Raspberry Pi - $35 Linux computer

TangoEchoAlpha · 26 Jun 2019 at 14:38

Ordered a 2GB Pi 4, as the 4 GB version wasn't in stock when I ordered it. Only plan on running PiHole on it, so wasn't worried about not getting the 4GB version at the moment. Equally, it seemed silly to buy a Pi 3B+.

Has anyone tried running Shinobi, an open source CCTV/NVR tool on a Pi? Wondering if it would mean I could just store the footage on a NAS as my cameras will write direct to a NAS, but keep the Pi for running the CCTV software?

https://shinobi.video/

Feek · 26 Jun 2019 at 14:47

TangoEchoAlpha said:
Only plan on running PiHole on it, so wasn't worried about not getting the 4GB version at the moment. Equally, it seemed silly to buy a Pi 3B+.

Serious overkill there - My Pihole is a Zero (original), has about fifty clients and doesn't miss a beat.

bledd · 26 Jun 2019 at 14:49

Installed OpenVPN on a Pi last night, it's stupendously easy.

http://www.pivpn.io/

The OpenVPN server on my Synolgoy has been playing up recently, first they changed the encryption method in a software update, then in the last week or so I've been unable to access my LAN from it. Ditched it last night for PiVPN, perfect.

Now my Pi3 does the following..

Unifi controller (Network controller)
PiHole (DNS ad blocker)
Wake on Lan server
PiVPN (OpenVPN server)

TangoEchoAlpha · 26 Jun 2019 at 15:06

Feek said:
Serious overkill there - My Pihole is a Zero (original), has about fifty clients and doesn't miss a beat.

I thought as much, but didn't want to buy a Pi3 when for a little more, could get a Pi4. Shiny, new, shiny. Sure you understand

Hodders · 26 Jun 2019 at 16:20

Just ordered a 4Gb 4 and PSU from pimoroni - plus sdcard and hdmi cable.

Looking forward to playing with it

Hodders · 26 Jun 2019 at 20:35

I'll need to get a lamp environment set up. I know that Ubuntu is well established on the pi3, any ideas of the same image will work on the 4?

Any hints would be great.

DIABLO · 26 Jun 2019 at 20:51

Got mine today, as Feek said it is a hot little beast idling in the high 50's, the SOC starts throttling at 80C so i will probably end up with some type of cooler on it.

bledd · 26 Jun 2019 at 21:03

DIABLO said:
Got mine today, as Feek said it is a hot little beast idling in the high 50's, the SOC starts throttling at 80C so i will probably end up with some type of cooler on it.

Flirc case when they come out. We use quite a lot of them at work, all have these cases and never crash, temps are great with them.

Feek · 26 Jun 2019 at 21:03

Hodders said:
Any hints would be great.

I don't see any reason to use anything other than the current version of Raspbian really. It's written for the Pi, it makes sense to me.

bledd said:
Flirc case when they come out.

Because mine is going to be mounted in a box, 33ft up in the air, a case just isn't needed or actually practical because of how it's fixed in place. That's why I'll look at a combined HSF. The Flirc cases are pretty though.

maj · 27 Jun 2019 at 11:01

Some Pi 4 benchmarking scores here for those interested

Marky · 27 Jun 2019 at 15:00

maj said:
Some Pi 4 benchmarking scores here for those interested

The thermal tests are a little concerning - I wonder how it will fair if it is in a case without any sort of fan or heatsinks...

Feek · 27 Jun 2019 at 15:07

Marky said:
The thermal tests are a little concerning

I didn't think they were bad actually - Yes, there's throttling when it gets up to temperature but it's only very brief until the temperature drops back. I can't imagine many tasks will drive it to a level where it's going to even hit that point. It took over four minutes at high load to start.

/edit - I'll still be adding cooling to mine though simply because of where it's going to be, ie in a sealed box, 33ft up in the air in direct sunlight!

Stephanie Peterson · 27 Jun 2019 at 15:14

Fire on a tiny heatsink and it will likely be happy in most cases, of course get jiggy with overclocking or high frequency apps and a fan is always a good thing.

Feek · 27 Jun 2019 at 17:23

Pimoroni have the 1Gb version in stock.

LewisStuart · 27 Jun 2019 at 17:36

Any harm in using phone power supplys that have 'Turbo Power' or 'Faster Charging', the ones that do 5v 9v 12v etc?
I used one last night and the pi was red hot just checking youtube :eek:

Feek · 27 Jun 2019 at 17:39

If it had switched to 9 or 12 volts, your Pi would have let out the magic smoke.

Stephanie Peterson · 27 Jun 2019 at 17:39

As long as its set for the right voltage it should be ok.

I wouldnt bother with the 1gb version unless it was for a specific task (pihole ect) as the extra ram is really what was needed.

Feek · 27 Jun 2019 at 17:43

Stephanie Peterson said:
I wouldnt bother with the 1gb version unless it was for a specific task (pihole ect) as the extra ram is really what was needed.

I'm not sure I quite agree with that as it all depends what you're doing with it. If you want to use it as a desktop computer then yes, you're right but out of all the other Pis I've got (and I have plenty in use), lack of memory has never been an issue.

This one probably does the most and look at the memory usage graph.

Stephanie Peterson · 27 Jun 2019 at 17:46

Well it does depend on the usage, 1gb is usually fine (although i have allocated 1.25gb to my pihole VMs) - but for a desktop experience the 4gb seems to make a big difference.
4gb, overclock (plus cooling) and a usb>sata boot volume - these things could be decent boxes for normal work.

Armageus · 27 Jun 2019 at 18:00

Stephanie Peterson said:
these things could be decent boxes for normal work.

A £20 thin client works better for that imo and has similar power draw to the increased amount of a 4B.

Main benefit to the pi is still the gpio - if you aren't using that then there are other options worth considering.