Unlimited possibilities at low cost – mini computers are great for use as a strong, smart home switchboard, media centre, server, FM radio and much more, thanks to their compact design and low power consumption. But not every model can be used for every purpose.
The Brand New Raspberry Pi 3B +!
It may be smaller than a credit card but it packs performance. With the 1.4 GHz quad-core Broadcom 2837B0 64-bit ARMv8 processor, the latest Raspberry Pi is a high-performance single-board computer. It has unbeatable Gigabit LAN connection and WiFi over b/ g/ n/ ac delivers faster data transmission. If you use the freely available operating systems online such as Raspbian or OpenELEC, you can easily use the single-board computer for spreadsheets and word processing or use it for surfing the internet, playing games and for playing HD videos. Four USB ports allow a keyboard, mouse, monitor or other powerful USB devices to be connected.
With the help of a new shield, the Raspberry Pi becomes POE-capable so no longer requires a power supply or power connection near the Raspberry Pi, only a LAN cable, which supplies the developer board with data and power. In addition, the Raspberry Pi 3B + has a camera and display interface, HDMI, and audio. With the 1 GB LPDDR2 SDRAM RAM, nothing stands in the way of complex and demanding projects.
Both the Raspberry version 3B+ and the predecessor version (3B) and the stripped-down version A are particularly suitable for the education sector for software programming, but they are also finding increasing applications in industry. If you connect the mini-computer to your home router, you can easily monitor, control and program it via a PC or notebook. So it is possible to control a garage door via smartphone or to construct a weather station with full web connection.
Banana Pi M2 Berry – perfect as server
Identical in construction to the Raspberry Pi 3, the Banana Pi M2 Berry consists of additional features, such as SATA, Gigabit LAnN or Android. It also has a quad core Cortex A7 CPU installed. As the Banana Pi can be extended with a hard drive, it offers greater value for some developers: as with the Raspberry Pi, the USB port and network connection use the same socket, which leads to output losses, especially when an external hard drive is used. Thanks to its better hardware equipment and given the limited graphic abilities, it is perfectly suitable for usage as server without connected display.
Asus Tinker Board – 4K videos and 24 bit audio
Almost the same in size as the Raspberry Pi but with more efficient hardware, the quad core processor RK 3288 allows for the playback of videos in 4K definition as well as the output of 24 Bit audio signals via the HDMI 2 connection. This renders it particularly interesting for usage as a media centre. With 2 gigabyte working memory, Tinker Board offers twice as much RAM as competing models. Moreover, a Gigabit Ethernet connection, WiFi and four USB 2.0 ports are integrated.
Beaglebone Black – the multimedia centre
Slightly more expensive than the Raspberry Pi but similar in flexibility, the Beaglebone Black is noticeably stronger. The CPU, a Sitara AM3350 ARM Cortex A8 clocked with 1 GHz is far superior to the Raspberry Pi when it comes to speed. Working memories are comparable; however, the Beaglebone offers a 2 Gigabyte fixed Flash memory whereas the Pi is operated with a SD card. The integrated HDMI capability of the Beaglebone Black makes the microcomputer the ideal multimedia centre. The configuration of the HDMI framer chips constitutes a small challenge, however with adequate background knowledge, problems are easily fixed.
Arduino Uno R3 – the compatible exotic
The Arduino is likewise a microcontroller platform, which complies with open source standards with both its hardware as its software. Technically speaking, this is a simple I/O board – a board with different input and output ports. The operation purpose is significantly different than that of competing models: the hardware is deliberately simple and is usually used to control various systems.
While the Arduino is dependent on a computer with either Windows or Linux to receive programming codes, the Raspberry Pi is its own small computer, which is connected to a monitor via HDMI and is operated via a USB computer mouse and keyboard. However, the Arduino is significantly cheaper and the programming of the same task with the Arduino IDE software is much easier. The Arduino has its right to exist in a didactic and electro technological context. Often, the two boards are used in tandem whereas the Raspberry conducts a calculation, the Arduino is – based on messages received from the Raspberry – in charge of controlling the engine.
Teensy 3.2 – the compact board
The high-performance Arduino-compatible microcontroller development system Teensy 3.2. is based on a 72 Mhz Cortex M4 microcontroller. The M4 is particularly interesting because of its additional functionality for digital signal processing – an important feature for IoT devices. The board distinguishes itself through its compact design on the one hand and the fact that programming smoothly happens via a USB board, meaning only a micro SD wire as well as a computer with USB port is needed. The Teensy opens manifold possibilities for DIY projects, for example LED applications such as LED video walls. The 3.2. model is particularly popular – especially in combination with other Arduino projects.
Digispark Mini – the small Arduino
If the Arduino Uno is too big and too expensive for a small project, the Digispark Mini is the next go-to. The microcontroller development port can be directly connected with a computer for programming. With a series of Shields to enhance its functionality and the ability to use the Arduino IDE software, the Digispark Mini is perfect for immersing oneself in electronics.
