£16 credit-card sized computer. Raspberry Pi

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Ramshanker

Ramshanker

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Interesting little project from the UK, Raspberry Pi available this month.
Apparently it's aimed at boosting interest in programming, but it's already running a version of XBMC and it can cope with 1080p video.

The Broadcom chipset features hardware acceleration that allows for h.264 content at 1080p Blu-ray quality to decode at 30 frames per second
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NR57ELY28s


Model A Model B
Target price: [1] USD $25 (GBP £16) USD $35 (GBP £22)
SoC: [1] Broadcom BCM2835 (CPU + GPU + DSP + SDRAM) [3]
CPU: 700 MHz ARM1176JZF-S core (ARM11 family) [3]
GPU: Broadcom VideoCore IV,[34] OpenGL ES 2.0, 1080p30 h.264/MPEG-4 AVC high-profile decode [3]
Memory (SDRAM): 128 MiB 256 MiB
USB 2.0 ports: [8] 1 2 (via integrated USB hub) [33]
Video outputs: [1] Composite RCA, HDMI
Audio outputs: [1] 3.5 mm jack, HDMI
Onboard storage: [8] SD / MMC / SDIO card slot
Onboard network: [1][8] None 10/100 Ethernet (RJ45) [33]
Low-level peripherals: 8 x GPIO, UART, I²C bus, SPI bus with two chip selects, +3.3 V, +5 V, Ground [34][35]
(GPIO connector is not assembled on the board, see below for details)
Power ratings: 500 mA (2.5 W) [1] 700 mA (3.5 W)
Power source: [1] 5 V via MicroUSB or optional GPIO header
Size: 85.60 × 53.98 mm (3.370 × 2.125 in) [36]
Supported operating systems: Debian GNU/Linux, Fedora, Arch Linux [2
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I think they'll be loads of community project happening for this little thing in the coming months. It seems as if it would already make a cheap HTPC (can use an android phone as a remote) or a retro gaming machine.

They'll be selling the first batch of 10,00 this month as far as I know... I reckon they sell like hotcakes
 


Created by David Braben, who us old geeks will remember as one 1 half of the team that wrote Elite back in the early 80's on the BBC computer.

Which may be why the new Pi has models A and B ;)

/Geek mode off
 
I'm going to try and get one when they go on sale. I could do with a cheap little media player for the bedroom.

Morse said:
If it's $25 in the US, you can guarantee it'll be £25 instead of £16 here. It usually works that way.
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I thought that as well. I'm hoping as it's British we'll get the proper rate

rokerman said:
I've been following this.
The first 10 prototypes sold for £1000+.

http://www.raspberrypi.org/
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:eek: Thats crazy
 
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I was going to get one, but there's just one snag - no digital audio out (optical or coaxial) to connect to my Dolby Digital/DTS decoder. Pity, it's otherwise excellent. I'll watch the project with interest.
 
Morse said:
I was going to get one, but there's just one snag - no digital audio out (optical or coaxial) to connect to my Dolby Digital/DTS decoder. Pity, it's otherwise excellent. I'll watch the project with interest.
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That would screw me too, but only because I have a shit amp that doesn't take multiple hdmi in and send only one out.

Digital Audio Out is carried by HDMI if you have the right kit :neutral:
 
rokerman said:
What a complete failure this launch was.
Both sites to buy from (Farnell & RS Components) have crashed.
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would be the first company to do this on purpose.. we're gullible as fuck us consumers.
 
ayesane said:
would be the first company to do this on purpose.. we're gullible as fuck us consumers.
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This has the potential to bring affordable computing to every household. And its a British product.

But true to form, its messed up.
Currently bigger than the iPad 3 in the social media world.
 
So what are they going to be? Like a " normal " computer? Browsing internet? Listening to music? Playing games? Word? Haven't got a clue me.
 
Scott1CG said:
So what are they going to be? Like a " normal " computer? Browsing internet? Listening to music? Playing games? Word? Haven't got a clue me.
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They won't play top end games. They will play "phone" type games.

Office Apps should be fine, internet and media will be spot on - that's the whole point.
 
KingOfSeaburn said:
are they going to have a case or be sold as a circuit board?
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Think the first batch are developer boards ie no case. they expect to have them cased up for future runs. You can get a plastic box for a few quid from maplins - whack it in there, drill the slots for the hdmi etc and you're away.
 
SAFC2403 said:
Think the first batch are developer boards ie no case. they expect to have them cased up for future runs. You can get a plastic box for a few quid from maplins - whack it in there, drill the slots for the hdmi etc and you're away.
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the guardian clip suggests the full version is going to be about half the size of a business card. which is mint but the desk is going to be full of bloody wires and cables!
 
Am i the only fucker who hasnt a clue what its all about?

And the fact that ive worked in IT for 16+ years and i'm still cluless is worrying!
 
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