Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
+ve
Normally open
Powered
Device
Common
Relay
Colil
Normally closed
GPIO Pin 11
Figure 8-2.
A method to control a relay from a Raspberry Pi
The low power demands of the Raspberry Pi make soft switches a very simple proposition, and so to preserve
the low-energy footprint it is recommended to use individual LEDs for status lights, instead of a power-hungry
(and expensive) display. It is then up to you whether you add a USB charging station to the switch . . . or a speaker . . .
The Joy Of Community
By saving lots of money on the cost of the boards, developers are able to instead spend time helping other developers.
Aside from the Arduino, the Raspberry Pi probably has the largest community for any single piece of hardware
currently on the market. In addition to the official boards (
http://www.raspberrypi.org/phpBB3/index.php
) there is
also a (often more technical) forum at Element14 (
http://www.element14.com
), which is part of Farnell.
N
If you're looking for more detailed community support then avoid the official Raspberry Pi forum and use the
ones on Element14-despite the arduous and unnecessary sign-up procedure! As the thread
http://www.element14.com/
community/thread/19436
shows, people have been banned and threads removed from the official site when the
conversation does not present the foundations ideals, which can hamper your efforts to find an answer to a question,
or even provide prove that such questions exist.
Tip
Case design is another area where the Raspberry Pi community has come together to discuss ideas. This is particularly
pertinent for those with older boards that lack screw holes. Cases have been made from LEGO, old Playstations, and paper.
There have even been professional versions made from aluminum, and several kickstarter projects initiated to provide a
case. Although there is currently no official case, the Pibow Color Case is picking up a lot of fans at the moment.
N
Not all prebuilt cases provide access to the GPIO pins, which are necessary for interfacing with homebrew
periperals, so be aware.
Caution
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