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This article provides a purchasing guide for the Raspberry Pi motherboard and its peripherals.
It helps beginners achieve all functionalities with minimal costs and get started quickly.
Bilibili Video Tutorial
For text version, source code, updates, and errata, please visit the tutorial’s GitHub repository: https://github.com/TommyZihao/ZihaoTutorialOfRaspberryPi
Tongji University Open Source Software Association, Chongqing University Raspberry Pi Enthusiasts Club
This article is not an advertisement. All Taobao links in this article have been personally tested by the author and are merely private recommendations for Raspberry Pi enthusiasts. It is definitely not an advertisement, and the author promises no commercial cooperation with Taobao merchants, nor will any commercial profit be obtained through the links in this article.
The detailed links mentioned in the article can be found at the end.
1. Raspberry Pi Parts List and Purchasing Guide
Essential:
(Total not exceeding 380 RMB, all available on Taobao)
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Raspberry Pi Motherboard
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Heatsinks for the motherboard chip
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Case compatible with the motherboard
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microSD Card
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microSD Card Reader
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Power Adapter and Power Cable
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HDMI Cable
Note:
For reference: You can purchase all the essential items listed above in this Taobao link A: Raspberry Pi Essential Items Basic Package, choose “RS-3B+ Basic Kit”, total 365 RMB.
Raspberry Pi Motherboard: It is recommended to purchase the 3B+, which costs 230 RMB if bought separately. The 3B+ is a newly released Raspberry Pi motherboard as of May 2018, with better performance than the previous 3B model, and only slightly more expensive. There is almost no difference in appearance, and they can use the same case. Both Chinese and UK versions are available, with the Chinese version generally being a few RMB cheaper.
Heatsinks on the motherboard: The CPU of the 3B+ motherboard comes with a heatsink, requiring only two heatsinks to be attached to the network chip and the memory chip on the back of the motherboard. The 3B motherboard does not come with a heatsink, requiring three heatsinks for the CPU, network chip, and memory chip on the back of the motherboard.
Case compatible with the motherboard: It is recommended to use the official red and white Raspberry Pi case, which is aesthetically pleasing and easy to assemble. You can also find acrylic transparent cases, transparent plastic cases, metal cases, 3D printed cases, etc., on Taobao. Just search for Raspberry Pi official case or Raspberry Pi case on Taobao, prices range from 10 to 30 RMB.
microSD Card: Also known as TF card or SD small card, it is recommended to use a Class 10 or higher microSD card with a storage space of 16GB, such as the Kingston 16GB card, which has been tested to work well. You can click on Taobao link B: Kingston 16GB card to purchase, and ask the seller for a free USB card reader.
microSD Card Reader: Generally, when purchasing a microSD card, the seller will provide it for free, including a USB card reader and an SD card reader. After inserting the microSD card into the USB card reader, you can plug it into your computer’s USB port to use it as a USB drive. After inserting the microSD card into the SD card reader, you can plug it into your computer’s SD card slot to use it as an SD card. You can buy a microSD USB card reader on Taobao for less than 4 RMB. General electronic accessory stores also sell them.
Power Adapter and Power Cable: You can actually use a regular Android phone charger. You can also buy an official Raspberry Pi power supply with a switch button, providing 5V, 2.5A power supply. However, a regular Android phone charger is sufficient, and you can also use a power bank when out.
HDMI Cable: A cable with HDMI connectors on both ends, used to connect the Raspberry Pi to a display.
Taobao link D: HDMI Cable.
Optional Purchases:
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Air Mouse: Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo
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Official Raspberry Pi Camera
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Display
Note:
Air Mouse: The author recommends purchasing this, around 30 RMB. Also known as a wireless keyboard and mouse, it integrates both into a handheld device, allowing for mouse operation through a touchpad, which is very convenient. Especially suitable for operating in front of a large screen or as a remote control for the Raspberry Pi (for example, using the Raspberry Pi with the Kodi open-source operating system to create a smart TV box). Taobao link E: Wireless Keyboard and Mouse.
Official Raspberry Pi Camera: The author recommends purchasing this, around 40 RMB. Officially recommended by Raspberry Pi, produced by the Chinese optical lens company Sunny (舜宇), with 5 million pixels. This camera connects to the CSI interface on the Raspberry Pi motherboard via a ribbon cable, and you can use it to develop network cameras, as well as for rich machine vision applications (face recognition, edge detection, color segmentation, object recognition, handwritten character recognition, QR code recognition, lane detection, motion detection). More cases can be found in the subsequent chapters of this tutorial. Taobao link F: Official Raspberry Pi Camera. Besides the official camera, you can also purchase wide-angle cameras, infrared night vision cameras, USB cameras, etc., according to project needs.
Zihao will teach you how to use the Raspberry Pi camera for face recognition
Zihao will teach you how to install OpenCV on Raspberry Pi
Display: The author does not recommend purchasing this, firstly because you have already purchased an HDMI cable in the essentials, which can connect the Raspberry Pi to common displays like classroom projectors, home TVs, hotel TVs, computer monitors, or large screens in meeting rooms or research groups, so there is no need to buy an additional display; secondly, because after the Raspberry Pi boots, you can log into the Raspberry Pi desktop using remote desktop software on your phone or laptop, effectively using your phone and laptop as displays; thirdly, because the Raspberry Pi displays available on the market are expensive, some even cost more than the motherboard, and the display quality is far inferior to that of our own laptops, and some displays claiming to have touch screen functionality are actually quite useless, facing compatibility issues with drivers, etc.; fourthly, because adding a display makes it difficult to install the case, as both the motherboard and screen will be exposed. Therefore, the author does not recommend purchasing a display.
References and Further Reading
Raspberry Pi Quick Start (Official Magazine Translation)
Raspberry Pi Official Website
Raspberry Pi User Guide (1): How to Use Raspberry Pi Without a Monitor
Taobao link A: Raspberry Pi Essential Items Basic Package: https://m.tb.cn/h.3R7ys0r
Taobao link B: 16GB microSD Card: https://m.tb.cn/h.3Ri03Bs
Taobao link C: microSD USB Card Reader: https://m.tb.cn/h.3RPZN3f
Taobao link D: HDMI Cable: https://m.tb.cn/h.3RPbYIV
Taobao link E: Wireless Keyboard and Mouse: https://m.tb.cn/h.3RP2w9B
Taobao link F: Official Raspberry Pi Camera: https://m.tb.cn/h.3RoYQ56
