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Raspberry Pi Replacements

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(@dronebot-workshop)
Workshop Guru Admin
Joined: 5 years ago
Posts: 1051
Topic starter  

It may seem odd for me to be posting in the "Suggest New Content" section, but I felt that this was the best place for it.

As anyone who has tried to purchase a Pi SBC in the last year can tell you, it's virtually impossible. You can go to the Pi Locator Website and keep track, but lately even that hasn't yielded many results.

Personally, I have a pretty good stock of Pi 4 boards, as well as Zero and Zero W. I even have a few Pi 3 & 2 boards. But what I don't have is the new Pi Zero 2 W - I only have one and haven't been able to get anymore.  And I'd also like to buy a few compute modules as well.

My biggest dilemma is that I have a bunch of Raspberry Pi content planned that I'm hesitant to make into videos, as people won't be able to get the parts to build them. Not sure if I should just go ahead, as many of you probably have a few boards on hand.

So I'm looking for Pi replacements, with the thought of evaluating them for a future video & article. And when I Google "Raspberry Pi Alternatives" I get lots of lists, some of them sensible and some of them silly (like using an Arduino Uno instead of a Pi 4!).

The usual names come up - Banana Pi, Orange Pi, Rock Pi, Odroid etc. No one seems to agree on which one or which model to choose, and some of the suggested ones are just as hard to get as Raspberry Pi boards.

So I was wondering if anyone else has a Raspberry Pi replacement to suggest? If I can get a consensus on a few boards I'll buy them, put them to the test and make a video.

Thanks!

😎

Bill

 

 

"Never trust a computer you can’t throw out a window." — Steve Wozniak


   
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(@tbrandx2)
Member
Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 1
 

I just assumed the Pi shortage was 'pandemic-induced' and the only recourse was to wait it out. I think I'll do some research to see if I can find out what is going on.


   
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(@rravich)
Member
Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 1
 

Bill,

Nothing worse than watching one of your videos and knowing that I can't try the same thing because of the shortage of PI's, but I can file the project away for a later time, so I'm in favor of you producing the videos anyway even if I can't get a pi to try it on.

All the best to you, Bill and I hope you fell better

Richard de WD6FIE


   
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(@dubbeldrank)
Member
Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 5
 

If the dilemma is between making videos or Pi hunting, the answer is definitely: make more videos 🙂

The scavenger hunt seems like a long and winding road that only leads to more frustration. Nothing is more satisfying than opening a package with a new and fresh Pi, using the stuff in your drawer and make some awesome content.


   
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(@wsteffen)
Member
Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 2
 

I have found that having an extra microSD cards for new projects helps. 8G to 256G

are available so there is great flexibility.


   
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(@diverbw)
Member
Joined: 2 years ago
Posts: 1
 

I’ve implemented a number of Arduino, sensor, and MQTT based applications around my home, and decided to expand into the RPi world for the purpose of using the RPi’s HDMI capabilities to add a human interface to my network of Arduino devices. 

My son gave me a nice Raspberry Pi Zero W starter kit for Christmas.  I used it to learn what I needed, then set out to build a touchscreen HMI only to discover the total unavailability of the RPi’s. 

I’ve been waiting for almost a year now, and as you say in your posts, there appears to be no short term resolution  

I bought a single Orange Pi board to learn on, but see very little content to help me in my quest.

So I would be very interested in any content you might produce regarding other platform choices, especially with regard to building low cost interactive user interfaces.

 

 

 

 


   
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Nicholas
(@nicholas)
Member
Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 4
 

Bill,

Your robot projects are my favourites. I have a couple of ESP32-Cam robot cars in progress based on your instructive and encouraging YouTube video.

All your videos are entertaining even if I have no intention of building what you show.

So, please do continue with your robot dog competition and your Pi Zero 2 W robot videos even if getting the chips is a challenge.

I'll enjoy you on YT as I anticipate the next normal.

care, Nicholas

 

 


   
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Momantai
(@momantai)
Member
Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 2
 

I have a few RPI's running here at home in the Netherlands. For instance a NAS, Octoprint to control my 3D-printer, one in use as a PC, etc.. I like your video's, no matter the subject. Even though it's impossible to purchase more RPI's here I would like to see more video's on the subject. And other subjects too. Your video's always contain useful information.

I sincerely hope you can keep on making them !


   
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Inq
 Inq
(@inq)
Member
Joined: 2 years ago
Posts: 1900
 

https://forum.dronebotworkshop.com/raspberry-pi/raspberry-pi-clones/

3 lines of code = InqPortal = Complete IoT, App, Web Server w/ GUI Admin Client, WiFi Manager, Drag & Drop File Manager, OTA, Performance Metrics, Web Socket Comms, Easy App API, All running on ESP8266...
Even usable on ESP-01S - Quickest Start Guide


   
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(@truckmen)
Member
Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 12
 

Bill, 

I really like your videos and I am still at "square one" with all of this technology so I would be interested in anything you post. 

Maybe we can do some reviews of basic electronics. 

 

Ralph.


   
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(@ianhun)
Member
Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 1
 

Bill

Firstly - hope you feel better soon!

My vote would definitely be to stick with the rpi sbc for now - my wife is already aghast at the amount of hardware I have in my study, without you encouraging me to buy more!

Let’s hope the global chip shortage sorts itself out soon.

ian


   
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Ron
 Ron
(@zander)
Father of a miniature Wookie
Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 6661
 

@dronebot-workshop Bill, use your existing boards and keep the content flowing as long as your health is back to 100%. Once boards are available we will all catch up. 

First computer 1959. Retired from my own computer company 2004.
Hardware - Expert in 1401, and 360, fairly knowledge in PC plus numerous MPU's and MCU's
Major Languages - Machine language, 360 Macro Assembler, Intel Assembler, PL/I and PL1, Pascal, Basic, C plus numerous job control and scripting languages.
Sure you can learn to be a programmer, it will take the same amount of time for me to learn to be a Doctor.


   
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(@benny)
Member
Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 1
 

Hi Bill,

Sorry to hear about your health issues. Hopefully you are on the mend.

Back in 2014/2015 when the RPI was still single core and 256M of RAM, I needed a quad-core ARM device to run a ham radio application (DIREWOLF) and found the Odroid-U3 from Hardkernel. It had 2G of RAM, Quad-core ARM processor and supported an SD card or eMMC. It could run Linux (Ubuntu) or Android.

That device is still running (headless) after many OS updates, on the original 8G eMMC card I purchased with it.

After the Microsoft certificate debacle, I ceased buying RPIs. I can't trust the RPI foundation to "do the right thing".

I am gradually replacing all my RPIs with the Odroid-C4 (the U3's successor) which is on par performance wise with the RPI4.

I have recently purchased a few more C4's and a couple of N2+ devices (to use as IOT servers) so supply doesn't seem to be an issue.

They don't have on-board wireless, instead opting for USB modules. I see this as an advantage as the wireless dongle can be placed away from the Odroid device using a USB cable.

They also have on-board regulators so are extremely flexible when it comes to input power range. This, combined with the eMMC support make them my goto SBC.

Hardkernel do offer a limited range of "shields", so this maybe a critical requirement for some.

Benny


   
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(@sysguru)
Member
Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 16
 

I would prefer you keep using what you have in stock, whether that is Raspberry Pi or Arduino.

 

Take a long term view, typically I refer to your older videos when I am working with a sensor that is new to me and required for my current project.  Rarely would I immediately build what you showed in the latest video.

 


   
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(@warrens-corner)
Member
Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 3
 

It’s not just Raspberry Pi’s that are affected by this chip shortage. Industrial PLC’s are becoming very hard to come by. One of Allen Bradley’s main PLC’s, the CompactLogix has a 6 month lead time. I contacted our local AB distributor and purchased the last 4 PLC’s they had in stock. We don’t even have a project planned for them yet but we will have them just in case a small project comes along.


   
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