Hello,
After good experience with legacy Blink on ESP8266 platform, I want to get started with Blynk on Raspberry Pi 4. I currently use python code on RPI to handle sensor data. So my preferred solution would be to use a python library to communicate with the Blynk 2.0 cloud platform. Yesterday I started exploring the available libraries. So far I understand there are 3 python libraries available:
1/ vshymanskyy (Volodymyr Shymanskyy) · GitHub v0.2.0 to be used with legacy Blynk.
2/ vshymanskyy (Volodymyr Shymanskyy) · GitHub v1.0.0 to be used with Blynk 2.0
3/ https://github.com/blynkkk/lib-python v0.2.6
I quickly tried out some code to interact with Blynk 2.0 with library vshymanskyy (Volodymyr Shymanskyy) · GitHub v1.0.0. I used basic Timer functionality and simple virtual_write. Without any problem, connection was established and running code survived the night
My questions:
1/ I see some TODO’s in this library code related to disconnect funtionality and others. Is there support for this python lib? Anyone experience with long-term stability?
2/ I understand that the other library (ref /3) do not support Blynk 2.0 yet?
Is this the way forward for me? Or would it be better to migrate to C++ application code & C++ Blynk 2.0 library? E.g. I see in the Blynk 2.0 online code generator only support to generate C++ sample code, no python code. Any links to a support page and experience with C++ Library would be welcome!
You can’t run C++ on a Pi, as WiringPi was deprecated a few years ago.
In my opinion, the Pi isn’t a great client device for Blynk (or any other IoT solution either). It is expensive, bulky, power hungry and slow to boot. If you use an SD card then the card WILL fail after time, and there is quite a lot of work required to set the Pi up with an OS and maintain everything up to date.
Having said that, if you have a good reason to use a Pi then you’d be far better running Node-Red and the Blynk plug-in for Node-Red. If you install the Pi extensions for Node-Red then you can also read-write the Pi’s GPIOs from Node-Red.
Technically I agree. The ESP8266 is the perfect solution, low cost, low power, low maintenance. Troubles queue up for the ESP8266 based board when 1/ you have low volume 2/you want own production. 2/you want compliance with European standards (CE mark). Labo De Nayer(Belgium) gave ‘crazy’ price estimate for CE assement of ESP8266 solution. Moving to a Pi based solution reduces this cost significantly: off-the-shelve box, with pre-assessement done already. Only the sensor-box needs extra testing in the lab at much lower cost.
I do not see the issue with the SD-card, as long as you do not write to it.
I think I will stick with the Volodymyr Shymanskyy v1.0.0 python library the next couple of days to further evaluate. (I understand now it is developed in Ukraine. Let’s support them
