Something neat/geeky to buy under $200

[Maximilian]

Raspberry Pi.

This.

I got one to mess about with, its now my HTPC, replacing the pain in the ass server/htpc dual duty setup I had before which is now just a server. Check it:

That color was all amazon had, whatever :awe:

 

[sdifox]

arduino+raspberry pi

 

[highland145]

Get a hammer drill or a sawzall. You never knew so many things needed holes or cuts until you own one.

LOL, this. You'll be running around like Tom Hanks after he started his fire.:biggrin:

 

[blackdogdeek]

Nexus 7 + Eclipse + Android dev book

 

[JM Aggie08]

This.

I got one to mess about with, its now my HTPC, replacing the pain in the ass server/htpc dual duty setup I had before which is now just a server. Check it:

That color was all amazon had, whatever :awe:

What OS are you running? Can you PM me your setup?

 

[schmuckley]

You could build a miniature evaporative cooling tower to cool your computer for around $170.

The GF..may not share your enthusiasm.

I haven't seen a female look at one without distaste yet.

 

[Scarpozzi]

do you have a link to a GOOD explanation of arduino? I've heard way too much about them but have no idea how they work.

I spent about $40 on an Arduino and a few modules. Most Radio Shacks have a whole section of cool stuff to offer these days.

Arduino is similar to rasberrypi, but less of a *computer*.... It's a simple board with a power adapter input, an LED light for feedback, and a USB plug. Some of them have different adapters...

You can get a small breadboard and jumper the Arduino input pins or output pins to a number of sensors or lights. The Arduino programming code is basically C and you write code that executes in a loop.

For example, get a sensor that detects motion or light and write some code that polls the device every 5 seconds to see if it detects light or movement....then do X.....either light up a light or send a message to a relay to do something else. There's just a lot of options. People are using these for home automation or building prototype circuits for cheap without having to pay a company to design a specific circuit.

 

[Maximilian]

What OS are you running? Can you PM me your setup?

Im using openelec. I stuck NOOBS on it:

http://www.raspberrypi.org/archives/4100

On startup you just select the OS you want, can always get back to that OS select screen as well by holding shift when the pi boots up.

I tried Xbian but it stuttered during a 1080p DTS movie (aliens) and I tried raspbmc which was good but it kept giving me a popup about weather underground being broken (seemed fine to me!) and this pop up would not fuck off. But so far openelec has given me no trouble.

 

[rudeguy]

I spent about $40 on an Arduino and a few modules. Most Radio Shacks have a whole section of cool stuff to offer these days.

Arduino is similar to rasberrypi, but less of a *computer*.... It's a simple board with a power adapter input, an LED light for feedback, and a USB plug. Some of them have different adapters...

You can get a small breadboard and jumper the Arduino input pins or output pins to a number of sensors or lights. The Arduino programming code is basically C and you write code that executes in a loop.

For example, get a sensor that detects motion or light and write some code that polls the device every 5 seconds to see if it detects light or movement....then do X.....either light up a light or send a message to a relay to do something else. There's just a lot of options. People are using these for home automation or building prototype circuits for cheap without having to pay a company to design a specific circuit.

Thanks!

So what if someone like me who couldn't code more than "Hello World" if their life depended on it wanted to use one? I've got a few projects that this would be fun to use on, I just can't code.

 

[crashtestdummy]

do you have a link to a GOOD explanation of arduino? I've heard way too much about them but have no idea how they work.

Scarpozzi mostly got it. Think of it this way, when you write a program on your computer, you generate the code, compile it, and execute the file. With an Arduino, you generate the code, compile it, and then unplug the Arduino and let it run the code. You lose the ability to interact with the device through an OS, but it's much less computationally intensive and more power efficient. Thus, while the Raspberry Pi has to be plugged into a wall when used for any length of time (as it draws about 0.4-1A), the Arduino can run much longer on batteries (drawing about 6mA for the processor itself).

 

[Blackjack200]

Thanks!

So what if someone like me who couldn't code more than "Hello World" if their life depended on it wanted to use one? I've got a few projects that this would be fun to use on, I just can't code.

I've heard that there's tons of code for Arduino available online, but it might be tough if you really have no coding ability at all.

 

[rudeguy]

I've heard that there's tons of code for Arduino available online, but it might be tough if you really have no coding ability at all.

I really should cut the BS and make myself learn some basic stuff. My brain just doesn't remember stuff. I'm awesome at figuring stuff out but remember commands and such just isn't what I'm good at.

 

[lxskllr]

I've heard that there's tons of code for Arduino available online, but it might be tough if you really have no coding ability at all.

If the code's available, compiling it should be approachable for someone who knows nothing. There's probably a quickie guide available somewhere.

 

[Blackjack200]

I really should cut the BS and make myself learn some basic stuff. My brain just doesn't remember stuff. I'm awesome at figuring stuff out but remember commands and such just isn't what I'm good at.

Best way to learn is with some kind of project. Google makes this shit so much easier now. As soon as you don't know how to do something you just do a search on it and google finds some message board where someone else had the same problem and four or five people solved it.

 

[sdifox]

.net Gadgeteer would be easier to get into for coding noobs. Being able to leverage visual studio is a huge plus.

http://www.netmf.com/gadgeteer/

https://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/product/455

 

[MagickMan]

56 shares of ASTC. Don't think, just do it.

 

[l0cke]

.net Gadgeteer would be easier to get into for coding noobs. Being able to leverage visual studio is a huge plus.

http://www.netmf.com/gadgeteer/

https://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/product/455

The problem with that is that Arduino has a giant community that .net doesn't. Almost anything you can do with an arduino can be googled for help.

 

[rudeguy]

The problem with that is that Arduino has a giant community that .net doesn't. Almost anything you can do with an arduino can be googled for help.

yea I poke around sparkfun a lot and they love those things.

 

[sdifox]

The problem with that is that Arduino has a giant community that .net doesn't. Almost anything you can do with an arduino can be googled for help.

gadgeteer is the new entrant, and .net does have a giant base to lean on, give it some time to catchup.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Blackberry Z10 or Z30.

An OS you havn't used that can have leaked OSes installed on it and Android apps sideloaded.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

A different kind of geek


You can do this:

and this:

Can't do that with a raspberry pi

 

[lxskllr]

Blackberry Z10 or Z30.

An OS you havn't used that can have leaked OSes installed on it and Android apps sideloaded.

Are they on fire sale? I might spring $50 for a Blackberry if it's hackable.

 

[JManInPhoenix]

if you like to read, a regular Kindle (not the fire). I bought a regular Kindle for me and a Kindle Fire for my wife about 2 years ago. Mine gets plenty of usage when I travel (read, play games, listen to music on it) while her fire sets in the cabinet collecting dust.

 

[Imported]

A different kind of geek


You can do this:

and this:

Can't do that with a raspberry pi

Was gonna suggest an Anova too.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Was gonna suggest an Anova too.

I find I use mine far more often than I imagined. Every recipe I've adapted for sous vide has turned out significantly better. I think ribs will be the next experiment.