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Raspberry PI: Linux computer for $35!

Eliot Rosewater · 2012-02-21 10:02:11

No, I'm not taking the piss! A charitable foundation, the Raspberry Pi Foundation, is gearing up to release its first computer in the next week or so. The Raspberry Pi will be a full blown single board computer, with a 700mhz CPU, 256mb of RAM and graphics capabilities equal (they claim) to the first X-Box. It will have a…

21-02-2012 11:02AM

#1

Eliot Rosewater

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No, I'm not taking the piss! A charitable foundation, the Raspberry Pi Foundation, is gearing up to release its first computer in the next week or so. The Raspberry Pi will be a full blown single board computer, with a 700mhz CPU, 256mb of RAM and graphics capabilities equal (they claim) to the first X-Box. It will have a number of connections, such as USB, SD (for booting up), Ethernet, head phone and HDMI.

The computer will run Linux distros Debian, Fedora and Arch.

Website: http://www.raspberrypi.org
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raspberry_Pi
Video showing off the graphics: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4NR57ELY28s

Anyone have any ideas of what they could do with this outrageously cheap piece of kit?!

Last year I was thinking of sinking over €100 into a BeagleBoard to make an "internet radio" that could connect to stations like BBC 3 through the net. Will probably buy one of these now!

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#2 21-02-2012 11:04AM

Eliot Rosewater

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Another thread about this on C&T http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056441644

...should have googled before posting Eliot ...

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#3 22-02-2012 02:05PM

Johnboy1951

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I had not seen that other thread, so this one achieved something

I have been watching the development of the Pi from the first announcement, and am looking forward to getting one ..... maybe in time for Xmas ..... before that they will likely be scarce.

There is talk of a boxed retail version of the 'B' becoming available ..... less work for me

I have in mind using it to multicast DTT over the LAN, which should be a doddle for it, but am ever so slightly concerned with the 100Mb/s ethernet ... not gigabit .... but it should certainly do for my initial playing

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#4 22-02-2012 02:34PM

AnCatDubh

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Johnboy1951 wrote: »

I have in mind using it to multicast DTT over the LAN, which should be a doddle for it, but am ever so slightly concerned with the 100Mb/s ethernet ... not gigabit .... but it should certainly do for my initial playing

Did I read somewhere that because the ethernet is piggy backed on it's usb 2, that gigabit ethernet was not a possibility? I think that was the reason which I read for it.

Personally, I think they are going to be great crack whenever we get our hands on one.

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#5 22-02-2012 03:55PM

Khannie

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Ah that's interesting (and makes sense). I was wondering why they didn't go gigabit. The possibilities for clustering would be amazing with gig ethernet. Nom nom nom.

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#6 23-02-2012 01:16PM

Johnboy1951

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AnCatDubh wrote: »

Did I read somewhere that because the ethernet is piggy backed on it's usb 2, that gigabit ethernet was not a possibility? I think that was the reason which I read for it.

I had not come across that ....... thanks

Personally, I think they are going to be great crack whenever we get our hands on one.

Yes, shades of the 70s/80s ..... I recall my BBC micro came with a full schematic and motherboard layout which allowed for all sorts of carry on

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#7 28-02-2012 12:29PM

DailyBlaa

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Posted on their site yesterday:

The Raspberry Pi Foundation will be making a big (and very positive) announcement that just might interest you at 0600h GMT on Wednesday 29 February 2012. Come to www.raspberrypi.org to find out what’s going on.

Hopefully it will be the shop going live looking forward to getting my hands on one of these.

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#8 28-02-2012 12:38PM

Johnboy1951

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DailyBlaa wrote: »

Posted on their site yesterday:

The Raspberry Pi Foundation will be making a big (and very positive) announcement that just might interest you at 0600h GMT on Wednesday 29 February 2012. Come to www.raspberrypi.org to find out what’s going on.

Hopefully it will be the shop going live looking forward to getting my hands on one of these.

Early start tomorrow so must remember to set the alarm clock ......

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#9 28-02-2012 01:50PM

d31b0y

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The site is having trouble from time to time at the moment dealing with the loads of traffic that they are getting so be prepared to be frustrated while trying to order this

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#10 29-02-2012 10:49AM

d31b0y

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RS are only allowing you to register your interest in one now. Farnell seems to be down completely. Internal server errors. I'll keep on trying, but looks like I might have missed the first batch

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#11 29-02-2012 12:01PM

stereo_steve

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I was up at 5:55 this morning. Managed to get one from Farnell at 7:05!

Took alot of F5ing!

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#12 29-02-2012 12:13PM

d31b0y

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Just called Farnell Ireland and they said that they are completely out of stock. Next stock in around April. Ah well.

Just wondering, what total price did you end up paying to Farnell? Currently I can put a preorder in with the cost coming to €39.20 ex delivery (which I think is free).

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#13 01-03-2012 02:45PM

TheDoc

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OSI wrote: »

Just got an email that the estimated shipping date has been pushed back to week closing 23rd April. That's just ridiculous.

They are being manafactured to meet demand.

There are none actually made currently to meet yesterdays purchases.

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#14 01-03-2012 05:31PM

d31b0y

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TheDoc wrote: »

They are being manafactured to meet demand.

There are none actually made currently to meet yesterdays purchases.

Actually (afaik), they have begun the manufacturing process for the first ten thousand. 5000 were / will be given to farnell and 5000 were / will be given to RS.

Farnell sold out within minutes whereas RS have not actually sold any yet. They will be going on sale at the end of the week for those who expressed an interest.

The extra interest will be used to gauge the next manufacturing run.

http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2012/02/25-raspberry-pi-pc-goes-on-sale/

OSI, I imagine you just missed out on the first run. I was given the same delivery date as you. I ordered at about 2 pm.

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#15 01-03-2012 06:02PM

BopNiblets

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Think I'll wait for the Bundle to come out, can't imagine it costing more than €100, still a cool deal.

Linux Mint should run on this without too much hassle, right (I guess I mean supports ARM out of the box)?
The Debian based edition if the Ubuntu based (which is also Debian based) might not?

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#16 01-03-2012 06:34PM

r3nu4l

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I've registered my interest with RS Components and they will only ship one per person. Were the other crowd shipping multiple units per order? If so we can probably expect them to appear on EBay at vastly inflated prices.

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#17 01-03-2012 07:05PM

d31b0y

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r3nu4l wrote: »

I've registered my interest with RS Components and they will only ship one per person. Were the other crowd shipping multiple units per order? If so we can probably expect them to appear on EBay at vastly inflated prices.

There was a flaw in their system that allowed you to order as many as you like but they sent an email saying they ould only ship one per person.

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#18 01-03-2012 07:10PM

Owen

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Registered my interest too, I'll use this as a carputer I think!

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#19 02-03-2012 12:04PM

d'Oracle

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I presume now that as this has a HDMI out it can output HD visuals?

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#20 02-03-2012 12:11PM

Fysh

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d'Oracle wrote: »

I presume now that as this has a HDMI out it can output HD visuals?

The claim is that it can handle 1080p video output, and there's apparently work going on to create a version of XMBC that can run on it to allow its use as a low-overhead media centre.

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#21 02-03-2012 01:01PM

d'Oracle

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OSI wrote: »

Define HD Visuals

No.

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#22 02-03-2012 01:03PM

d'Oracle

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Fysh wrote: »

The claim is that it can handle 1080p video output, and there's apparently work going on to create a version of XMBC that can run on it to allow its use as a low-overhead media centre.

That's what I was thinking of, although maybe not with XBMC.

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#23 02-03-2012 01:31PM

docentore

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d'Oracle wrote: »

That's what I was thinking of, although maybe not with XBMC.

openelec team is working on the xbmc version for rasberry.

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#24 03-03-2012 09:39AM

Khannie

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BopNiblets wrote: »

Linux Mint should run on this without too much hassle, right (I guess I mean supports ARM out of the box)?
The Debian based edition if the Ubuntu based (which is also Debian based) might not?

Debian based one should work, Ubuntu based one will definitely not. Ubuntu ditched support for older versions of the arm chip (like the one in the Pi). Going to stick with whatever the "default" distro is myself, just for support.

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#25 04-03-2012 02:14PM

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Just ordered one there now!

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#26 05-03-2012 01:20PM

PrzemoF

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NoDrama wrote: »

Just ordered one there now!

A link where to buy the PI? Raspberry pi shop webpage - "down for maintenance", farnell - "available soon", rs - "we're expecting out first deliveries"

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#27 05-03-2012 09:25PM

r3nu4l

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A Guardian developer has done a video review here

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#28 06-03-2012 04:36PM

d31b0y

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Just got an email from Farnell to say my order has been pushed back to 14th of May

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#29 06-03-2012 05:21PM

GreenWolfe

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d31b0y wrote: »

Just got an email from Farnell to say my order has been pushed back to 14th of May

http://www.raspberrypi.org/archives/764

Q: I got an email from Farnell element14 stating that my delivery date for the Raspberry Pi I ordered is now into May or June, is this correct?
A: Sorry! We updated the data in our system so that new customers placing their pre-order would be advised of the delivery date at the end of May or beginning of June. If you originally had an estimated delivery date in March or April, your delivery estimate is still as per the original communication.

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#30 09-03-2012 03:20PM

r3nu4l

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Seems as though there are production delays due to the wrong network jack being soldered onto the board.

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#31 10-03-2012 11:45AM

PrzemoF

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Looks like my plans to make a HD video shooting from a high flying kite will have to wait.... :mad:

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