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Raspberry Pi. Should I buy it?

Former Member

Well, I have just discovered the amazing world of electronic devices and I would like to begin with some basic equipments and machines. So for that reason, I would llike to know if buying a rapberry pi could be the best way to start or it will be really complex for a beginner. Thanks for the answer, I hope you could help me and give me some advices and ideas.

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  • 0

    Compared to other options like the Arduino UNO or a TI Launchpad it is much more complex (Unless your already used to using Linux).

     

    An Arduino UNO or Launchpad is by far a simpler way to get started with embedded systems

     

    now if you want to learn LINUX / C Programming and already have a laptop or Desktop of pretty much anykind then you dont need anything extra except software but I figured you now that already

     

    So assuming you want to learn how to program hardware devices and create cool things like robots, heating and environmental control systems, Lighting effects etc etc then your in the right place and can start with something simple like an Arduino and grow from there

  • 0 in reply to Robert Peter Oakes

    Thank you for your answer. I am doing computer science at university, I know C++, and basic commands in Linux (I don't know if that is enough to start here), and I have been interested in make progress creating some machines with raspberry or arduino. I will watch some videos to find out how an arduino goes and how much does it cost. Thank you again.

  • 0 in reply to Former Member

    Hi Alejandro,

    I agree with others. Since you are studying CS then it could be in your best interest to learn as much as possible from different hardware platforms. The RPi, Arduino and TI LaunchPad, while similar in certain aspects, are totally different in others. Each platform has something different to teach in the world of systems on a chip, embedded systems and microcontrollers.

     

    Having said all of that I would start with the Raspberry Pi 2 B. Learn it inside out. Since you already have experience in Linux and C, use that as a trampoline to get going with more advanced features available in the Raspberry Pi. Another poster mentioned that the R Pi includes Python and Scratch. Do not ignore these. They too, are different programming environments and have something to teach as far as programming paradigms go. Once you understand Linux and C programming under this OS, you can explore the hardware interface aspects of the R-Pi. From there you can jump into the Arduino and then into the TI Launch pad (or other ucontrollers such as the PIC). You will find each of these worlds fascinating. Additionally, after becoming familiar with the Arduino, go ahead with the ATMEL ucontrollers. You'll get a fascinating insight how the ATMEL chips were adapted to create the Arduino.

     

    May I ask where you are located and which university you are attending? Thank you! Salvador

  • 0 in reply to SGarciaV

    Salvador, firstly I am from Jaen, a south east city of Spain. Here, our university is in the top 100 in  computer science. And next year I will do the Erasmus grant, I would like to go to Sweden because it is the most developer of software apps and it could be really helpful for my degree.

     

    Secondly, thank you for your "guide" about what learn before and after, I wanted to know if you have done some projects in an arduino or raspberry, I am really lost as it is my begining in this world but it makes me really curious.

     

    Regards. Alejandro.

  • 0 in reply to Former Member

    Thanks for sharing your location. And welcome to Element 14! Bienvenido!

     

    I have done some Arduino projects. The first a simple sketch to demonstrate how to communicate between the PC and an Arduino. The second was an EPROM reader that I built based on the Arduino platform. Here are the links:

     

    EPROM Reader:

    http://www.element14.com/community/blogs/SalsCorner/2015/07/27/eprom-reader-project

     

    C# Serial programming (PC/Arduino)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6fsy7-qyqY

    Note: These notes focus on the C# application, but I include the full source of the Arduino sketch in the downloadable ZIP file whose link is in the description.

     

    We can discuss these further, but I would recommend doing this in an Arduino forum (or privately), since this forum is dedicated to the Raspberry Pi.

     

    Salvador

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