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As someone wanting to get into electronics, DIY, Raspberry Pi, etc., is this a good starting point? Or do you recommend getting another (low budget) Pi first in
by keiferski 2y ago
As someone wanting to get into electronics, DIY, Raspberry Pi, etc., is this a good starting point? Or do you recommend getting another (low budget) Pi first instead?
- unwind 2y agoThe Pico is a microcontroller, typically programmed directly "to the metal" using either your own code or RPi's SDKs. It is very different from the regular Pi boards, which are single-board computers that run a full Linux using gigabytes of RAM. The Pico has 264 KB (original) of RAM, or a massive 520 KB on the Pico 2.
- keiferski 2y agoSounds like the types of projects I can make with a Pico will be rather limited if I am a beginner. Thanks!
- sokoloff 2y agoThat's not necessarily a bad thing. If you want to build a blinking LED thing, a USB controller, or similar small IoT thing, I find microcontrollers to be easier and more natural than running an entire Linux single-board-computer to do it. I might break it down as: if you know C/C++, I'd start with a microcontroller [Arduino, ESP32, RP2040/2350, etc]; if you know Python, there are still micros that run it, but a full Pi might be an easier starting point for you. (Either way, if you end up doing this for more than a year, you're going to eventually do both...) Don't think of the microcontroller storage specs in relation to a modern PC. I use an EV CAN diagnostics tool that runs on an ATmega328 (32K of program storage and 2K of RAM).
- sowbug 2y agoFor perspective, the original Apple II computer typically had 48KB RAM, a 140KB floppy disk, and a 1MHz CPU. Yet it ran VisiCalc (the first popular spreadsheet program), Bank Street Writer (a marvelously easy-to-use word processor), and plenty of now-classic video games. Few (except maybe dmitrygr!) would recommend a microcontroller today if your goal were to build a spreadsheet or word processor app. But you'd be amazed how much business logic you can stuff into such a small space, as long as your requirements are focused.
- JohnVideogames 2y agoThe Pi Pico W 2 can run micropython, which is a reasonably limited and fun version of python that is accessible for beginners. If the types of projects you have in mind will involve reading simple sensors, turning on lights / speakers / beepers, or responding to buttons then you'll have a good time!
- hasbot 2y agoYour knowledge will be the limiting factor. For the same price though you can get an Adafruit Trinket (https://www.adafruit.com/product/1501 https://www.adafruit.com/product/1501) which has a lot of potential.
- singularity2001 2y agoSo it’s basically like one of those Arduino boards that you can get clones from China for a few cents?
- MathMonkeyMan 2y agoIt's good if you just want to talk to some sensors or add logic to a motor. I enjoy learning about all of the low level details.