Raspberry Pi - Who's gonna have a dabble?

[Tuna]

It's a string of 50 RGB 'pixel' LEDs, (search for WS2811, the controller type) - you just need some power and a couple of I/O pins from the pi, then there are libraries online to drive it from your favourite language. Each LED in the string has about 10cm of wire connecting it to the next one, so the installation consisted of nothing more sophisticated than cutting a slot in the base of each cup and sticking the LED through the hole.

[Fetchez la vache]

Tuna said:

It's a string of 50 RGB 'pixel' LEDs, (search for WS2811, the controller type) - you just need some power and a couple of I/O pins from the pi, then there are libraries online to drive it from your favourite language. Each LED in the string has about 10cm of wire connecting it to the next one, so the installation consisted of nothing more sophisticated than cutting a slot in the base of each cup and sticking the LED through the hole.

That's great! Cheers
I'm completely new to pi, node, and electronics so it's good to have a target project to aim for to push the learning, rather than just fumbling about...

[NuisanceFactor]

Some may find this useful:

Use code WDFRIEND15 when ordering the PiDrive:

http://store.westerndigital.com/store/wdeu/en_GB/D...

to get another tenner off.

[randlemarcus]

NuisanceFactor said:

Some may find this useful:

Use code WDFRIEND15 when ordering the PiDrive:

http://store.westerndigital.com/store/wdeu/en_GB/D...

to get another tenner off.

Damn your eyes. I don't even need that, and I just bought it.

[NuisanceFactor]

randlemarcus said:

Damn your eyes. I don't even need that, and I just bought it.

yeah, sorry; that's what happened to me too.

[RizzoTheRat]

You'd struggle to buy a 1TB USB drive for that price, let alone the rather neat looking Pi case. I have no need for this whatsoever (my Pi's is used mainly to stream from my existing NAS) but am very tempted

ETA: I caved in. Been toying with the idea of getting a Zero to replace the Pi2 a media player and then experiment with using the Pi2 as a home server, this seems ideal.

Edited by RizzoTheRat on Thursday 24th December 14:25

[Dave.]

Are there any Zeros in stock anywhere? Had a quick search a couple of days ago but were all OOS...

[willisit]

Dave. said:

Are there any Zeros in stock anywhere? Had a quick search a couple of days ago but were all OOS...

Sign up to the Pi hut email; they usually send out stock updates. I got one last week (a zero), so they will have more stock soon.

[Dave.]

Brilliant, ta.

[Sebo]

Stupid question alert...I was given this today. Which model is it? ( yes I've googled the various models and can't see which one this compares to)

Thanks in advance

[RizzoTheRat]

Your google-fu is weak

Looks like a Beagleboard Black to me http://www.element14.com/community/community/desig...

[Sebo]

RizzoTheRat said:

Your google-fu is weak

Looks like a Beagleboard Black to me http://www.element14.com/community/community/desig...

Ah thank you! I was looking only at the Pi models
I'll have a read up now. Cheers

[SystemParanoia]

I took the plunge and risked destroying the kids new pi by soldering some header pins into place...





Luckily it went well for my fist attempt and soldering delicate electronics

We'll do the other pi together as a one of 'dads life lessons' lol

Edited by SystemParanoia on Monday 28th December 08:47

[anonymous-user]

I was using a pi (one of the original models, not sure what model it is) as a media player, but have since bought a more powerful nbox as navigating the menus on the pi was excruciating.

Anyone got any bright ideas what I can do with the pi now? If I don't find a project for it, it'll just go in the bin. I'm not really into gaming so no need for a MAME build etc, and I don't want CCTV or something to control a load of lights... I can't think of anything fun to use it for.

[boxst]

ash73 said:

Quite enjoying faffing about and seeing what it can do, but not been inspired by anything yet. Can't complain for the price and might change my mind once I've got more to grips with it.

The things you can do are limited only by your imagination. I've decided that I have none :-) I see what other people do and I'm very impressed. Could I have programmed them? Probably. But would never ever have had the idea.

[eharding]

Nyphur said:

I was using a pi (one of the original models, not sure what model it is) as a media player, but have since bought a more powerful nbox as navigating the menus on the pi was excruciating.

Anyone got any bright ideas what I can do with the pi now? If I don't find a project for it, it'll just go in the bin. I'm not really into gaming so no need for a MAME build etc, and I don't want CCTV or something to control a load of lights... I can't think of anything fun to use it for.

Get yourself a £50 Maplin wireless weather station (and try to avoid smashing up the frankly ghastly touch-screen unit as you set it up), connect it up to your Pi and PyWWS, and then have your Pi either serve your personal weather website, upload the data to Weather Underground or the Met Office, or both?

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/black-usb-wireless-touch...

http://www.weather.dragontail.co.uk/index.php?page...

For pity's sake, at least don't bin it!

[SystemParanoia]

Run a vpnserver with no-ip so you can secure your mobile devices on public wifi like hotels etc.

Run the dietpi distro and both are prety much configured out of the box. www.dietpi.com

You can also set it up as your backup host for your entire network

another option is to install Jdownloader and have it capture all of your family's download requests at home and save it to the network drive.

with a few config changes, it will be a godsend for saving your mobile data when you have to download somethnig large whilst on your phone / tablet but the wifi coverage is spotty or non existant.

Edited by SystemParanoia on Monday 28th December 18:47

[zippy3x]

ash73 said:

Windows IOT is crap. Or rather, I completely misunderstood what it is. I thought I was installing a lite version of Win 10, like Windows phone, so I could run MS apps on the Pi. Turns out it's just a way of exposing the Pi and its peripherals as services on the network, so Windows PCs can connect to them, presumably for developers who don't want to learn to do it natively?

Incorrect, Windows 10 IOT will run windows 10 universal apps. It runs exactly the same code that runs on desktop or phone. I've done a couple of projects, one displaying visual gauges using a couple of custom controls I originally wrote for windows 8.1 phone (without any code alteration) and the second project is a socket listener that accepts messages from my surface pro or windows 10 phone (all the same code) to turn plug sockets on or off at my command.

Deploying and debugging apps is done through visual studio using a remote debugging connection.

[RizzoTheRat]

NuisanceFactor said:

Some may find this useful:

Use code WDFRIEND15 when ordering the PiDrive:

http://store.westerndigital.com/store/wdeu/en_GB/D...

to get another tenner off.

Arrived this morning, the cable's a great idea, and with the drive it looks to be a good price, however I can see why they're giving away the enclosure for free, I'd be pretty disappointed if I'd paid for it. The Pi and drive just sit in slots, not clipped in, and the enclosure doesn't have a top so it's still going to get covered in dust. Tempted to go back to my old Pi case and stick it and the drive in a cardboard box or jiffy bag down the back of the TV stand.

[Revol]

I bought a Pi2 with a view to using it as a cheap NAS and while its been a pain in the arse getting it up and running it now works really well. Has a 500gb 2.5" drive in an enclosure which it shares across my home network. I had to up the max USB current to get the drive to mount and setting up SAMBA took a while but overall I'm impressed with it.
Raspbian is fairly nippy and Midori is a good replacement browser but my Pi will live in the airing cupboard attached to a Linksys power line adapter and look after my photo and video library.
Just wish I'd seen that WD HDD bundle before it sold out