I got a Raspberry Pi. What cool stuff should I make?

[otacon14112]

I recently got a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B (4 GB RAM), because I wanted to make a media center for my Jeep, but I'm not very imaginative when it comes to electronics projects. So please recommend some cool ideas of projects I can make with it!

[catweazel]

I recently got a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B (4 GB RAM), because I wanted to make a media center for my Jeep, but I'm not very imaginative when it comes to electronics projects. So please recommend some cool ideas of projects I can make with it!

Attach a CD/DVD reader to the Pi. Attach a teabag to a stick, and the stick to the edge of the reader's tray. Have the Pi eject then withdraw the tray; rinse, repeat. Place hot cup of water in the dropping zone below the teabag.

[otacon14112]

I recently got a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B (4 GB RAM), because I wanted to make a media center for my Jeep, but I'm not very imaginative when it comes to electronics projects. So please recommend some cool ideas of projects I can make with it!

Attach a CD/DVD reader to the Pi. Attach a teabag to a stick, and the stick to the edge of the reader's tray. Have the Pi eject then withdraw the tray; rinse, repeat. Place hot cup of water n the dropping zone below the teabag.

That's definitely unusual. I like it!

[catweazel]

That's definitely unusual. I like it!

Extra credit if you can identify the tea. Hint: It's from Seuth Efrika.

[otacon14112]

Um...raspberry tea? lol

[Spearmint2]

That's definitely unusual. I like it!

Extra credit if you can identify the tea. Hint: It's from Seuth Efrika.

Orange Peko and Peko?

In answer to the OP, shouldn't you have investigated what could be used on a Pi before deciding to get it? Doesn't it also use an odd CPU, such as an ARM type? That means it needs kernels in linux systems tailored for that CPU, which do exist. The OS is usually Raspberry.

[catweazel]

Extra credit if you can identify the tea. Hint: It's from Seuth Efrika.

Orange Peko and Peko?

Rooibos.

[Spearmint2]

Projects.

There are stand alone video devices for drivers to record their journeys, and crashes. I suppose a Pi could be used for that too with a webcam. I'd want to be hardwired to car's battery system, fuse protected, capacitor protected against electrical fluxes, and residual AC ripple that might still be in the system, since an alternator is used on vehicles now, no longer older generators, like 50's and earlier cars. I had a '57 plymouth 318ci engine as first car, and had to replace the brushes in the generator and "polarize" the regulator for it too. Maybe just a good resistor at proper watts level required (see radio shack) and a small transformer to bring 12v to whatever the Pi uses would cover most power problems.

[Spearmint2]

Mostly for tea I have Lipton's green tea with citrus now. I think I'm addicted to it, LOL.

The first, recommended and easiest way to power the Raspberry Pi is via the Micro USB port on the side of the unit. The recommended input voltage is 5V, and the recommended input current is 2A. At ModMyPi, our standard power supply for the Raspberry Pi is 5.1V @ 2.5A.

So, only 10-15w power required. Transformer for 12V to 5V needed. Below is really overkill for a Pi.

https://www.radioshack.com/products/rad ... 0331053509

[otacon14112]

That's definitely unusual. I like it!

Extra credit if you can identify the tea. Hint: It's from Seuth Efrika.

Orange Peko and Peko?

In answer to the OP, shouldn't you have investigated what could be used on a Pi before deciding to get it? Doesn't it also use an odd CPU, such as an ARM type? That means it needs kernels in linux systems tailored for that CPU, which do exist. The OS is usually Raspberry.

Yeah, I did. I knew what I was getting, and had been thinking about it for a long time, and it has a huge community and userbase, so it can do almost anything, including running Win10 (barf). I knew that the possibilities are limitless with it, which was why I got it. The main reason, though, was to use it for a media center, but I'd still welcome recommendations, since I don't seem to have an imagination anymore as good as I did when I was a kid.

[Spearmint2]

Uh oh, he's talking about me now, LOL. age 60+

since I don't seem to have an imagination anymore as good as I did when I was a kid.

It depends sort of what you want to do. Keyboard of some sort, a mouse or trackball or touch pad of some sort. keyboard with touchpad? Then some sort of LCD display. There are small car display/monitor devices. Entertainment could then also be used, loaded from a flashdrive. I probably would have just gone for a small laptop for a starter device. Pi is cheap, it's the peripherals that run up the cost of using one.

[RollyShed]

Power supply, here is one for running from 12 volts -
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00E5VH1OI/

An LM7805 (3 legged regulator looking like a transistor) only up to 1.5 Amp.

[DJF113]

Set up an automated model railroad!
https://phwallen.github.io/smrc/
My oval with a couple of sidings doesn't quite need all of that though.

Looking at some of the robots people have made, maybe someone will make a version of ZEKE!

[otacon14112]

It depends sort of what you want to do. Keyboard of some sort, a mouse or trackball or touch pad of some sort. keyboard with touchpad? Then some sort of LCD display. There are small car display/monitor devices. Entertainment could then also be used, loaded from a flashdrive. I probably would have just gone for a small laptop for a starter device. Pi is cheap, it's the peripherals that run up the cost of using one.

For the media center, I would probably just use a 7 in. touchscreen. The nice thing, like you said, is that I can store the media on a flash drive. For about a year now, I've had a Pi Zero W with built-in Bluetooth and Wifi, and I got it for $5. Initially, I was going to use it for an IRC server/bot, but never got around to it.

For the Pi 4 Model B, I thought about connecting it to an external GPS or something. My very nerdy idea was to turn my Jeep into something Kitt-esque. Many of my ideas weren't really my ideas, they were ideas I got from movies or books. Such as making some kind of AR HUD on the interior of my windshield (probably not very feasible, nor a good idea lol), not really because I intended on using it, but because I have always been curious if it's even possible. Again, not my idea. I forget where I got it from.

Power supply, here is one for running from 12 volts -
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00E5VH1OI/

An LM7805 (3 legged regulator looking like a transistor) only up to 1.5 Amp.

The official wall adapter power supply provides a max of 3 A. I haven't found a car adapter that powerful yet. I might have to make my own.

Set up an automated model railroad!
https://phwallen.github.io/smrc/
My oval with a couple of sidings doesn't quite need all of that though.

Looking at some of the robots people have made, maybe someone will make a version of ZEKE!

I have to be honest, I don't know what ZEKE is. I wasn't able to figure it out from internet searches. I still have my train set from when I was a kid, though!

[majpooper]

I recently got a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B (4 GB RAM), because I wanted to make a media center for my Jeep, but I'm not very imaginative when it comes to electronics projects. So please recommend some cool ideas of projects I can make with it!

PiHole

https://pi-hole.net/

[otacon14112]

I recently got a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B (4 GB RAM), because I wanted to make a media center for my Jeep, but I'm not very imaginative when it comes to electronics projects. So please recommend some cool ideas of projects I can make with it!

PiHole

https://pi-hole.net/

That's a really good idea, thanks!

[DJF113]

I have to be honest, I don't know what ZEKE is. I wasn't able to figure it out from internet searches. I still have my train set from when I was a kid, though!

I apologize, I wasn't extremely clear. I was referring to Metal Gear ZEKE. I saw the Otacon avatar and couldn't resist! Otacon's REX is one of my favorites, reminds me quite a bit of Sahelanthropus.
I have some HO scale trains and track that I mess around with from time to time, just no space to get a decent layout!

[otacon14112]

I have to be honest, I don't know what ZEKE is. I wasn't able to figure it out from internet searches. I still have my train set from when I was a kid, though!

I apologize, I wasn't extremely clear. I was referring to Metal Gear ZEKE. I saw the Otacon avatar and couldn't resist! Otacon's REX is one of my favorites, reminds me quite a bit of Sahelanthropus.
I have some HO scale trains and track that I mess around with from time to time, just no space to get a decent layout!

Oh, ok. The only MG game I played all the way through was MGS for the original PlayStation.

[DJF113]

I have to be honest, I don't know what ZEKE is. I wasn't able to figure it out from internet searches. I still have my train set from when I was a kid, though!

I apologize, I wasn't extremely clear. I was referring to Metal Gear ZEKE. I saw the Otacon avatar and couldn't resist! Otacon's REX is one of my favorites, reminds me quite a bit of Sahelanthropus.
I have some HO scale trains and track that I mess around with from time to time, just no space to get a decent layout!

Oh, ok. The only MG game I played all the way through was MGS for the original PlayStation.

Got it!