Ask HN: How are you using your Raspberry Pi?

#1

Post by lenwood » Tue, Aug 02, 2022, 7:07 PM UTC

What creative uses have you found for the Raspberry Pi?

Re: Ask HN: How are you using your Raspberry Pi?

#2

Post by mindcrime » Tue, Aug 02, 2022, 7:15 PM UTC

Artificial Intelligence research[1]

I also have one dedicated to running the RetroPie[2] distribution and I use it for playing old video games.

I have another with an RTL-SDR dongle[3] attached, and running the OP25[4] software, and I use it as a scanner for listening to local fire/police/ems dispatch channels.

I had given some thought to doing a "cyberdeck"[5] project, but honestly it doesn't have much (if any) practical application, and most of the parts and stuff I bought for that have been repurposed for the "AI box" thing instead.

[1]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32310799

[2]: https://retropie.org.uk/

[3]: https://www.rtl-sdr.com/

[4]: https://github.com/boatbod/op25

[5]: https://www.reddit.com/r/cyberDeck/

Re: Ask HN: How are you using your Raspberry Pi?

#3

Post by bediger4000 » Tue, Aug 02, 2022, 7:18 PM UTC

I've got one of mine collecting weather data

https://github.com/bediger4000/station

I'm hoping to detect the "tide" in the atmosphere with barometric pressure readings, but I haven't done anything towards that.

I'd also like to have an automated way to pick out high/low temperature for the day. I've got 2 thermometers taking temperatures. There's data loss caused by both sensors quitting and operational issues, so I have a lot to learn and figure out in processing the raw data.

Re: Ask HN: How are you using your Raspberry Pi?

#4

Post by jethronethro » Tue, Aug 02, 2022, 7:21 PM UTC

Y'know, I still don't own a Pi. And I feel really guilty about it ...

Re: Ask HN: How are you using your Raspberry Pi?

#5

Post by mindcrime » Tue, Aug 02, 2022, 7:27 PM UTC

bediger4000 wrote: post #3

I've got one of mine collecting weather data https://github.com/bediger4000/station I'm hoping to detect the "tide" in the atmosphere with barometric pressure readings, but I haven't done anything towards that. I'd also like to have an automated way to pick out high/low temperature for the day. I've got 2 thermometers taking temperatures. There's data loss caused by both sensors quitting and operational issues, so I…

I wouldn't mind building a weather station at some point as well. It's not something I really need but it would be neat. In conjunction with that, I could also use an RTL-SDR dongle to make a receiver for satellite weather data from various publicly available weather satellites.

The other idea I've toyed with is an automatic plant watering system, in service of my aspiration to start growing my own hot peppers (ghost peppers, habaneros, carolina reapers, etc.)

so I have a lot to learn and figure out in processing the raw data.

If you're interested in weather / environmental "stuff" in a broader sense, you might also be interested in a lot of the other data the USG (and others) make available. NOAA, the USGS, etc. put out all sorts of neat datasets. You can get all the obvious stuff (temp, barometric pressure, etc.) as well as water levels in various creeks and lakes and rivers, discharge volume for same, ground conductivity, stuff about lightning, severe storms (tornados, hurricanes, etc.), wildfires, etc., etc., etc. I'm pretty sure somebody creative could find some really interesting applications for all of that stuff.

Re: Ask HN: How are you using your Raspberry Pi?

#6

Post by mindcrime » Tue, Aug 02, 2022, 7:28 PM UTC

jethronethro wrote: post #4

Y'know, I still don't own a Pi. And I feel really guilty about it ...

Sadly now is not the best time to get started, as Pi prices and availability are in a Bad Place due to the Chipageddon[1] situation.

[1]: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/aug/27/chipageddon-ho...

Re: Ask HN: How are you using your Raspberry Pi?

#7

Post by polski-g » Tue, Aug 02, 2022, 7:37 PM UTC

I'm using it as an entry in my shopping cart, waiting for them to come back in stock

Re: Ask HN: How are you using your Raspberry Pi?

#8

Post by mindcrime » Tue, Aug 02, 2022, 7:40 PM UTC

polski-g wrote: post #7

I'm using it as an entry in my shopping cart, waiting for them to come back in stock

If you live within driving distance of a Microcenter store, it seems like they've had a modest amount of success in acquiring stock here and there. I haven't heard a lot of reports of people getting any anywhere else lately. I managed to score 1 8G model from Elektor earlier in the year, but haven't heard any news about them getting any more in since. :-(

Re: Ask HN: How are you using your Raspberry Pi?

#9

Post by atommclain » Tue, Aug 02, 2022, 7:44 PM UTC

Past:

* Kiwix server hosting Wikipedia offline among other info

* RetroPie

Present:

* Home Assistant (home automation)

* Zigbee2MQTT (non-propriety home automation hub)

* Pi-hole (ad blocker via dns)

Future(?):

* WireGuard VPN

* Micro weather station reporting

* FlightAware station (tracking Airplanes flying nearby)

Re: Ask HN: How are you using your Raspberry Pi?

#10

Post by jamesu » Tue, Aug 02, 2022, 7:45 PM UTC

Using a 4 as a wireless bridge. I've tried using them to host servers (mainly storing data) but been burned too many times using sd cards, and once I inevitably add in an ssd/hdd the value of using the pi vs just getting a cheap significantly more powerful x86 system starts to dwindle. Would love to come up with a project that makes good use of the GPIO pins though.