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Raspberry pi

Started by wooders1978, August 18, 2015, 08:53:00 AM

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buzby

On a Pi-related note, I'm currently developing a couple of new hardware units at work based on the PIC32MX795F512 device - a 32-bit 80MHz processor with 128KB onboard RAM, 512KB flash, built in Ethernet, USB and UARTs, watchdog, DMA controller and loads of GPIO pins. They are going to be linked together via RS485 as a way of extending a signalling link over a long distance (we can't use ethernet for security reasons).

I'm currently prototyping the firmware using a Fubarino SD 1.5 board:
http://fubarino.org/sd/
and using MPIDE, which has been forked off from the original Arduino version to support MicroChip's PIC32 processor line and a lot of the Arduino libraries and low-level sketch support libraries have been ported over (and new libraries developed for PIC32-specific hardware features). The Fubarino directly connects to the PC via USB and gets it's power form the USB as well.

Ten years ago for similar specs we had to design a full system from scratch with all these features as individual pieces of hardware which would have cost £300-400 just for the components. I wouldn't have been able to seriously start firmware development until the first-off board arrived, and then I would have had to flash some PROMs or load the firmware over JTAG every time I made a change, and the compilers for the processor (for example the MicroTec or Greenhills 68k compilers for the Motorola QUICC family) cost us a couple of thousand quid.

It's great that these devices have got to a level that we can use them to replace entire boards. It's a revolution for small-scale embedded development projects.

hewantstolurkatad

So hey, what's the cheapest I could get a pretty easy to use linux UI running on one of these that I'd be able to carry around to some place with no real hassle.

From what I can see, the requirements are:
- raspberry pi zero
- fastish micro sd card
- keyboard
- screen
- either a touchpad or the screen being a touchscreen
- power source

Could it all be managed for under $40? If your typical USB battery pack is okay as a power source for 1-2 hours, then I've got that.

Zetetic

You might consider something like the PocketCHIP instead, although that's $70.

hewantstolurkatad

Oh, I'd probably wind up doing entirely different things with it, it's more that that seems like the starting point to work from in terms of having general computer functionality.

Pi Zero - $5 ?
UHS-1 SD Card - $5-10 ?
keyboard - $10-15 ?
batteries for keyboard - $1-2 ?
Screen - fuck knows
Portable power source - ???
Bluetooth/wifi - $10 apparently but not that important, I've an Edimax USB dongle so if I need internet to set something up, I can prolly get it running.


That PocketCHIP dealio looks like a potential christmas gift for the brother though!

doppelkorn

You could get a Pi-Top at £225 (http://www.modmypi.com/raspberry-pi/set-up-kits/project-kits/pi-top-a-raspberry-pi-laptop-green) which is a laptop based on the Raspberry Pi.



What do you mean by portable exactly? Like in one case?

If I want to run pi-hole AND use my Pi as a NAS, do I need two Pis? Virtualization on the Pi is probably beyond me. Any tips on a NAS OS?

Twed

I wouldn't think about virtualization. As long as the pi keeps up with the processing load of being a NAS and a DNS you should be able to just run it on the same OS. They're just programs, really.

hewantstolurkatad

portable as in it'd fit into a lunch bag and can be assembled in under 5 minutes.


Pi-Top seems ludicrously overpriced to me, what's the deal there?

doppelkorn

So could I use the Debian-based Open Media Vault for nazzing and then install pi-hole on top?

I have to admit that I'm shamefully unaware of how servers work in detail.

doppelkorn

Quote from: hewantstolurkatad on August 04, 2016, 09:45:06 PM
portable as in it'd fit into a lunch bag and can be assembled in under 5 minutes.


Pi-Top seems ludicrously overpriced to me, what's the deal there?

Dunno TBH. I think the pi zero would be a bit underpowered for a normal desktop device. You could repurpose an old LCD screen for the screen. I'm struggling to understand why you'd want this thing though.

Here's one guy's attempt that costs a couple of hundred dollars. I'm sure you could do it better and cheaper now, as  this post is from 2012. http://blog.parts-people.com/2012/12/20/mobile-raspberry-pi-computer-build-your-own-portable-rpi-to-go/

Ben Heck has had a crack https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUZjzQuTNX4

He's the bloke who got me into electronics and the "maker" scene way back in 2006. I still have my half build portable PS1 in a cupboard somewhere. All his instructions were for US PS1 models and I gave up.

Twed

Open Media Vault is an OS, I think (customised version of Debian). You could maybe install it and install pihole on top of that, but you'd really just have to try it, or try to find evidence of anybody else doing it successfully.

Alternatively just install Raspbian, install pihole and configure a NAS the old-fashioned, manual hardcore way.

doppelkorn

Quote from: Twed on August 04, 2016, 10:31:55 PM
configure a NAS the old-fashioned, manual hardcore way.

The only way I know how is to use something like FreeNAS or buy an OTS NAS. Help?

Twed

Helping would require giving you an education in configuring a Linux-based system as a NAS, which I would also have to learn first.

I mean, it will involve installing software packages and configuring them. There are probably tutorials online. If you just want a simple share then configure Samba.

doppelkorn


doppelkorn

Had my first day of messing with the pi in anger today. I've used the command line for the first time, formatted an SD card (earlier in the week), used SSH to do various basic things, investigated Telnet (to dick about with my sucky router's DHCP settings) and worked out what I need to do to get pi-hole working.

I can see why it's a good educational tool--it's not exactly user-friendly. Jesus!

hewantstolurkatad

Quote from: doppelkorn on August 04, 2016, 09:54:50 PM
Dunno TBH. I think the pi zero would be a bit underpowered for a normal desktop device. You could repurpose an old LCD screen for the screen. I'm struggling to understand why you'd want this thing though.
It's more a starting point to get the brain juices flowing.
At the moment i haven't a keyboard or screen I can use and both seem like things I'd wind up wanting. Similarly I wouldn't want to be constrained by the location of power sources.


doppelkorn

I'd try and set it up headless, which is what I have done because I didn't have a spare keyboard or screen. I can give you meticulous instructions if you like, so you won't make the same mistakes I did :)