Have you guys seen this yet?

 

https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/raspberry-pi-zero/

 

My local MicroCenter has them in-stock (in-store only) for $5. 

 

John

They also gave it away with a recent issue  of MagPi magazine (physical) too.

Can anyone suggest good uses for these babies? I have Nvidia  Ion hptc's that will outperform anything Raspberry.

 

 

Can anyone suggest good uses for these babies? I have Nvidia  Ion hptc's that will outperform anything Raspberry.

 

Emulation (recalbox or retropie). 

No Network, so that kills it

 

No Network, so that kills it

 

USB WiFi.  Not that I am a fan of that but it at least gets you network.

I wonder what can I do with Pi Zero?

 

I have to think of interesting project for that.

This is a really neat little gadget => the biggest "flaw" in terms of utility is indeed the lack of a network connection, but as noted this can be added via a USB adapter.  Google for "Kodi on the $5 Raspberry Pi Zero" to see it running Kodi, which it does rather nicely.

 

It has a lot of competition. Figure out what you are really going to do before buying. See what all the add-ons will cost and compare. Orange Pi, Pine64, etc.

It has a lot of competition. Figure out what you are really going to do before buying. See what all the add-ons will cost and compare. Orange Pi, Pine64, etc.

 

Pi Zero is only $5.

That Pine64 looks like a nice htpc Openelec device....Wonder if it will be supported, or Kodi for Android will work well.

It has a lot of competition. Figure out what you are really going to do before buying. See what all the add-ons will cost and compare. Orange Pi, Pine64, etc.

 

Pi Zero is only $5.

 

I think you'll find you need to add some other items to get it working...

 

$5 does not get you any storage (required to boot) or power. Add those two, and what does it do? Oh you need to network? or display? or input/output? add a few more parts...

 

Example PineA64 is $15, but has network, NextThing has storage, etc.

 

Pine64 is also only a KickStarter right now.

I'd say that any time you can buy a PC for ~ $20 it's effectively "free" ... so even if it doesn't do what you'd like you're not exactly out anything.

 

The PiZero effectively costs in that range ... in addition to the board you need a USB hub, a few cables, and a USB WiFi dongle.    Many folks will already have at least some of those, but realistically this is a $20-30 setup, not $5.

 

I have absolutely no use for one of these, but they're nevertheless intriguing ... not so much for the cost as for the insignificant power draw (about 1 watt on idle).

 

I figure that if I have no problem paying $40 for a case of good beer, I can drop $5 on a computer. 

I figure that if I have no problem paying $40 for a case of good beer, I can drop $5 on a computer. 

 

Ditto 

I'd say that any time you can buy a PC for ~ $20 it's effectively "free" ... so even if it doesn't do what you'd like you're not exactly out anything.

 

The PiZero effectively costs in that range ... in addition to the board you need a USB hub, a few cables, and a USB WiFi dongle.    Many folks will already have at least some of those, but realistically this is a $20-30 setup, not $5.

 

I have absolutely no use for one of these, but they're nevertheless intriguing ... not so much for the cost as for the insignificant power draw (about 1 watt on idle).

 

Hence my original question... what can you use it for...? Considering we have Dockers, and VM's that can probably outperform most of what the PiZero can do.

 

 

I still say make it a portable Emulation system.

 

Throw in an SD card and install recalbox.

Load up SD card with NES, SNES, Genesis, etc. ROMs.

Use one USB port for power (from TV or external power adapter).

Use the other USB port for a controller (i.e. PC Gaming Receiver for XBOX260 controllers)

HDMI --> TV.

 

Done.  No real need for any network connectivity for this purpose.

 

John

 

 

 

Have you guys seen this yet?

 

https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/raspberry-pi-zero/

 

My local MicroCenter has them in-stock (in-store only) for $5. 

 

John

 

Thanks for the post, microcenter is just a 5min drive away too.  Got a rasp pi 2 b from microcenter a few months ago as an open box return, was a bit cheaper than the usual price.

I'd say that any time you can buy a PC for ~ $20 it's effectively "free" ... so even if it doesn't do what you'd like you're not exactly out anything.

 

The PiZero effectively costs in that range ... in addition to the board you need a USB hub, a few cables, and a USB WiFi dongle.    Many folks will already have at least some of those, but realistically this is a $20-30 setup, not $5.

 

I have absolutely no use for one of these, but they're nevertheless intriguing ... not so much for the cost as for the insignificant power draw (about 1 watt on idle).

 

Hence my original question... what can you use it for...? Considering we have Dockers, and VM's that can probably outperform most of what the PiZero can do.

 

I use RaspPic's as clients for whole house audio using the LogitechMediaServer docker as a backend...  Not Pi Zeros admittedly but the RaspPi is a useful piece of kit...

Hence my original question... what can you use it for...? Considering we have Dockers, and VM's that can probably outperform most of what the PiZero can do.

 

Yes, but a Docker or VM likely needs a video card to output HDMI for a display ... that card will easily cost much more than a Pi Zero 

Well, given that I haven't had much luck with the quality of audio output from vms (pci or FireWire audio interfaces)' I'd add a hifi berry to this and have a cheap as chips squeezebox replacement.

Well, given that I haven't had much luck with the quality of audio output from vms (pci or FireWire audio interfaces)' I'd add a hifi berry to this and have a cheap as chips squeezebox replacement.

 

I've been using RaspPi's very successfully as SqueezeBox clients using LogitechMediaServer docker container as a backend.  Been running PiCorePlayer on them..

I'd say that any time you can buy a PC for ~ $20 it's effectively "free" ... so even if it doesn't do what you'd like you're not exactly out anything.

 

The PiZero effectively costs in that range ... in addition to the board you need a USB hub, a few cables, and a USB WiFi dongle.    Many folks will already have at least some of those, but realistically this is a $20-30 setup, not $5.

 

I have absolutely no use for one of these, but they're nevertheless intriguing ... not so much for the cost as for the insignificant power draw (about 1 watt on idle).

 

Hence my original question... what can you use it for...? Considering we have Dockers, and VM's that can probably outperform most of what the PiZero can do.

 

I use RaspPic's as clients for whole house audio using the LogitechMediaServer docker as a backend...  Not Pi Zeros admittedly but the RaspPi is a useful piece of kit...

 

I cannot believe I did not know about this functionality. Logitechmediaserver+rpi's for whole home audio. Looks like I have a new weekend project. I was about to invest in googles chromecast audio dongles, at a cost of $35 a pop. If I can plop for $5 for some of the pi zero's.....

 

Any links or a direction to start me in, which has worked for you?

I'd say that any time you can buy a PC for ~ $20 it's effectively "free" ... so even if it doesn't do what you'd like you're not exactly out anything.

 

The PiZero effectively costs in that range ... in addition to the board you need a USB hub, a few cables, and a USB WiFi dongle.    Many folks will already have at least some of those, but realistically this is a $20-30 setup, not $5.

 

I have absolutely no use for one of these, but they're nevertheless intriguing ... not so much for the cost as for the insignificant power draw (about 1 watt on idle).

 

Hence my original question... what can you use it for...? Considering we have Dockers, and VM's that can probably outperform most of what the PiZero can do.

 

I use RaspPic's as clients for whole house audio using the LogitechMediaServer docker as a backend...  Not Pi Zeros admittedly but the RaspPi is a useful piece of kit...

 

I cannot believe I did not know about this functionality. Logitechmediaserver+rpi's for whole home audio. Looks like I have a new weekend project. I was about to invest in googles chromecast audio dongles, at a cost of $35 a pop. If I can plop for $5 for some of the pi zero's.....

 

Any links or a direction to start me in, which has worked for you?

Before you get too carried away, how you going to get audio out of a Pi Zero?

 

Not at home at the moment but yeah I'll get some info together tomorrow for you.