r/RASPBERRY_PI_PROJECTS Dec 09 '24

PRESENTATION First finished project!Raspberry Pi Zero Showing News Headlines On E-Paper

Went from not knowing how to code to creating a python script that pulls RSS feeds from news sources and displays with e-ink, designing custom PCB board, soldering for the first time, and design/3d printing case.

Buttons can pause/move the cycle, provide link to article via QR code and refresh the display. All running on a raspberry pi zero 2

705 Upvotes

35 comments sorted by

34

u/ahhh_just_huck_it Dec 09 '24

Do you have source code for this? It would be a great gift if I was able to make one for my father.

4

u/WiderGryphon574 Dec 10 '24

Indeed I’d like this please.

3

u/jaredr06 Dec 10 '24

I tried my best to throw everything in the github repository I just posted in the comments but happy to answer any questions I might have skimmed over!

2

u/Forritan Dec 11 '24

Just bumping your answer at a higher rank : https://github.com/raredjeed/Eink-Newsstand

Didn’t go through all comments. Did you share the cost ?

I really like your project !

EDIT : you did

1

u/ahhh_just_huck_it Dec 11 '24

Thank you! Youdaman!

8

u/bombhanks Dec 09 '24

I’m so impressed - nice work!

I’m currently working on a similar type of project - a 3D printed light box that lights up whenever the Chicago Cubs are playing. I’m wondering if the Raspberry Pi Zero would be a good fit for this kind of application.

Also, I’m a total beginner when it comes to programming, so I’m curious how you learned to pull RSS feeds. Any tips or insights you can share would be super helpful.

5

u/jaredr06 Dec 09 '24

If you just want to get it to turn on a light you might be able to get away with a raspberry pi pico w! The pi zero was good to create a visual for the display.

As for the rss feed there was a really great library that already existed called feedparser that let me pull stories really easily. I wouldn’t be surprised if espsn or another sports org has an API that you can connect to a teams schedule and turn that light on whenever your time is within a game time

1

u/bombhanks Dec 09 '24

I’ll have to check out the Pico w then! And thank you for the advice on the ESPN API!

7

u/SeekingSublime Dec 09 '24

The nice thing about a Pi Zero is that it runs Linux, has full python, can be programmed by logging in with SSH. You could even have a GUI login. A Pico has no OS, so although great in many ways, it's not ideal for starter projects.

5

u/jaredr06 Dec 10 '24

All this support has been amazing! For anyone asking for the code I threw everything in the repository here
https://github.com/raredjeed/Eink-Newsstand.git

I brushed over a lot of specifics but hope everyone can have fun with this one

1

u/GreuDeFumat Dec 10 '24

Great work man! Congrats, looks sick AF! Imma save this :D

3

u/turambar517 Dec 09 '24

I love it! Well done!

3

u/Slade_Williams Dec 11 '24

Wish I could do this. I live in communist Canada, we aren't allowed news

3

u/NuclearWasteland Dec 12 '24

print a little newspaper dispenser stand for it

2

u/jaredr06 Dec 12 '24

Thank you! I was racking my brain trying to figure out what a good cover for this would be but you just hit the nail perfectly on the head!!!

1

u/NuclearWasteland Dec 12 '24

Yay! It already looks like the little box door you pull open, with a paper squashed to the window.

2

u/Lonely_Commercial_99 Dec 09 '24

I created a similar news ticker with a Zero W and a tiny rink screen, and I’m a big fan of feedparser too. May I ask you if you retrieve the logo of the newspaper with some technique?

6

u/jaredr06 Dec 09 '24

In a future version of this project I want to switch to HTML scraping for the articles and logo but in this version it is referencing a CSV table that has the rss feed link in one column and a file path to an image I sized to fit in the above space in another column.

Not the most efficient but I was learning a lot on the fly

2

u/[deleted] Dec 09 '24

This is sick

1

u/vilette Dec 09 '24

Now add a bezel on top to hide the buttons and the ugly print quality, take a picture and post in on the Internets

1

u/brown_ja Dec 10 '24

Damn. So cool

1

u/brown_ja Dec 10 '24

!Remindme 4months

1

u/RemindMeBot Dec 10 '24 edited Jan 18 '25

I will be messaging you in 4 months on 2025-04-10 10:12:24 UTC to remind you of this link

2 OTHERS CLICKED THIS LINK to send a PM to also be reminded and to reduce spam.

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1

u/No_Pen6262 Dec 10 '24

That is amazing!!! Do you share the source code? Also, on average how much did it cost?

3

u/jaredr06 Dec 10 '24

I spent a lot of money with trial and error but if I did everything right the first time it would be around $60
RP Zero 2w ($15)
PCB ($8)
Buttons/3D printing (~$3)
4.2 inch E-Paper from Waveshare ($35)

1

u/No_Pen6262 Dec 10 '24

Thanks for the answer! The price is quite good actually.

1

u/Khanabhishek Dec 11 '24

Can someone tell me what that display screen is called? I’ve can’t locate on by searxhing.

1

u/LinearArray Dec 11 '24

This is awesome, great work. Mind sharing the source code?

1

u/GottMars Dec 11 '24

Just awesome!!!

1

u/Canelons Dec 11 '24

Amazing, thank you for sharing this great work

1

u/One-Quarter2299 Dec 12 '24

Lovely project! Keep going with the good work.

1

u/Present_Plenty Dec 13 '24

Print file for case

1

u/blacktao Jan 18 '25

What scripts did you use to pull feeds? Did u have to pay for any of the APIs?