Raspberry pi zero, $5

[severdhed]

https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/raspberry-pi-zero/

I looked briefly, seems comparable to original pi b in specs, for the price, it might be a good choice for some retro gaming projects

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[Grasshopper]

Hmm. Interesting. The $5 price tag is a bit of a sleigh-of-hand. If you check out the links, the cheapest price I'm seeing is £6.50 (including shipping). But nevertheless, it's still a lot cheaper than a regular Pi.

I've been toying with the idea of building a small Jakks-Pacific style joystick fitted with japanese controls, and a Raspberry Pi for some time now. The regular Pi is a little on the large size for this project, but this new model might just fit the bill.

I'm just not sure whether I can live with the Arm V6 processor and only 512MB of RAM. However, if they came out with a version of the Pi2 in this form factor, I'd bite their hand off.

[pbj]

$5 and in stock at Microcenter....

[ChanceKJ]

.

[opt2not]

that £5 becomes $30 CDN when it gets over here. Ugh, so stupid. we need a global currency.

[yotsuya]

Awesome. More Core2Duos for me.

[big10p]

There's one 'free' on the cover of The MagPi magazine, here in the UK (dunno if it's sold in any other countries). A computer free on the front of a mag. Crazy times.

https://www.raspberrypi.org/magpi/issues/40

[ChanceKJ]

.

[SavannahLion]

Yeah that price caught my eye. I was going to use it in lieu of the C.H.I.P. until I realized what they removed to get in at the $5 mark.

It's still a nice board since it does things the C.H.I.P. can't do and it has the HUGE community support that's still not defined for CHIP. If you can get it, with shipping, cheaper than comparable boards, give it a good hard look.

As for those with insane shipping costs to their countries, what are your options for similar product?

[JDFan]

As for those with insane shipping costs to their countries, what are your options for similar product?

Might also be worth seeing what it would cost to get a copy of the magazine with it included shipped to you ( Not sure about other countries but the US offers a pretty steep discount in postage for magazines and books - which might be why they included it in the magazine. )

[flash1987]

Definitely going to pick one up in a month or so once the madness around it stops.

[big10p]

Yeah, I was gonna run to Chapters and see if they sold it in their magazine section. Haha.

I was thinking more of other European countries and possibly Australasia. Not everyone around here lives in the States, ya know. 

[matsadona]

Sweet little thing that is. But, what could you do with the composite video without any analog audio output?

[Slippyblade]

It's easy enough to get the analog out.

[ChanceKJ]

.

[big10p]

Yeah, I was gonna run to Chapters and see if they sold it in their magazine section. Haha.

I was thinking more of other European countries and possibly Australasia. Not everyone around here lives in the States, ya know. 

I'm in Canada.

I've never seen it on the shelf, mind you, i don't think i can tell you when the last time i even bothered to glance at a magazine section in a store was.

Me neither. I used to buy mags all the time but don't even bother looking, these days.

[matsadona]

It's easy enough to get the analog out.

Through the GPIO pins or what? Please elaborate.


Edit:
Found this: https://learn.adafruit.com/introducing-the-raspberry-pi-zero/audio-outputs
So by reassigning some GPIO pins, recompile some parts, build a rudimentary RC-filter, then you can get analog audio out. Well, perhaps not considered as "easy enough" for everyone 

[Slippyblade]

...perhaps not considered as "easy enough" for everyone 

Considering the other stuff we on this board hack together, a circuit consisting of 2 resistors and 2 caps and a little code tweak should be easy enough.

[lettuce]

Hurry up and announce the Raspberry Pi 3 already!

[nitrogen_widget]

...perhaps not considered as "easy enough" for everyone 

Considering the other stuff we on this board hack together, a circuit consisting of 2 resistors and 2 caps and a little code tweak should be easy enough.

Or you can just use a cheap hdmi to vga with audio out converter you use with your rpi 1 & 2.

[aldub516]

ive been working on some really cool projects recently with the Pi2. Fun times. But i have a question for the technical people.. How does the original model b, Or this new zero model handle classic game? say robotron/digdug type of games? i didnt grab any of these when i could have because i didnt know what they can handle.. Whats the word on performance for classic games on these older models/ zero models?

[paigeoliver]

Now you just need a $3 monitor, some 15 cent joysticks, some 5 cent buttons and some thin cardboard to build the cabinet out of to round out your build.

You get what you pay for.

[aldub516]

Im not sure if that was in response to me.. But if it does what it needs to, then thats all i need. I certainly have no use for it, as the pi 2 is keeping my projects occupied. I was just generally curious as to what it can handle.. Im currently building a bunch of mini dedicated machines, and if it can boot old classic 4 way games and process a few pushbuttons and a video output.. it would be 5 bucks very well spent. Alas, i applaud their theory of learning and making these things available. I learned a whole lot of new things just from trying to figure out small stuff on the pi. Its cool for the semi-noob to get into electronics. Im not great at technical terms and understanding so i dont really comprehend actual brute strength specs of the pi's and stuff like that, so i have no idea what the older pis, or this zero can do. 

[SavannahLion]

ive been working on some really cool projects recently with the Pi2. Fun times. But i have a question for the technical people.. How does the original model b, Or this new zero model handle classic game? say robotron/digdug type of games? i didnt grab any of these when i could have because i didnt know what they can handle.. Whats the word on performance for classic games on these older models/ zero models?

They use the same ARMv6 present on all RasPi models overclocked to 1GHz. It should be on par if not better than the A or B models in terms of performance. Not sure about the RAM there so that would make a difference. I suspect you're going to need those extra cycles to pick up any slack from missing hardware if you're going to need them. We'll see how it flies.

Pi2 uses a quad core ARMv7. Not a fair comparison.

It's a sexy board but if you start wanting things like Wifi, Ethernet or whatever else this board is lacking, judge the original Pi's carefully. That extra hardware will add up quickly.

[matsadona]

...perhaps not considered as "easy enough" for everyone 

Considering the other stuff we on this board hack together, a circuit consisting of 2 resistors and 2 caps and a little code tweak should be easy enough.

Or you can just use a cheap hdmi to vga with audio out converter you use with your rpi 1 & 2.

For me personally it is not a problem doing the hardware stuff. However I am a total Linux noob, so I am more or less hitting the roof doing basic configurations via the sudo command and so on. So recompiling parts of the OS would be the big hurdle for me.
Right now the Pi Zero is totally sold out, so this is something for pure speculation (or the future).

Anyway, I need 15 to 20 units for an exhibition connected to old CRT TV's (with composite video) simply looping some videos. I was planning for the A+ model, since I don't need network or a lot of USB ports. So the Zero would be awesome, mainly because of the price.

[Locke141]

Anyway, I need 15 to 20 units for an exhibition connected to old CRT TV's (with composite video) simply looping some videos. I was planning for the A+ model, since I don't need network or a lot of USB ports. So the Zero would be awesome, mainly because of the price.

You should not need to recompile. This was already covered in the Raspberry pi/DEV board section

You are correct.

https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=91&t=86609

Here is a quick comparison I made and posted about chip. (Note: On the Chip I listed that comes with the composite cable but looking on my backer kick it seem that its actually a $5 add on. Thanks SavannahLion

Awesome. More Core2Duos for me.

Your right, it's not like any has ever done a series of project where they used both and the R-Pi turned out to be the better fit.

[yotsuya]

Awesome. More Core2Duos for me.

Your right, it's not like any has ever done a series of project where they used both and the R-Pi turned out to be the better fit..

Your assumption is that I would ever build something that tiny and slim. You script kiddies stick with the Pi, ii'll take a MicroATX board any day.

[SavannahLion]

@Locke141

Check it again. I believe it comes with the composite and if you want an extra for some strange reason, then it's a $5 add-on.

That tripped me up and pissed me off initially.  I had to read the backers extra careful to make sure the $9 wasn't a crap price.

Correction: I just looked. The $9, $19 and $150 pledges come with composite cables. The other levels (except one) have alternate display methods included.

[pbj]

The problem with the Pi in this hobby are two fold. 

One, if you unplug it, the SD card takes a ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- and you have to start over.

Two, the people that use them are the same dismissive ---uvulas--- that pollute every other aspect of using linux.  It's never a matter of HOW to do something, one must start with WHY they want to do it, provide extensive justification, and be told that while what you propose is possible no thinking individual would do such a thing.

Even a couple of the 'script kiddie' friendly arcade distributions I've downloaded have clock stopping issues and authors not amenable to fixing anything.

[Locke141]

Your assumption is that I would ever build something that tiny and slim. You script kiddies stick with the Pi, ii'll take a MicroATX board any day.

I think I assumed that you not the only person building stuff.

For me the nice part of the Raspberry Pi is the community, educational aspect, and the low price point. I have a Model 2 running retro Diet-pi hooked up to my living room TV. In my experience, I'd agree in this hobby you are almost always better off using an old PC. That does not mean there are not other situations where they are the better option.     

[yotsuya]

Your assumption is that I would ever build something that tiny and slim. You script kiddies stick with the Pi, ii'll take a MicroATX board any day.

I think I assumed that you not the only person building stuff.

For me the nice part of the Raspberry Pi is the community, educational aspect, and the low price point. I have a Model 2 running retro Diet-pi hooked up to my living room TV. In my experience, I'd agree in this hobby you are almost always better off using an old PC. That does not mean there are not other situations where they are the better option.   

Sure. That's why I said "Awesome" in my post. More options for those of you guys that like to use the device. But it also means less competition for those more robust machines for people like me who don't use the Pi.

No need to defend the device. Save it for Paige ' s posts, he really hates the thing.

[aldub516]

I personally got into the PI to learn new things.. even if it directly doesnt pertain to other things, i believe rounding out knowledge and skills always helps down the line. In my case, the Pi is a PERFECT choice. Im building super small dedicated cabinets for a "client".. the pi and image i use, starts up, boots straight into a rom, and thats it. It is a read-only card so i can unplug it an time i want with no problem. That lets me build a bunch of these machines and keep them on a shelf on a power strip. Thats the idea atleast. Its all relative to the needed outcome. For me, the pi is awesome for now

[paigeoliver]

No need to defend the device. Save it for Paige ' s posts, he really hates the thing.

I have always said that the pi is the worst possible choice you can make for mame.

I have challenged pi users to tell me about something worse.

They have never been able to do so.

[yotsuya]

[vwalbridge]

No need to defend the device. Save it for Paige ' s posts, he really hates the thing.

I have always said that the pi is the worst possible choice you can make for mame.

I have challenged pi users to tell me about something worse.

They have never been able to do so.

I have not personally used the Pi for anything... so to be fair, I can't bash it since I haven't tried it. But more importantly, I have ZERO need to TO try it. I've built my share of small (micro even) arcade machines and I could of had a perfectly good excuse to use one, but I didn't.

Now that there are really good options out there like the Kangaroo PC, Zotac Pico, Intel NUC, Intel Stick...I have less than zero desire to try the Pi.

To sum it up:  The Pi is a perfect example of "money talks". In other words...I'm totally convinced that people use the Pi based purely on price. If it wasn't so damned cheap, nobody would give 2 rips about it.

[ark_ader]

I have only one use for my original first run RasberryPi B and it is for Williams Multicade games for my Stargate.  I have tried the rest of the games with Mame4All, and they are just slow.

[severdhed]

wow, there is some real hate for the pi on here.    I know it isn't ideal for every project.  you also have to remember that while this is an arcade forum, many of us get into other/non-arcade related projects as well.  Would i use a pi for a mame cabinet?  probably not.  however i do have on mounted in a SNES that is awesome.  I'm currently working on genesis and psx versions as well. I don't think there is a better platform out there for these type of projects.   why did i choose the raspberry pi?  there were several reasons:

1. cost.  this thing is relatively cheap compared to more robust options, and has enough power for classic console emulation.
2. size.  there aren't many computing options that are easy to fit inside the shell of an snes. 
3. convenience.  with the retropie sd card image available, the hard work is already done. i was able to wire up the controllers and back panel connectors, plug everything in and pretty much have it working.

sure, you can't just unplug the power from it without risking the sd card, but how is that different than any other pc?  If i just pull the power out of my windows based mame cabinet while it is running, i risk corrupting the hard drive.  you have to shut down the pi just like any other pc, plain and simple.  this can be done using a simple microswitch on the gpio header and a basic script, or directly from the retropie menu.

i'm not saying the pi is the best choice for the majority of projects, but it definitely has a place here.  this new $5 unit could be an awesome option once it is easily available.  sure, it is missing some connectivity features, but in all honestly, for a retro console project, once the thing is set up, i dont need network connectivity

[Locke141]

wow, there is some real hate for the pi on here.    I know it isn't ideal for every project.  you also have to remember that while this is an arcade forum, many of us get into other/non-arcade related projects as well.  Would i use a pi for a mame cabinet?  probably not.  however i do have on mounted in a SNES that is awesome.  I'm currently working on genesis and psx versions as well. I don't think there is a better platform out there for these type of projects.   why did i choose the raspberry pi?  there were several reasons:

1. cost.  this thing is relatively cheap compared to more robust options, and has enough power for classic console emulation.
2. size.  there aren't many computing options that are easy to fit inside the shell of an snes. 
3. convenience.  with the retropie sd card image available, the hard work is already done. i was able to wire up the controllers and back panel connectors, plug everything in and pretty much have it working.

sure, you can't just unplug the power from it without risking the sd card, but how is that different than any other pc?  If i just pull the power out of my windows based mame cabinet while it is running, i risk corrupting the hard drive.  you have to shut down the pi just like any other pc, plain and simple.  this can be done using a simple microswitch on the gpio header and a basic script, or directly from the retropie menu.

i'm not saying the pi is the best choice for the majority of projects, but it definitely has a place here.  this new $5 unit could be an awesome option once it is easily available.  sure, it is missing some connectivity features, but in all honestly, for a retro console project, once the thing is set up, i dont need network connectivity

 

Also, If you set the card to read only I don't think that power disruption is an issue. I would set all your console builds to read only when there done.

[Jamesbeat]

I'm running a Raspberry pi in my bartop.

In fact, the reason I am interested in building arcade machines is because of the raspberry pi.

I initially bought it hoping to build an all in one emulation console, but some of the hardware's shortcomings prevented me from getting it set up just as I wanted.

I ended up buying an Ouya for console emulation, so the pi was just gathering dust.

I then found out about pimame, and decided to build an arcade machine.

I have the pi set up to boot directly into the mame4all front end, and to shut down with the press of a hidden admin button.

Apart from becoming a little choppy when playing MK, it works great.
MK is the only game I have noticed a problem with, everything else I have tried runs at full speed from what I can tell.
Obviously, there's no way you'd get 3D games running on the thing, but I' m only interested in the classics.

I understand that mame4all is not the most accurate version of mame, but for a more casual user such as myself it's not noticeable.

I think the trick is to think of a pi running mame4all not as a replacement for a PC, but as an ArcadeSD type device.
It won't satisfy the purist or true enthusiast, but it's great for the more casual user.

Incidentally, while I am careful to keep multiple backup SD card images, and even keep a dedicated backup SD card stored inside my cab for emergencies, I have never had a corrupted card.
Writing an image to the SD card takes under ten minutes, so as long as you're careful to keep a backup,  a corrupted card would only be a mild inconvenience, not a disaster.

[aldub516]

the hate on the pi is stupid because its based on things the pi cant or isnt made to do..So many naturalists talk about classic arcade games like its all that matters, then turn around and bash the pi for not running nfl blitz gold. Is  the pi going to run nfl blitz flawlessly while outputting power to 40 leds? No.. But I challenge someone to tell me why i shouldnt use a pi for classic arcade games or mini arcades WHEN NEEDED.. meaning, ive recently built a few mini arcades for someone soon to be posted.. dedicated games. Using the pi, i plug the machine in, 10 seconds later it boots directly to a single game of my choice and im playing. Now lets say you have a joust machine sitting in your garage that doesnt work because of the board and youd like a economic way of fixing it. and this question is actually posed as an educational question for myself than a challenge.. Why would you hate against putting a pi in that cabinet? 35$ pi, 2 dollar hdmi cord,2 dollar power plug and an 8 dollar sd card loaded with portable mame, set to boot to a particular game. under 50 dollars, and less than 20 minutes you would have a perfectly running joust board replacement. In my case using the gpio board, im able to not only hookup all my joysticks and buttons, but ALSO directly power my led buttons, as well as the mini coin door light to the same board. im powering half my project and running the full system off the pi with under 50 dollars. Again, its a mini arcade, with only a few buttons, and running nothing past the late 80's, so why would someone be so against a cheap and easy alternative? I knew zero about linux or pi, and in just a few days i figured out everything and achieved what i need.
half of this is me asking real questions as im still discovering "mini pcs" and all these new things.. the other half is indeed defending the pi. it is perfect for.. APPLICATIONS THAT ITS MADE FOR.. I really cant understand the blatant hate. I dont hate the kangaroo, or other machines.. But for an under 50 dollar investment, and no effort beyond burning a sd card, you get a full arcade set up capable of playing anything up to even simpsons perfectly. Again, past that you get crap game play, theres hundreds of games before that which do work fine, and i cant really see a fair argument about those applications. Id like to hear the hate now..