The author details their journey in creating a custom “front page” using a dot matrix printer connected to a Raspberry Pi. They share how they established the hardware, coded PHP scripts for data retrieval, and formatted the data for printing. Special characters, including Unicode art, are integrated, and a manual for the printer’s character set is found online. The author explains their desire to reduce screen time, reduce mental health strain, and enjoy having a physical newspaper-like update each morning. The project includes weather, stocks, news headlines, and Reddit posts, all printed in a structured format every morning at 8am.
https://aschmelyun.com/blog/getting-my-daily-news-from-a-dot-matrix-printer/