Having waited nearly 3 months to get my hands on one my Raspberry Pi finally arrived. Now although I have not had time to actually play around with it yet I thought I would share a few pictures and the features of the Raspberry Pi. (Gallery at bottom)
What is the Raspberry Pi
The Raspberry Pi is a credit card size computer that has been developed by the Raspberry Pi foundation. This thing is so small it actually took me by suprise. The computer plugs into your televison via a RCA video or via a HDMI cable and enables you to plug a keyboard and mouse into the available USB ports.
There are 2 differenet models of the Raspberry Pi. Model A has 128MB of RAM and only contains 1 USB and no ethernet port. Model B has 256MB of RAM contains 2 USB ports and an ethernet port. The pictures in the gallery below are of model B.
Although Model A does not contain an Ethernet port it can be used with a USB ethernet or Wi-fi adapter.
The cost
The appealing thing about the Raspberry Pi to most enthusiasts is the cost. The cost fluctuates because of currencies and the continuing development of the Pi but I managed to pick mine up for just under £30 (that includes VAT and delivery) which works out at a shade over $46.
Full Specifications
| Model A | Model B | |
|---|---|---|
| SoC | Broadcom BCM2835 (CPU, GPU, DSP, and SDRAM) | |
| CPU: | 700 MHz ARM1176JZF-S core (ARM11 family) | |
| GPU: | Broadcom VideoCore IV, OpenGL ES 2.0, 1080p30 h.264/MPEG-4 AVC high-profile decoder |
|
| Memory (SDRAM): | 128 Megabytes (shared with GPU) | 256 Megabytes (shared with GPU) |
| USB 2.0 ports: | 1 | 2 (via integrated USB hub) |
| Video outputs: | Composite RCA, HDMI | |
| Audio outputs: | 3.5 mm jack, HDMI | |
| Onboard storage: | SD, MMC, SDIO card slot | |
| Onboard network: | None | 10/100 Ethernet (RJ45) |
| Low-level peripherals: | 8 × GPIO, UART, I²C bus, SPI bus with two chip selects, +3.3 V, +5 V, Ground |
|
| Power ratings: | 500 mA (2.5 W) | 700 mA (3.5 W) |
| Power source: | 5 volt via MicroUSB or GPIO header | |
| Size: | 85.60 × 53.98 mm (3.370 × 2.125 in) | |
| Operating Systems: | Debian GNU/Linux, Fedora, Arch Linux | |
Raspberry Pi Gallery
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- Diagram of Raspberry Pi
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- Raspberry Pi next to a Galaxy SII and a credit card size subway card
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- Headers and 256MB RAM chip
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- SD card slot
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- Display connector and power socket
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- Audio and RDA ports
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- HDMI Port
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- View of USB ports and Ethernet port on Model B
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- Back view of Pi
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- Top view of Raspberry pi
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- Side View Of raspberry Pi
You can register your interest and buy a Raspberry Pi at Farnell or RS-Online. It is worth noting that demand is extremly high so there may be a waiting period before you get yours delivered.
Once I get chance to play around with it properly I will post more about it and my search for suitable casing so watch this space.
