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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
325 views100 pagesRaspberry Pi For Beginners Oct 2023
raspberry
Uploaded by
Nenad PetrovicCopyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF or read online on Scribd
/ 100
Raspberry Pi
Jargon-free
Tips & Advice
www. pclpublications.com
Step-by-step Clear Full
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Raspberry Pi Pico
Raspberry Pi 400
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For Beginners
G
Raspberry Pi For Beginners is the first and
only choice if you want to learn everything
about the Pi from the ground up - where the
only limitation is your imagination. Learn
how to build some amazing projects from
a retro gaming console to a home
entertainment system. The possibilities of
the Raspberry Pi are endless and the best
place to start is right here.
Papercut
www.pclpublications.com Contents
6 Raspberry Pi is Good For You!
CS Mielke sse aa EY
Caran ksi da ne!
tere oy
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The Pi 400 = Up Close
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Raspberry Pi in Numbers
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68 Python on the Pi
70 Starting Python for the Fitst Time
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“Thanks to the Raspberry Pi’s unique setup, operating system
and amazing community of imagineers, this little computer has
become one ofthe most important pieces of educational technology
in the world. It's helped people learn how computers, coding and
electronics work, as well as helping science and engineering,
astronauts and technicians, young and old, teachers and students.
You will learn and discover how the Pi works, what you\can do
with it and where to take your Pi adventures.”
ee an Fi
[ Raspberry Pi is Good For You! 5
Raspberry Pi is
Good For You!
Your journey with this amazing little computer begins here.
Say hello to the Raspberry Pi; learn how it works, what kind of
operating system it has, what you need to get it up and running
and much more. This is your first step into the world of the
Pets e a
Tee ee Un Ree OCC CoR Ute am
such a fabulous little computer and project board. There are
in-depth guides to the hardware, operating system, what you'll
ohne MU RMR UCR COR Okie
BiB el me Tees Lo) a ol ETRE}
rer Cm Roki 8 Raspberry Pi is Good For You!
See eee ey
Been ec eM cian any
atts
ee etn
Peete Gaeeenrstt)
Pieroni teu med ence ree Tat ad
ea orate meter ata
Revert ncne en enen rae ta ner
a
eee Oe Sena
prea eerie kone eee Re
ae comers
een
Perera nn icon caret an here his
ert perros tt oreo
board we recommend you buy. “The Raspberry Pis a British built Low cost
computer that enables everybody to learn
computing, start programming and explore
basicelectronics. It’s the size of acredit
card but capable of running afulloperating
system and doing everything a desktop does.
More importantly, with the Raspberry Pi you
install your own operating system, connectall
‘your devices and create your own programs
Using languages like Scratch and Python,
‘There's no case so you can hookup electronic
circuits to the pins and control them to get
inputand output, so you can hack together
electronic projects at home.
Setting up a Raspberry Piis pretty simple,
‘and throughout this book welltake youstep-
bysstep From unboxing your Raspberry Pito.
setting itup and getting started.
“There are mary different models oF
Raspberry Pi available and each has slightly
different Features (see opposite)
‘The fundamentals of each Raspberry Pare
similar though. Each modelis alightweight
ere arts
Say Hello to Raspberry Pi 8
computerona single board thet’sroughly
the ize ofa credit card. Each Raspberry Pi
board Features processor made by ARM,
whichis similar the models you ind ina
motile phone. The ARM processoris fast
and lightweight butitrunsa different set of
software than you might be used to. There
ate many diferent operating systems (05)
avaiable, but For most ofthis book well
focus on one called Raspberry PiOS, which
isthe 05 recommended by the Raspbery Pi
Foundation.
‘There'sno hard drive on the Raspberry Pi,
instead the operating system is installed
‘on an SD Card (the cards typically used in
‘cameras). The operating system s installed
‘onto the SD Card by copying the files to the
‘SD Card using a computer. Well show you
hhow to set up the Raspberry PiOS using a
‘Macor Windows computer.
‘Once you have an OS installed on the SD
(Card you can set up your Raspberry Pi. The
Raspberry Piis connected to a monitor viaa
HDMsocket whilst a keyboard and mouseis.
attached to the USB socket. Asmaller Micro
USB connectionis used to provide power to
the device, Most Raspberry Pi models feature
‘anEthemet connection, and an Ethernet
‘ableis connected from your RaspberryPito
socket on your modem router.
Both the Raspberry Pi3 and 4 models have
built in wireless networking and Bluetooth,
‘making iteasy to get online. You can attach
‘a USB WiFi dongle or Ethemet adaptor to
colder models.
Firstitwillhelp to know which Raspberry
Plyou are using. This can be trickyas there
have been several distinct models sor. The
layouts opposite will help you determine
\hich Raspberry Piyou have.
This book covers allthe different models, and
they offer largely similar Features although
‘newer models offer additional extras. Once
you know which Raspberry Pi you own, you
‘angett up and running,
Rei e ence et)
Perea hony
ferent memory size versions: 2GB, 4b, and 868. Obviously, the
version i the most powerful OF the three, and th
erin eee he eto
“There's also an improved CPU, duat-monitor support inthe Form of
Pegi eer ecE Sct mesa es
ao
ea eos
Sie otc
moray
Brean
eee esate a
iow amount of power (Micro USB) making it ideal for smell power
Serena en
Peeve
‘3 mlero-USB adaptor to Connect devices A fourport USB Hub end
Exhernet adaptor will come in handy too 8 Raspberry Pi is Good For You!
Get to Know the
Raspberry Pi
While the Raspberry Pi 4 is the newest model, the Pi 3 models are the most popular among
the community. They're cheaper, more compatible with current hardware and software, and
still pack a significant performance punch. Here what powers the fantastic Pi 3. | Get to Know the Raspberry Pi 8 8 Raspberry Pi is Good For You!
Up Close with the
Raspberry Pi 4 Model B
FASTER AND CONNECTED
‘There'sa lt to lke about the Raspberry 4: Up to 8GB of on-board memory, a Faster quad-core CPU, support for dual 4k displays
Via apair of micro-HDM ports, and more, Lets take a look at the Pi 4, and see whatit’s got underthe-hood.
PRICING
BU
‘versions within therew mode t stands treason thatthe
ee ee a eo
ear tee
Re ee ee
er ee cement etry
bbackin the region oF £54, Together with the cost ofthe P
ea ee een
Cee ee ene ee at eas
two monitors), each costing roughly €Splus. Up Close with the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 8
USE 3.0
Cetera etn
Cie
Petey
ore eens
ER ee
ee arr rt
Reece icy
riueaest
See
preci
Connectivity
Ethernet port, the Pi 4 is
certainly welt connected.
Pena)
feces
Prone
Peet
the Pi
ee) BS 22spber0y Piis Good For You!
The Pi 400
- Up Close
The Raspberry Pi 400 is an
all-in-one keyboard Pi that
was released in November
2020, offering the user a
different approach to
their Pi lifestyle. This
compact and powerful Pi
is the flagship of anew
kind of Pi and one we'll
hope to see more of this
in the future.
Inside the P| 400s a modified Raspberry Pi4 k's
longer, spanning the width of the keyboard, witha large
heatsink to disipate enough heat for the overclocked
processor. The Pi4's communication portsare spaced
along the back ofthe Pi 400 keyboard, minus asecond
USB 20 port anda 3.5mm audiojack.
microSD Card Slot
‘The microSD Card Slot is where you'll insert
the card that contains the Raspberry Pi OS~ or
eee enero
eet et ees
Sanne)
other devices as you would a
Peet
micro-HDMI Ports
Pen ard al device, you're
Peet et eect erga
COO ce Te Ete
See rues)
Sens
Prete | The Pi 400-Up close SE
Bie B16)
See ae
oe arate
ee ie reer)
fede ee Re tal
Pete eter ts ee
eee eeu
latest Raspberry Pi OS.
Sree
ee Reais
Deon LEI
cere
Doerr
Incase you're
RC aE aed
Detects ea) Gigabit Ethernet ce cn
Pores
other USB 2.0 port is Cea ences
PCC ene connection for the Pi 400 to your home Penner
ribbon connected to, DOSE ete Pit
wering, the Pi
400's keyboard. _ 8 Raspberry Pi is Good For You! J
Pi 400: Return of the 80s
Home Computer
De eee cea ues cea Ta
components were small enough to fit inside the living room of a house, and versatile
Proteome ure eS ee nee M on cM ucee insur hacia
Foundation has kept that feeling alive with the Pi 400
Released in November 2020, and while the UK and most ofthe world was stil in lockdown, the Raspberry Pi 400 came at atime when we
were beginning to Fel lke there was no end to the pandemic and the restrictions it brought. Initial thoughts were that the Pi 400 wasa new
small-board computer, ina similar vein to the Pi 4 and its predecessors. However, we were quite wrong.
‘The Pi 400is.a very different beast to that ois siblings. Rather than the naked board we've seen inthe past, the Pi 400 came asa complete
keyboard package, wich the P's Familiar ports ined up along the backplate of the keyboard.
‘This in itself was remarkably reminiscent of the home microcomputers ofthe 80s, the prime examples being the ZX Spectrum and the
Commodore 64, Indeed, the nostalgia was strong with this one, and itbrought a smile to more than one retro Fan's Face,
THE REINVENTION OF THE oer
MICROCOMPUTER ‘space of the keyboard. This, and thanks to a couple of air vents
It’s more than sheer aesthetics that makes the Pi 400 hark back to on the bottom of the keyboard, are what allows the Pi 400 to be
a simpler age of computing. Inside the keyboard is a Raspberry Pi overclocked to the default 1.8GHz. in Fact, we even took the Pi 400
albeit one that’shada facelift and some hardware alterations. he to.an impressive 2.2GHz, andit remained stable and cool enough
id's ports, which are the twin microHDMland USB 3.0 ports,USB For continual operation,
20, Gigabit Ethemet and microSD card sot, take up the rear ofthe
keyboard together witha port that connects directly tothe 40.GPIO
pins ~and resembling an older style communications pot from the
rear of an xT or earlier machine.
‘The heat dissipation From the large heatsinkisa great idea—and one
that was previously sen in the Commadore 64 There'salso a thermal
sticky pad on the top ofthe heatsink, that'sattachedlte the Pi 400
processor and helps tlift as much heat as possible From the CPU. IF
Interms of hardware the Pi4inside the Pi 400 has beenexpandedto you get inside, youll also see why the Pi 400s missing a USB 2.0 port
Fitmost ofthe width ofthe keyboard. The processoristhesame ARM sinceit only featuresa single2.0 port overthe Pi4's dual USB 20 ports
‘¥BCortex-A72 asfoundinthe bare Raspberry Piboard,butin this ne ofthe Pi 400's USB 2.0 ports has been used asa hard-wired ribbon
instances been overclocked to 1.8GHz; 300Mhzfasterthanthe bare connector ta the keyboard section ofthe unit. Again, those oFyou
board, There's also 4G8 of LPDDR¢ RAM installed, butsadlyno sian oF familiar with the internals ofan 80s home computer willrecall ribbons
an 868 version which the Pi 4 bare model has on offer. being ateached to keyboard membranes.
‘The keyboarditcelFs availabe in different language layouts: UK, US,
Germany, France Italy and Spain Essentially, i's the same keyboard
that the PiFoundation hasbeen selling for some time, except this time
there's anactual Raspberry Piinside of tas opposed tot simply being
multi-port USB hub. P1400 DESKTOP COMPUTING
‘One ofthe prime benefits of having the Pi 400 keyboard
‘setups the Fact thatt can be quickly plugged into a monitor
and working from the moment you hit the power key. The Pi
‘bare board, for example, requires a separate keyboard and
mouse, and, let's be honest here, not many Folk want tosee
bare circuit board on their desk. True, there are some great
‘design Pi4 cases around these days, but the Pi 400 already
comesin aneat package.
‘The extra overclock brings a decent amount of oomph to the
1 400, and as such it’s perfectly reasonable to use the Pi 400
asastandard desktop computer. However, there comes with
itsome negatives in this respect.
While agreat device the Pi 400i. litte too smal for
comfort, specifically atypical working day's use. 'sroughly
the same size asa laptop keyboard, but the keys dont feel
‘as good ~a bit too squishy For our tastes. But, s with most
things, welll probably get used toit overtime.
‘Another caveat that's worth mentioning, that the Pi 400
lecks.a3.5mm audio port. Where the Pi4 model had one, this,
doesn't, instead opting to output sound via the HOM ports)
While this isn'ta deat-breaker for mos, it does mean that for
personal istening you'll need to hook up a set oF headphones
toyourmonitor,or find another solution. The builtin
Bluetooth will connect to headphones with that technology,
Pi 400: Return of the 80s 8
but fyou'e limited to wired models, then you could be looking to
buy upgrades.
However, withallthatin mind the Pi 400 is another step closer to
becoming the only computer youll ever need
THE ZX PI 64
‘There's good feeling of nostalgia when plugging ina Pi 400 to
_amonitor or TV t's tke you're backto being 10 years ld again
{and plugging in the Spectrum or the C6 for aspot of gaming or
homework, before having to unplugit all when your Mum calls
through that dinners ready.
‘Thankfully, these days, ts easy to save where you were-and the
‘entire thing doesn't crash when the kette is switched on!
‘Overall, the Pi 400s great addition to the Foundation’s stable,
‘and one thet we're sure youtcome to love and use dally.
edpublatonscom 17 _ 8 Raspberry Pi is Good For You!
Ten Pi 400 Projects
and Ideas
SMU UConn eee Toner Mell Recker ae Ce
however that's not the case. Indeed, you won't be able to utilise the Pi 400 in quite the sam
way asa standard Pi 4, but there's a lot you can get to grips with
EVERYONE LOVES PI
We've put together ten possible projects thet you could use your Pi 400 with; that will entertain and keep you busy while helping you learn
‘more about coding, the Pi and computing,
‘With the Pi400 being very similarto
Ga Sd ‘that of the great home computers oF
the 80s, we thoughe we'd start these ideas witha simple retrothemed
project Fuse sa ZX Spectrum emulator that's avalabe forthe
Raspberry i. Instat, and you can enjoy some of the greatest games
ever created.
I's possible to stream any game
installed on your powerful gaming PC
toa Raspberry Pi. All you needs to ensure that your home network is
upto scratchuse Ethernet connections between the two iFyau can
and to install Parsec From https,//parsecapp/downioads
xe:
PIT Faa] Since we've mentionedthe 2x Spectrum, its onl fair
that weinclude the other great -bit home computer
From the 80s, the Commodore 64. The uses a program called
64+a5pi or C64 emulation, and canbe installed via https//
cé4emulator.11 mb defindex php?site=pp_
raspiBlang=enBgroup=c6s.
Ee
Peery While we're onthe subject of streaming
‘games if you own.a Google Stacia, then
you're able to stream games to the Piva the Chromium browser.
You" need a good network connection, and some games may wellbe
abit laggy, but ts worth a try
‘ec Ten Pi 400 Projects and Ideas 8
PVentetolet ted Te P2005 1.8GH: processoris adequate FPESVarsfadste] Since lockdown started in 2020, folk have been
For most tasks, but thanks tothe large, ‘coming up with novel ways in which they can
metal heatsink inside the keyboard, ts possible toget that clock work and educate at home on a budget. The arrival of the Pi 400
speed even higher. There's a great YouTube tutorial on how to vasa great boost for home working, and it makes Fora great
‘overclock the Pi 400 to 2.2GH2 a httns/Awww youtube.com) desktop PC. Just add a mouse, dual monitors and you can even use
watehv=0qZ99MGDSRO, Teams via Chromium,
—_ <—$_
PONTITSR Yes posible oun aversion of FRESNO Te cefauitResbeny Pio ent
Windows 10 onthe i 400. Tere are the only operating system
sping tobe some iitationsthere's no sound, WeFior Bluetooth, but avaiable forthe Raspbery Fi Weve already seen Retry ut theres
is afin project that’s definitely going places Checkout theinstall_alsoa verson oF Ubuntu, an entertainment OS called Lire
video courtesy of Lepspuideo at https/wwuyoutube.comy RISCOS,the orginal ARM OS and many more to discover
watehv=xbRBovkmZVUSt=05,
Ba estninc) Te Pi400 makes fora great underthe TV
MNS NUED nea cene Youdort specfcaly need
‘megia-cenric operating system, the Raspberry Pi OS wil suffice. With
ityou can watch network-stored movies, browse the Internet, watch
YouTube content and much more.
|
P0001
Peeled The Pi 4 made For a great platform on which
to learn how to code, but thanks to the
neater approach of the Pi 400, it's now an even better base on
Which to code. You can learn how to code with Python,
MicroPython, C and C++ and many more languages. Check out
‘our coding guides at httpsi//bdmpublications.com. _ 8 Raspberry Pi is Good For You!
The Pi Pico —
Up Close aaa
The Pi Pico isn't your normal Raspberry Pi. Instead,
this is a tiny microcontroller, designed to help
enthusiasts control and utilise connected appliances
and electronics projects. From displaying an LCD to
controlling LEDs, using MicroPython and C++.
The Pi Pico may be small, tit packs a decent punch. witht youcan
‘expand your electronics projects, and incorporate a whole new Level
‘of functionality that you werer't able to before with the traditional ¢
Raspberry Piurits
micro-USB Port
‘The Pi Pico's micro-USB provides both power, as
Pere Teeter)
Reece ce
to upload programs and projects on to your Pico.
Erefeee SeeaTT
Prosetti
enabling you
Beers
Perea ince
PE
Fs re reer The Pi Pico - Up Close 8
Sere ec)
Fees ers
acs
ieee
eee cn eh
ere eerste ee
Ce aia mer
core ARM Cortex-MO+ processor, with a
flexible clock speed up of to 133MHz.
Settee ay
Perec)
Perea et arate
es
foray of
Pa Mee cee rtd
rns
ees) 8 Raspberry Pi is Good For You!
Pico Power:
The Tiny Microcontroller
‘The Picois something entirely different from the Raspberry Pi Foundation's usual releases. Whereas the Raspberry Pi, now on version 4, is
small computer, and even the Compute Module and the Pi 400 are stil ust computers, the Picois actually amicrocontroler.
Amicrocontrollerisa processing unit thats designed to work with programmable peripherals, and has input and output modules alongside
small amount of memory and storage capabilities. The processors are often scaled down, compared to the processor on a Raspberry Pi, oF
leven inside your desktop computer, but powerful enough to complete basic tasks.
Examples ofa microcontroller inaction can be Found inside a washing
‘machine, or traffic lights. Awashing machine has no need for aquad-core
processor, 368 of memory, and the ability to output toa 4K monitor.
Instead, has a set of microcontrollers, that ae connected to various parts
(of the washing machine ~such as the pump, or motor. When asignal is sent
ton input on the washing machine's microcontroler,itknows~ through
some clever programming stored inits limited memory that itneedsto
send asignal output t the valvesto allow ina certain amount of water,
thenactivate the motor forthe drum and so on.
“The same can be apliedin the traffic light example. A powerful computer
isn't necessary, soa microcontroller willactivate the red, amber and green
lights in sequence or switch to red to stop traffic when someone presses the
Walk button,
While would probably be interesting to have a powerful computer inside
‘your washing machine t's overkl, A microcontroller takes up less space,
uses ess eneray, andisnt prone to the kind of crashes orinneed ofthe
frequent updates that a traditional computer
requires. They simply it there, act on inputs
that come their way, process that data, and
output whatever is required depending on the
inputactions
Power useis the main reason why
rmicrocontrollersare in ation everywhere we
look There's often limited supply to devices, or
situations. Amicrocontroller can work effectively
with the limited amount of eneray drawn From
small sola cell-evenin the most overcast
‘of nother climes. For example, on-board the
Intemational Space Station, there are thousands
cof microcontrollrsin action: monitoring ar
quality, monitoring radation levels, distributing
ower and keeping trackon the crew. each of
these units were a more powerful computing
device, the power draw on the ISS would be
immense; so microcontrollers are the way Forward
atleast untilwe work outhow to build a warp
corevith near unlimited energy, thats Pico Power: The Tiny Microcontroller 8
a
PROGRAMMABLE PICO
‘The main difference between the microcontrollers inside your
‘everyday appliances and the Pico is that where the microcontrollers
within your washing machine are pre-programmed with their
instructions, the Pico isn't and can be programmed by you
‘This means that you can use the Pic's USB port to connect toa
‘computer, write some codetto control something, upload the cade to
the Pico's RP2040 microcontroller, and watch asit does what you've
asked it do.
‘The 26 multifunction GPIO pins located down the ong sides ofthe.
Pico, canbe used to solder electronics projects to. And with some
lever coding, you're able to contro the input and output of devices
‘depending on thelr state via the Pico microcontroller.
Each ofthe Pico'sGPIO pins have specific uses, as you can see from
the pinout chart. This means that certain electronic components.
soldered to the pins, can be programmed using the co's primary
microcontroller language, MicroPython (or C+)
REMEMBER, IT'S NOTA PI
és worth mentioning thatthe Raspberry Pico ist designed the
‘same as or can replace, a Raspberry Pi. This isa different type
(of device altogether. Where you'luse your Pito browse the
Internet, playa game, do some coding and so on the Pico can't do
that. It's designed for use with physical components and project,
such 2s lighting LEDs or responding toa button push, controlling
motors and the like.
|Fyou want more versatility For your projects, then the Raspberry
Pisstillthe perfect device to use. you've got something
speaificin mind, and you want to expand into electronics and
microcontrollers, chen the Pico will i the bill. But, you' also
‘need a computer, or Raspberry Pi, in order to program the Pico to
begin with.
ee} _ 8 Raspberry Pi is Good For You! |
The Pico and MicroPython
The beauty of the Pico is that it's a blank microcontroller, meaning that it's free from any pre-
installed code or routines. This allows you to program the Pico to whatever tasks or projects
Meme hem ates e en hecho eatin
‘The Pico uses MicroPython or C/C++ code in order to communicate
with the devicesit willbe attached to. The code will, when
uploaded to the Pico, run a specific set of instructions depending
onthe electrones that are soldered tothe Pico. For example, in
‘MicroPython, with an LED attached to the Pico, you would nitialise
andimport the Pin and Timer modules tel the Pico which GPIO
the LED is attached to, then setup a routine that wil use the Timer
Function to send a signalto the LED lets say every couple of
seconds The end result would bea blinking LED, which goes on and
off every two seconds
Naturally, the more complex the electronics attached t the Pico are,
then the more complex the MicroPython code wil beto make thern
workin the way you want.
\MicroPython is probably the best language to begin with when it
‘comes to programming the Pico. Like Python, ts abit easierto get
‘your head around when compared to Cor C++ -andit’s probably
slightly easier to get up and running. There's also the added
advantage of there being more examples of it online, so you can dip
ino the various sites around the Internet and take the code snippets
‘youneed to make certain devices and peripherals work.
ations a s
MICROPYTHON
MicroPython sa Python 3-based coding language that's designed to
be executed on the RP2040 microcontroller the one that's powering
the Pi Pico. It’s. highly efficient language, and thanks tothe co's
larger than average memory and capacity -for a microcontroller
'sthe ideal language to start learning, Ifyou already have some
‘experience with Python3, then MicroPython should be relatively
‘easy to follow; since they e essentially the same. Ifyou've never used
Python before, then we'd recommend you take a look atone of our
coding ites at, https//bdmpublcations.com,
Before you can use MicroPython, though, you'lneed to flash the
Pico with the latest version of MicroPython. This means downloading
the latest version of MicroPython and uploading t onto the Pico. The
processis remarkably easy, however.
‘Start by connecting one end of a USB cable to the Pico. Then press
{and hold the BOOTSEL button on the Pico, while atthe same time
plugging the other end of the USB cable into your computer, ora
Raspberry Pi Count to Five, then et go ofthe BOOTSEL button.
‘within afew seconds the computer, or Raspberry Pi, wll display 3
notification that an external, or removable, drive has been attached
the same feshion as when you plug na USB Flash drive.
IF you open your File Manager or Explorer window, and navigate to
the newly installed Pico storage, you'll see two files present: INDEX.
HTMand INFO_UF2.TXT.
‘The INFO_UF2.TXT file contains information regarding your Pico,
{and the INDEX.HTM isa web-based page that contains allthe
information youl need to get the Pico connected and installed with
-MicroPython | The Pico and MicroPython 8
‘Alternatively, ou can open a browser and navigate to https//www
raspberrypi.ora/documentation/pico/aettina started. Scroll down
untilyou get to the Getting started with MicroPython section, and
follow the on-screen instructions. lick on the Download UF2 ile
button ~at the bottom ofthe Getting Started info box.
‘Once the UF? ile has been downloaded, locate tin the Downloads
folder on your computor, and click and drag t into the Pico storage
>>".Now, enter the following:
print (Hello, world!)
Users of Python wil undoubtedly recognise the syntax, butif you've
never coded with Python before, then lets explain what's going anin
thissimpletine
‘The prt command, as you probably assume, is used to print, oF
display, something tothe screen forthe user to read. Fyouwant
to say something tothe use, then you'lineed to enclose your text
inside a pair of brackets and quotation marks. In this example, we're
displaying the words Bel16, world¥. When the MicroPython
interpreter reads the Print command it will naturally assume that
somethings being csplayed, and look fora number of acceptable
‘outcomes. The First bracket and opening quotation mark means
there's going tobe some text, so the interpreter will look Fora closing
set of quotation marks nd bracket
Press Enter, and the words Hel16, WoELaY will appear inthe Shel
section of Thonry,
\What you've just done s communicate directly with the Pico, and
through MicroPython on the Pico, i's recognised the command you've
centered and acted onit.
Just for Fun, enter the command again, but this time intentionally
miss out the last bracket. Youll notice that the Shell doesn’t want
to continue without the bracket, so therefore it'san error. While
using MicroPython, or most other programming languages, you'l
need tobe careful what you type. The:
dire consequences to your code ~or, more than kel
itfrom working.
Forthe next example, clidcthe upper partof Thonny, where the number
“Tis, Now enter the Hell, world code again. When youhit Enter this
time, youl natice that instead of running the code through the Pico,
‘Thonny has created a second line ands waiting for more input.
‘While using the Shells great, isnot so good For creating multHine
‘code. This is where the upper section comes in, To execute the code in
the upper section youl need to dothe followings Clickthe Run button;
this opens anew window asking Fora save location (This computer or
the Raspberry Pi Picc). This is because any code thats been entered,
in the upper section of Thonny needstobe saved first, 2s.py ile,
beforeit canbe executed, Select the Pico asthe save location, then when asked, createa name for
the py fle—inthis case callit HelloWorld.py and click the OK button,
‘As soon as you've saved the file, will automatically rn and youllsee
the output from the code displayed in the Shel box.
‘Alternatively, you can open.a browser and navigate to https://wwww
raspberrypiorg/documentation/pico/getting started. Scroll down
Lntilyou get to the Getting started with MicroPython section, and
follow the on-screen instructions. Click on the Download UFZfile
button ~at the bottom ofthe Getting Started info box.
‘Once the UF2 file has been downloaded, locate tin the Downloads
Folder on your computer, and click and drag it into the Pico storage
dive; as you would drag and drop afile From your computer toa
standard USB Flash drive.
‘AftoraFow seconds, the Pico storage drive will isappear- you may
‘got a warning stating thatthe device wasnt unplugged correctly,
but ignore that. This process has now ‘lashed! the Pico with the
MicroPython Firmware. The Pico disappearing from the File Manager
means thatithas rebooted and is now in MicroPython mode. Thisis
‘essentially allyou need todo For the moment. The Picoisnow ready
tostart coding on to using MicroPython.
BEOQOS®9®
aeO088
\ Pico Examples and How To 8
BLINKING LEDS!
‘MicroPython, as with Python, uses modules to enhance the code
you're writing. A modules simply Further code, but when called
‘upon by your code it will operate to specific parameters. For
‘example, there are modules available that are designed to handle
‘raphics, while others handle complex mathematical operations.
Using these modules saves you from having to invent the code and
place it among the mary tines you'r typing in. All youneed dois cal
‘upthe madule, and pass ary varlables and parameters through the
‘module to get the result you want
In MicroPython, and in the Pico's case, there are modules that can
bbe called upon that handle the physical hardware side of things. The
Pico-specfic modules will handle input and output through the GPIO
ports, or utilise some of the Pico's inherent sensors. For example,
here's some code that wlllght up the builtin LED on the Pico:
‘from machine import Pin
Jed = Pin(25, Pin.ovr)
ed.on()
“Type into the upper section of Thonny,saveit as LED.py (for
example) andrunthe code. The LED wilight up. But, ets explain
Whats going on here,
To begin wth we have, from machine import Pin. This means thatthe
code is going to open the bultn module called Machine, of which a
certain cass within itis called Pn, This particular set of external code
isdesigned to talk’ to and handle the input and output of the Pico's
PIO pins.
‘Thenext tine, Yea'= Pin (25, Pin-OUT) . What we've done heres,
create a variable called Led, which we've told to hold the information
regarding the Pin class, in particular the number 25, as an Output. The
PIO pin on the Pico is hardwired tothe LED, so essentially we've told
MicroPython that Pin 25 is going to have Outout data sent tot, and
i's going to be called led
“The finalline,1ea.on (is a trigger that sets Pin 25 Outputto ahigh
value -in this case, On. The resuleis thatthe LED on the Pico willbe
turned on. Try and alter the code, so the last ine reads:
ea.orf()
‘Ae you would expect, this ture the LED off. Now
try:
ed. toggle ()
ee _ 8 Raspberry Pi is Good For You!
What toggled) does is every time the code's executed, fthe LED ison
Teil switch off and it’s off et switch on ineeresting stuf isnt.
Let's expand our LED code further and include aloop with another - re] >)
kind of module:
New
‘from machine import Pin [LeDpyl
‘from utine import sleep from wachine inport Pin
aS Lea'= Pin(25, Pin.OUT)
: 5 tee. togater if
for 4 4n range(5):
‘ed. toggle
sleep (1)
‘ed. toggle ()
sleep (1)
\When you execute this new code it will lnk the LED five times ~
based on whether the LED was previously on or off using the led.
togale() syntax we looked at amoment ago. Let's take a moment to
break down the new elements ofthe code, though,
‘Fron time import sleep, as ou probably suspect, thisis using
‘anew module called utime, from which we want to use the sleep
class. Utime holds code that canbe used For timing, and the sleep class
enables the code to pause for a specficnumber of seconds.
For 4 in range(5), is anew lie which sthe beginning of aloop.
Basically, we've asked MicroPython to count to5, and anything after
the colonis repeated ve tines. Providing what code weve enteredin fl |Shet
tthe loop Is okay, itl do it Five times before stopping, Note: The indent ceil Ahnu
afterthe colon. This meansthat the code inthe indents directly 2
controled by the Fo loop néensn Python areas important 2s ies
speling and geting the correct characters in order sos
“The final new element is sLeep(1), which pauses the code forthe ed
count of one, or one second, Feel Free to mess araund withthe code ae
{you've created, Extend the numberof seconds, use led.on and led.off
instead of toggle, and extend the For loop to more than Five,
°
4
+
4
ies toontet)
jot TEMPERATURE READINGS
‘The Pico also comes with a builtin temperature sensor, andis
‘connected to one ofthe Pico's analogue pins. The analogue pins on
the Pico are actually called ADC's or Analogue to Digital Converter
whereas the GPIOs are digital. The difference is that a digital pin
reads only two states: High or Low (or One and OFF), and an analogue
pin can read a range of values from zero 65535 (through the use
‘of MieroPython, the Pic's ADC really reads From zero to 4096),
‘This meansthat anything that’s read through the analogue pins
canbe from Oto the value of 65536, which makesit perfect Fora
temperature sensor.
‘The temperature on the Pico is hardwired into ADC4~ or analogue
pin 4. Sowe can extract the data from the temperature sensor using
the following code:
‘from machine import ADC
tempsensor = ADC(4)
temperature = tempsensor.read 1164)
‘print (temperature)
‘There'sallt going on here, and the dsplayed number that appears
in the Shel! probably won't make much sense, solet's havea look at
the code.
First we're using the machine module and from it the ADC clas.
‘Then we've created atempsensor variable which wil pullthe data
from ADC pin 4whichs the Picos temperature sensor. The third
line ofthe code creates a temperature variable, which stores the
value oF ADC4 and applies 16-bit data range tot so we can havea
value from Oto 65535. And finally, we're printing the currently held
value oF temperature inthe Shel
Nowhere'sthe part that will make your head hurt.
‘The Picos microcontroller runs at 3:3 volts. So when there's full
33V being applied, the ADC wil read a value oF 65535, and when
there's no voltage it will read zero. The temperature sensor on
‘ADC4 works by sending voltage to ADCS thats proportional to the
‘environmental temperature. othe environment the Picoisin is 27
degree Celsius the Pico sends voltage of 0.706V.So, using the 33V
maximum at the value of 65535 and the operational specifications
(0F 27 degrees Celsiusas being a voltage of 0.706V, we can work
‘out code that will convert te original value you got from the
temperature variable into degrees Celsius
Before our brains dribble out, here's the rest ofthe code
‘from machine import apc
‘tempsensor = anc(4)
‘temperature = tempsensor.read u16()
volts = 3.3 / 65535
‘temperature = temperature * volte
calsius = 27 = (tomparature = 0.706) / 0.001721
print (celsius)
Let's run through the code. We've created a volts variable which
takes the maximum 3.3V and divides t by 65535, then we've taken
| The Pico and MicroPython 8
the already read temperature variable and multiplied that by the
volts value. We've then created a Celsius variable, which we've used
the above numbersto store the value of 27, minus the temperature
value, minus 0.706 and divided by 0.001721. This wil give usa
reasonably accurate conversion of volts to
Celsius, which the code will then print
ino the Shell section of Thonny.
‘Asyoucansee fromthe
screenshot, the room we ran
this code in wasa balmy 2049
degrees Celsius. When we
looked a the temperature on the
digital thermostatin the same room, it
read21 degree Celsius, so only half degree out,
Which sn to0 bad,
THE WORLD OF THE PICO AWAITS...
‘Thisis only a small example ofthe type of projects and coding that
‘canbe achieved withthe Pico and MicroPython, There are numerous.
‘extras, such as motors, sensors, LEDS and even LED screens that can
be attached to the Pico's GPIO ports with some neat soldering and
the use ofa handy electronics kit
‘What we've looked at here is taster and the Foundations on how to
‘allup the Pico's GPIO pins and howto use MicroPython in Thonny.
Fromhere, we'd recommend you learn more about how the Raspberry
Pi functions as well as some more Python coding, which will give youa
better insight into how the Pico and MicroPython will work.
Have fun, and let us know what Pico projects you've created.
ee) 8 Raspberry Pi is Good For You!
Pico Projects & Ideas
PICO POWER!
Here are ten ideas and projects that you could look into achieving with your Raspberry Pi Pico. You may need to enhance your electronics
skis, but there's plenty of help online if you hunt around For it
Perle] CanvouceateaPicopoweredmicocontrolleto FWSRSISEY Inaddition tothe robotics idea, aPico canbe used to
work aiferent aspects ofa robot” You could se the control motors. Again, depending on the input to the
Pico to drive the robot, or control an element onit depending on Pico, the output can spin up a motor and move an object, stop i, oF
‘where itisin your home. ‘even power something else
EES Peristrnoccesertse MESPTMERETY wv rotonkunsane core cs an
tis 3 built-in ADC to convert analogue to use the Pico microcontroller asa set of
igital signals. talso has abun temperature sensor soit’s possible trafficights. You can even incorporate a button, that when pushed
toutilise the Pcoas a temperature gauge. willact. asa Walk button and stop the trafic for pedestrians. Pico Projects and Ideas 8
NED oscceryurommoscnsccion WAAMMASNMMEESISAED (ton tenho
sensor whichmeansyoucan creates burglar am orinddeleth Plo together ith phototansstor sensor, and telescope, could
therebodea to allow ome orm atonory, be used createa scope tht can tack the pe:sage ofthe Moon
through the night sky.
Treen Tater feria) Usina buttons and LEDs you can NATURE PHOTO CAPTURE [uukiiaaclnecal
create a simple button push reaction sensor,you could attach the
‘game, for multiple players Pechaps you could attach buzzer thet Pico toan outdoor camera~or camera withina weather-xrooF
signifies the winner or loser. container—to activate when something passes the sensor; capturing
i
&
v
0
0,
PETE lany Mosthome automation tasks are PRUNRSRPNINESNINY There are a number of Pico-built RGB
run through microcontrollers, so LED displays available ontine. You can
the Pico is suitably placed for those who have setup some advanced use one to display messages, create some form of interactive
home automation devices. Elements such as turing the heating or game, or display data that's coming from one of the input GPIOs
lights on, or opening the garage door, for instance. attached to a sensor. 8 Raspberry Pi is Good For You!
Other SBCs to Use
‘An S&C, or Single-Board Computer, is a complete computer system that's buit ona single piace of circult board; consisting of memory,
storage and input and output ports. The Raspberry Pisa prime example of modern SBC, and the one that has easily become the most
popular
However, there are a numberof other SBCs available that vary in size, capacity, performance, price and expandability. Some of them are
86-based, which means they e basically very small PCs on which you can install Windows 10; others utilise different makes of processor or
‘microprocessors and offer a varied number of operating systems that will work on them, such as Android or Linux
While the Raspberry Plis the SBC that offers some of the best opportunities in terms of project work, and flexibility, i's certainly not the only
‘one of ts kind. Weve listed some of our favourite boards, that you may consider taking alookat ifthe Raspberry P isn't Fulfiling your goals
“The Udoo brand has been active since 2013, when it aunchedits First SBC via
Kickstarter. hese daysthe company sat the forefront of developing some of
the most powerful SCs onthe market; in particular, the Udoo Balt
“The Udoo Bolt measures 120mm x 120mm and features an ultra-powerful AMD
RRyzen V1605B, quad-core/eight thread CPU, running at a maximum oF 3.6GHz.
‘The builtin GPUis the AMD Radeon VEGA 8, and there's support fortwo dua
channel SO-DIMM DDR4 memory units toa maximum of 3268.
“There's alsoa 32GB EMMC 5.0 Flash module installed,
but witha pair oF M2 sockets For M2 SSDs.
Interms of connectivity, there's a gigabit
Ethernet port, with Bluetooth and Wi, wo
US® 3.0 ports, two USB-C ports, a single USB
3.1 port, two fullsized HOM ports and power
input via USe-PO. Line
-
‘The V0 for projectsis Arduino Leonardo
‘compatible, with 12 analogue ports, up to23
digital ports, anda single UART, 12C and SPL
ies remarkably impressive board, that can
run Windows or Linux. But all that power and
lOcomesataprce. Te Bava.theboawe
mentioned above, comes inat $418, roughly
+€300. Whichis pretty expensive compared to
the Raspberry Fi; but this tiny board is more
powerful than most desktop computers. BANANA PI
Launched in 2014, the Banana Pisa Raspberry Picompatble board
thathas seen mary releases since itsintial conception. These are
‘ARiV-based SBCs developed in China and sold via anumber of
international distributors.
‘The latest version of the Banana Pi the BPLMS, looks remarkably
similar tothe Raspberry P36. Itfeatures an AmlogicS905X quad-core
CCortex-ASS CPU running ata decent 2GHz, together with a MaliG31
(GPU. There's 4G8 of LPDDR4 memory, 16GB of eMC Flash storage on-
board and MicroSD slot with support for upto 25668 cards.
Connectivity comesin the form oF asigabit Ethernet port, Full
sized HOM, 35mm aucio jack, four USB 3.0 ports anda USB-C
port for power input.
The VO mimics the Raspberry P's 40-pn GPIO, but there's
‘noextra connectivity For cameras and such; as Found onthe
Raspberry Pi.
ROCK PI
Developed by Rada the Rock Pihas been a direct competitor to
the Raspberry Pifor some years now; and t's certainly not looking
Uke t’s slowing down any time soon.
‘The latest version i the Rock Pi4 Model C, which sports ahexs-
core CPUwith a dual-core Cortex-A72 at 1.8GHz and a quad core
CCortex-AS3 at 1.4GHz together with a Mall T860MPa GPU. Models.
‘Aand 8 feature 1GB,2GB and 4GB memory options; ut the Model
‘Ccomes with only 4GB oF LPDDR4 memory. There's an eMMC Flash
module available, in 868, 16GB, 32GB, 64G8 and 128GB options, as
‘wells a MicroSD card slot with support For 12868 cards, and an M2
connector For M2 SDs.
‘As For connectivity there's HDMI, gigabit Ethernet, two USB 3.0
ports, two USB 2.0 ports, 3.5mm audio jack, USB-C For power, and
Bluetooth and WiFi.
For project work, there's 40-pin GPIO, as wells. MIPICCSI slot For
‘cameraaattachments, t's also interesting tonote that the Ethernet.
port supports Power-over-Ethernet (with an additional HAT). Not bad
fora board that measures 85mm x 54mm,
‘The Rock Pi Model Ccosts $59 or £42, and while alittle more
‘expensive than the Raspberry Pi, it outperforms the Pin nearly
‘every benchmark.
[ other SBCs to Use 8
“The Banana Pi MSis atad more powerfulthan the Raspberry Pi4,
and the 4GB memory option copies the more common Pi available.
‘Although you wil have extra RAM if you were Lucky enough to get
hold ofthe 868 memory You can install both Linux or Android on
the MS, andit’s even Raspberry i OS compatible.
Itcosts$53~at the time of writing - which equates to around £38; 50
not too far fromthe cast ofa Raspberry i.
ARE THEY WORTH IT?
The question of whether to use a diferent board other than the
Raspberry Pls purely up to you asan individual and what you're
planning on using the SBC for. For most Folk, who buy a Raspberry Pi
For emulation or asa media server - which are the two most popular
projects used by users then they'd probably get more mileage out
ofthe aforementioned boards. rue, the expense is considerable in
the case of the Udoo, but tll do. far better job of processing than
the Raspberry Pi willever do.
The realargument comes down to cost. Fyou'e willing to paya little
‘more forthe extra performance, then the alternative SBCs wil suit,
you Fine. But when you compare them tothe Raspberry Fi, the Pi
does seem to come on top in terms of cost-versus-performance.
Needless to ay there are countless more SBCs available. Some
are smaller, even more powerful than the Pand cost does vary
wildly From one product to the next. For most users, though ~ and
especially for the beginner the best bets to stick to the Raspberry
i. Whenyourskillsimprove, and you have more specific projects
inmind, then look to the other boards or the specifications and
Features youneed.
eee} _ 8 Raspberry Pi is Good For You! |
Raspbian: The Complete
Operating System
DS ce occu es iam etree COe Na
Eee enced ee aac ance cosets
icone cec Result
POWERING THE PI
‘The Raspbian OS has been powering the Raspberry Pisince its release
backin2013.Atits cre, Rspbianisa Linux operating system, based on
the hugely popular Debian Flavour of Linux.
Mike Thompson and Peter Green created Raspbian in 2012, to werk on
the low-performance ARM CPUs found in the early Pi models. Toward
the end of 2014, Raspbian was Further improved to work on the then
new mode Pi, the Raspberry 2; ulising the 3.18 Linux kernel while
stillhaving Debian 7 (codenamed Wheezy) as the base.
‘Mid-way through 2015,Raspbianstartedusing Debian
8 Jesse) asthe base, withkemels 4.1, 44, and 49,
Kernel 49 was alo used from 2017's Raspbian
release, which has since used Debian 9
(Stretch asthe Foundation distribution,
More recently, from November 2018,
the Raspberry Pi Foundation has split
the Raspbian OS project into three
separate distributions, although these
are essentially the same core operating
system, those available now are a Lite,
Minimal and Full desktop set of images.
‘One ofthe primary reasons forthe three-
way spit is due to the overall size of the
continually improving Raspbian. ints early
years, the Raspbian desktop image size
‘was a litle under 1GB. This image contained
everything the Pi user ofthe time needed to get
their projects up and running, 2s well as enjoying
third-party applications such as LibreOffice. Slowly,
a the Pi itself evolved, the Rasphian image increased. These
days the image weighs in at around 1.868 and it's ely to continue
to.expand over the coming years as new software is improved on and
added, alongside changing hardware. However, the three-way spt
addresses the issue ofan ever-expanding OS image, while still enabling
the userto get the most from their Raspberry Pi.
“The Lite version image comes in at roughly 350MB in size. While
I may seem like a logical choice to opt forthe Lite version, i's not
recommended for every user. The Lite version basically installs without
anyof the software you expect From the previous versions of Respbian;
it doesnt even come with the graphical desktop. This makes it an
incredibly streamlined and efficient version ofthe OS that's ideal for
those who run headless Pi servers (aPiwithout a monitor, keyboard or
‘mouse attached, thatthe user remotely connects to in order to input
commands). You will need to know your Linux commands in order to
‘get the most From the Lite version, so For most beginners it's not a
‘g00d place to start. The more advanced users wil, however, be able
to setup thelr Pi projects without the unnecessary baggage of all the
‘other applications clogging up the P's precious system resources. t's
worth noting that the Lite edition can be made upto a fully funcional
