Any Raspberry Pi users here?

[dragontology]

I've been looking around Neowin and I don't see anyone talking about Raspberry Pi, though I'm sure somewhere, there's a topic about them. Nothing under portable devices (phones, tablets, wearables). Nothing about them in gaming (though they're the best way to go for retro gaming). Nothing about them on the Linux board, and mostly they run some Linux (the Windows 10 for them apparently sucks, though I've yet to try it).

 

I bought a Pi 3 kit for about $50 on Amazon (Pi 3, case, power supply, heat spreaders for the Pi); they also have a $70 one that includes HDMI cable, 32GB microSD card, microSD card reader, and maybe something else.

 

I'd been wanting a NES Classic ($60 Nintendo product in the shape of a 1980s Nintendo Entertainment System, with a proprietary single board computer inside, 30 ROMs, and an emulator. And a NES controller. Super cool but they were never available here except from scalpers for 5+ times their retail price. Starting around $300. They go much higher. If you could buy one at retail, the value was not in the 30 games, but in upselling it on eBay. Unfortunately the same thing has happened to the old Nintendo consoles and their best games. You can find the shovelware at pawn shops, but if you want Zelda, Castlevania, Metroid, Pokemon, Mario, anything that looks like it had some love put into its making, $60 and up for used games. Nintendo's not making money on these sales.

 

So now I have a box that, when you plug it in (there's no power button), it boots up a menu with all the games you can find to put on it. I can't tell you where to get the games (taking a wild guess on forum rules) but the guys doing RetroPie tutorials on YouTube, will. RetroPie is basically a Linux distro that boots up EmulationStation, a front-end for RetroArch, an emulator all-in-one that contains plugins for all the old systems. It's a huge mess, but it's shoved behind a controller-friendly front-end that isn't exactly hard on the eyes.

 

But that's not all you can do with Pi. There are a ton of projects out there, and since the main storage device is a microSD slot, I can take my RetroPie card out, insert another microSD card, plug it in, and then something completely different will boot up. Like a Linux desktop. Or Windows 10 if you use that. The stock, Pi endorsed Linux distro is Debian based, but Ubuntu makes one, and Windows like I said, and a few others. There might even be an Android build for it. But I haven't seen that yet. Input is up to you, there are four USB ports on it (sadly only 2.0, hopefully the Pi 4 has USB 3, and exFAT support — Pi 3 and below is FAT32 only) and it supports Bluetooth. My Logitech K400 died on me, so I might replace that... I want a second memory card as well. 32GB cards are around $15, so that's not bad for a Linux desktop system. But we have a Windows desktop and a Windows laptop, so there's no real reason to have a little ARM box running Linux, except for kicks... I can make it into a router, an Internet ad blocker or VPN setup, though. I had a crappy VPN a couple years ago (the one that advertises real heavily) and it messed up and hosed Windows' networking settings. Only a reinstall of Windows fixed it. I tried a bunch of stuff. So if I had the VPN on a Pi and had my Internet going through it... I'm no expert on networking, at all, I've just heard of people doing this. And, it has Wi-Fi, but I'm not sure it can be made into a Wi-Fi hotspot (for phones and tablets and things without Ethernet ports, though one of those can be added via USB and then you can get a splitter/hub.

 

I dunno. It's a cool little project device... Just wondering if anyone else has one and what cool tricks they've made it do.

[game_over]

I'm in the process of planning an attempt at making some sort of hand held emulation station with the raspberry PI.

 

I've used emulation station in the past but didn't really enjoy playing on huge screens with massive pixelation. The majority of these games will look better, and run better at smaller resolutions.

[Nick H. Supervisor]

@Haggisshould be able to give you some pointers, he's been getting involved with various fun projects over time.

[Haggis Veteran]

Thanks @Nick H.

 

I have a few pi's now, Pi Zero, Pi2, Pi3

 

So the projects i have

 

my pi zero is slowly becoming an internet connected Digital Photoframe

my pi3 is in a custom Arcade control panel i am building using the pi and a 1tb hard drive

and my PI2 is currently inside a Sega Game Gear case

 

I have written tutorials on how to add Activity Lights, Power Buttons etc which i can point you to if required

 

Myself an a few other guys have also made a full gaming system using Retropie and Attract Mode called HyperPie, if you want more info on this let me know

 

Happy to answer any question you have 

[+John Teacake MVC]

PiHole is an absolute must. PiVPN is another good one. A SeedBox is another good use. I use OSMC on (one of) mine works absolutely perfectly.

 

Edit: Links

 

https://osmc.tv/download/

http://www.pivpn.io/

https://pi-hole.net/

 

As always, I actively encourage people to donate to these projects. They are so worth the money or whatever you choose to donate.

 

I really want to run a NTP Server for kicks, Also tracking flight information with a DVB attached.

 

http://www.satsignal.eu/ntp/Raspberry-Pi-NTP.html

https://kikuyumoja.com/2014/10/10/how-i-track-airplanes-using-a-raspberrypi-and-a-dvb-t-stick-via-piaware/

 

 

 

[dragontology]

@HaggisThanks, I've seen the power button hack where you solder the 3.5mm ground to the top/third I/O port pin (I think) and stick that headphone jack button in. It looks really cool actually, I've just never done soldering.

 

PiHole looks brilliant. Something I might consider if I get an extra one. When the Pi 4 comes out, assuming it does, I'll be looking to repurpose my 3.

 

Isn't the point of a seedbox, if it's what I think it is (use it to torrent over a higher speed connection than you have, and download your Linux distros *ahem* later), to be off-site? Maybe if you have a buddy who has Google Fiber and a good VPN? Or no? If I had good upstream (currently only about 1MBit, it's DSL) I'd use Plex to stream media to my phone from my desktop. I guess a Pi could do it, too, but it might be a bit demanding, especially if it's transcoding. On an iPhone, 720p is all you need (screen is something like 750p) so transcoding to 720p x265 might be wise if it can do it fast enough... Not actually sure.

 

Anyway, I got a 32GB card in addition to the one RetroPie is on. I'm about to give up on the Pi for playing Nintendo 64, Nintendo DS, and PlayStation games, mainly because the wired Xbox 360 controller doesn't seem to work with it... the iBuffalo controller works great, but it's only going to work for so many systems. So my collection doesn't need the 64GB card. Could probably fit it on an 8 or 16. I tried Raspbian Jessie on the 32GB, and it's a decent little OS, got it online, got on Chromium. Thinking about putting Ubuntu on it. Had more time in Ubuntu than Debian, and I couldn't find Chrome in the package installer. I know there's a way to do it... I was never very good with Linux, but I used Ubuntu for a few months once, got to where I could get around it. Gnome, before Unity or whatever that desktop environment is that everyone hates.

[n_K]

If you're into tinkering/making weird things (i.e. long range wireless temperature/humidity/etc. sensors) you could make a low power LoRa network with a raspberry pi and some other boards which has a 10 (uk) or 20 (us) mile range or join up with a network like thethingsnetwork, see https://www.rs-online.com/designspark/building-a-raspberry-pi-powered-lorawan-gateway

[+John Teacake MVC]

There is a few threads like these, This should be a definitive list (For me anyway)

 

http://www.pimusicbox.com/

http://www.pivpn.io/

https://pi-hole.net/

https://www.modmypi.com/raspberry-pi/set-up-kits/rpi3-model-b-kits/piaware-aircraft-tracking-kit-inc.-raspberry-pi-3

https://github.com/pageauc/pi-timolo

 

 

[CrashG]

Yup, Got a Pi 3 running RetroPie + Attract Mode. Great little setup for retro gaming.

[Paul]

Currently making a smart mirror using a Pi 3 and an old monitor (with 2 way mirror over it).

[firey]

I have an original Pi Rev B. I use it for Kodi and Exodus.