INTERACT FORUM
More => Old Versions => JRiver Media Center 21 for Linux => Topic started by: JimH on November 26, 2015, 10:26:48 am
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A new computer, for $5!
https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/raspberry-pi-zero/
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I'll be get'n me one of dem. ;)
Ultra portable MC Pi player. ;)
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You need a whole stack of accessories to make it "work", but it's still very cool. For about $60 you can get up and running.
Brian.
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You need a whole stack of accessories to make it "work", but it's still very cool. For about $60 you can get up and running.
It depends on your use case, I think the relevant comparison point (as a value proposition) is the existing Pis. It's definitely true that if you're just trying to setup a network streamer, a conventional Pi 2 would probably be close to the same cost or cheaper at the end of the day, especially if you use a wired network connection.
Even in the wi-fi scenario it's probably close to break-even on the price, because the Pi zero a) only has one usb port and b) has no integrated networking or onboard audio. So to do anything A/V related a USB hub would be mandatory, which pushes the price up closer to the Pi2. And if you were planning on using ethernet, the Pi zero would "cost" a USB hub and an ethernet adapter (neither of which you'd need with a Pi2) at which point you're almost certainly better off with the Pi2 as it's close to the same price or cheaper and is significantly more performant (the Zero is basically an overclocked B+).
But depending on what you have lying around the house, it might be a very good value indeed, and for very low space installations, I'm sure it could be neat.
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If you want wired Ethernet AND local storage, then I agree, it will be about the same cost of or more than previous models after all the accessories (namely, USB hub and Ethernet adapter) required to provide the functionality it is missing. However, if you are using WiFi, you must purchase a WiFi adapter for any RiPi model, so there is no cost difference there (you just need to supply the USB OTG micro B to A cable), and if your only music source is a network library, you don't need USB for storage. Under this scenario, the Zero would be significantly cheaper than the other models. I currently have a B+ that I use for this purpose, but if I were purchasing a Pi today for the same use, I'd seriously consider the Zero.
Regarding audio output: The onboard audio of the other models is generally considered pretty useless because it is very poor quality. Anyone who cares at all about audio quality (which I should hope would be the case if you are building a dedicated music player) will add a DAC. There are a host of USB DACs and of course one of these would require using a USB hub with the Zero if also using a WiFi adapter. But there are also I2C DACs that plug directly into the header on the Pi. Since I am using one of these (the HiFiBerry DAC+) with my model B+ and I would use it for ANY Raspberry Pi that is dedicated to audio, it would not be considered an "additional" cost to add one to the Zero. The only additional cost in that case is the header you must solder onto the board because the Zero doesn't come with one pre-installed. That cost is negligible: https://www.adafruit.com/products/2822
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Digging this one up as the Pi Zero has just been updated to include wifi n and Bluetooth 4. Now $10.
https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/raspberry-pi-zero-w-joins-family/