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Raspberry Pi

Raspberry Pi 5 is the latest generation of single-board computers from the Raspberry Pi Foundation, offering significant performance improvements, new hardware features, and enhanced I/O compared to previous models. It is designed for advanced DIY projects, edge computing, embedded systems, and even light desktop use.

Projects & Use Cases​

  • Desktop Replacement: Dual 4K displays, fast SSD storage, USB 3.0 peripherals
  • Edge AI/ML: Accelerated inference with external PCIe AI accelerators
  • Media Centers: 4K video playback, Kodi, Plex
  • IoT Gateways: High-speed networking, NVMe storage for data logging
  • Robotics & Automation: Real-time control, multiple camera inputs, GPIO expansion
  • Retro Gaming: High-performance emulation with Vulkan support

Essential Commands & Tools​

# Update firmware and bootloader (Pi 5)
sudo rpi-eeprom-update
sudo raspi-config

# Check hardware info
cat /proc/cpuinfo
vcgencmd measure_temp
lsusb
lspci
i2cdetect -y 1

# PCIe/NVMe info
lsblk
sudo nvme list

# Control GPIO (Python)
import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
GPIO.setup(18, GPIO.OUT)
GPIO.output(18, GPIO.HIGH)

Tips & Geeky Details​

  • Overclocking: Supported via /boot/config.txt (e.g., arm_freq=2700), but requires adequate cooling and power supply.
  • NVMe SSD: Use the official NVMe HAT for best compatibility and performance.
  • Fan Control: Connect a PWM fan to the dedicated header for automatic cooling.
  • RTC: Add a coin cell battery for persistent timekeeping.
  • PCIe Expansion: Experimental support for custom PCIe devices (requires kernel/device tree tweaks).
  • Headless Setup: Enable SSH by placing an empty ssh file in /boot on the SD card.
  • Thermal Management: Use active cooling (fan, heatsink) for sustained high performance.