Author Topic: Raspberry Pi400 announced today - already practically sold out...  (Read 5197 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline james_s

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 21611
  • Country: us
Re: Raspberry Pi400 announced today - already practically sold out...
« Reply #25 on: November 03, 2020, 05:47:21 pm »
I don't really understand the complaints. Yes with the Pi Zero it was impossible to get one for £5, but then, at this price the demand was just to big. I mean, at £5 I would right now buy like 10 just to have them around and ready for whatever application I might come across. Multiply this to all potential customers in the world and there would never be enough stock... And the foundation thus had to limit each purchase to one unit. Plus they don't make profit out of shipping. I agree, the situation sucks, but it could hardly be improved, I guess, especially when the product costs the same or less than the shipping itself.

Vitor

So don't call it a "$5" computer then? Call it a $7 computer? Seems pretty easy to improve to me. Price it such that demand is roughly equal to the supply, and allow people to purchase as many as they want at the advertised price, just like virtually every other product on the market.
 

Offline edy

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 2387
  • Country: ca
    • DevHackMod Channel
Re: Raspberry Pi400 announced today - already practically sold out...
« Reply #26 on: November 03, 2020, 08:57:07 pm »
Nifty idea, I still have my original RasPi sitting around waiting for me to finish my retro-Arcade machine.  One of these days I have to get back to it...  PiMAME here I come...  :-DD

The RasPi 400 looks neat, my only comment is what happens when the keyboard gets buggered up (which my kids will probably do sooner rather than later)? I assume you can plug in an external keyboard into the USB ports? I prefer a little box containing the RasPi 4 (which I assume powers the heart of the RasPi 400) and then tucking it away behind something. Then I can use whatever keyboard I want.

Now... If they could make a laptop form-factor in that price range... oh boy!!! Something to compete with those low-end Chromebooks (that I see sub $100). Once upon a time the Motorola Lapdock was a popular mod but now they are impossible to get. I'm sure there are laptop "kits" that accept a RasPi but until these are mass-produced by RasPi organization themselves it will be too costly.
YouTube: www.devhackmod.com LBRY: https://lbry.tv/@winegaming:b Bandcamp Music Link
"Ye cannae change the laws of physics, captain" - Scotty
 

Online ataradov

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 11904
  • Country: us
    • Personal site
Re: Raspberry Pi400 announced today - already practically sold out...
« Reply #27 on: November 03, 2020, 09:07:34 pm »
I would love to have this in a laptop form factor. With exposed Ethernet and GPIO connector. That would be a killer device even at $250.

Attempts to make a general purpose desktop of RPi would fail, it is just not powerful enough.
Alex
 

Offline tom66

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 7334
  • Country: gb
  • Electronics Hobbyist & FPGA/Embedded Systems EE
Re: Raspberry Pi400 announced today - already practically sold out...
« Reply #28 on: November 03, 2020, 09:21:14 pm »
The Pi Zero is almost certainly a loss leader, that's why the stock is limited. 
 

Offline Kjelt

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 6586
  • Country: nl
Re: Raspberry Pi400 announced today - already practically sold out...
« Reply #29 on: November 03, 2020, 10:17:18 pm »
I would love to have this in a laptop form factor. With exposed Ethernet and GPIO connector. That would be a killer device even at $250.

Attempts to make a general purpose desktop of RPi would fail, it is just not powerful enough.
Why not disassemble a 2nd hand laptop and build it yourself ?
 

Online ataradov

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 11904
  • Country: us
    • Personal site
Re: Raspberry Pi400 announced today - already practically sold out...
« Reply #30 on: November 03, 2020, 10:21:41 pm »
Why not disassemble a 2nd hand laptop and build it yourself ?
Laptop panels do not usually have easily accessible way to get the panel provide HDMI support. Also getting

Also, you would have to figure out how to bring out all the GPIO connectors.

In short - it will look and feel like crap.
Alex
 

Offline Kjelt

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 6586
  • Country: nl
Re: Raspberry Pi400 announced today - already practically sold out...
« Reply #31 on: November 03, 2020, 10:27:00 pm »
Mwah enough 12" or 15" hdmi monitors for sale and the gpio you can choose whatever you like, some scsi3 connector or whatever. Anyway if you really want it, it is possible.

Edit: tens of people already did it

 

Online ataradov

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 11904
  • Country: us
    • Personal site
Re: Raspberry Pi400 announced today - already practically sold out...
« Reply #32 on: November 03, 2020, 10:29:59 pm »
This assumes access to 3D printer and other manufacturing capabilities.

I don't want a project. I want a tool, and I'm happy to pay for one if it existed.

Also that project does not really expose Ethernet or GPIO, since it is super inconvenient on the stock RPi.
« Last Edit: November 03, 2020, 10:32:00 pm by ataradov »
Alex
 

Offline edy

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 2387
  • Country: ca
    • DevHackMod Channel
Re: Raspberry Pi400 announced today - already practically sold out...
« Reply #33 on: November 04, 2020, 01:40:19 am »
To make a viable "kit" for most people to build, they would want to start off with a generic power supply/battery and  charging circuit that would supply the necessary power to the RasPi and screen, and have the ability to view the status of charge (a small LCD showing percent charge, for example).

Then you could want an LCD screen that will take HDMI input, and ability to wire it into the power supply at the proper voltage. Finally, a USB keyboard with built-in trackpad would be needed to plug into the RasPi. Then a whole bunch of time trying to build a case for this hodge-podge that looks nice and doesn't fall apart, and then you can assemble the whole thing.

I found this 7" LCD with HDMI input board for $24 (Takes 12V I believe):

https://www.ebay.com/itm/7-inch-LCD-Screen-Display-Monitor-for-Raspberry-Pi-Driver-Board-HDMI-VGA-2AV/383506084453

Then there is a USB touchpad keyboard for $25:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Cherry-6240-POS-Keyboard-G86-62401-USB-106-Keys-Touchpad-G86-62401EUADAA/254766266907

I think a big problem for many "amateurs" (even if they can hook up a screen and keyboard) will be getting a suitable portable power source that can supply a couple of different voltages (say for the screen and the RasPi) and handle all the charging and display info on the charging and battery level. And then stuffing it all into something that looks better than a briefcase:

 :-DD

YouTube: www.devhackmod.com LBRY: https://lbry.tv/@winegaming:b Bandcamp Music Link
"Ye cannae change the laws of physics, captain" - Scotty
 

Offline james_s

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 21611
  • Country: us
Re: Raspberry Pi400 announced today - already practically sold out...
« Reply #34 on: November 04, 2020, 03:58:53 am »
Why not disassemble a 2nd hand laptop and build it yourself ?
Laptop panels do not usually have easily accessible way to get the panel provide HDMI support. Also getting

Also, you would have to figure out how to bring out all the GPIO connectors.

In short - it will look and feel like crap.


I don't know how well it would work to integrate into a laptop, but I have used those cheap LCD driver boards from China to repurpose various salvaged panels. Some of them are pretty small and they don't cost much so it might be worth a try.

Honestly though I'm not sure there's a big advantage over something like a Chromebook hacked to run proper Linux. The GPIO of a RPi is nice, but there are GPIO solutions you could use to interface external devices. Then again, the RPi does have a load of already worked out hacks and stuff that can be gotten working without a huge effort.
 

Offline BicuricoTopic starter

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 1816
  • Country: pt
    • VMA's Satellite Blog
Re: Raspberry Pi400 announced today - already practically sold out...
« Reply #35 on: November 04, 2020, 04:41:41 am »
For starters I just plan to use the Pi400 with Retropie as an emulation platform. I think it looks and probably feels ideal for this task.

Offline Brumby

  • Supporter
  • ****
  • Posts: 12413
  • Country: au
Re: Raspberry Pi400 announced today - already practically sold out...
« Reply #36 on: November 04, 2020, 06:06:33 am »
I've moved away from wired keyboard and mouse.

This goes in the complete wrong direction for me.
 

Offline David Hess

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 17427
  • Country: us
  • DavidH
Re: Raspberry Pi400 announced today - already practically sold out...
« Reply #37 on: November 04, 2020, 10:53:11 pm »
I've moved away from wired keyboard and mouse.

After more than a decade, I have moved back to a wired keyboard and mouse.  Battery life was never a problem but reliability of the wireless connection has always been.
 
The following users thanked this post: SilverSolder

Offline tszaboo

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 8217
  • Country: nl
  • Current job: ATEX product design
Re: Raspberry Pi400 announced today - already practically sold out...
« Reply #38 on: November 04, 2020, 11:19:57 pm »
Maybe at some point they relize that SD cards are unreliable and they shouldn't be the boot drives, and replace it with IDK a HDD or SSD. Maybe they also realize that people use this as a desktop, so they make it compatible with regular cases. Also it would be nice if you can use an old regular power supply for it, instead of their hit and miss 5V 3A but actually 4A proprietary power supply. Maybe they realize that all the ports should be on one side, because having it on all 4 is bad for design, tolerances, everything. Maybe they also realize that cooling actually necessary with their board, because those Qualcom chipsets are becoming more and more power hungry. You know, something that is compatible.
I think at that point they can finally make an ITX motherboard, instead of reinventing all the bad ideas from 20-40 years ago, that were tried and discarded.
 

Offline james_s

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 21611
  • Country: us
Re: Raspberry Pi400 announced today - already practically sold out...
« Reply #39 on: November 05, 2020, 01:13:32 am »
Could they make it an ITX motherboard and still keep the cost down as low as it is? I doubt it.

Personally I like the form factor, despite the flaws. Sure it's possible to use it as a desktop computer but that's not really what it's made for, it's better suited as an embedded device. Almost all of mine are running headless, tucked into housings not much larger than a deck of cards. A real SSD would be nice, but then again my main RPi server has been running 24/7 for at least 7 years now, I replaced the original SD card with a larger one 4 or 5 years ago and that's still going strong. I don't like the micro USB power jack much at all, so I soldered wires to the board and connected a proper DC barrel jack which I plug into salvaged wall warts that have nice heavy cords. I have a model 2 also, and a couple of 3Bs, they're all reliably handling various embedded tasks. The RPi is little more than a breakout board for the Broadcom SOC. I think just about anything done to improve it would increase the price, and there are other SBCs out there to fill those needs.
 

Offline Brumby

  • Supporter
  • ****
  • Posts: 12413
  • Country: au
Re: Raspberry Pi400 announced today - already practically sold out...
« Reply #40 on: November 05, 2020, 06:57:18 am »
I've moved away from wired keyboard and mouse.

After more than a decade, I have moved back to a wired keyboard and mouse.  Battery life was never a problem but reliability of the wireless connection has always been.

I've only had that issue with original placement of the receiver.  I didn't have to make any special concessions - just try each of the 3 locations I already had available (front of case, back of case, USB hub).  After that, no problems.
 

Offline tszaboo

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 8217
  • Country: nl
  • Current job: ATEX product design
Re: Raspberry Pi400 announced today - already practically sold out...
« Reply #41 on: November 05, 2020, 08:43:52 am »
Could they make it an ITX motherboard and still keep the cost down as low as it is? I doubt it.

Personally I like the form factor, despite the flaws. Sure it's possible to use it as a desktop computer but that's not really what it's made for, it's better suited as an embedded device. Almost all of mine are running headless, tucked into housings not much larger than a deck of cards. A real SSD would be nice, but then again my main RPi server has been running 24/7 for at least 7 years now, I replaced the original SD card with a larger one 4 or 5 years ago and that's still going strong. I don't like the micro USB power jack much at all, so I soldered wires to the board and connected a proper DC barrel jack which I plug into salvaged wall warts that have nice heavy cords. I have a model 2 also, and a couple of 3Bs, they're all reliably handling various embedded tasks. The RPi is little more than a breakout board for the Broadcom SOC. I think just about anything done to improve it would increase the price, and there are other SBCs out there to fill those needs.
There are mATX boards for sale, current generation, for 40 EUR. With a lot more ports, and a lot more going on on the PCB, bigger power management, etc. Once you order a lot of PCBs, the board price plummets.
 

Offline BicuricoTopic starter

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 1816
  • Country: pt
    • VMA's Satellite Blog
Re: Raspberry Pi400 announced today - already practically sold out...
« Reply #42 on: November 05, 2020, 09:08:26 am »
This might be an interesting read for all those that are "complaining" about Micro HDMI, left sided USB, etc.:
https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/designing-raspberry-pi-400/

I think if you would ask 10 persons how they would have made a "better" Raspberry Pi, you would get ten different designs...

The success of the Raspberry Pi proves that they have made pretty good decisions so far.

Regards,
Vitor
 
The following users thanked this post: thm_w, james_s, I wanted a rude username


Share me

Digg  Facebook  SlashDot  Delicious  Technorati  Twitter  Google  Yahoo
Smf