# Raspberry Pi kits are super cheap. Talk me out of it. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 27, 2019, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raspberry-pi-kits-are-super-cheap-talk-me-out-of-it/837727 "2019-07-27T19:17:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raspberry-pi-kits-are-super-cheap-talk-me-out-of-it/837727/1 "2019-07-27T19:17:43Z")
I don’t need one but I want one. I would get bored with it an hour after I got it running, but I still want it. Talk me out of it. Not entirely relying on you geeks, my daughter is bringing over my TRS-80 Model 100 for if I need to satisfy a need to program using the purest, written by Gates himself, version of Microsoft BASIC. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raspberry-pi-kits-are-super-cheap-talk-me-out-of-it/837727/2 "2019-07-27T19:22:40Z")
Do it. There are all kinds of things you can do with them. My husband has several and has done a variety of projects with them. I’ll ask him for some ideas and/or sites if you like. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raspberry-pi-kits-are-super-cheap-talk-me-out-of-it/837727/3 "2019-07-27T19:44:44Z")
This is what I mean. You are NOT talking me out of it. Instead, you are catching my interest. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raspberry-pi-kits-are-super-cheap-talk-me-out-of-it/837727/4 "2019-07-27T20:23:39Z")
I have three or four of them. They’re great. One runs [Pi Hole](https://pi-hole.net), blocking ads across my whole home network. Another runs an [ADSB](https://flightaware.com/adsb/piaware/) [receiver](http://adsbexchange.com), tracking local air traffic, feeding that info to Flight Aware. Another is built into a portable case and runs [Stratux](http://stratux.me), navigational and weather tool to supplement small airplane instrumentation. Another I use to run a [front end](https://hackaday.com/2017/01/27/raspberry-pi-sdr/)for some software defined radio usb dongles. There’s endless ways to dick with these and kill time in entertaining ways. ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raspberry-pi-kits-are-super-cheap-talk-me-out-of-it/837727/5 "2019-07-27T22:38:42Z")
I powered mine on maybe 4 times in all, enough to install the OS and to see that it worked and I could surf the Web with it. Then something else caught my attention and that was it. It’s been gathering dust (and static) for about 5 years. (It’s a first-generation model, without built-in Wi-Fi.) ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2019, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raspberry-pi-kits-are-super-cheap-talk-me-out-of-it/837727/6 "2019-07-28T13:07:32Z")
I’ve got two older regular ones and 4 Zeros. I’ve been using my two wireless zeros lately in experiments with DIY security/camera stuff. I drag out my Pi 2 from time to time when I need to make a serial connection to something. (E.g., root a device.) My Pi 3 has a small touchscreen on it, but I’m not too happy with it. Too much fiddling and still the settings aren’t quite right. The new model 4 is supposed to be a “desktop” replacement model. Powerful and featured enough to use as a regular PC. But: It runs hot so fan cooling is a good idea (which standard cases aren’t set up for) and there’s an design mistake regarding the USB 3.0 power set up. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2019, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raspberry-pi-kits-are-super-cheap-talk-me-out-of-it/837727/7 "2019-07-28T14:28:42Z")
Thanks, **Herakles** and\*\* ftg.\*\* And those happy with theirs for uses I wouldn’t use. I’ve lost interest, which was my goal. I could use my M100 for home automation using X10, but I have a TRS-80 Color Computer with a cartridge and a controller for that. I got it when I worked in mansion automation so I could laugh at my customers who paid a quarter mill just for our software. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2019, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raspberry-pi-kits-are-super-cheap-talk-me-out-of-it/837727/8 "2019-07-29T13:57:34Z")
I’ve got one recently, just to run my 3D printer with Octoprint. I really have no idea what other useful things I could use it for. I’ve got too many unused computers around the house if I needed something with a general purpose processor. PiHole seems neat, but I’ve got an ad blocker in my main router (Tomoto operating system). I look at websites featuring neat uses for Raspberry Pi, but none of those projects seems useful to me, and/or don’t correspond to any current hobbies I have. ---
**Author:** ![Mikemike2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikemike2/32/305_2.png) [@Mikemike2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikemike2)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2019, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raspberry-pi-kits-are-super-cheap-talk-me-out-of-it/837727/9 "2019-07-29T14:38:08Z")
I have often been on the verge of buying a PI. The closest I came was to build a Google Assistant. They are of course amazing value for the money. But in the end they are still under-powered compared to what I want. I run a lot of graphics for video and photographs, and even my regular computers struggle (Your not done yet?). ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2019, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raspberry-pi-kits-are-super-cheap-talk-me-out-of-it/837727/10 "2019-07-30T14:46:52Z")
The one thing I’ve told myself is “wouldn’t you rather have something portable?” And “you don’t really have any place to hook it up.” ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2019, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raspberry-pi-kits-are-super-cheap-talk-me-out-of-it/837727/11 "2019-07-30T21:24:36Z")
Pis and Arduinos have become valuable for those in model building communities who wish to add animation to their modules and dioramas. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2019, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raspberry-pi-kits-are-super-cheap-talk-me-out-of-it/837727/12 "2019-07-30T22:22:40Z")
The Raspberry Pi is another of the things I dare not let myself get distracted by. > [@dropzone](#): > > … my daughter is bringing over my TRS-80 Model 100 for if I need to satisfy a need to program… Had to check the year… well, decade… that this was posted in. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2019, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raspberry-pi-kits-are-super-cheap-talk-me-out-of-it/837727/13 "2019-07-30T22:55:15Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > The Raspberry Pi is another of the things I dare not let myself get distracted by. Had to check the year… well, decade… that this was posted in. 🙂 Turns out it’s not my good one so Middle’s fiance/beard might get it for his birthday. He’s into retro shit, too. And is a trainspotter. A gay trainspotter. Who’d have thunk it? I’m not convinced he’s gay.