RPi Model A usage scenarios

Hi coder27,

I'm not aware of many scenarios (except maybe simple data logging type stuff) that require the 1-USB port but no IP connectivity.

Personally I always expect either a serial port, or IP connectivity on a development board (USB is not so useful to me unless it is one of those

FTDI things, but even then I sometimes prefer 3.3V levels out of the board, because then I can interface to anything, not just devices with

FTDI drivers.

My home keyboard is a Sun (now Oracle) one which has a built-in hub, but it is slow USB not high speed,

which is fine for a mouse, but I've not tried it with Rasp-Pi. I could try it if you'd like me to. I've only used Ethernet and serial

on the original Rasp-Pi board (I don't have a model A) after initial config. The keyboard not cheap though, about $50+postage

according to Oracle's website. The quality is ok.

I suppose someone could adapt the firmware to read WiFi details from the SD card, but I think it may be hard to cater for all dongles,

It all sounds messy, so probably configuring via serial port is easiest, but it does require a level converter board to get it into your PC of course.

As an idea, someone could make device (from a Rasp-Pi, but cheaper still could be any simple AVR micro) that could be used to configure

all other Model A's in the classroom. Basically it would be coded to log into the model A's via serial (no need for level converter since it is 3.3V to 3.3V levels) and configure the device and then issue shutdown. It could even be powered from the same supply. Then one could unplug, and move on to

the next one.

Hi coder27,

I'm not aware of many scenarios (except maybe simple data logging type stuff) that require the 1-USB port but no IP connectivity.

Personally I always expect either a serial port, or IP connectivity on a development board (USB is not so useful to me unless it is one of those

FTDI things, but even then I sometimes prefer 3.3V levels out of the board, because then I can interface to anything, not just devices with

FTDI drivers.

My home keyboard is a Sun (now Oracle) one which has a built-in hub, but it is slow USB not high speed,

which is fine for a mouse, but I've not tried it with Rasp-Pi. I could try it if you'd like me to. I've only used Ethernet and serial

on the original Rasp-Pi board (I don't have a model A) after initial config. The keyboard not cheap though, about $50+postage

according to Oracle's website. The quality is ok.

I suppose someone could adapt the firmware to read WiFi details from the SD card, but I think it may be hard to cater for all dongles,

It all sounds messy, so probably configuring via serial port is easiest, but it does require a level converter board to get it into your PC of course.

As an idea, someone could make device (from a Rasp-Pi, but cheaper still could be any simple AVR micro) that could be used to configure

all other Model A's in the classroom. Basically it would be coded to log into the model A's via serial (no need for level converter since it is 3.3V to 3.3V levels) and configure the device and then issue shutdown. It could even be powered from the same supply. Then one could unplug, and move on to

the next one.