Raspberry Pi

[PilotMan]

So cartman's question reminded me that I was thinking of getting one of these to mess around with as well as getting one for my 12 year old son for Christmas.

My biggest drawback is that I really don't have any idea what to do with it. So I'm wondering how many have messed around with them? What have you done with them? What kinds of things could a talented 12 year old do with them? How much more money will it cost to really do something with it after the initial board outlay?

[FBPro]

Well, my son has one and loves it. Watches videos, plays games on it etc.....

[dzilla77]

I would try google. There are a number of sites that have projects for Raspberry Pi's and also arduino's. Arduinos are micro-controllers that require more advanced engineering skills - circuit design and software development, but I think there's a bit more DIY in them. There are books and sites devoted to projects for both of them (probably youtube as well).

[cartman]

I'm using mine as a dedicated uploader to Weather Underground for a weather station I have. Seems better to use something like a Pi than leave a full desktop on all the time for it.

[PilotMan]

Weather in Texas doesn't change that much cartman.

[Ramzavail]

google "raspberry pi ideas" I was curious about this as well a month or so back and I couldn't really find a good use for it/worth spending my time setting up.

[RainMaker]

I was thinking of getting one and using it as an NES emulator.

[PilotMan]

Well I ordered one today. Hopefully I can find something for the two of us to work on with it.

[cartman]

PM, did you ever figure out stuff to do with your Pi?

I finally got mine set up to send to Weather Underground. I also have a weather webcam linked up to it. Here is the URL:
La Ventana-Ranchers Club Lane Weather | Personal Weather Station: KTXDRIFT6 by Wunderground.com | Weather Underground

[nilodor]

I set mine up as an emulation station and was able to get my PS3 controllers working with it.

I was looking at building a weather station for my father. Where did you get your sensors from? I was thinking of getting the bricklets from tinkerforge and then mounting them in a pelican case.

[cartman]

I picked up an Acurite 5-in-1 sensor set that they had at Costco back in the fall. There is the outdoor unit that I mounted on a 10 foot pole in my backyard, then the inside display unit, that has the USB connection to the Pi. There is a guy in Arizona with a blog that was a great help in getting the initial code to get data from the inside unit to the Pi. He's even now bypassed the display unit completely and hooked a receiver up to his Pi to get the data from the outside unit.

[tarcone]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

Weather in Texas doesn't change that much cartman.

He did say he was in the "Weather Underground". Sounds like a weather changing terrorist organization. They might be trying to bring super ice storms to Texas.

[nilodor]

Originally Posted by cartman

I picked up an Acurite 5-in-1 sensor set that they had at Costco back in the fall. There is the outdoor unit that I mounted on a 10 foot pole in my backyard, then the inside display unit, that has the USB connection to the Pi. There is a guy in Arizona with a blog that was a great help in getting the initial code to get data from the inside unit to the Pi. He's even now bypassed the display unit completely and hooked a receiver up to his Pi to get the data from the outside unit.

That's pretty cool, do you have a link to the guys site?

[cartman]

Originally Posted by nilodor

That's pretty cool, do you have a link to the guys site?

Sure. This is the first link I saw. He's posted several more regarding the Pi.

Desert Home: AcuRite Weather Station, Raspberry Pi and a USB interface; Part 1

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by cartman

PM, did you ever figure out stuff to do with your Pi?

I finally got mine set up to send to Weather Underground. I also have a weather webcam linked up to it. Here is the URL:
La Ventana-Ranchers Club Lane Weather | Personal Weather Station: KTXDRIFT6 by Wunderground.com | Weather Underground

Nope, it's been on the back burner with school and all. He has looked at some of the projects, but can't make up his mind.

[ISiddiqui]

For all your Raspberry Pi folks:

You Can Download a Free Windows 10 Preview For Raspberry Pi Right Now

[stevew]

So is there any secret to getting a raspberry pi zero w at list price(10$?). Since the NES Classic is discontinued I was thinking of just building one and also throwing Kodi on it. I suppose I could just get a 3 but it seems like overkill. I've seen a lot of badass case mods on Etsy for a few bucks.

[cartman]

I've been wanting to get a Pi Zero as well, but they do seem to be sold out everywhere.

But back on my weather Pi, I ended up redoing everything from scratch. The previous method I was using was often times getting strange, way out of whack readings. Like 100+ mph winds, 150 degree temps, etc. I never could figure out why these were happening, so I pretty much stopped running the weather app. Flash forward to about a month ago, and on a whim I started researching things again. I found a pre-built installable package that used a USB antenna and decoded the radio signals that come from the outside weather station. This software package also could output the decoded readings into JSON. Which is a lot easier to deal with than parsing text files.

So I started figuring out the best way to get the JSON into a DB and then on to Weather Underground, when I ran across another software package called Weewx that does all of that for you! I even generates web pages to display your data. I got all of that installed and configured, and it works like a champ. I also added Zoneminder into the mix, to grab screen shots off of an IP camera that I have to add in an outside look. Here's a link to my weather website, which runs off of a Pi I have sitting on my kitchen counter.

La Ventana, Driftwood TX Current Weather Conditions

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by stevew

So is there any secret to getting a raspberry pi zero w at list price(10$?). Since the NES Classic is discontinued I was thinking of just building one and also throwing Kodi on it. I suppose I could just get a 3 but it seems like overkill. I've seen a lot of badass case mods on Etsy for a few bucks.

While I really don't understand what Nintendo is doing, discontinuing the Classic definitely isn't the end of the world. We got our son a Pi for Christmas/birthday, and he has a few emulators on it (NES, Super NES, N64 at least, I think) tied together through RetroPie. It's amazing. Thinking I may need one of my own for when he eventually takes his to college (or just to play while he using his).

[cartman]

For those curious about RetroPie, here is a great article:

One-upping the NES Classic Edition with the Raspberry Pi 3 and RetroPie | Ars Technica

I built one of these last year with another Pi I had sitting around. My new car has HDMI inputs, and I hooked this up in the car when we took a camping trip to Big Bend last year for my cousin's sons to help with the 10+ hour drive out there and back.

[Julio Riddols]

I also got one of these, and despite relatively limited technical skills I was able to set it up without much issue. Now I have a little box full of games I can take anywhere.

[murrayyyyy]

Originally Posted by stevew

So is there any secret to getting a raspberry pi zero w at list price(10$?). Since the NES Classic is discontinued I was thinking of just building one and also throwing Kodi on it. I suppose I could just get a 3 but it seems like overkill. I've seen a lot of badass case mods on Etsy for a few bucks.

I made one last week and the just went with the 3. Think my build out cost me $88. When I consider the fact that I have 12 video game systems on it compared to the NES Classic being $60 for 30 games it seemed like a no brainer to go with the more expensive pi 3 and getting a 64 card from WalMart for $27 instead of using a 16 or 8.

[Julio Riddols]

The Canakit Raspberry Pi kits are a solid deal on Amazon.

[Arles]

I'm looking at getting one of these for my 14-year old son. He's interesting in it and would probably want to set it up as a minecraft server or runs some mods on it. What would the best kit be? Here are some I'm looking at on Amazon:

version 4: $97
CanaKit Raspberry Pi 4 4GB Starter Kit with Clear Case (4GB RAM)

version 3-3B: $70-75
Amazon.com: Vilros Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit with Clear Case and 32GB SD Card: Computers & Accessories
Amazon.com: Vilros Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit - WiFi + Bluetooth Connectivity: Computers & Accessories

I can get a 3 Kit for around $50 as well (but no OS SD card). What version would you guys recommend and is there a better deal out there I am missing? I remember when these full kits were all sub $50, now everything seems a lot more pricey.

[Arles]

Another question - can you setup a switch to go between one of these Raspberry Pi kit computers and a desktop (to share the monitor, mouse and keyboard)? Would a normal KVM switch work?

[cartman]

I'd go with the Pi4. It is a ton faster. They have 3 different versions now, 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB. The base 1GB is still $35. Just be aware that you'll likely need to buy the Pi approved USB-C plug, as there is a design issue that doesn't allow all USB-C devices to provide power.

As for using a KVM switch, sure. I'm using a four port KVM for a couple of my Pi setups, plus my firewall, and a NAS server.

[DanGarion]

Yeah, a KVM would be a totally normal setup.

[Arles]

Thanks guys. I'll look for a deal on a Pi4 kit and find a decent switch then!

[Arles]

OK, here are the options I've found - any advice?

Pi 4 kit (with cooling fan) and Noobs 32 GB card (2 GB): $77
Vilros Raspberry Pi 4 Complete Kit with Clear Transparent Fan Cooled Case (2GB)

Pi 4 kit (with cooling fan) and Noobs 32 GB card (1 GB): $67
Vilros Raspberry Pi 4 Complete Kit with Clear Transparent Fan Cooled Case (1GB)

Target is running the Kano pi 3 with keyboard for $49 (doorbuster price):
https://www.target.com/p/kano-computer-kit/-/A-52695347

I'm leaning towards one of the top two, but then I would have to buy a kvm switch as well. if I buy the target special, I get a keyboard (and just need an HDMI switch). 3 questions:
1. What's the difference between 3 and 4?
2. Is there a diff between 1 and 2 GB?
3. Does anyone have a link to a reliable KVM that isn't super expensive?

Thanks!

[cartman]

The difference between the 3 and 4 is that the 4 is a lot more powerful. It has USB3, and true gigabit ethernet, that doesn't share the bus to the CPU with USB. The 4 also has different models with more memory if you need it.

Which flows into you next question. It would be the same comparison with going with 1gb vs. 2gb in a regular desktop. It just gives more RAM to the OS to use.

Haven't had to buy a KVM in a while, but Amazon looks to have a bunch of inexpensive two port KVMs. If you are needed a new monitor as well, I've seen a few that have built in KVMs, so that might be an option to look at.

Today I wrapped up migrating my personal weather station from a Pi3 to a Pi4. It is a lot more responsive, and having 2gb has been a big help as well. You can take a look at the website, which I also serve from the pi, here:

Ranchers Club Lane, La Ventana Weather Conditions

[Arles]

Thanks, Cartman. I ended up going with the Kano pi 3 because it was only $49 and I could get it online. Also, since the Kano has a keyboard and mouse built in, I'm just going to add a second DVI (monitor) - HDMI (Pi box) cable. Then, he can just switch the display to change CPUs. The price ended up being $95 + $25 for the Pi 4 and switch, or $49 for the Kano Pi 3 (I already had the cable). That difference was just too much for where I think my oldest will be with it.

If he really gets into it, I can give this one to his 6-year old brother and buy a Pi 4 down the road. Thanks for your help though!

[albionmoonlight]

I, too, am looking at something for my 11 year old. He has expressed interest, but does not have much experience in this area. I'm happy to help him learn, but I'm not the most experienced in this area, either. That said, it will be fun to learn together.

One question about Pi 3 vs. Pi 4: Because the 3 has been out longer, there seems to be a lot more community support/programs for it. If we get the 4, are we going to be stuck with a lot of "People are still developing this cool program for the 4?"

I don't want to get him something that will be outdated. But I also don't want to get him hardware if the software isn't there yet (and isn't likely to be for a while).

I'd really appreciate any thoughts on that.

[Flasch186]

I got my son a 3 and after he's spent so much time on his Ipad and PS4 he lost interest so quick. I'm glad I didn't spend a lot on it.

[Arles]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

I, too, am looking at something for my 11 year old. He has expressed interest, but does not have much experience in this area. I'm happy to help him learn, but I'm not the most experienced in this area, either. That said, it will be fun to learn together.

One question about Pi 3 vs. Pi 4: Because the 3 has been out longer, there seems to be a lot more community support/programs for it. If we get the 4, are we going to be stuck with a lot of "People are still developing this cool program for the 4?"

I don't want to get him something that will be outdated. But I also don't want to get him hardware if the software isn't there yet (and isn't likely to be for a while).

I'd really appreciate any thoughts on that.

I think it depends on what you want to do with it. If it's to learn, make a Minecraft server and poke around in - I think a 3 would be fine. If you want to instead make a legit server for major tasks and use the extra CPU power, the 4 may be better. I ended up on going with the 3 because it was cheaper and I'm not sure what my son will want to do with it. He is learning .NET right now on the side, so I'm guessing he will mess with the Python and Minecraft capability. But, since I didn't have a task in mind that needed the power of the 4, I opted for the cheaper option with more open-ended options.

[MrBug708]

A couple years ago I was selected to attend training for Raspberry Pi (put on by the company), but it coincided with the first two days of teaching summer school. I was quite upset that I had to miss it.

[cartman]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

One question about Pi 3 vs. Pi 4: Because the 3 has been out longer, there seems to be a lot more community support/programs for it. If we get the 4, are we going to be stuck with a lot of "People are still developing this cool program for the 4?"

I don't want to get him something that will be outdated. But I also don't want to get him hardware if the software isn't there yet (and isn't likely to be for a while).

I'd really appreciate any thoughts on that.

The difference between Pi3 and Pi4 is all in the hardware. The 4 has tons of improvements. They share the same operating system, a version of Linux called Raspbian. There are also other OSes you can use (even Windows) but most of the training and examples you'll find for the Pi are based on Raspbian.

[cartman]

one caveat on what I posted: the Pi4 requires the latest version of Raspbian, called Buster. Retropie is a popular emulator that doesn't work out of the box with Buster, you have to manually build it. There might be a couple of other examples of that, but the documentation for any projects you look into should have any caveats like that.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Yeah, I have an old one I built with Retropie on Pi3 mainly for old school console gaming. It's got some warts (slight input lag I can't seem to get rid of being my chief complaint), but all in all it's pretty awesome.

[henry296]

Anyone with experience with micro:bit. Thinking about for my daughter who does a lot scratch programming as a way to expand her coding experience.

[henry296]

I just got my daughter the Raspberry 4 kit with touchscreen monitor included. She built it all by herself, but the touch screen doesn't work. Nothing happens on the screen when the Pi is powered on. It works fine if we connect it to an existing computer monitor, so the Pi itself works. I've double checked the cables which seem fine. Some of the online help suggests running a command to make sure it is detected which doesn't return anything but I'm not sure if that is valid if I also have it connected via HDMI to the monitor

Any suggestions. The google results seem to suggest lots of config changes but was hoping this kit with everything would be more plug and play.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by henry296

I just got my daughter the Raspberry 4 kit with touchscreen monitor included. She built it all by herself, but the touch screen doesn't work. Nothing happens on the screen when the Pi is powered on. It works fine if we connect it to an existing computer monitor, so the Pi itself works. I've double checked the cables which seem fine. Some of the online help suggests running a command to make sure it is detected which doesn't return anything but I'm not sure if that is valid if I also have it connected via HDMI to the monitor

Any suggestions. The google results seem to suggest lots of config changes but was hoping this kit with everything would be more plug and play.

My friend suggested to unplug and re-plug. Many times the connectors can be touchy.
Also, make sure the company made the touch screen doesn't have it own setup procedures.
And one more thing: There are two edge connectors, one is for camera and the other is display. Double check it is in right one.

[henry296]

Thanks. I've definitely plugged it in multiple times and did notice the camera vs. display ports. It is the official display and I've watched a video multiple times, so I don't think there are special instructions.