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The Cabin >> Raspberry and Other Pies >> Got a R-Pi 0W...
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Message started by Fernando on Apr 19^th, 2017, 5:27pm

Title: Got a R-Pi 0W...
Post by Fernando on Apr 19^th, 2017, 5:27pm

I went to Microcenter ( http://www.microcenter.com ) to pick up a couple of R-Pi's for my Latin American friends (one in Brazil and one in San Salvador) and found out that they are selling R-Pi 0W, for $10. But it is only for a limited time and while supplies last. So I picked one up.

It runs on the same Jessie Debian Linux as the others, and it does recognize that there is Wifi and BlueTooth on the system, but one should update it. Since it uses the same wireless chip as on the R-Pi 3, it still is a single core CPU and not a Quad Core like the R-Pi 3. It tries to remain compatible with the older R-Pies and from what I can tell it still does.

Though I have not tested it, I see (and read) the Wifi/Blue Tooth antenna is on the circuit board itself as a radiating chamber and not as a physical antenna; the R-Pi 3 has a tiny ceramic antenna on the board near the SD Card holder, and the O-Pies use a Rubber Duck Antenna for their wireless systems. The issues with the radiating chamber is that the R-Pi 0W must always be pointed towards the signal to receive it. This make is a Uni-directional signal device and not an Omni-directional device. One thing though, because of this "fluke," one can make it so that can be a signal tracker, with two or more R-Pi 0Ws being used to triangulate on a signal. It required a bit of work but with a GPS Module, one can track signals all day long. It is the right size to put into a "Cantenna" ( http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Cantenna ) to extend its directional range. Thus its issue being uni-directional, it it is not lined up with the Wifi Router, the R-Pi 0W will be dropping packets.

I will be putting the R-Pi 0W through its paces during the weekend... I would like to see how long it last on one of those cellphone battery extenders with Wifi on.

You should be able to order them and get it shipped. Thing is with the R-Pi 0s, the more you buy of them in one shot, the higher they cost as their price goes up. If is one is buying them from Microcenter, you should buy them one per order. (the R-Pi 0 and R-Pi 0W count as separate units, to buying both does not rise the price on either one. I'm going back to my habit of trying buying one a month for my projects. Its that the Microcenter in NYC is a 2 hour train ride into Brooklyn.

Other deals "while they last" at Microcenter:
Raspberry Pi 0W - $10 http://www.microcenter.com/product/475267/Zero_W
Raspberry Pi 0 - $5 http://www.microcenter.com/product/463189/Zero_v13_Development_Board_-_Camera_Ready
Raspberry Pi 2 - $30 http://www.microcenter.com/product/473292/Raspberry_Pi_2_Model_B
Raspberry Pi 3 - $30 http://www.microcenter.com/product/461129/Raspberry_Pi_3_Model_B
Sense Hat - $30 http://www.microcenter.com/product/453920/Raspberry_Pi_Sense_HAT_-_AstroPi

Title: Re: Got a R-Pi 0W...
Post by Hondo I. Sackett on Apr 19^th, 2017, 8:31pm

Thanks for the heads up!