This SVG is then rendered as a PNG using rsvg-convert and converted to a grayscale, no transparency color space as required by the Kindle using pngcrush.
This is accomplished by preprocessing a specially crafted SVG file to insert temperatures, forecast symbols, and days of the week. After parsing the data, the data then needs to be converted into an image.
#WEATHER DISPLAY DOWNLOAD#
The scripts first download and parse forecast data from NOAA via the National Digital Forecast Database XML/SOAP Service. The server side of the system uses shell and Python scripts to convert weather forecast data into an image for the Kindle. While the Kindle is capable of handling both parts, I already had a server, and utilizing it saved me the time and hassle of setting up a build environment for the Kindle. The server fetches and processes weather data to create an image, and the Kindle downloads and displays it. The system consists of two parts, one running on the wall-mounted Kindle and one running on a server. However, with the price of Amazon’s cheapest Kindle recently dropped to $69, I decided e-paper displays were finally cheap enough for me to pursue such a project: an e-paper based weather forecast display. Unfortunately, e-paper displays have always cost more than I was willing to spend on such a project. Ever since I first learned about electronic paper, I’ve thought it would be perfect to display some sort of regularly updated, but not real-time, data such as the current date, an agenda, or the weather forecast.