Canon PIXMA MG5250 installation in Linux

The installation was checked with Kubuntu. It is quite simple. Download the software here from the CANON site. Then select linux and download the Linux IJ Printer Driver and the Linux IJ Scanner Driver.

Select operating system and language

The drivers to download

You must accept the 'License Agreement' & 'Disclaimer'

You have the two files MG5200series-printer_driver.tar MG5200series-scanner_driver.tar

Extract the printer driver with ark into a directory. There you will find a manual, a deb and a rpm. From there extract the deb (for Kubuntu) cnijfilter-mg5200series-3.40-1-deb.tar.gz and inside there you will see a script file install.sh. Guess what, just run it and follow the instructions. Example:

user@linux: sudo ./install.sh 
==================================================

Canon Inkjet Printer Driver Ver.3.40-1 for Linux
Copyright CANON INC. 2001-2010
All Rights Reserved.

==================================================
Command executed = sudo dpkg -iG ./packages/cnijfilter-common_3.40-1_amd64.deb
(Reading database ... 123150 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace cnijfilter-common 3.40-1 (using .../cnijfilter-common_3.40-1_amd64.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement cnijfilter-common ...
Setting up cnijfilter-common (3.40-1) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin ...
ldconfig deferred processing now taking place
Command executed = sudo dpkg -iG ./packages/cnijfilter-mg5200series_3.40-1_amd64.deb
(Reading database ... 123150 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace cnijfilter-mg5200series 3.40-1 (using .../cnijfilter-mg5200series_3.40-1_amd64.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement cnijfilter-mg5200series ...
Setting up cnijfilter-mg5200series (3.40-1) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin ...
ldconfig deferred processing now taking place

#=========================================================#
#  Register Printer
#=========================================================#
Next, register the printer to the computer.
Connect the printer, and then turn on the power.
To use the printer on the network, connect the printer to the network.
When the printer is ready, press the Enter key.
> 

#=========================================================#
#  Connection Method
#=========================================================#
 1) USB
 2) Network
Select the connection method.[1]2

Searching for printers...

                                                                                
#=========================================================#                     
#  Select Printer                                                               
#=========================================================#                     
Select the printer.                                                             
If the printer you want to use is not listed, select Update [0] to search again.
To cancel the process, enter [Q].                                               
-----------------------------------------------------------                     
 0) Update                                                                      
-----------------------------------------------------------                     
Target printers detected (MAC address  IP address)                              
1) Canon MG5200 series (88-87-17-8D-43-09 192.168.1.106)                        
-----------------------------------------------------------                     
Currently selected:[1] Canon MG5200 series (88-87-17-8D-43-09 192.168.1.106)    
Enter the value. [1]                                                            
                                                                                
#=========================================================#
#  Register Printer
#=========================================================#
Enter the printer name.[MG5200LAN]
Command executed = sudo /usr/sbin/lpadmin -p MG5200LAN -m canonmg5200.ppd -v cnijnet:/88-87-17-8D-43-09 -E

#=========================================================#
#  Set as Default Printer
#=========================================================#
Do you want to set this printer as the default printer?
Enter [y] for Yes or [n] for No.[y]y

#=========================================================#
Installation has been completed.
Printer Name : MG5200LAN
Select this printer name for printing.
#=========================================================#
user@linux: 

Easy! Tested and working fine!

Raspberry Pi B+ to PI2 case modification (Pibow Ninja)

With the new RPi2, Pimoroni initially announced that the B+ case would fit the new raspberry pi. Unfortunately smaller components get in the way and layer 3 of the case does not sit on layer 2. This post shows how the Ninja case for RPI B+ can be adapted for the RPI2.

The disassembled case

All the Ninja's case grey layers

The solution

Layer 3 and files for plastic

Areas which needed plastic removal

Details

The End

Pibow Ninja B+ case assembled with raspberry Pi 2 inside

Useful recipes

• Change encoding of files
  The following example uses iconv to change the encoding of all the .php files in a folder tree from ISO-88592 to UTF8.

  find . -name "*.php" -exec sh -c "( \
  iconv -f ISO88591 -t UTF8 {} -o {}.iconv ; \
  mv {}.iconv {} ; echo {}; \
  )" \;

  Remember to backup your data just in case. This will recursively find the appropriately named files and re-encode them (the temporary file is necessary, as iconv otherwise destroys the input). You might also want to convert other files (.html).
  See also this link

• Match and delete files recursively
  The following example deletes files ending in tilde (~), which usually are temporary or backup files

  find . -type f -name '*~' -exec rm -f '{}' \;

• List all files in $PATH

  for i in `echo $PATH | tr ':' '\n'`; do echo $i; ls $i; done

Ya Skaju Tebe (translation / tradução)

A major problem of the internet is, of course, that there are no translations of the lyrics of "Ya Skaju Tebe" of Rodrigo Leão available online!
This post fixes this long felt problem by providing an English translation (many thanks to Elena I.):

I will tell you and you will see
 - life is beautiful but dangerous (2 times).
But I am not afraid and
   I will still come back alone (2 times).
(these two lines repeat again).

Below is a video in case you want to translate it to other languages.

Rodrigo Leão (with Viviana Tupikova and sang by Ana Vieira) - Ya Skaju Tebe

USB Mass Storage Mode in Xperia phones running ICS

After an update to Ice Cream Sandwich, xperia phones (xperia pro, xperia arc, walkman and others) no longer automatically mount through USB in linux. In windows they offer to install PC companion.

Some are puzzled because the option seems to have vanished from the settings. The option is still there but was apparently moved and is no longer active by default. Disconnect the USB cable and go to:

Settings > Xperia™ > Connectivity > USB connection mode

Change between the modes and connect it to the computer or device where you want your phone data mounted.

Gigaset N300 A IP settings for 12voip.com

To use the gigaset N300 A IP with the 12voip operator the following settings can be used. Note that the gigaset interface differs slightly from what is described in the manual. To access the interface type the IP address of the gigaset DECT base station in a browser or type http://www.gigaset-config.com/ (...well...).

The basic connection details

The advanced settings

In the page of the connections wait a bit and refresh the page to see that the connection is "Registered". The caller ID number that appears to the recipient of your calls is defined in the 12voip.com website. A degree of spoofing is unfortunately possible.

VOIP operators - Price comparison

Using Voice over IP operators became fashionable mainly because of the low tariffs they offer in comparison with the traditional operators (who are sometimes charging as if they had "old style switched networks" but who are using voip themselves anyway). Several alternative providers had been suggested to me but in the end it seemed they all were from the same company. The options I was considering were different brands of Betamax:

"Betamax GmbH & Co KG is a company registered in Cologne, Germany. In December 2005 it took over all of the VoIP services previously run by Finarea SA, and has since added a few more. With one exception, all of these services offer the same features; the only difference seems to be in the rates charged to various destinations at any one time, and in the color scheme used on the web pages and soft phones.

There are some indications that Betamax might just be a front for Finarea which still operates traditional PSTN call-by-call services in a number of European and Asian countries." (full post)

A more complete price comparison of the voip offers from this mysterious company can be found at http://backsla.sh/betamax.

Note: It appears the prices change and thus keeping an eye on them might be advisable (see more here) . My experience is that prices might not be exactly as advertised. For example, 12voip charges differently if you use your voip equipment or if you use their softphone, although only the latter is published.

More general comparisons of VOIP prices, including Skype, etc, can be found here.