Windows and Linux. I used 770Flasher.app
v2.0 which
is an OS X gui, but had trouble with it not finding the tablet, so I
switched to the
Nokia Internet Tablet Software Update Wizard ,
which worked fine. You run
the flasher program, selecting the new OS file, then you
power up
the tablet while holding down the home button. A USB symbol appears on
the screen, and away she goes.
Note: I think my troubles came from trying to power up the tablet after
I had been charging it with the power off. Apparently, it goes into a
special power state when charging, and should be turned on
before
removing the power, and then turned off.
Adding software to the Nokia 770
I next needed to set up the 770 with the repositories containing the
applications I wanted to install. While you can install applications
directly from the files, if you use repositories and their catalogs,
you can check for updates and install them more easily. This is pretty
convenient for things like Papywizard, which is getting updates pretty
regularly. You will need access to the internet on your Nokia, which
means a Wi-Fi connection to download and install the
applications.
Otherwise you could download the applications onto the rs-mmc card
using another computer and install from there, but it would be a hassle
for sure.
Getting the repositories
You can install the repositories manually by going into
the
applications manager (see screen capture),
and selecting Tools>Application catalog from the drop down menu.
You can manually enter the catalogs as shown in the
Papywizard
Installation Wiki. Later you will install some applications
contained in these repositories.
Better yet, you can go to this website on your Nokia, and find
the ones you will need.
Scroll down and click on the following repositories/catalogs to add
them:
- Debian Nokia repository (listed as the Extras
catalog in the Papywizard installation wiki) for accesss to the python
runtime - Maemo-hackers (listed as the Hackers catalog in
the Papywizard installation wiki) for access to osso-xterm - gbiloba.org (Papywizard) for access to Papywizard:
Installing the Applications
Now you can start installing the applications: godmode,
osso-xterm, python
and Papywizard. (I have emphasized the
application names in this section for ease of reading.)
First get and install godmode
which
does not have a repository, by clicking this link from your Nokia. (You
could also save the file on your computer and move it to your Nokia.)
Next use the
Application
manager
to install osso-xterm You should be able to find osso-xterm under Web catalog>Browse
installable applications on the initial application
manager page. You will need this program to set up the python runtime.
If you can’t
find it…
I had problems getting repositories
to update with a list of
applications. Instead I got “(no applications available)”.
The best thing I found was to disable them one at a time
in the Application
manager>Tools>Application catalog>(choose
catalog)Details and select Disable to find the
one that was not responding. (Basically, the Nokia goes to
a server, and if the server is busy or down, it errors out. I
would then update, and browse the applications in the web section
of application manager to see if I had osso-xterm. The installation
itself went
fine.
Once you get osso-xterm running, you can also update the
repositories manually:
- Start X Terminal
(osso-Xterm). It is found in the Extras folder. (Along with
Papywizard after it is installed) - typing this gives root shell : sudo
/usr/sbin/gainroot - typing this updates repositories: apt-get update
you should install python while you are
there:
- typing this will install python: apt-get
install python2.5-runtime - type exit
to leave the Xterm shell
If the repositories show up fine for you, skip the apt-get update step
and just install python.
Now go back into Application
manager>Browse installable programs
to install Papywizard. In
having problems with repositories, I
found that programs would appear and then disappear as different
repositories errored out. Keep trying, and you will find the program
you need. Give it some time to try to connect too. (A couple of minutes
won’t hurt.)
You should be able to run Papywizard now. You can check for updates by
clicking the button in Application
manager
under “browse
installable applications“.
You can explore the software without having an operational head unit.
It might be a good time to read the users guide.