Raspberry Pi 400

I think that this would be a great option for OctoPrint etc: integrated keyboard, no fans, runs cold. Attach any screen via the microHDMI port. It also has a performance bump from the current Pi4 (about 20% faster).

Mine was delivered this morning at it is definitely a viable low-end desktop replacement - if you’re OK with Linux. The older Pi 4 just wasn’t powerful enough when I used it last year but the better hardware with the Pi 400 and the improvements to the software are just enough to make it usable.

It’s $70 ish for the basic version and about $100 with the power supply, SD card, monitor lead.

Oh, I didn’t realize it was a performance upgrade from the rpi4. Good to know.

Still though… I like my keyboards wireless!

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I think it would be a very fun computer, and I am tempted to get one just to attach to my TV for no other reason than letting my kids (who are pretty young) learn some things about computers.

But I think octoprint is probably not the best fit for this machine. Octoprint is a headless server application and runs fine on 3B+ or the 4B.

This would be a good shop computer though. But at least in my shop, I would still put a pi on the CNC and I’d put this across the room, with a monitor, where it can stay cleaner and so can the monitor and mouse. I could then connect to the octoprint web interface on the 400 and I’m sure it would be pretty quick. I also have a pi on my electronics desk and I have a USB microscope (a small one) for detailed soldering. It is surprising how much more agile my fingers get when I can see good details. I bet carving or drawing would be better with more magnification as well.

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What microscope do you use? I have been thinking of getting one

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XNYXQHE

YMMV

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I bought the Pi HQ camera with a microscope kit. Definitely more expensive than Jeff’s USB option but the sensor can be used with other lenses. And it’s a Pi. Best tiny computer ever

Every time I see this topic, I think again about buying one. It is going to catch me at some point.

I want to play with the HQ camera too. I would bet it works better than my cheap option. The resolution isn’t the only thing that matters. Latency is probably the biggest pain and a good amount of dynamic range to avoid over exposure is important too. But I solder SMD stuff about 3x per year. So I can deal with the pain in those cases and I just can’t do the soldering without any magnification.

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As I get older I my eyesight gets worse. Microscopes and loupes are a necessary evil now.

Dynamic range, resolution, etc are all better with the HQ camera but it’s the interchangeable lenses which are the best part in my view. There are plenty of lens adapters out there - that’s a lot of lenses to play with. Someone used an x-y stepper/rail arrangement to build a large format camera.

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Just wate till you get floaters and see spots where there are none its real frustrating

Already happening

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I have been having a harder time with soldering the past year or so. 0603 and 328p chips used to be cake, but lately I have had several attempts that required some touchup with a multimeter. My eyes used to pick up on those details, but I believe as I approach that hill that I am going to also have to adapt to using optical aides. sigh I swore this would never happen to me when I was 18, lol!

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I am already using optical aids. I had to replace my iPad mini with the standard size one: I couldn’t read the screen properly. Sigh

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When I was 18, there were so many things that I swore that I would never do

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