Skip to content
  • MySensors
  • OpenHardware.io
  • Categories
  • Recent
  • Tags
  • Popular
Skins
  • Light
  • Brite
  • Cerulean
  • Cosmo
  • Flatly
  • Journal
  • Litera
  • Lumen
  • Lux
  • Materia
  • Minty
  • Morph
  • Pulse
  • Sandstone
  • Simplex
  • Sketchy
  • Spacelab
  • United
  • Yeti
  • Zephyr
  • Dark
  • Cyborg
  • Darkly
  • Quartz
  • Slate
  • Solar
  • Superhero
  • Vapor

  • Default (No Skin)
  • No Skin
Collapse
Brand Logo
  1. Home
  2. Controllers
  3. Raspberry Pi3 alternative?

Raspberry Pi3 alternative?

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Controllers
30 Posts 10 Posters 3.1k Views 8 Watching
  • Oldest to Newest
  • Newest to Oldest
  • Most Votes
Reply
  • Reply as topic
Log in to reply
This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
  • bjacobseB bjacobse

    @nca78 said in Raspberry Pi3 alternative?:

    Do you also use the ethernet switch as a power sensor ? :D I would just use an USB splitter before the powerbank, then use one wire and a voltage divider to connect it directly to a GPIO...

    There are typically many paths to same solution :-)
    It was easiest for me to just copy exact same setup - why should I bother to purchase an USB splitter and spend time to setup a voltage divider and create a script that needed to measure voltage on a GPIO

    Nca78N Offline
    Nca78N Offline
    Nca78
    Hardware Contributor
    wrote on last edited by
    #19

    @bjacobse said in Raspberry Pi3 alternative?:

    @nca78 said in Raspberry Pi3 alternative?:

    Do you also use the ethernet switch as a power sensor ? :D I would just use an USB splitter before the powerbank, then use one wire and a voltage divider to connect it directly to a GPIO...

    There are typically many paths to same solution :-)
    It was easiest for me to just copy exact same setup - why should I bother to purchase an USB splitter and spend time to setup a voltage divider and create a script that needed to measure voltage on a GPIO

    It's just that it looks like a serious overkill and cable mess to use an ethernet splitter + it's own supply + ethernet cable when it can be done with less than 1$ of hardware and only one splitter + one spare usb cable. But that's just my own opinion :)

    And if you want to really go for cheap and easy solution the raspi ups hat (blue PCB like in the link below) works like a charm. Compact, efficient, no extra cable. And I think the price is even cheaper than powerbank + splitter.
    https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32882666003.html

    bjacobseB 1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • zboblamontZ Offline
      zboblamontZ Offline
      zboblamont
      wrote on last edited by zboblamont
      #20

      Wasn't where I was headed with the topic, but some interesting future considerations developed...
      UPS - I went with the AD-55A, 7.2Ah cell and buck converter previously suggested elsewhere, WAY bulkier than the HAT arrangement which tempted, and may yet be deployed as a secondary safety.
      What I found particularly infuriating was commercial UPS offerings mis-stating and misleading available USB current output, clearly targeting phone charging as a marketing ploy to expand their legacy constant dual voltage conversion lines without really developing anything new. Compared to these my own UPS will beat them in efficiency by a country mile as it's not designed from the ground up as dedicated dual conversion.
      Aside the various HAT variants, there has not been minimal attention paid to more efficient UPSs for 5v etc devices despite an exponential increase in their deployment...
      It is a little ironic really that this community has squeezed every Joule out of battery conservation on Nodes (my Gas meter is now passed year two on two AA alkaline :smile: ) yet reliance on a constant electrical supply remains for the Controller.
      Perhaps French, German and Dutch supplies are more reliable, but here in Romania, "Vorsprung durch fuckup" prevails :smirk:

      1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • Nca78N Nca78

        @bjacobse said in Raspberry Pi3 alternative?:

        @nca78 said in Raspberry Pi3 alternative?:

        Do you also use the ethernet switch as a power sensor ? :D I would just use an USB splitter before the powerbank, then use one wire and a voltage divider to connect it directly to a GPIO...

        There are typically many paths to same solution :-)
        It was easiest for me to just copy exact same setup - why should I bother to purchase an USB splitter and spend time to setup a voltage divider and create a script that needed to measure voltage on a GPIO

        It's just that it looks like a serious overkill and cable mess to use an ethernet splitter + it's own supply + ethernet cable when it can be done with less than 1$ of hardware and only one splitter + one spare usb cable. But that's just my own opinion :)

        And if you want to really go for cheap and easy solution the raspi ups hat (blue PCB like in the link below) works like a charm. Compact, efficient, no extra cable. And I think the price is even cheaper than powerbank + splitter.
        https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32882666003.html

        bjacobseB Offline
        bjacobseB Offline
        bjacobse
        wrote on last edited by
        #21

        @nca78
        I think you must have misunderstood the concept. I did not use a ethernet splitter and extra cable mess...
        I use my router as IP supplier, 1 ethernet cable to my RPI, so I have cable to my domoticz, the RPI gets IP via cable, and if the I'm not able to ping gateway (router) then there is no power as the gateway is down.
        the ONLY extra thing I have purchased is a the powerbank :-)

        1 Reply Last reply
        2
        • Nca78N Offline
          Nca78N Offline
          Nca78
          Hardware Contributor
          wrote on last edited by
          #22

          @bjacobse said in Raspberry Pi3 alternative?:

          @nca78
          I think you must have misunderstood the concept. I did not use a ethernet splitter and extra cable mess...
          I use my router as IP supplier, 1 ethernet cable to my RPI, so I have cable to my domoticz, the RPI gets IP via cable, and if the I'm not able to ping gateway (router) then there is no power as the gateway is down.
          the ONLY extra thing I have purchased is a the powerbank :-)

          Indeed I misunderstood, it makes much more sense like that :)

          @zboblamont said in Raspberry Pi3 alternative?:

          Perhaps French, German and Dutch supplies are more reliable, but here in Romania, "Vorsprung durch fuckup" prevails

          Same here in Vietnam... That's why I'll also have a wifi gateway with battery backup soon.

          1 Reply Last reply
          2
          • pihomeP Offline
            pihomeP Offline
            pihome
            wrote on last edited by pihome
            #23

            i know this is old thread but here is what i have to deal with, truck load of different sd card ordered from amazon from different supplier, some full filled by amazon and some sold by amazon and all of them are fake and devil is in serial number so until you order more then one SD card you can never know if its real or fake.

            image 1
            image 2
            image 3
            image 4
            image 5

            PiHome - Smart Heating Control

            zboblamontZ 1 Reply Last reply
            1
            • pihomeP pihome

              i know this is old thread but here is what i have to deal with, truck load of different sd card ordered from amazon from different supplier, some full filled by amazon and some sold by amazon and all of them are fake and devil is in serial number so until you order more then one SD card you can never know if its real or fake.

              image 1
              image 2
              image 3
              image 4
              image 5

              zboblamontZ Offline
              zboblamontZ Offline
              zboblamont
              wrote on last edited by
              #24

              @pihome It's a nightmare even for reputable stores. Bought an expensive Samsung thinking it would be reliable, turned out to be fake. Store wasn't happy when I asked for money back.

              1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • pihomeP Offline
                pihomeP Offline
                pihome
                wrote on last edited by
                #25

                may be its time for Raspberry pi foundation to put some storage on the board, these fake cards are very unreliable and i think small pc is better option then Raspberry pi at this stage.

                PiHome - Smart Heating Control

                zboblamontZ 1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • pihomeP pihome

                  may be its time for Raspberry pi foundation to put some storage on the board, these fake cards are very unreliable and i think small pc is better option then Raspberry pi at this stage.

                  zboblamontZ Offline
                  zboblamontZ Offline
                  zboblamont
                  wrote on last edited by zboblamont
                  #26

                  @pihome I gave up and used a laptop hdd, a little bulkier but no regrets..

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • alowhumA Offline
                    alowhumA Offline
                    alowhum
                    Plugin Developer
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #27

                    It seems to be me the issue is buying fake SD cards. How do you even get in that situation? Do you buy them from China?

                    pihomeP 1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • alowhumA alowhum

                      It seems to be me the issue is buying fake SD cards. How do you even get in that situation? Do you buy them from China?

                      pihomeP Offline
                      pihomeP Offline
                      pihome
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #28

                      @alowhum
                      All of them from Amazon sold by Amazon, i m out of ideas how and where to get genuine sd cards

                      PiHome - Smart Heating Control

                      zboblamontZ 1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • pihomeP pihome

                        @alowhum
                        All of them from Amazon sold by Amazon, i m out of ideas how and where to get genuine sd cards

                        zboblamontZ Offline
                        zboblamontZ Offline
                        zboblamont
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #29

                        @pihome I second that.
                        @alowhum I don't think you appreciate just how far this fakery extends, so, sorry your criticism is unfair - Suppliers are playing Russian roulette offering what they believe is genuine product as the market is swamped with "genuine" fakes. My own experience was a with a big local store, and despite the usual evasion from the sales people initially they were caught with no escape when I presented the evidence. When you are selling in the zillions few can verify authenticity as they are packaged, it is a nightmare for those buying in in bulk.
                        The only solution I found was to go for the cheapest brand on the market as it is not the pirates' intended target. My mobile microSD is HAMA on year 2, the "genuine" Samsung blew after 2 months... Go figure...

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • alowhumA Offline
                          alowhumA Offline
                          alowhum
                          Plugin Developer
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #30

                          I just buy them in brick and mortar store. Always genuine.

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          Reply
                          • Reply as topic
                          Log in to reply
                          • Oldest to Newest
                          • Newest to Oldest
                          • Most Votes


                          19

                          Online

                          11.7k

                          Users

                          11.2k

                          Topics

                          113.1k

                          Posts


                          Copyright 2025 TBD   |   Forum Guidelines   |   Privacy Policy   |   Terms of Service
                          • Login

                          • Don't have an account? Register

                          • Login or register to search.
                          • First post
                            Last post
                          0
                          • MySensors
                          • OpenHardware.io
                          • Categories
                          • Recent
                          • Tags
                          • Popular