Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
all 26 of the Pi's GPIO header pins—meaning that you could accidentally connect things to
the pins marked as Do Not Connect on the GPIO header diagram (see Chapter 12, “Hardware
Hacking”). As with connecting things to these pins directly, this is inadvisable and can result
in permanent damage to the Pi.
Figure 13-5:
A Pi Plate with a
quarter-size
breadboard
Perhaps the biggest reason for choosing a Pi Plate over the Slice of Pi is its clever design.
Once connected to the GPIO header on the Pi, there is little reason to remove it unless you
need access to the DSI or MIPI CSI-2 camera connectors. Because it only increases the height
of the Pi, rather than the width or length, and because it includes the screw terminals for
side-on access to GPIO pins, it's also compatible with a surprising number of Raspberry Pi
cases (see Figure 13-6). If you're planning to use the Pi and Pi Plate combination with a case,
however, be sure to check that the case can be adjusted for height or has access to the GPIO
port through its lid.
