Teken Posted November 8, 2017 Posted November 8, 2017 For those Canadians looking to purchase a Raspberry Pi 3 to integrate into their homes automation system. For a very limited time you can literally purchase them for $35.00 Canadian! That's right you read that correctly this company just sent me a email as I had an email alert set to be notified of such. If you have been considering to purchase one and didn't want to get screwed over by exchange, duties, tax's, here's your chance limit one per customer: https://www.buyapi.ca/product/raspberry-pi-3-model-b-promo/ All in with Shipping, GST, it came out to $49.35 Canadian. Rock On . . .
johnstonf Posted November 9, 2017 Posted November 9, 2017 Yeah, i got that email too, and immediately ordered. Only 1000, then they're gone!
johnstonf Posted November 9, 2017 Posted November 9, 2017 Can also get a case for it 50% off... promo code HighPi50. I threw in one of those too. My 4th from them... good company.
asbril Posted November 9, 2017 Posted November 9, 2017 Now all what is missing for me is to understand what I could do with a Raspberry. I have read about it and see the posts in the ISY forums, but still don't get it. One day I'll be more techie.
larryllix Posted November 9, 2017 Posted November 9, 2017 Complete kit with 16GB SD, case, PSU, shipping comes to $102. Same Canakit includes 32GB SD, case, PSU, shipping and mcroSD / USB adapter $110 I use the Logitech wireless KB and Mouse with my RPi3 from Costco (Canada) $29.95. Monitor must be HDMI. Makes a great Internet browser and Raspian OS comes with complete MS Office package equivalent, except you own it, not rent it, and upgrades are free. Also included are version of Python, some games and other programming packages. I have never managed to run admin console on it. I am posting this from mine and runs circles around my 2 GHz laptop for browsing delays and other antiquities.
Teken Posted November 9, 2017 Author Posted November 9, 2017 Now all what is missing for me is to understand what I could do with a Raspberry. I have read about it and see the posts in the ISY forums, but still don't get it. One day I'll be more techie. At a high level if you did nothing at all except load the base software into the RPi. It would be a low energy power computer system you could use to surf the internet. With just another software image you could make it into a audio / video player. Using software from I/O Guy it provides extra features and capabilities the ISY Series Controller doesn't support or offer. Back in the day before the ISY Portal installing the correct software allowed a person to have Amazon Echo support! Essentially the RPi can be what ever you want it to be to offer you a solution at very low cost, high reliability, all the while teaching you basic coding and programming. That has and is the RPi Foundations mission to spread programming skills to the 2000 crowd of today. You Sir have plenty of time to school your son on yet another techy thing!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Teken Posted November 9, 2017 Author Posted November 9, 2017 Complete kit with 16GB SD, case, PSU, shipping comes to $102. Same Canakit includes 32GB SD, case, PSU, shipping and mcroSD / USB adapter $110 I use the Logitech wireless KB and Mouse with my RPi3 from Costco (Canada) $29.95. Monitor must be HDMI. Makes a great Internet browser and Raspian OS comes with complete MS Office package equivalent, except you own it, not rent it, and upgrades are free. Also included are version of Python, some games and other programming packages. I have never managed to run admin console on it. I am posting this from mine and runs circles around my 2 GHz laptop for browsing delays and other antiquities. If a person who is on a limited budget shops around memory, PSU can be had cheaper. Almost everyone has a key board and mouse lying around. After the initial setup is done running headless makes sense and reduces extra gear tied up at the RPi. Buying a kit makes sense for those who don't want to think about it too much and plug and go. Regardless of the above I've never ever seen the main RPi 3 board for $35.00 Canadian. If shipping wasn't so fracking expensive in Canada it would have been $7.00 cheaper!! Come to think about it I should have bought a few Pi Zero's!! ☹️ Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
larryllix Posted November 9, 2017 Posted November 9, 2017 I run Pixel on my browsing RPi and it works almost identical to Windows 7 GUI. That takes a keyboard. mouse and monitor. All my keyboards and mice were dedicated to other computers and none have USB connectors. Of the dozen monitors hanging around, none supported HDMI connections. I don't like my computers hanging bare board by their wires bare on a table top so a $10 case is needed.. No other microUSB connector PSUs were capable of 2 amperes required by the RPi. The heat sinks are required to stop them from overheating in the summer. They also take a micro SD card to function. In the end my first $39 RPi, with $12 shipping, SD card, case, PSU, heat sinks, kb, mouse, monitor, cables, cost me about $400 to launch. The next few RPis were much cheaper as they became headless CPU based controllers, and lost their computer usability, more along the line of $100 each with shipping and enough parts to make them actually usable. The RPi3 still makes a great browser computer for a decent price. If you require everything from scratch like I did, it should come in around $250 Canadian with a nice 24" monitor. I got one with stereo sound amplifiers in it.. After that, $100 each can do the trick for an ISY support box/bridge or dedicated controller for HVAC etc.
johnstonf Posted November 9, 2017 Posted November 9, 2017 I, like Teken, happen to have tons of stuff laying around, and i find i can run w/o heatsink and 2A special p/s if i don't use the USB ports to power any external devices. No heat issues yet, in a sealed case (a year now). For that price, i'll take a chance, as i run headless. But that's the beauty of choice.
Teken Posted November 9, 2017 Author Posted November 9, 2017 I run Pixel on my browsing RPi and it works almost identical to Windows 7 GUI. That takes a keyboard. mouse and monitor. All my keyboards and mice were dedicated to other computers and none have USB connectors. Of the dozen monitors hanging around, none supported HDMI connections. I don't like my computers hanging bare board by their wires bare on a table top so a $10 case is needed.. No other microUSB connector PSUs were capable of 2 amperes required by the RPi. The heat sinks are required to stop them from overheating in the summer. They also take a micro SD card to function. In the end my first $39 RPi, with $12 shipping, SD card, case, PSU, heat sinks, kb, mouse, monitor, cables, cost me about $400 to launch. The next few RPis were much cheaper as they became headless CPU based controllers, and lost their computer usability, more along the line of $100 each with shipping and enough parts to make them actually usable. The RPi3 still makes a great browser computer for a decent price. If you require everything from scratch like I did, it should come in around $250 Canadian with a nice 24" monitor. I got one with stereo sound amplifiers in it.. After that, $100 each can do the trick for an ISY support box/bridge or dedicated controller for HVAC etc. I agree having to use a HDMI monitor instead of a standard VGA pushes the initial cost. I have lots of legacy monitors laying around and fortunately for me all of the HDTV have HDMI ports. Felt odd watching a little credit sized computer being setup on a 50" TV!
asbril Posted November 10, 2017 Posted November 10, 2017 What is it that a Raspberry can add to my ISY home automation ? I read that Arduino is a similar product as Raspberry but with less programing needed. Do Arduino and Raspberry achieve the same results for my home automation, and usable for an amateur techie such as myself ?
larryllix Posted November 10, 2017 Posted November 10, 2017 What is it that a Raspberry can add to my ISY home automation ? I read that Arduino is a similar product as Raspberry but with less programing needed. Do Arduino and Raspberry achieve the same results for my home automation, and usable for an amateur techie such as myself ? Bridge to many items using NodeLink or Polyglot. I also use it to stuff my IP address into ISY to be sent out. I use it to animate my coloured LED light strings. I know nothing about arduino boards. Great hobby programming system with so many languages supported free.
LFMc Posted November 13, 2017 Posted November 13, 2017 I agree having to use a HDMI monitor instead of a standard VGA pushes the initial cost. I have lots of legacy monitors laying around and fortunately for me all of the HDTV have HDMI ports. Felt odd watching a little credit sized computer being setup on a 50" TV! Just set up my RPi 3 on an old square LCD monitor via std. vga connection. There is a great adapter cable on Amazon for $10 to convert HDMI output to VGA input.
Teken Posted November 13, 2017 Author Posted November 13, 2017 Just set up my RPi 3 on an old square LCD monitor via std. vga connection. There is a great adapter cable on Amazon for $10 to convert HDMI output to VGA input. Link me baby . . .
LFMc Posted November 13, 2017 Posted November 13, 2017 Gold plated too! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074GW5D44/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Brian H Posted November 13, 2017 Posted November 13, 2017 I picked up a similar HDMI to VGA adapter on eBay. Also have a cable to break out the Left Audio,Right Audio and Composite Video from the 1/8" jack on the Pi3. To RCA connectors.
Teken Posted November 13, 2017 Author Posted November 13, 2017 Gold plated too! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074GW5D44/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Hrmm, the product only has 13 reviews and one really bad one. I hope this doesn't happen to me if I decide to push the trigger for one.
LFMc Posted November 13, 2017 Posted November 13, 2017 I have it on my Pi right now in front of me. I would give it 5 stars for my review. That idiot has a bent pin on his connector. That is why is color is shifted blue.
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