Time for Pi

[Kevin Cozens]

On 13-05-18 12:40 AM, Evan Leibovitch wrote:
> OK, you've convinced me. I wanna get a Raspberry Pi. Maybe more than one.
> Probably to play around with, but maybe ultimately as a home theatre client
> running Rasplex.

If you want to use a Pi as a media system there is Raspbmc 
(http://www.raspbmc.com/). I can't comment on it as I haven't used it.

> The two sites that are the direct sellers -- Newark and Allied -- both
> appear to make you create an account before they'll tell you shipping
> costs. What are they? Is one suppier clearly better than the other? Is
> there any clear advantage to multiple people pooling into one order?

My model B Pi with the expanded memory was bought from the bookstore at the 
Don Mills and Finch campus of Seneca College. Their units came from Element 
14. The bookstore price may be $5 to $10 above the standard $35 price. I 
can't say for certain as my Pi was a Christmas present.

> And finally ... what are people doing for cases?

I went with the Adafruit Pi box (ID 859). I like that I can take it apart to 
remove the top lid if I want to plug a board on to the GPIO header. Adafruit 
has a number of other cases available including the colourful Pibow.

The one thing about the Pi is all the accessories you may want/need. Added 
up, they cost a lot more than the Pi.

You can get a Ray-O-Vac power adapter (5V, 1A) that has a single USB 
connector for under $10 from Walmart, and a USB cable for about $3.

You could try, but really shouldn't, try powering a Pi from a computer USB. 
It needs more amperage than the computers USB connector is meant to provied.

I have noticed a WiFi adapter for the Pi may not work with all routers. I 
got the WiFi adapter from Adafruit. My router saw the connection from the Pi 
but the Pi never got its IP address. Since I switched from a D-Link DI-524 
to a Netgear WNR-2000 I have had no trouble. The Pi gets an IP address and I 
have wireless network connection to the Internet from the Pi.

Plugging the WiFi adapter in to the latest Pi model B (that has no 
protective fuses), when powered via the Ray-O-Vac device, the Pi will reset 
itself.

One other expense for a Pi is an HDMI cable if you have any display devices 
that accept HDMI. I didn't so I've gone with an HDMI to VGA adapter, and a 
VGA cable. About another $40 or so, combined, expense. If you need a display 
for the Pi, that can be another big expense depending on the size of display.

Also add a very small portable keyboard with mousepad. Another $20 or so.

Amazing how much money you can wind up spending on an inexpensive computer 
board like the Pi.

-- 
Cheers!

Kevin.

http://www.ve3syb.ca/           |"Nerds make the shiny things that distract
Owner of Elecraft K2 #2172      | the mouth-breathers, and that's why we're
                                 | powerful!"
#include <disclaimer/favourite> |             --Chris Hardwick
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