Author Topic: First globalCALCnet (gCn) Successes  (Read 18731 times)

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Offline KermMartian

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First globalCALCnet (gCn) Successes
« on: January 03, 2011, 04:34:24 pm »
Over almost exactly the past seven days, I have been working on globalCALCnet (heretofore gCn for the sake of simplicity), a longstanding project of mine to connect CALCnet2.2 networks and their constituent calculators over the internet.  It can work as simply as connecting two individual calculators as if they were right next to each other, or at the opposite extreme link together many networks, each consisting of many calculators, into a single virtual hub.  As you might imagine, such a system is quite complex, and once I finish working out glitches and kinks, I will probably write a Cemetech whitepaper to detail the system.  Here's the executive summary of the different pieces:

CALCnet2.2 network: One or more calculators linked together with a Cn2.2 network, requiring only the calculators and a handful of unit-to-unit cables.
AVR-based microcontroller board with FTDI: For the prototypes I've made, I'm using the widely-popular Arduino Duemilanove board, offering a 16MHz AVR with 32KB of EEPROM and 2KB of SRAM.  This board pretends to be a calculator participating in the network, but passing incoming frames up to a connected PC via serial/USB, and injects frames into the network from the PC.
C++ gcnclient application: The gcnclient application connects both to the local Arduino and to a remove gCn virtual hub aggregator.  The gcnclient is responsible for moving 1-to-1 and broadcast frames from the Arduino to the remote server and vice versa.
Python gcnhub server daemon: The gcnhub, or virtual hub aggregator, acts as one or more virtual hubs linking together groups of remote gcnclient applications.  There is currently a single gcnhub server, but if gCn becomes more popular, it would be easy to distribute this program so that users could set up their own servers.

Frames (the CALCnet equivalent of packets) travel from one CALCnet2.2 network, through the connected Arduino, to the gcnclient and through the internet to a gcnhub, which routes the packet as necessary to another gcnclient, which hands off the frame to its Arduino and therefore its connected CALCnet2.2 network.  I have successfully demonstrated Flourish running between a pair of single-calculator CALCnet2.2 networks, connected by a 12-mile round-trip over the internet but acting as if they were directly connected; my testbed can be seen below.

Please post all kinds of questions, suggestions, comments, and insults in the attached topic.  I would especially appreciate users who have an Arduino to spare who would like to help me test globalCALCnet.  Cheers!



« Last Edit: January 05, 2011, 06:19:55 pm by DJ Omnimaga »



Offline ztrumpet

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Re: First globalCALCnet (gCn) Successes
« Reply #1 on: January 03, 2011, 04:38:34 pm »
This sounds cool.  Will this eventually be able to let us play two (or more) player games on our calcs even if we're in two different countries?

Good luck Kerm. :)

Offline KermMartian

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Re: First globalCALCnet (gCn) Successes
« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2011, 04:48:48 pm »
This sounds cool.  Will this eventually be able to let us play two (or more) player games on our calcs even if we're in two different countries?

Good luck Kerm. :)
With what I've put together, you already can, albeit slightly glitchily. :)



Offline Happybobjr

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Re: First globalCALCnet (gCn) Successes
« Reply #3 on: January 03, 2011, 04:54:11 pm »
Please post all kinds of questions, suggestions, comments, and insults in the attached topic.  I would especially appreciate users who have an Arduino to spare who would like to help me test globalCALCnet.  Cheers!
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Offline holmes221b

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Re: First globalCALCnet (gCn) Successes
« Reply #4 on: January 03, 2011, 05:20:08 pm »
So basically, you've just about outdone the US Government.

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Offline DJ Omnimaga

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Re: First globalCALCnet (gCn) Successes
« Reply #5 on: January 03, 2011, 05:28:30 pm »
Nice! This is one part of CALCnet I wanted to see for a while :).

6 months ago, somebody had the idea of a program and computer software that allowed to send calculator files to a server online, such as highscores. Seems like this might be one of many possible uses for gCn for people who can get the additional equipment above the 3 calculators.

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Re: First globalCALCnet (gCn) Successes
« Reply #6 on: January 03, 2011, 06:52:15 pm »
This is awesome. Way to go, Kerm.

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Re: First globalCALCnet (gCn) Successes
« Reply #7 on: January 03, 2011, 07:04:36 pm »
This is amazingly amazing, Kerm!
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Re: First globalCALCnet (gCn) Successes
« Reply #8 on: January 03, 2011, 07:09:10 pm »
That is sweet. Maybe now someone will write a real MMO for calcs O.O




Offline Happybobjr

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Re: First globalCALCnet (gCn) Successes
« Reply #9 on: January 03, 2011, 07:11:18 pm »
MMO?
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Offline KermMartian

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Re: First globalCALCnet (gCn) Successes
« Reply #10 on: January 03, 2011, 07:12:19 pm »
I've been tossing around a few program ideas for multiplayer or MMO games that would be fun with CALCnet and gCn; I'll let you guys know if I do.  I'm still trying to iron out bugs and glitches, and I'll try to remember to update this thread, but of course there will be more frequent updates in the original topic. :) Oh, and Merth and TIfreak8x mentioned their desire to get Arduinos to test this out.



Offline holmes221b

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Re: First globalCALCnet (gCn) Successes
« Reply #11 on: January 03, 2011, 07:21:35 pm »
MMO?
Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game, I think.

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Re: First globalCALCnet (gCn) Successes
« Reply #12 on: January 03, 2011, 07:27:41 pm »
I've been tossing around a few program ideas for multiplayer or MMO games that would be fun with CALCnet and gCn; I'll let you guys know if I do.  I'm still trying to iron out bugs and glitches, and I'll try to remember to update this thread, but of course there will be more frequent updates in the original topic. :) Oh, and Merth and TIfreak8x mentioned their desire to get Arduinos to test this out.
Something else that I kinda want to try after I learn ASM would be to make a sort of GTS (Global Trading Station).
It's basically the ability to trade Pokemon online, which would be pretty cool for any Pokemon game for the 83+/84+ family.


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Offline DJ Omnimaga

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Re: First globalCALCnet (gCn) Successes
« Reply #13 on: January 03, 2011, 11:37:08 pm »
The only issue with a MMO is if calcs suddently had a giant spike in popularity and gCn did as well, then some cities in the MMORPG always had 100-200 people idling for most of the daytime (except when changing their batteries). That would take a while to render O.O

Offline willrandship

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Re: First globalCALCnet (gCn) Successes
« Reply #14 on: January 03, 2011, 11:49:39 pm »
Not if it was homescreen based.

Kerm, I have an arduino :P but you'll have to tell me how to hook it up to get it to work with calcnet. Also, I have an nspire, and that might be an issue. My sis probably won't let me borrow her calc for it.
« Last Edit: January 03, 2011, 11:50:05 pm by willrandship »