Must fight temptation to buy an overpriced raspberry pi
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What are the better options?
Pis have great software support so for GPIO experimentation it's so useful.
wrote last edited by [email protected]There is quite a range of devices out there now with varying capabilites. Things like the Onion Omega2+, Oranage Pi, and more.
Raspberry Pi also remains good. While the Pi5 is expensive and more powerful - raspberry pi also makes the Pi Zero boards which are cheaper less capable boards which are closer to what the original raspberry Pi was but newer hardware.
I'd say the Pi5 is a heading more towards a full PC like device (hence the comparisons to cost and capability minipcs pepple are making in thia thread). But there remain plenty of lower spec machines out there now similar to the original cheap Raspberry Pi concept. And we've had high inflation recently - to some extent the cost perception avtually reflects money being worth less than it was and buying less for $10 or $20.
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What are the better options?
Pis have great software support so for GPIO experimentation it's so useful.
Not the person you're asking but personally I use Jetson nano for some work stuff (and when I upgrade the "old" one is mine), odroid I've used for some misc creations and testing, and I'm personally looking forward to trying the radxa x4 as an htpc.
What I am really excited about right now is tossing my recently acquired spare jetson nano on a drone, right now I'm setting it up to walk around with it and test CV before it gets mounted up on the drone.
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original post: https://mk.moth.zone/notes/a8zer7ypj6uv02ka
Laptops and gaming laptops deserve way more respect than they get.
I think a lot of people are miserable because so much of their life is tied to a desktop.
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The only caveat here is the fire-hazard non-removable lithium batteries.
This is, in my mind, one of the benefits of laptops over micro computers: integrated UPS. Even an old, degraded battery will probably get you a couple of hours with the screen off.
IME, power consumption is going to be worse overall, for any laptop likely to be in the recycle bin, it's probably double the consumption of an ARM SBC. The integrated UPS and usually decent power conditioning of the power supply saves you more money with a laptop. Plus, keyboard and screen for emergencies - I just generally expect that, over there life of a micro I'm going to have to drag out and plug in a spare keyboard, mouse, and monitor because something in a device, or an upgrade, or BIOS flash, is preventing a boot.
There are a lot of good reasons to use laptops instead of SBCs, if you don't mind the extra power draw and (as she says) don't have size requirements.
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Laptops are not generally designed to run like that with a closed lid. Heat dissipation is designed around the idea the laptop is open and some of it is through the keyboard surface. The lid closed would change that.
Systems can of course be setup to power off the display but for server/service uses open laptops may not be efficient space wise.
Having said that if the scenario is low power use the heat dissipation may not be a major issue. But if there is an unremovable battery i'd still be concerned about heat dissipation with the lid closed and even just the battery itself regardless of heat dissipiation.
Just remove the lid entirely.
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Everyone here thinks their shit tier 2018 laptop is made of gold or something.
'Gaming laptop, only used occasionally. Been sitting around for a while because my kid's got a new hobby. ยฃ1,200 no offers. I know what I've got'
The pictured laptop has a Centrino sticker on it and looks like it's been used to dig a garden
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original post: https://mk.moth.zone/notes/a8zer7ypj6uv02ka
reasons to use raspberry pi: energy consumption, reliability, noise, software support, performance, an ethernet port/a way faster ethernet port, availability, faster pcie/storage, io
reasons to use laptop ewaste: saving 30 usd once
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original post: https://mk.moth.zone/notes/a8zer7ypj6uv02ka
Too late...
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Digging through e-waste bins is one of my hobbies.
What kind of place do you go to to find these things? Sometimes I get really lucky (see my post history about my wonderful new printer), but if I could increase my odds that would be cool.
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Replacement is usually removing 6-10 screws and prying the case with a guitar pick or old credit card. There is most likely a disassembly video on youtube. Batteries from aliexpress or the like are usually cheap (although probably more expensive than the computer). Depending on the application, the "built-in UPS" can be nice.
but what will fix the fire hazard of the charger? how will you be able to keep it plugged in 24/7?
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any luck with gpio and 5W power usage so far?
I think 5W probably can't be achieved, maybe with chromebook-like hardware, but I guess GPIO could be solved with a USB accessory
in my opinion the bigger problem is the fire hazard of an unsupervised charger. I have seen enough that runs super hot, and even if it doesn't, I just can't trust them.
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reasons to use raspberry pi: energy consumption, reliability, noise, software support, performance, an ethernet port/a way faster ethernet port, availability, faster pcie/storage, io
reasons to use laptop ewaste: saving 30 usd once
unless you buy really stupidly, every single of those points is not true.
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Sometimes you can find them on eBay.
I go to Ebay and sort by distance. It's like Craigslist but they send it to you!
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This is, in my mind, one of the benefits of laptops over micro computers: integrated UPS. Even an old, degraded battery will probably get you a couple of hours with the screen off.
IME, power consumption is going to be worse overall, for any laptop likely to be in the recycle bin, it's probably double the consumption of an ARM SBC. The integrated UPS and usually decent power conditioning of the power supply saves you more money with a laptop. Plus, keyboard and screen for emergencies - I just generally expect that, over there life of a micro I'm going to have to drag out and plug in a spare keyboard, mouse, and monitor because something in a device, or an upgrade, or BIOS flash, is preventing a boot.
There are a lot of good reasons to use laptops instead of SBCs, if you don't mind the extra power draw and (as she says) don't have size requirements.
They make batteries for raspberry pi too you know.
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Digging through e-waste bins is one of my hobbies.
Somebody already asked, but what are good locations to do this? Do you ever get harassed by property owners or law enforcement?
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They make batteries for raspberry pi too you know.
No, I didn't. I don't use Pis, I have ODroids. Heck, they may sell batteries for ODroids, too.
For me, it wouldn't have made much difference because I have UPSes around the house serving things like routers, modems, and switches. And I do care about size and energy use. I'm only saying there are advantages to using laptops.
You can get little integrated LCD cases for Pis too, can't you? And maybe even a little fold-out keyboard. Congratulations! You've re-invented the laptop!
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Where are these cheap e waste laptops with gpio and actually low power?
There are usb gpio devices which can fulfill the connectivity bit.
Pretty sure you are sol with the 5w though
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original post: https://mk.moth.zone/notes/a8zer7ypj6uv02ka
wrote last edited by [email protected]Right? I made the realization a while ago that refurbished mini PCs are a way better fit for most of my homelab needs.
Sure, if power consumption is your #1 priority then you'd want some ARM solution. But for my use cases, I've found myself fighting with software support and the relatively low computational power of even the newer RPis.
Also, T-series Intel chips (the low power ones) have pretty good idle power consumption and don't spin up the fan too much given their lower power. And a lot of uses cases require sticking a fan and heat sinks on an RPi so you lose the quietness benefit.
Also also, you (still?) need proprietary blobs to use a bunch of the hardware on RPis. You can go full open source on a regular old PC.
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original post: https://mk.moth.zone/notes/a8zer7ypj6uv02ka
wrote last edited by [email protected]Add use of gpio to reasons to use pie.
While gpio adaptors are available for pc. The software architecture is not as well rounded and documented.
So for any complex hardware project development. Gpio based SBCs are often essential.
So space, low power and gpio development.
Otherwise yep old laptop or even desktop can be cheaper and more able.
But overall. The wide software support and documentation for hardware connectivity is a bloody good reason to keep pie supported.
I'm setting 2 up to control the hot water and solar dump system on my shared little boat. As I want to link 12v Lifepo4 batt charging with the solar dump and visually impaired control for AC and diesel heating of the water.
Pies really are the best option to play with. While low power and easy to design a unique low vision interface.
Also UK boat safty. Is issuing warning about permanently connected li ion batts on boats. So it is likely setting up a laptop to manage this while not on the boat. Will be banned in the near future.
Only an issue for UK boating but worth considering the risks of leaving laptops to run when not observed.
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original post: https://mk.moth.zone/notes/a8zer7ypj6uv02ka
wrote last edited by [email protected]I mostly agree, and did the same with my second gen lab build - instead of shiny new NUCs like I had used round 1, I bought old off lease Dell Xeon boxes. SO MANY PROS -
- Got them up to 14c/28t each
- They can take GPUs and actually do heavy transcoding/ML work
- They can take up to like, 128GB of memory, which is GREAT when they're all hypervisors
The downsides can't be denied though -
- Even without the GPUs and beefed up CPUs, they are power hogs - the CPU alone uses more than an ENTIRE NUC
- They run HOT
- They run LOUD
The same holds true for off-lease SFF stuff, Lenovo and the likes ...
So while reuse/repurpose is absolutely of the utmost importance, no question - when it comes to technology and how quickly it advances and miniaturizes, a thorough and logical pros/cons list is often required.
I'd add another option though - if you do need what a Pi brings to the table - do you really need a shiny new Pi 5? Is it possible a used Pi 3 or Pi 4 would do the trick, and check the reuse box?
