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Raspberry Pi Zero - Your First Impressions

spannerspencer

So, big news today, eh? The all new, super-slim, super-small Raspberry Pi Zero.

 

We've got all the tech specs, we've compared it to the other Raspberry Pis, we've got an FAQ running, and we've even had a go at turning it into a retro games console (quite successfully, I might add!).

 

So what are your first impressions? What sort of projects do you envisage it being useful for?

 

Tell us below!

 

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  • Looks great! Only drawback is a lack of networking onboard. Perhaps a $10-$15 version with a WiFi chip? Make it the ESP8266 with some pads for breaking out the micro GPIO pins?

  • in reply to bobalexander

    Yeah! I've been thinking about the things people are bitching about. One wants the CSI, another the DSI, again another wants WIFI or Ethernet.


    Now with "wifi or ethernet" the thing is simply that the BCM2835 doesn't have native support. Adding support for ethernet or an onboard hub requires board space and an extra chip. Stuff that's expensive.

     

    But with CSI or DSI, I would think that adding the FOOTPRINT of the connector would be possible to do without increasing the per-unit cost of the board. Similarly maybe a next revision of the 'zero could add those and a few other interfaces. Possibly with footprints on the bottom that we can add ourselves.

  • in reply to rew

    I'm sure trace routing would be a pain at this size for adding anything.

    For the DSI connector, perhaps a version that substitutes it for the HDMI port? Presumably if you have an application requiring a DSI you may not need the HDMI display.

     

    Adding networking using anything except the USB bus is going to be a pain as well...

     

    I still see tons of uses for this as it is, but it is not quite the IoT killer product... yet.

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  • in reply to rew

    I'm sure trace routing would be a pain at this size for adding anything.

    For the DSI connector, perhaps a version that substitutes it for the HDMI port? Presumably if you have an application requiring a DSI you may not need the HDMI display.

     

    Adding networking using anything except the USB bus is going to be a pain as well...

     

    I still see tons of uses for this as it is, but it is not quite the IoT killer product... yet.

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  • in reply to bobalexander

    One thing to note for us small scale maker  hacker types is that things like small HDMI monitor assemblies are available cheap from 'bay and we expect them to be easy to use first time where as a DSI monitor would be much more awkward to get going since you will need to configure the controller for that LCD we are using and that bit isn't really open.

    So HDMI is actually better as an interface even if it's not so optimal and doesn't look quite so good unliess you are using a low profile connector