#MSX RPi RPi2 british python python3 RPi kit

[diyrobotics-blog]

Raspberry Pi 2 for the kids

While looking around for light hardware to put aboard a quadcopter, I kept finding expensive boards for a flight controller, that is, beyond $50. Then in contrast, I kept being teased by a $35 Linux box. I thought 'oh yes, $30 would be great, if only it was what I am looking for'.

I battled feature creep for the better of a week and went with an Arduino Nano for less than $20. Later fired it up, and ran a couple of basic tests. Wow, easy handling, compact, efficient. I also bought an MPU6050 tri axial accelerometer and gyroscope to connect to it for the quadcopter. I will write about the MPU later, it was a good investment, not in the way I intended but still.

Now that it was settled, it was time to consider the  magic Linux box. With a new computer in the house, I could finally go beyond everyone's expectations while relocating the glorious epic fun and joy to the kid's game room. Yes! much scream and joy, only interrupted by the occasional wheezing sound of a catapulted barbie, would resonate at a reasonable 30 feet away from my desk through 3 layers of flooring and walls.

And so came through the door the tantalizing Linux box: the Raspberry Pi 2B. Much discussed and newly launched  by a couple brits on a good cop bad cop routine , it was finally here, accompanied by all the accessories that would make it a kid magnet. LEDs, resistors, HDMI cable, etc...

Immediately there were a few drawbacks, but never fear:

the python3 support for the smbus was lacking[fixed]

Before I had the time to say 'bugger', though a novice, I had recompiled the GPIO wrapper for Python3 following someone's guide, koodos to the online community. Searching for it again gave me the following, which I believe is equivalent to what I did:

> cd ~ > sudo apt-get -y install python3-dev > wget http://ftp.de.debian.org/debian/pool/main/i/i2c-tools/i2c-tools_3.1.0.orig.tar.bz2 > tar xf i2c-tools_3.1.0.orig.tar.bz2 > cd i2c-tools-3.1.0/py-smbus > mv smbusmodule.c smbusmodule.c.orig > wget -O smbusmodule.c http://piborg.org/downloads/picoborgrev/smbusmodule.c.txt > wget http://lm-sensors.org/svn/lm-sensors/tags/V2-10-8/kernel/include/i2c-dev.h > python3 setup.py build > sudo python3 setup.py install

Note: I do not know if others still have issues.

Still there is more that should get resolved sooner than later:

Flash is not supported, blocking access to the kids preferred game 'fire boy and water girl'

need an LCD with DVI input for less $30 ASAP

While trying to resolve this, it became apparent that it was possible to turn this box into a fantastic Arcade system with Retropie, which was done quickly over the following weekend. Blimey, it made my childhood games accessbile, as if on my old MSX computer, fiercely equipped of a Z80 and 32KB of RAM, running at a glorious 3.5MHz. And here came King's Valley, The Goonies, and other Pacman. It may explain why the box has mysteriously not been transferred from my study to the kids' room.

The best part however was getting the kids to interact with the board and various components. How fun to observe a 7 year old write her first lines of Python to make lights start and stop. Lights that she setup with only a bit of help onto the breadboard, not long after she installed the heat sinks. The couple unforeseen resets induced by Vcc (+5V) encountering Ground (0V) in a mortal resistors' embrace induced some learning, encounter better made at 5V than 110V AC. And more, which will deserve its own post.

So: Yes there are many alternatives, the more classy beaglebone black, or the cuter cubox. And Yes the guys working on it have a peculiar sense of web aesthetics, BUT the projects that people have done with them, and the expansion towards TV top box or Arcade, makes up for any kitsch sights during web searches. Plus what would I do today with more power than on this quad core? Naught.

So I give it to you: despite the probability of picking up a British vocabulary due to intense browsing, and the occasional invasion of one's sanctuary by the legitimate owners of the box (the kids), the RPi2 was worth it.