Does anyone tried to make esp8266 to interact with printer/scanner? I was thinking I have 2 printers connected to same wifi. One has copy and scan function but it uses ink. Other is super robust laser printer. So I am thinking to get best of both and make them work together. But I don’t know how. The idea is to make esp with one pushbutton and SD card. And when button is pushed it connects to scanner downloads image and then connects to printer and makes it print that image. I know sounds a bit stupid but laser printer is much more efficient and if it is possible it would act as standalone copier.
Would be easier with a device that can run Linux, like a Raspberry Pi Zero W. Those are available for $15… A script triggered by a button to run, say, scanimage or scanadf, and then print the resulting file, would likely be possible, if both devices are supported by Linux.
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Good thinking …
These esp32 variants are usually less costly than a PI… I think they are much like the @Ernests_Brigis board…
From around 2021… some reading … to think about
Good luck…
While a very slim Linux kernel and utils might run on an ESP32, it will be tough to also get SANE and CUPS, plus the printer drivers on the ESP32. rPi ZeroWs are available and are only $15.
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I was thinking of the newer PIs that are (were) about $50.
That’s why I said:
Ya @jkwilborn there are many rPi’s and come in all ranges of pricing. Michael did mention specifically the rPi Zero W. Check it out if you have not because they are cheap and run full Linux. I have one running Node Red with MQTT server(mosquito) and it blows me away how well it works.
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Yes, I’ll check it out…
Do it all in Linux would be much easier for sure but there is one downside and that’s boot time. It must be turned on forever or I must wait until it boots while esp takes couple seconds to connect to wifi. But making esp to work can be nightmare. Is it possible to make my router do all job and esp just send command?
What are you doing on Linux which takes so long to boot? If you are comparing the desktop version of the Raspberry Pi OS with an esp32 firmware you are comparing peanuts to a multi-course meal. Something like OctoPi should boot in about 30 seconds but it will depend on your uSD card if that’s what you’re using to hold the OS and software. At least in that case you are comparing apples to oranges so much closer. The esp32 has onboard flash and is a micro-controller typically with no OS or with FreeRTOS so nothing like a full blown OS such as a Linux distribution even if it’s running headless(no GUI running locally).
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