Featured Articles
Announcing Pi
Technical Specifications
Raspberry Pi FAQs
Win a Pi
GPIO Pinout
Raspberry Pi Wishlist
Comparison Chart
Quiz
Group Actions
Engagement
  • Author Author: balearicdynamics
  • Date Created: Date Created
  • Views 6399 views
  • Likes 3 likes
  • Comments 39 comments
Related
Recommended

Essential Raspberry Pi Peripherals #1: GPIO and Other Connectors

balearicdynamics

With this first post we start off on something of an adventure, experimenting and experiencing one of the most fascinating aspects of this SBC (Single Board Computer): connecting the device with the real world.

(note: here we consider working with a Raspberry PI 2 but almost all the mentioned features and possibilities will apply to the previous models).

 

Connecting the Raspberry PI to Something Else

One of the most interesting features of the Raspberry Pi is that it includes most of the features we need to interact with the real world. Firstly we have the GPIO, which is the array of pins giving the option to interact with the world through many sensors, communication protocols, motors, LEDs and so on.

 

But that's not all. There is more, and the possibilities go beyond what we can imagine.

 

Just as a reminder, take a look to the following image:

image

Seems incredible, the connector we find in this credit-card sized device:

 

  • 40 Pin GPIO (General I/O ports): can be used for powering low consumption devices, connect I2C protocol external components, Input/Output digital signals, SPI (CLK, MISO, MOSI) protocol, TTL Serial TX/RX pins.
  • 4 USB2 ports: that means, on a Linux-based system, the possibility to connect a very wide range of USB devices.
  • 1 HDMI video and audio output: the HDMI video and audio output supporting full 1080P HD format gives the possibility to manage any display ratio (software configurable) with high quality audio. This feature makes the Raspberry PI a good base machine to make a good quality media center, game device and more.
  • 1 combined 4-pole 3.5 mm Jack connector for stereo output and composite video output: ideal when an HDMI monitor is not available.
  • 1 10/100 Ethernet RJ45 connector: for LAN connection as an alternative to the wireless WiFi when using a USB WiFi dongle
  • 1 camera connector: this connector is ready to work for the Raspberry PI camera that opens the door to an entire world of possibilities, from image shooting up to video capture, streaming, image processing and more.
  • 1 display connector: for small projects the use of a full sized external monitor may not be necessary, so a small screen (better if it's a touchscreeb) directly connected to the Raspberry Pi can be a better solution.

 

When the device is in your hands you have got the keys that open the door to an incredible new world.

 

All that glitters is not gold

In fact, this board can't do all that much on its own, solve ANY problems, or replace all your computers. But it can do a lot for sure. Looking in-depth at the Raspberry Pi connectors and functions it seems that some "advanced" features are missing. For example, it'd be better if the Ethernet was 1Gb instead 10/100 only, better if the boot was from something different than an SD card, better if there was also an audio input, great if the GPIO also included some manner of analog input, and so forth.

 

It's true, but the Pi does have the great advantage of stability: many of the apparently missing features are compensated by its extreme versatility and - why not? - our ability to create great projects, including those parts expected but not present. In my personal opinion this SBC remains one of the most complete, versatile and well equipped low-cost devices supporting Linux.

 

An overview on the next posts

To close this introductory first post on the Raspberry Pi peripherals the following is a list of what you can expect in the forthcoming series.

 

#2 Setting up the HDMI monitor

Despite the HDMI connector, not all the monitors support the same resolution. And the Raspberry Pi shares its video memory with the rest of the available RAM, so it's useful if you can totally control the display parameters (frequency, resolution, aspect ratio, video memory) simply by changing the operating system display configuration file.

 

#3 An introductory approach to wired and wireless networking

There are more options than simply plugging the LAN cable in the Ethernet port of the Raspberry PI. In this post we'll see how the Raspberry Pi can be a flexible networking device, acting as bridge, access point, wireless device and more.

 

#4 The Raspberry Pi camera beyond the webcam limits

Thanks to the power of Python and the specific characteristics of the Pi Camera it's possible to specialise the Raspberry Pi as a video/photo station: shooting, filming, image processing for a lot of possible applications; from photography to security, from stop-motion to the time-lapse filming.

 

#5 Lirc and IR controller: extending the limits of keyboard and mouse

With a very simple hardware approach we introduce the first non-conventional peripheral connection. Thanks to the Linux lirc library we can use a simplified HID (Human Interface Device) - a TV infrared control - to manage programs, device behaviour, and more.

 

#6 Enhancing our Pi projects with the Pi touchscreen

We will see how we can setup and integrate in our projects the Raspberry Pi 2.4" touch screen device.

 

#7 Enhancing our Pi projects with the PiFaceCAD LCD display

When a simple message is sufficient to control the Raspberry Pi behaviour but some control buttons would be useful, the PiFaceCAD (Control and Display) is the ideal device, which can be stacked on our Raspberry Pi for mobile, battery-powered applications.

 

Bookmark this page and the Ultimate Guide to Getting Started with a Raspberry Pi page to stay tuned to this essential guide to Raspberry Pi peripherals, folks!

  • in reply to e14 Contributor

    Just a question:

     

    what do you think it will happen to all that bought BRICK stuff and now it is discontinued? Sent back the pieces and got new Grove?

     

    Enrco

  • My macyoda,

     

    You make comments on Grove but clearly don't know anything about Grove, you also don't seem to know much about BRICK, if did you would have never pointed out that it is being DISCONTINUED by its producers!

    Just a suggestion, please investigate in depth before deciding what other users know or not. IMO the presumption of knowledge is the better way to make the knowledge curve as slow as possible. And presumption goes in a direction of a very short road.

     

    You screwed up, no question about it, choosing BRICK was a bad choice. Yes, we all have budgets and if we buy JUNK with our budgets we still have JUNK. You should not have chimed in and said you wanted the tutorial for BRICK when Grove is the much better choice.

    Again, maybe that something is not clear. Here it is a community not a teachers consortium, nor a place where we all continuously challenge what should be done to be the best.

     

    BRICK is simply unacceptable because it is outdated and not really available anymore. BRICK IS DISCONTINUED BY ITS MAKERS BECAUSE THEY REPLACED IT WITH GROVE!

    Just (you said) as an example, you are answering by yourself. If a product is open - in the vision of what is useful for the Makers, DIY, students etc., there is no problem. Open stuff never will be discontinued. If tomorrow Banzi decide to stop the Arduino, or PIC projects and boards stops, as a matter of fact this has no influence. Forums continue, makers continue making and so on. This is what we are pointing on, the persons we are trying to explain something with examples.

    As Brick is discontinued, you can just only accept this as a fact You have absolutely no control on it. It is the same as with this board and components you are sponsoring (for your personal needs that we are not interested in). We accept suggestions, as always, and that's all.

     

    If you are so are so sure that this system is so fantastic, and - it seems from your words - essential in a Raspi tutorial set, why you don't come down some steps, make positive and good (hopefully) comments and proposals suggesting the product, maybe in a separate place, explain your reasons, open a discussion to see who knows them and see how they can help you ? This is the kind of behaviour we are happy to see.

     

    Another way - as the community is not a pyramid, there are just some moderators - you can propose in your own blog and start explaining how this fantastic device ecosystem works, with experiments, samples, explaining your experience. This is the way you can create more interest on this thing, involve other users and reciprocally grow your knowledge.

     

    Enrico

  • in reply to mcb1

    Hey Mark,

     

    The BIGGEST DIFFERENCE between Grove and BRICK is that Grove is available and growing, BRICK is DISCONTINUED!

  • in reply to balearicdynamics

    Hey Enrico,

     

    Discussing BRICK and Grove with Mark and searching on the web it has become clear that there are very few BRICK parts even available anymore, Grove was BRICKS replacement, Grove was the next generation, so of course its makers have discontinued BRICK. I did mention this in so many words at the start, Mark did not get it. Mark does not seem to know very much at all about BRICK or Grove it is just what he bought probably a few years ago now.

     

    BRICK was never a viable choice for the tutorial because it is outdated and not available but I have found a source that still sells the converter cables so people that still have BRICK can easily convert to Grove, there is no argument supporting BRICK and there never was accept years ago before Grove and when Grove was new such an argument could be made, BRICK is totally outdated now.