BUILD: Cheap Alexa Printer From An Old Receipt Printer - Tinkernut Workbench

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Old receipt printers, am I right? They just kinda sit there pretending to be an actual printer. Longing for the day that they print out something other than receipts. Well, for all of you receipt printers that are reading this, there's hope! With a simple brain replacement and some slight cosmetic surgery, you can become a real printer for the Internet of Things! Ready to start your new life? Watch now! Not a receipt printer? Watch anyway.
DEMO VIDEO: • Cheap Alexa Printer Fr...
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Опубликовано:

3 авг 2024

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Комментарии : 158

@tettracoins7690 6 лет назад

*Alexa whats on my shopping list? raspberry pi mini and a receipt printer

@quintenlibert7076 6 лет назад

It's a Raspberry pi zero W to be precise.

@SianaGearz 6 лет назад

You don't need a Zero W if you already have some of these $1 WLAN adapters and a bad and useless, possibly slightly broken USB hub that you can just butcher in.

@morganminecraftlegion9101 6 лет назад

Not only is this project fun, but it will help people realize that receipt printers are much cheaper than normal ones. This is, for some reason, thought opposite by lots of people. For making a simple shopping list, wouldn't it be easier to connect the printer to Windows, use LibreOffice (the GNU alternative to MS Office) to make a spreadsheet, and just print it from there?

@Goldenkrew3000 5 лет назад

100th like

@harveylynden2091 6 лет назад

You're an amazing youtuber, I'm 19 now and have been watching you from a kid learning loads of projects. I can't believe a youtuber like you who has been uploading for years and years at this point is still only at 504k Subscribers, I always thought you would be a huge hit with youtube fans your projects are so creative and I've always loved them. From what I read in the comments i see that you are a fulltime parent, and in a fulltime job. - Amazing that you can continue the content keep up the amazing work!

@aaroncake 6 лет назад

It's 2018 and it takes a Linux computer, a bunch of libraries/packages, several scripts running as root, 2 external web services and a load of tinkering...because the Echo can't send a simple LPR print job? What an amazing technological age we live in!

@whydoihavetodothisannoying 6 лет назад

Most receipt printers have a 12 V output signal for a cash drawer solenoid lock via an RJ25. You can mount a buzzer, bell or even some primitive board that plays some melody there on there to notify you acoustically of any incoming messages. The Length and strength of the signal can be controlled with ESC-Pos too. Depending on the printer you should be able to get a feedback signal on the cash drawer port as well, this is done so a cashier can't do anything stupid until the lid is closed again. Also mount it sidewards and flip the printer alignment to get old "telegraph style" messages.

@danielebella3560 6 лет назад

I would make it print every new tweet on my feed, essentially making it into an overcomplicated Twitter checker

@michalnemecek3575 6 лет назад

imagine 50 feet of paper flowing out of the thing and the only thing that is there are your emails.

@Labhatorian 6 лет назад

nice job blurring that authkey. you can see the key in full in the last frame

@mecs 6 лет назад

what is the authkey useful for?

@Labhatorian 6 лет назад

you can probably send messages to his receipt printer yourself with it

@mecs 6 лет назад

Hehe, that could be funny

@nicolashurtado1073 6 лет назад

I noticed that as well, I was going to comment if but you already did, so congrats

@Tinkernut 6 лет назад

fail

@mikecroall 6 лет назад

The blur for the auth token stops a couple frames before the auth token is taken off screen. Good thing it's just a free account token.

@Tinkernut 6 лет назад

And it's easy to reset

@vfxperson4073 6 лет назад

I cannot believe I have been watching your videos for 10 years already! Back when you were Gigafide and you still have the same background music! omg.. the memories of all your old videos lol I'm smiling while writing this because its now just part of my childhood memories as I was only 13 when I started watching you're videos and I cannot tell you how much you helped me with life.. anyway.. gg keep it up! *Flies away*

@PacoOtaktay 6 лет назад

Thank you for the great videos :) With this project you have given me a idea to use one of these printers and a Raspberry Pi as a Retro system printer. :)

@AnimalFacts 6 лет назад

Could be used to print a chores list for Kids.

@timh8273 6 лет назад

exactly what i've been looking for months

@imaginarymask 6 лет назад

This brings to mind old sci fi movie robots and tech that would spit out ribbons of paper, with scientists reading them by swiping them by their eyeballs.

@mikeynjs94 6 лет назад

You should have added a bit of code to automatically feed the paper out when it's done printing so you wouldn't have to manually feed it yourself. Those commands are usually sent out anyways

@electron-1979 6 лет назад

That regulator might get quite hot. Clip-on heatsink or buck converter?

@MINKIN2 6 лет назад

So it's an internet fax machine?

@Tinkernut 6 лет назад

Nailed it!

@michalnemecek3575 6 лет назад

why not make it a TV? 😄😄😄

@DrMod 3 года назад

Hi Tinkernut. I now also own one of these printers. I have to say it's quite fun to toy with. Though you get what you pay for. Trying to pass ESC/POS commands to the printer feels like trial and error with what actually works. I plan to do a project of it printing out Network speed information and time/duration of Internet outages. Thank you for the inspiration.

@somehow_sane 6 лет назад

I would use it as a small wireless note printer! Damn i realy have to ake one of these! Ps.:Awesome work! You really got great ideas!

@DeviousMalcontent2 6 лет назад

I am going to use my new-found knowledge of Webhooks and Ngrok to make a door bell using a QR code; the QR code when scanned will send a command to Ngrok webpage that will then trigger a python script on the Raspberry Pi that will then trigger audio playback (A doorbell noise) on a Denon AVR-X1000 audio receiver. I have already figured out the playback from the Raspberry Pi and all I needed was a trigger method via the internet, thank you for that!

@bladefromoz869 6 лет назад

Liking the content... Keep it up!

@k1ngjulien_ 6 лет назад

There seem to be some ICs on the board of the printer. You should chek if the board doesn't generate 5V already, so you can save the power that is getting dumped by the voltage regualtor.

@TechJockeyHD 6 лет назад

Time spent very well.

@markbancroft3048 6 лет назад

Awesome

@jotchava 6 лет назад

Another great video. Hope fatherhood is treating you well! Loving the content. Too bad about your screen recorder though :p Keep up the great stuff! (When you have the time! ahah)

@giovannicarovanello62 6 лет назад

Dude, I actually said "-ster" when you called for it. Ahaha, you got me.

@PolntBlank 6 лет назад

great video, love it, my work has one of these under the desk, i wonder if its garbage!

@luke752010 5 лет назад

Outstanding video! :-)

@verymeta 6 лет назад

I love that music! What is it called? Nice project too! I actually may attempt this just because I find it so cool.

@invinciblenowyt 6 лет назад

I’ve wanted one for a while.

@littlebit670 5 лет назад

Are PCBs made of plastic? Tinkernut: "And we will do that using this hunk of plastic (RasPi Zero)."

@ShadowTheHedgehog85 3 года назад

If you own a "FritzBox" DSL Router there is a DynDNS Service already included. It's called MyFritz. Mostly interesting for European viewers.

@CLIBasedNerd 6 лет назад

As an ngrok alternative, I recommend pagekite.

@mecs 6 лет назад

I've seen some mini thermal printers that can print random images and sudokus. Would it be possible to do this with IFTTT on the Raspberry Pi?

@Jan0306- 6 лет назад

Got an Alexa Ad before the video xd

@Tinkernut 6 лет назад

How did they know!?!?!?! They're always watching...

@Jan0306- 6 лет назад

Tinkernut Some FBI Stuff we all will never understand.

@spot1401 6 лет назад

somewhere a little printer is printing a list with your name on it....

@1d10tcannotmakeusername 6 лет назад

Why do so many people hate the super mario world coin sound?

@patriziomurdocca7534 6 лет назад

Hey! Amazing video, I have a couple of questions -- like how to design the voltage regulator... how should I best reach out?

@designer-garb572 5 лет назад

I wonder how many of us have old receipt printers sat in a cupboard, I know I do, but you have to ask can all this tech replace the mighty pencil?

@lilyydotdev 4 года назад

great video but it's a good idea to skip having a desktop on the pi and just use it with the terminal. also you can enable ssh when you burn it by creating a file called "ssh" with no extension in the boot partition of the sd card after burning it.

@narayanbandodker5482 6 лет назад

For the IP address, why not use Port forwarding on your router and use your external IP address? Many ISPs provide static IPs

@AutonomyCentral 6 лет назад

Narayan Bandodker and if you can't get a static IP use duckdns

@Tinkernut 6 лет назад

Where I am, many ISP's don't provide static IP's. However, you're welcome to use port forwarding. I found this a more secure option.

@AutonomyCentral 6 лет назад

Tinkernut You can use a dynamic IP and duckdns

@Jimmy_Jones 6 лет назад

I wish I had static

@lmaoroflcopter 5 лет назад

Because that involves punching a hole directly from the internet, through your NAT to your raspberry pi. Tinkernut's approach means that it will only ever grab data from trusted sources and will work... Everywhere. Your approach while it will work, is less secure as anyone can send anything to your exposed service.

@CoffeeandCancerStix 6 лет назад

That's pretty cool, I wonder how hard it would be to have it synced to Bixby or Google assistant.

@radnukespeoplesminds 3 года назад

I saw an amazonbranded version of this on their website. It sucks that they have to take the fun out of making fun projects

@kintler11 6 лет назад

My alexa was like tf is going on. when you asked yours.

@mickgibson370 6 лет назад

I though away my receipt printer when the printers came down in price. I used it for printer on a Color Computer over 32 years ago. I believe it was a Sony.

@hamez1300 5 лет назад

I’d recommend NoIP as an alternative for ngrok.

@HarvssLadd 6 лет назад

DuckDNS? I use that a lot and it works fine.

@mike97525 6 лет назад

wonder if I could use one of these for a printer on my computer ?

@matthewbraun6517 6 лет назад

Please record your screen at a higher quality. So hard to read the text.

@Tinkernut 6 лет назад

If you need to read the text, please visit the project page. That's what it's for.

@lostinnovo1810 6 лет назад

I would use it to print code and add a qr code that could be scanned to open the code straight in vim

@dzlcrd9519 6 лет назад

How do you print tweets?

@goodBEan 6 лет назад

Does it work with digital books? I wrote a book and its on amazon. Alexa print out all 123 pages goodBEan's book titled "How to waste thermal paper with lifting a finger"

@dibarnu 6 лет назад

Run Alexa service on the Pi so you don't need a separate device.

@Syndesi 6 лет назад

Interestingly, when I have videos than the captured desktop video is in FullHD, but the real world camera only HD. And your setup is the whole opposite :D

@Tinkernut 6 лет назад

The recorder I had was set to full HD on the entire desktop cause I wasn't sure where Windows would pop up. In post production, I decided to go a different route and zoom into the windows. I knew it was pixelated as the end product, but I didn't want to go back through and re-record everything, and I figured the content was more important than a little pixelezation.

@Syndesi 6 лет назад

ah ok :D

@zigafide 6 лет назад

Could I do this with Google home?

@AutonomyCentral 6 лет назад

Zigafide Yep, just use the Google assistant service in IFTTT and configure it to something other than a shopping list

@GrahamWalters_ 6 лет назад

Not really. There's no way of accessing the shopping list via API or IFTTT, so you'd have to change it. You could instead make a custom command like "I need #" and have it print that single item. But then you wouldn't be able to see the list on the app or ask google to tell you what's on your list.

@AutonomyCentral 6 лет назад

Graham Walters Google's shopping list isn't as good as it used to be now it's not integrated with keep

@GrahamWalters_ 6 лет назад

ManyXD sorry I was responding to Zigafide. I agree though, keep was also much faster to check. I have google music and prefer how the google homes look, but as a dev I think Alexa has more options

@goodBEan 6 лет назад

I think it depends on iftt

@CorradoMella 6 лет назад

12V to 5V? Why not gut a £1.00 pound shop 12V to USB 5V car adapter? One of those small power adapters that plug in the car cigarette lighter! Small, powerful enough for a Pi, 5V USB socket on board. Only two wires to solder the 12V side to the printer. For the remote access, your router may have a DynDNS client or similar. Finally, enable UPnP on your router and install a UPnP library on the Pi to open the ports on the router.

@ben_lyngdoh 4 года назад

Using this method, can I convert an old card billing machine (say verifone vx520) into a custom printer?

@dj0rdj3- 6 лет назад

You can corrupt your sd card if you just remove power without shutting down!

@nerdilix1803 6 лет назад

you should just have used flask_ask, that would have been easier and you would not have had to use the webhook

@JustinTannenbaum2295 6 лет назад

do more tutorials in the old Tinkernut styles llz

@Tinkernut 6 лет назад

Oh, the good ole days :-) I remember you from waayyy back, and appreciate your subscription. Unfortunately, I don't have time anymore to do the old style videos anymore, so these will have to suffice. :-/

@JustinTannenbaum2295 6 лет назад

Tinkernut very understandable, also I emailed you about that documentary I told you about earlier again

@Tinkernut 6 лет назад

Got it, and I will do my best to help you out!

@JustinTannenbaum2295 6 лет назад

Tinkernut Thanks, appreciate it very much

@TheWilldrick 6 лет назад

InternetOfTat! Speaking of tat, is it possible to hook up an LPT without LPT to USB adapter? maybe straight to GPIO for the relevant data pins? I searched for a while but couldn't find any proper info on that. everybody uses those bloody adapters

@LozrusX 6 лет назад

Yes, driving a parallel port with GPIO is very easy. basically bring the 8 data pins high or low to set the value (one for each bit of a byte), then driver the strobe line high to transmit the byte. Repeat forever. To do it perfectly there are is some handshaking that you 'should' follow, and additional status lines that can be useful (like paper empty). Two way communication is a bit more work, and there are a few different schemes.

@QLTD 6 лет назад

cool, but the code is barely visible!

@Tinkernut 6 лет назад

That's what the project page is for!

@divlles 6 лет назад

Now how can we change shopping list to tweets and fb notifications post

@narayanbandodker5482 6 лет назад

Woah never been this early!

@dimitar.yordanov11 4 года назад

Can this code work for all USB thermal printers or is only for this printer?

@morganminecraftlegion9101 6 лет назад

I'd like for it to only print upon print request though...

@crazieeez 6 лет назад

Can you add an auto cutter to your receipt printer?

@karsnoordhuis4351 6 лет назад

Nice project! Is the text on the desktop a bit hard to read for anyone else?

@WaltonPete 6 лет назад

Kars Noordhuis He had problems with his screen capture software but decided to use it rather than delay posting.

@RealAxolotlR6 3 года назад

kind of late but is there any way this would work with a google home? i cant find the ingredient shopping list in ifthisthenthat

@saffanalvy Год назад

I miss this music.

6 лет назад

Please up your volume by like 300% I always have to turn my speakers up to 80% to properly listen to your videos!

@ZillionPrey 6 лет назад

Rafaël De Jongh that's what the volume knob is for

4 года назад

Hi ! I have a printer that looks like yours but seems to be different, it works but the font size is bigger and images are not working, just print garbage characters. Do you know what could happens?. Here is the vendor id, product id, , etc... p = Usb(0x0483, 0x070b, 0, 0x81, 0x02) Thanks a lot for your help

@8bit_coder 6 лет назад

Hey, does anyone know what's the name of the intro music? Thanks.

@DaveMcAnulty 6 лет назад

Thumbs up if your Alexa was triggered by this video :P

@simonmaersk 6 лет назад

Now do the same thing, but turn it into a offline Bitcoin wallet generator

@DangerousPictures 6 лет назад

Why is everybody using putty? In my opinion bitvise is a lot better, it has support for profiles but most important it has a file manager where you can easily upload files

@aliceaddison8638 5 лет назад

I have an alternative port forwarding

@maxximumb 6 лет назад

I'd make an IoT connected hammer that was activated each time it heard an annoying ping noise. Then post the whole project off to my favourite tinkering nut. So each time he add an annoying ding to his video edit, the hammer would activate and bonk him on the head. One day he might realise how annoying that bloody ding really is and stop using it.

@Tinkernut 6 лет назад

Find me an alternative sound effect that's more suited to your taste and I'll be happy to use it...until someone else complains about how annoying the new sound effect is. And thus it continues forever and ever. Believe it or not, I've tried doing a video with no background music or sound effects, and guess what....it got tons of complaints...

@richardhamilton9936 6 лет назад

The music is fine. The plinking sound? Not so much. At least lower the volume.

@Tinkernut 6 лет назад

Alternative suggestions for notification sounds?

@spot1401 6 лет назад

something along the line of the little pop sound bascially all notifications from outlook to ubuntu make when a tiny info bubble pops up in some corner of the screen. please note that apart from the sound (more like a small but noticeable annoyance to me) the video is great and I like how much info you provide. thanks!

@hafo821 6 лет назад

It could be done easier, but nice :-)

@mohamedyasirvm3643 6 лет назад

Where i can get thermal printer, could you share the link?

@izybit 6 лет назад

Mohamed Yasir VM Go to eBay.

@SilvioDidonna 6 лет назад

I've bought one from amazon warehouse.10 euros.

@izybit 6 лет назад

Silvio Didonna link?

@samuelhulme8347 6 лет назад

He got the printer from a bin

@INeedAttentionEXE 6 лет назад

No-ip is a good one, not sure if it has a Linux port

@ZillionPrey 6 лет назад

INeedAttention exe yup it has, i'm running the client on a Pi 2

@phinok.m.628 6 лет назад

What's wrong with dynamic DNS and port forwarding?

@lmaoroflcopter 5 лет назад

Because you're punching a hole right through your NAT to your Raspi. Are you sure your python code isn't vulnerable?

@lexpee 6 лет назад

Hmmm it have a USB connection why not using it with a PC.

@luke752010 5 лет назад

I have a wifi thermal printer. I Wish to send esc / pos commands using wifi insdead of USB. Is there any python code ti do this ?

@Zack-xz1ph 5 лет назад

python-escpos - Python library

@Zack-xz1ph 5 лет назад

just get a buck converter for the 5v. cheaper, more efficient, easier

@syedmuneeburrahman 6 лет назад

That tiding noise is annoying please avoid using it

@Tinkernut 6 лет назад

Pass. Thanks for the feedback, though.

@tubeDude48 6 лет назад

What The!

@batman1169 4 года назад

You could patent this and get China to mass produce them and sell them for $100 and people will buy them! So handy! Also have them wireless and print from your phone. "Hey Google, print this recipe" etc..

@EthanSeville 6 лет назад

Give the internet access to print anything through a web server >:D or get it to print out twitch chat

@JORGE4757S 6 лет назад

I will be honest the video was great but the music in the background was really awful and it seemed it didn't fit the topic

@Tinkernut 6 лет назад

You must be a new subscriber. I've been using the same background music for 7 years. I've tried changing it in the past, but my fans requested that I bring it bak.

@JeniousJustin 6 лет назад

Don't change it, it brings back memories lol. I used to watch your channel all the time.

@DiyintheGhetto 6 лет назад

Print me some bitcoin 😎

@afloyd4976 6 лет назад

2018: Still spelling URL instead of pronouncing it as "Earl."

@thomasdouwes 6 лет назад

@tapank415 6 лет назад

@hkbenja 3 года назад

I did say STER :(

@AshtonSnapp 6 лет назад

pwa

@fabiohead777 6 лет назад

you looks like bruce dickinson...

@TheRealSasquatch 6 лет назад

IOT - no thanks

@Joe-dt7wp 6 лет назад

Your videography has become appalling recently. How grainy can footage be?! Especially on a channel with >500k subscribers

@dannosaur7 6 лет назад

I noticed that too. Even at 1080p the text on the screen showing the SSH connection was blocky and pixelated.

@Tinkernut 6 лет назад

Thanks for the feedback. With a full time job and being a full time parent, it's hard to record when the lighting's perfect. I do what I can to keep content coming and projects coming. If you come for the video quality as opposed to the content, then I'm afraid I can't promise that type of commitment given that it takes everything I've got just to continue posting projects.

@Tinkernut 6 лет назад

That's a fail on behalf of the screen recorder. I noticed that too, but didn't have time to recapture video for the whole project. I decided posting when I promised was more important than a pixelated SSH prompt.

@Joe-dt7wp 6 лет назад

I fully understand your situation. I wouldn't like to try doing everything you're doing right now - it must be exhausting. I just thought I'd mention it, so if it is possible to fix it, you know about it. I didn't mean to be mean if it came across that way. Still love the content as I always have.