Raspberry Pi ($35 computer)

[Sebastian]

I should get mine sometime in June and was hoping to use it as a cheap FLAC player. The idea is to hook it up to my network and my HiFi so that it can play my FLACs directly from my NAS.

[Popmarter]

Maybe stupid question,  but can this be turned in a bit bucket?

[Pinky Herman]

Maybe stupid question,  but can this be turned in a bit bucket?

It is the opposite of a bit-bucket, it is processing, not storage.
What the world needs is smarter storage that can store digital streams and wrap them up in file types as we need, such as video or audio.
This is not that.

Most bit-buckets are sold as recorders, but we bypass most of their features, such as the Pre-Amp and Phantom stages to gain higher quality recordings.

I hope that helps.

[Fatah Ruark (aka MIKE B)]

Maybe stupid question,  but can this be turned in a bit bucket?

It doesn't have a digi in...but it does have USB. If there was a SPDIF > USB dongle of some sort, it's possible.

It doesn't have a TON of processing power, but I think it has enough to handle 24 bit audio.

One big hangup might be the lack of drivers for such a device running on Linux.

I think half of the fun of this thing will be thinking of things that it MIGHT be able to do and then trying to get there.

[Popmarter]

Maybe stupid question,  but can this be turned in a bit bucket?

It doesn't have a digi in...but it does have USB. If there was a SPDIF > USB dongle of some sort, it's possible.

It doesn't have a TON of processing power, but I think it has enough to handle 24 bit audio.

One big hangup might be the lack of drivers for such a device running on Linux.

I think half of the fun of this thing will be thinking of things that it MIGHT be able to do and then trying to get there.

That is what I thought. I am in now way technical enough to figure out, but IF you get something to do SPDIF > USB and you can connect a tiny flashcard/SSD to it...
Put box around it and voila 

[page]

IF you get something to do SPDIF > USB and you can make some money since nobody else has a good solution to this problem yet

fyp

[Fatah Ruark (aka MIKE B)]

SPDIF to USB is very easy if you are happy with Audio Class 1.0 performance (16/48 max).  I imagine that the Linux distro supports Audio Class 1.0 which means no writing drivers.

Yep. Don't think it would be worth turning it into a bit bucket. Too much a pain in the ass for not enough performance. I'd rather just buy a DR-100mkII.

[kindms]

Another interesting competitor to the rasperrypi

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/05/another-tiny-computer-vias-49-apc-offers-android-hdmi-video-out/

[Colin Liston]

Article on the 8 cheapest computers

http://gizmodo.com/5914561/the-8-cheapest-computers-in-the-world

[spyder9]

Engadget's review:

http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/01/raspberry-pi-impressions-the-35-linux-computer-and-tinker-toy/#continued

[rastasean]

I don't really think the review was fair as the foundation's goal is not have people watch youtube videos but develop scripts and learn a language. I'm not sure what the issue with starting up in a command prompt (run level 3) is, either, but if you're used to clicking on things, that's extra work for you. Many devices like the iphone don't support flash so its not just the rpi.

My favorite part:
Honestly, as an introduction to the world of hardware and software hacking, the Arduino seems like a more natural and simpler entry point.

The pi and Arduino are similar in that they are affordable ways to learn but they really have no relation to each other. You can, however, use the two together: http://www.raspberrypi.org/archives/1171

The author should have actually said, "find a smart phone on craigs list and use it to watch youtube."

[rastasean]

if you want to see how you can use the raspberry pi, check out this online magazine: http://www.themagpi.com/

[rastasean]

a pretty fair and in depth review on the pi for those who are considering it: http://goo.gl/GM4yU

[Fatah Ruark (aka MIKE B)]

Woo hoo! My Pi shipped today. Hopefully I have it by early next week.

[Fatah Ruark (aka MIKE B)]

My Pi has arrived!

No case yet. I theory it's being made and I should have it by the end of the month...key word...theory. ...getting this in my possession has been interesting to say the least.

Pics first. Going to fire it up in a few minutes.

In the box (Key placed for size comparison):



In static bag:



Top:



Bottom:



All hooked up:



Logging in:



IT WORKS!!: