RaspPi Monitors

Hi,

Know nothing about the Rasp Pi other than it seems to need a full kit of devices just to get it working.

Have seen mention that it can be set up to act in a similar fashion to the Arduino by just needing a PC to USB connection, though there was comment that to set the Pi up in the first place still needs the use of a separate hdmi monitor.

Can anyone advise if this USB methods is practicable or has any noticeable disadvantages ?

Can we actually use the Pi without a hdmi monitor as we only have a desktop with a VGA monitor and the laptops.

Also wondered about the Zeros, if you can find anyone with stock, is using a B+ the better option to start with ?

thanks.

I am not an expert!
Now I am using a TV with HDMI input. Last week I was using a computer monitor with a DVI input. (not VGA) (I had to get a HDMI to DVI cable)
There are many people that talk PC to Pi over the network. (no monitor) I do not know how. I think they had to set up software with a monitor to get started, then removed the monitor. (??)
In my case I am using old PC keyboard (USB) and USB mouse. (changed to wireless keyboard & mouse)

I am looking at the Pi 0 W. The "W" has wireless connection.

Running a pi over the network without a monitor is known as headless, loads of ways to do it.... Most simple is just ethernet or rsr232. you could use vnc but its not needed. google ra pi headless mode

If it's connected to your local network either via ethernet or wifi, then you can connect in from another computer using SSH, and run it in command line mode.

BobW said:

command line mode

Click to expand...

Command line mode is like DOS on a PC.

If you do connect a monitor you can get this:

Sorry for the bad pictures.

The Pi Zero includes a "USB/Ethernet Gadget" which allows you to run 'headless' using a single USB cable connected to your PC (including internet access through your PC). After using your PC to modify a couple files on the SD card image, use the SSH client in Putty to access the Pi Zero. Install Windows "Remote Desktop Connection", or similar software, to access the Pi Zero GUI Desktop on your PC.

Instructions: Raspberry Pi Zero USB/Ethernet Gadget Tutorial

Good luck. Have fun. Cheerful regards, Mike

You can start any pi install headless you just add a blank file ssh and it starts up with ssh on then as above use putty to setup.

I purchased a couple of Pi Zero W boards when they went on sale for $5 at the Micro Center store here in southeast Michigan but I haven't set them up yet. Judging by the video below, it seems they're quite easy to setup for 'headless' operation over WiFi, compared to using the USB/Ethernet Gadget method on a Pi Zero. No physical connection needed between the Pi Zero W and the PC. I gotta' try this...

Headless is can be better, it needs less power so you do away with the extra power unit. Also because you are using SSH it comes up on the screen your using, be sure you change the password and login details. There is alot of information on the web about this, its worth looking at the pi site. I would advise against the full kit, simply because you dont need it all and some of it you can get cheaper shopping around.

Sure a case is nice but ebay does have cheaper ones, same with external psu, setting up dosnt need a external psu but get one if your going to be pulling much off the pi. Also look at what your using it for, if your giving it alot of work then think about buying a heat sink for it, again ebay or spare parts bin is the way to go.

If your running much off the usb ports then please consider a powered USB hub. If you get the pi3 then look into how to boot from an external HDD, honestly this saves massive headaches with sd cards failing, and trust me they do fail. You can also boot a pi 3 from usb stick, you can boot the pi2 from a usb stick as well but booting from external HDD is alot harder on the pi2.

I dont use a case, i simply use PCB stand offs for mine, unless there is a chance of it getting wet etc, then i simply use a plastic tub. It dosnt have to be expensive and depends what you use it for, i tend to not use the IO so much, i use micros and other dev kits, the pi i normally use for data logging and as a way to access the other systems via the web.

This is on a older pi it's headless I only use the SD to boot the PI runs off hardrive.

Hi All,

Thanks for all that information, looks promising, though with all this sudden hot weather I've been put on gardening duties full time, so will hopefully get chance to properly look at your links and ytubes during the forecast showers on Sunday !!

be80be said:

This is on a older pi it's headless I only use the SD to boot the PI runs off hardrive.

Click to expand...

The new pi3 you can boot from HDD!! I do the same as you with the pi2. Really handy things, the sd card stopped me using them more seriously, but the new model 3 is likely something i could use alot.

I've started to buy a 3 like 10 times but I got into the ESP it does the wifi in a small box that kind of killed it for me.

The video i did for Parth to show him how to use the pi gpio.