The Raspberry Pi single-board computer and all its variants have captured the imaginations of DIY enthusiasts and budding hobbyists alike, though it hasn’t been proof in opposition to the chip crunch. And now that an 8GB model with as noteworthy RAM as a Mac Mini is here, hobby in building with the board is for certain to spike.
Mighty of the protection you’ll stare all around the web focuses on the more fantastical projects—magic mirrors, portable gaming handhelds, gleaming drones, and many others. And for simply reason! These maker masterpieces expose what form of energy the $35 mini-PC is able to in the palms of someone with pretty imagination and a bin paunchy of spare electronics, particularly now that the Raspberry Pi 4 involves more RAM, a huge CPU upgrade, USB-C charging, and sufficient graphics horsepower to pressure a pair of 4K monitors simultaneously.
But most folks, particularly novices, gained’t explain the Raspberry Pi to whip up crazy creations. There are advance-unending shining uses for this bare-bones equipment, from media streaming to extending the variety of your Wi-Fi network, as the following 10 projects expose. Time to build that $35 computer to accurate work. Heck, many of these will work trusty provocative even on the $5 Raspberry Pi Zero.
Editor’s expose: This text is up-to-the-minute periodically to consist of fresh recordsdata, most currently to resurface these projects for Pi day (3/14) and acknowledge bigger Raspberry Pi 4 costs from the ongoing chip shortage.
The authentic $35 Raspberry Pi may per chance well well also simply had been progressive to makers, nonetheless it took off with PC enthusiasts as correctly thanks to its potential to double as a grime-low-cost dwelling-theater PC. That attraction may per chance well well also simply have waned a diminutive bit as of late as dedicated devices treasure the Chromecast hit the streets at equally low costs, however the explain of a Raspberry Pi as a media-streaming box silent offers noteworthy more energy than those streaming-centric sticks, particularly when you are going to need gotten a sizeable native media collection.
There are a slew of HTPC-centric Raspberry Pi working programs available, every revolving round slapping your HD videos on the broad cloak cloak. OSMC is constructed all around the in vogue Kodi media heart tool (previously XBMC), whereas RasPlex transforms your Pi into the final Plex streaming box. The $21 Raspberry Pi TV Hat accessory, in the meantime, can grant your mini-PC the potential to read over-the-air TV indicators.
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Give a uninteresting TV smarts
Likewise, when you are going to need gotten a uninteresting TV that you simply’d treasure to add web taking a notice and diversified traditional computing expertise to, the Raspberry Pi does the trick without costing wherever advance as noteworthy as a Chromebit or Residence windows-powered Compute Stick. You’ll must make explain of a Raspberry Pi 2, 3, or 4, though—the authentic Pi and the Raspberry Pi Zero are trusty pokey sufficient to be frustrating for well-liked projects. With the lawful case, the Pi can learn about downright new on your dwelling theater, too.
Bonus: In the occasion you’re connecting the Raspberry Pi to your TV, it’s most likely you’ll well per chance per chance explain it to scuttle web videos, too!
File storage server
It’s most likely you’ll well well possibly also additionally have your Raspberry Pi play wingman for the diversified devices on your dwelling, serving as a centralized tool that performs precious projects.
Let’s assume: It’s most likely you’ll well well possibly also explain the mini-PC as a low-cost NAS box for well-liked file storage when you join an external USB onerous pressure to the machine. Hit those links for technical crucial factors, and one tip when you’re planning to remodel the computer to a file server: Utilize a wired ethernet connection pretty than Wi-Fi when you’re in a space.
Wireless network printer
Printing isn’t as prevalent because it outdated to be, however the Raspberry Pi permit you to remodel that plump ragged USB printer on your closet correct into a networked printer that every tool on your dwelling can explain.
You’ll desire a energy source for every system, obviously, as correctly as a USB connection between the devices, but surroundings it up is swish easy. This MakeUseOf tutorial walks you during the blueprint step-by-step.
Prolong your dwelling’s Wi-Fi network
Raspberry Pi doesn’t accomplish the dwelling networks you explain, nonetheless it would accomplish the dwelling networks you explain better when you configure the mini-PC as a wi-fi range extender, tapping into the tool’s ethernet and USB ports. Doing so may per chance well per chance per chance support your Wi-Fi signal attain the farthest corners of your dwelling and support wipe out tiresome zones.
Configuring the tool to bolster your dwelling network will choose a diminutive bit of time, and also you’ll must beget a USB Wi-Fi adapter to assist out it, but all once more, it’s rather easy with a manual. Strive Adafruit’s reader-pleasant tutorial.
Susceptible-college gaming emulator
Gaming emulators are an acceptable grey space, but there’s no query that the explain of the Raspberry Pi as a butt-kicking console emulator is a favored explain for the machines. It may per chance per chance most likely play video games from a huge range of consoles lawful on as much as the PlayStation 1 period when you arrange to snag some suitable game ROMs, though the older the scheme being emulated, the simpler the performance.
Strange? Strive PCWorld’s total manual to turning your Raspberry Pi correct into a retro gaming console for the paunchy scoop.
A song streaming machine
The Raspberry Pi’s media chops aren’t exiguous to video streaming on my own. A quantity of working programs have additionally been released that remodel the tool correct into a high-fidelity song participant when linked to a speaker, form of treasure a more fundamental, versatile model of Chromecast Audio.
The assorted song-oriented OSes in the market offer diversified functions; lag all around the FAQs and functions of every to evaluate which is lawful for your wants. Listed below are tutorials on easy have your Raspberry Pi turn uninteresting audio system into natty song solutions with Volumio and Rune Audio (pictured), every of which present mobile apps so that it’s most likely you’ll well per chance per chance preserve watch over your tunes with your mobile phone.
Learn programming
It’s most likely you’ll well well possibly gradually explain the Raspberry Pi because it become firstly supposed, too: As a low-cost introduction to programming and computer science. The mini-PC’s loaded with all sorts of tool that encourages deep-stage tinkering.
Previous the frilly-line terminal, you’ll must wade in on the total, you’ll additionally procure versions of Wolfram Mathematica, Python program advent instruments, and Scratch, an animation coding IDE for younger folks, in the Raspbian working scheme that the Raspberry Pi Foundation encourages fresh customers to set up. Web natty!
Play Minecraft
Or that it’s most likely you’ll play Minecraft. There’s a free Raspberry Pi model of Minecraft that any one can get at no cost. Even better, it’s designed to show you easy explain the Python programming language as you invent out the arena. (Hello, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella did screech that portion of the reason the company bought Mojang become to trap younger folks into computer science.)
Accumulate Minecraft: Pi Model and leap in with this precious tutorial.
Cheap productiveness PC
With choices of 2GB, 4GB, and now 8GB fashions, the Raspberry Pi 4 packs a heftier punch than previous RPi iterations—making it glorious for traditional on a standard foundation projects treasure web taking a notice, staring at video streams, and doc editing. Atmosphere up one as a PC goes mercurial, too, with the bulk of the hour setup time devoted to staring at for the working scheme installation to total.
As a starter or secondary computer, it’s onerous to beat, particularly given its invent cost of $100 (and even much less, when you choose for the 2GB model and no longer the 4GB). Strive PCWorld’s paunchy manual in easy get apart collectively a $100 Raspberry Pi PC for all the pieces you’ll need.
Crazy superior experiments
Let’s attain the build we began. While you’ve wrapped your head all around the Raspberry Pi’s most likely, why no longer strive your hand at a form of awe-spirited inventive projects? PCWorld’s learn about at 10 insanely progressive, extremely chilly Raspberry Pi creations may per chance well per chance per chance support with the muse, whereas the project guides at Instructables, Hackaday, and the Raspberry Pi Foundation online web page itself are prepared to sail you step-by-step during the surely superior stuff treasure the magic replicate above.
Also take a look at out our roundup of the simplest Raspberry Pi kits. Whether or no longer you’re a beginner who trusty needs to web all of the basics with one beget, or an experienced tinkerer taking a notice to invent a surely glorious project, a equipment may per chance well well possibly be the manner to head.
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