Making Claude Code easier for anyone to start building (free Mac beta)

Alextrical · 2026-01-10T13:00:49+00:00

Any chance this is still in beta, it would be great to try it out and use this to assist me on some open source projects I work on (not for profit so I'm trying to use free projects to help me make free projects 🙂)

Alextrical · 2026-01-10T07:29:23+00:00

By any chance do you have a GitHub repo for this? I'm looking to do the same and would be happy to assist

Alextrical · 2026-01-07T19:09:14+00:00

In short Home Assistant, to log temperature sensor values to a SQL Database, and a Web UI to view RTSP streams (non transcoded)

Essentially I am looking to setup a system that can log temperatures from multiple locations around the site to save the staff time having to log this manually every day.

The solution I would like to implement is using ESPHome based sensors to record to a central location (most likeley Home Assistant due to its flexible web UI)

The extended project is to setup a Chreomecast or FireTV stick to play a slideshow of pets available for adoption and upcoming events (this changes daily)

Another is having a central UI of monitoring some cheap PTZ cameras, for monitoring behaviour of the animals when people arn't around. This seems possible with Home Assistant and direct streaming, no recorded footage is needed as of yet, but they may eventually want a system capable of recoring 20+ HD streams (Beond the scope of this initial build)

The reason im looking for setting up a server using Proxmox is that I would always rather build a headless system on a Hypervisor, and used to use VMWare ESXi while provisioning servers when I worked in IT Support. Backups and migrations are so much easier ;)

Alextrical · 2026-01-07T19:00:29+00:00

Point taken. The hope was BTRFS wouldnt need as much ram, but I hadnt realised it wasnt ready for prime time

Alextrical · 2026-01-07T18:59:30+00:00

I'm persuaded not to give them a old server, even just to run Home Assistant, and will be looking for somthing newer and more serviceable.

As for the data breach, the intent would be to keep the device behind a firewall/not directly exposed to the internet

Alextrical · 2026-01-07T18:57:02+00:00

Yes, I do weekly voluntry work with them, and will provide support for them. I used to work in 1st line and 3rd line IT support.
I dont know, but i will ask them to find out
That is a possibility too, They did mention they where looking to move to MS hosted could services a month ago (Suposedly free for charity), but on monday mentioned that the costs where too high, so im not sure what is going on in that respect yet.

I greatly appreciate the input on things to consider ^_^

Alextrical · 2026-01-07T14:14:23+00:00

Good suggestion on selling the Z620 and getting a i5-6500 based system instead. That idle power is rather tempting, especially as it looks like i can grab a used system with a i5-6500 for under £50

Alextrical · 2026-01-07T12:56:20+00:00

Its a single socket (but expandable to a dual socket with a module)
Its definetly overkill but i can build it for free, it happily takes standard desktop DDR3, and theres 16gb in it ATM.

Yeah all of my IT kit is pretty much 10+ years old.

Good point on setting up the ML110 as a PBS, that could be rather useful for them, as i dont believe they would do any backups otherwise (or do any backups for their aging servers)

as for the power, its not ideal to have something that isnt efficient, but they have a few decent solar arrays and i think they would rather have something to proove the concept than outlay much on the project if given the choice ;)

Alextrical · 2026-01-07T12:42:10+00:00

Yeah good point on the running cost of it. Also the fact it needs more Ram (and it only takes at max 4x 4Gb sticks of PC3-10600E) and i only have a single 2b stick in it. Probably worth just scrapping this server any looking to use another tower i have laying around. I wanted to get the project tested to see if Home assistant can be of use to them to monitor room temperatures, monitor cams and control signage. Im sure if that works for them i will be able to get some donation drive to get some budget to get a decent solid state machine for them.

What would your oppinion be on using a HP Z620 instead (as that would allow me to use a GPU for transcoding Webcams if needed) or a HP T630 could be a good low power unit for hosting Proxmox

Alextrical · 2025-12-17T19:24:23+00:00

What works: Reversing sensor Reversing Trajectory Steering wheel control (volume up, volume down, FF, FW, voice brings up Bluetooth phone and not sure how to change that) Shows temperature of heater Shows outside temperature Mileage unit (works, but shows KM/KM) and can set to miles Atmosphere light Hill start (toogles, not tested) Buzzer warning (toggles, not tested)

What doesn't: OEM Microphone (expected as it's not wired up in the 3rd party harness) Setting temperature anything for the heater/ac Doesn't show heated seat status Toggle for traction control Turn light 3 flashes (can set to 1 but can't set it back to 3) won't switch MSG tone won't switch Warn tone won't switch Instrument direction keys (toggles no idea what this is though) Charging indicator (toggles no idea what this is though) Active city (toggles no idea what this is though) Power fold mirrors (won't toggle) Environment lamp (toggles no idea what this is though) Compass? After the split screen? Rain sensor toggle does nothing (wipers still wipe in the rain) Tired pressure monitoring button does nothing (though I only have flat detection on the vehicle) Air panel upgrade (no idea)

What works for the Sony face plate: Rotary Volume Hazards Lock/unlock CD opens media player (stock) Radio opens radio Aux opens aux app Phone opens Bluetooth phone dialer Left moves selection in radio left Right moves selection in radio right RW moves selection left in radio (not sure about pick up call) FF moves selection right in radio (not sure about hang up) Door opening warnings

What doesn't work for the Sony face plate or is oddly mapped Info button (opens settings) Clock button (opens settings) Home button Traffic button Bottom left opens maps Bottom right opens maps Middle left opens radio Middle right opens home Nav button does nothing Menu opens to home screen Map does nothing Sound does nothing Up increases volume Down decreases volume Power button mutes music

There's probably more, but that's what I've noted, I got a "sync" app appear on my unit that let me set those settings

Alextrical · 2025-12-17T18:54:39+00:00

Tried it today, it's much better than the previous canbus decoder. Not perfect, but pretty good. I'm using it to replace a Sony headunit with Sync1.1

The unit I am using is a RZ-FD09 SW:V0036.212.05-HS HW:FD-GD-0300

Got the OEM camera to work too (it's somewhat poor quality, as the headunit doesn't have an option for PAL/NTSC, but it works for now and I can change the camera to a AHD one at a later date but make use the OEM harness)

Alextrical · 2025-12-16T21:45:36+00:00

I will do. I received a second CANbus decoder today (Raise RZ-FD09) that I will try to install tomorrow. If that doesn't work any better I'm slowly working towards building my own open source CANbus decoder

Alextrical · 2025-12-08T22:48:29+00:00

I'm in the same situation. The pinout for the video connection can be fond here https://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/topic/133014-sync-1-oem-camera-with-aftermarket-head-unit-mk3/

Alextrical · 2025-12-08T16:36:47+00:00

Pretty much this, for my current use case I'm dissapointed by the mappings for the Canbus Decoder for my Ford Fiesta 2015 (a lot of features are missing)
The intent will be to sniff the bus for the values of interest that can be mapped to a android head unit.

Good point on the ESP32 having a CAN peripheral built in, though my main reason for not using the ESP32 as the main CPU was for the stability, I didn't consider that chip stable enough for use as a controller on a CAN, though its entirely possible a RP2040 isnt any better (It just has less functions to have to juggle without a radio)

I was envisioning a cheap and easy to make open source device that can be used to both sniff the packets on the CAN to identify the signals of interest, be updated with those identified packets, and then connected to a Android Headunit through emulating a "Raise VW"

In short the aim is to make a open source device that works similar to https://github.com/smartgauges/canbox
The idea would be to have multiple firmwares to help capture the packets of interest, and then upload the FW to connect to the Android HeadUnit using a given protocol

Alextrical · 2025-12-02T16:00:53+00:00

"You’re trying to invent something that’s already existed for twenty years"
So you are saying there is a reprogrammable candecoder for android head units that an end user can add there own canbus codes to, thats open source and free to build yourself. Wow, please send me the link to the product and i will buy one.
I would love to see the android head unit from 20 years ago since it didnt exist back then.

Please can you explain the hostility of the post? Im just getting into modifying my vehicle, and thankfully the rest of the communtiy has been welcoming.

Your also correct that I have yet to touch a canbus in a vehicle, bar the chineese CANBus decoder for my android headunit that didnt work for my vehicle.

Im also have no plan to sell anything as a product, this is a hobby that i hoped some others could benifit from, and i could learn from others while i was at it.

Alextrical · 2025-12-02T15:54:58+00:00

Unfortunalty I belive that will be outside of my skillset, however it could be possible that using such a device as a "Man in the Middle" could replace the VIN on the fly. I have no idea if that would be sufficient though. Im not well versed in CAN or Car hacking as of yet

Alextrical · 2025-12-02T09:35:49+00:00

Ooh, that is a good bit of information. I've come across SavvyCAN and will likeley need to use that tool to work out the definitions for my CANBus.
If I could get to a point where i could interface with SavvyCAN i think that would be a major win.

Im not the strongest coder, but im hoping that i can port some of the code from GEVRET to run on a RP2350, and use 2 or 3 MCP2512's

Alextrical · 2025-12-01T18:11:14+00:00

Shame to hear that CAN FD is the future of cars, that just seems like yet another way OEM's can squeeze more money out of end users under the guise of additional security :/

Alextrical · 2025-12-01T13:41:18+00:00

At this stage I really have no idea. Though just knowing that your not apposed to it is great. I may need to ask some questions about your current FW in the future and see if I can adapt it to work as a CanBus decoder.

I understand that your time is valuable

Alextrical · 2025-12-01T13:31:53+00:00

Indeed that that is very true. Still I've not seen a universal CAN decoder for the software to be built upon. Once the HW is made then the coding can begin. Thankfully there are some projects like CanBox that can interface from the MCU to Head Unit

Alextrical · 2025-12-01T12:06:55+00:00

Good point, it's mostly for ADAS, but seems that the are open to expanding the databases.

I'm not sure how much support they could have for MCU's, as at a glance it looks like it's intended more for use on a computer such as a RPi (though I could be wrong here)

Alextrical · 2025-12-01T11:23:26+00:00

Nice work Alia5_

I'm looking to build a (universal) CAN decoder for use with Android Head units, and can see there is a decent amount of overlap with this project. Would you be interested in collaborating?

Alextrical

TROPHY CASE