Demo Applications for MK802 MiniPC
============================================
Author: Shikai Chen (A.K.A CSK), csk@live.com, http://www.csksoft.net


I. Introductions
----------------------
This folder contains all the source code (and the build scripts) of the demo applications for MK802 MiniPC.

The source code can be cross-compiled on a x86 PC (ubuntu 12.04 LTS is recommended). The arm-native build should work but it hasn't been verified yet.

Beside the arm target, the code also works on x86 platforms.

Here is a breif introduction of each sub folder(project)'s propourse:
/-< Project Root>
 |--- bandwidth     # fetechs network bandwidth data from a DD-WRT router and displays the graphic data on a 128x64 VFD
 |                  # demo video: http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/oubxw-PhL7s/
 |
 |--- cam2vfd       # displays OpenCV processed video captured from a usb webcam on a 128x64 VFD
 |                  # demo video: http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/foI-2HcCcKY/
 |
 |--- cam2vfd_fg    # similar with cam2vfd, but the OpenCV's BackgroundSubtractorMOG is used and the foreground mask is displayed. 
 |                  # demo video: http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/OCmPiTiK_48/
 |
 |--- facetrack     # controls a camera on a 2-axis PTZ to always track a human face. 
 |                  # demo video: http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/wvnv7vbJnGU/
 |
 |--- lighttrack    # controls a camera on a 2-axis PTZ to always track a lighting source
 |                  # demo video: http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/eMv3zLORfDw/
 |
 |--- opencv_tester # very simple testing program to verfiy the openCV function
 |
 |--- simple_serial_vfd # very simple testing program to verfiy the VFD driver
 |
 |--- common        # supporting libraries
 |--- utils
 |--- serialdrv
 |--- vfd_common
 |
 |--- scripts       # building system

II. Cross-compile on a x86 Linux PC
-----------------------------------
a. Prerequisite:
1) arm-gcc (if the targer rootfs is armhf based, please use the armhf-gcc version)
   You can retrieve one using apt-get on ubuntu :
   sudo apt-get install gcc-4.6-arm-linux-gnueabi
   <or> sudo apt-get install gcc-4.6-arm-linux-gnueabihf-* (for armhf rootfs)

2) building system (make, autoconfig, ...)
   On a ubuntu PC, simply :
   sudo apt-get install build-essential

3) Opencv 2.3 headers and the compiled lib binaries
   You can download the OpenCV's source code and cross-compile it yourself, or simply copy them from an arm-ubuntu that OpenCV lib has been installed using apt-get:
   sudo apt-get install libopencv-dev

b. configure
   The typical configure/build process is used here. 
   For cross-compile the code to arm target, the following configure commandline is recommended:
   ./configure --prefix=<OpenCV header/lib path> --host=<cross compiler prefix>
   
   * OpenCV header/lib path:
   If the OpenCV's header is under ~/opencv2.3/include and the lib binary is under ~/opencv2.3/lib, then the OpenCV header/lib path should be set tp ~/opencv2.3
   
   * cross compile prefix:
   For armel build, using arm-linux-gnueabi, for armhf build, using arm-linux-gnueabihf.

   Here is an example:
   ./configure --prefix=/media/data-60/src/app-arm-a8/crosscompile_root --host=arm-linux-gnueabihf

   Using the above commandline, the code is ready to be built on a armhf target. The OpenCV lib/header is under /media/data-60/src/app-arm-a8/crosscompile_root

c. Build
   Simply type make under the project root folder to start the building process.

d. The build result
   The output binary will be stored in the .output folder under the project root folder.

e. Deploy to the target machine
   Simply copy the output result (.output/*) to the target machine (i.e. MK802)
   For projects like facetrack and bandwidth, extral files need to be deployed. Please check the readme file under the sub project folder for details.

III. Native-compile on arm-linux
-----------------------------------
   The code should be built using the typical configure-make process. (not verified yet)

IV. More Information
-----------------------------------
   There is a related article describes the details of the source code's usage. Please visit the author's blog: http://www.csksoft.net/blog
   The related article URL: http://www.csksoft.net/blog/post/mk802_dev_intro.html
   
   The article is published in Chinese version, English version may be released. If you have further question, contact to the author via emails. :-)