DIY hardware hacking...easy as Pi ®!
Raspberry Pi is taking off like a rocket! You can use this amazing, dirt-cheap, credit card-sized computer to learn powerful hardware hacking techniques as you build incredibly creative and useful projects! This complete, full-color guide requires absolutely no experience with either hardware hacking or computer programming. Colorful photos guide you through each project, and the step-by-step instructions are stunningly clear and easy!
1. Start with the absolute basics:
- Discover why millions of people are so passionate about the Pi!
- Tour the hardware, including storage, connections, and networking
- Install and run Raspbian, Raspberry Pi’s Linux-based operating system
- Manage devices and configuration files
- Network Raspberry Pi and add Wi-Fi
- Program Raspberry Pi using Python, Scratch, XHTML, PHP, and MySQL
2. Next, build all these great projects:
- Media Center
- Retro Console Video Game Station
- Minecraft Server
- Web Server
- Portable Webcam
- Security & Privacy Device
3. Then, master all these cutting-edge techniques:
- Overclock Raspberry Pi for better performance
- Link Raspberry Pi to the Arduino and Arduino clones, including the AlaMode and the Gertboard
- Use the Pi to build electronics prototypes using a breadboard
Table of Contents:
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
What’s in This Book 2
Who Can Use This Book 4
How to Use This Book 5
Task: This Is a Task 5
There’s More Online… 5
PART I HARDWARE FOUNDATIONS
Chapter 1 What Is the Raspberry Pi? 7
Why the Pi? 8
Hardware Versions 9
Is the Raspberry Pi Open Source? 14
Open Source Licenses 15
Open Source and the Raspberry Pi 15
How Can I Purchase a Raspberry Pi? 16
Chapter 2 Hardware Components Quick Start 17
Understanding Pi Hardware Terminology 17
The Hidden Cost of Owning a Raspberry Pi 20
A 5V Power Supply 21
SD Card 23
Powered USB Hub 24
Ethernet Cable 24
Monitor 25
Cables 25
USB Keyboard and Mouse 26
A Tour of the Model B Board 27
Networking 27
Video and Audio 27
Storage 29
Power/Status Information 29
Camera 30
Processing 31
Expansion 31
Next Steps 32
Chapter 3 A Tour of Raspberry Pi Peripheral Devices 33
Circuit Prototyping Equipment 34
Single-Board Microcontrollers 37
The Gertboard 38
Single-Board Computers 40
Relevant Technician Tools 41
Task: Check Raspberry Pi Voltage with a Multimeter 41
Raspberry Pi Starter Kits 43
Next Steps 45
PART II SOFTWARE FOUNDATIONS
Chapter 4 Installing and Configuring an Operating System 47
Common Operating Systems 49
Understanding Linux 49
Linux and Raspberry Pi 52
The Kernel and Firmware 53
Raspberry Pi’s Other Operating Systems 54
Installing Raspbian on Your Raspberry Pi 55
Task: Creating a Raspbian SD Card in Windows 57
Task: Creating a Raspbian SD Card in OS X 58
Task: Creating a Raspbian SD Card in Linux 60
An All-in-One Solution 63
Task: Installing an OS on Your Raspberry Pi Using NOOBS 64
Testing Your New Raspbian Image 65
Chapter 5 Debian Linux Fundamentals—Terminal 67
Baby Steps 67
Essential Terminal Commands 69
startx 69
pwd 70
ls 71
cd 72
sudo 73
passwd 74
nano 74
man 75
shutdown 76
Updating Your Software 77
Updating Raspbian 78
Updating the Pi Firmware 79
Revisiting Raspi-Config 80
Expand Filesystem 81
Change User Password 81
Enable Boot to Desktop 82
Internationalisation Options 82
Enable Camera 82
Add to Rastrack 83
Overclocking 83
Advanced Options 84
Raspi-Config Under the Hood 84
Next Steps 85
Chapter 6 Debian Linux Fundamentals—Graphical User Interface 87
LXDE—The Desktop Environment 87
Starting and Exiting LXDE 88
Task: Using Raspi-Config to Adjust Boot Behavior 88
Touring the LXDE Interface 89
Delving into the Main Menu 92
Installing, Updating, and Removing Software 94
Accessing the Pi Store 95
Task: Downloading a Free App from the Pi Store 97
Tweaking the LXDE UI 98
Task: Change the Desktop Background 98
Task: Customize the LXTerminal 99
Task: Customize the LXPanel 100
Openbox 100
Editing Configuration Files 101
Chapter 7 Networking Raspberry Pi 103
Basic Networking Concepts 103
Configuring Wired Ethernet 104
Task: Setting a Static IP Address on Your Raspberry Pi 106
Configuring Wireless Ethernet 107
Task: Setting Up Wi-Fi on Your Pi 109
Configuring “Headless” Raspberry Pi 110
Secure Shell (SSH) 112
Task: Using SSH to Connect to a Raspberry Pi Remotely 113
Virtual Network Computing (VNC) 114
Task: Using VNC to Connect to the Raspberry Pi 115
Task: Configure Your Pi to Start VNC Server Automatically 117
On Browsing the Web with the Pi 118
Chapter 8 Programming Raspberry Pi with Scratch—Beginnings 121
Technical Aspects of Scratch 122
Scratch Version Issues 122
The Scratch Community 123
Getting Comfortable with the Scratch Interface 124
About Blocks 127
Crafting a (Very) Simple Scratch Application 129
Task: Creating a Basic Scratch App 130
The PicoBoard 132
Obtaining a PicoBoard? 134
Using a PicoBoard in Scratch 134
Task: Using the PicoBoard in Scratch 134
Chapter 9 Programming Raspberry Pi with Scratch—Next Steps 137
Begin with the End in Mind 137
Let’s Build the Game! 139
Task: Setting Up the Game Screens 140
Task: Setting Up the Scratch Cat 143
Setting Up the First Ball 144
Setting Up the Second and Third Balls 146
Debugging and Troubleshooting 147
Uploading Your Project 149
Task: Share Your Scratch Project 149
Remixing 151
Task: Create a Remix 151
Chapter 10 Programming Raspberry Pi with Python—Beginnings 153
Checking Out the Python Environment 154
Interacting with the Python 3 Interpreter 156
Exiting the Interpreter 157
Getting Online Help 157
Writing Your First Python Program 158
Task: Creating Your First Python Script 159
Running Python Scripts 161
Task: Running Python Scripts (command line) 161
Task: Running Python Scripts (IDLE) 161
Broadening Your Python Horizons 163
Chapter 11 Programming Raspberry Pi with Python—Next Steps 165
Getting Comfortable with IDLE 165
Task: Creating a New Python Script File 168
Writing a Simple Game 168
Delving into a Bit More Detail 171
Variables 171
Type Casting 171
Concatenation 173
Modules 173
Task: Loading and then Updating the GPIO Module in Python 3 176
Where Do You Go from Here? 177
PART III BASIC RASPBERRY PI PROJECTS
Chapter 12 Raspberry Pi Media Center 179
A Bit o’ History 180
But Will It Blend? 181
Introducing Raspbmc 182
Task: Installing Raspbmc Under Windows 182
Task: Installing Raspbmc Under OS X 183
Configuring Raspbmc 184
Getting Your Remote Control Working 186
Task: Controlling Your Raspbmc Box from iOS 186
Task: Controlling Your Raspbmc Box from a Web Browser 189
Task: Configuring a GPIO-based IR Receiver 190
Transferring Content to Your Pi 192
Task: Uploading Media Content to Raspberry Pi 192
Scraping Your Media 194
Task: Configuring XBMC Media Detection 194
Playing Your Content 196
Installing Add-Ons 197
Chapter 13 Raspberry Pi Retro Game Station 199
A Word About Console Video Game Emulation 200
Installing RetroPie 200
Task: Setting Up RetroPie 201
Transferring ROMs to RetroPie 203
Task: Transferring ROMs to Your Raspberry Pi 204
Setting Up Your Controls 206
Task: Configure RetroPie Joystick Control Mappings 208
Playing Your Games 209
Installing Useful Add-Ons 210
Task: Install ES-Scraper 211
In Search of the Perfect Joystick 212
Chapter 14 Raspberry Pi Minecraft Server 217
Installing Minecraft Pi 219
Task: Installing Minecraft Pi 219
Accessing the Python API 221
Task: Loading the Minecraft Python Libraries 222
Task: Making Your Player Jump High! 224
Task: Create a Diamond Floor 225
Building a Minecraft Server 226
Task: Installing Java and the Minecraft Server 227
Administering a Minecraft Server 230
Minecraft Plugins 232
Chapter 15 Raspberry Pi Web Server 233
What Is the LAMP Stack? 234
Installing Your Web Server 235
Task: Installing the LAMP Stack on Raspberry Pi 236
Task: Verifying PHP Configuration 237
Task: Verifying MySQL Installation 239
Tweaking Up Your Web Server Settings 240
Transferring Content to Your Web Server 240
Task: Using SFTP to Transfer Content to Your Pi 241
Task: Install and Test FTP on Your Raspberry Pi 243
Setting Up phpMyAdmin 243
Task: Installing phpMyAdmin 244
Setting Up Joomla 245
Task: Installing Joomla on Your Raspberry Pi 246
Putting Your Web Server on the Public Internet 249
Task: Making Your Raspberry Pi Publicly Accessible by Using No-IP 250
Chapter 16 Raspberry Pi Portable Webcam 253
About the Raspberry Pi Camera Board 253
Installing and Configuring the Raspberry Pi Camera Board 256
Task: Preparing the Raspberry Pi for the Camera Board 256
Task: Installing the Raspberry Pi Camera Board 257
Using the Camera Board 259
Capturing Still Pictures 259
Recording Video with the Camera Board 263
Task: Encoding a raspivid Video File 265
Using a Third-Party USB Webcam 266
Task: Configuring a Third-Party USB Webcam 267
Setting Up Your Webcam 269
Task: Setting Up a Time-Lapse Webcam 270
Adding a Rechargeable Battery Pack to Your Pi Camera 273
Python and Your Webcam 274
Task: Setting up SimpleCV 274
Chapter 17 Raspberry Pi Security and Privacy Device 277
Encrypting Your Internet Connection with a VPN 277
Browsing Where You Want via a Proxy Server 278
Building Your Raspberry Pi VPN Gateway 280
Task: Creating Your Hamachi VPN 281
Task: Connecting to Your Hamachi VPN from Your Desktop Computer 283
Task: Installing Hamachi Client on Your Raspberry Pi 284
Building Your Raspberry Pi Proxy Server 286
Task: Installing and Configuring Privoxy Raspberry Pi 286
Testing the Configuration 287
Task: Pointing Your Workstation Computer at Your Pi Proxy 289
Speaking of Geolocation 292
Task: Adding Your Raspberry Pi to the Rastrack Database 294
Building a Raspberry Pi Tor Proxy 294
PART IV HACKING THE RASPBERRY PI
Chapter 18 Raspberry Pi Overclocking 299
What Is Overclocking? 299
Warranty Implications of Overclocking 300
Overclocking Your Pi 302
The Raspi-Config Method 302
Task: Verifying Your Pi’s CPU, Voltage, and Temperature Status 303
The Manual Method 304
Benchmarking Your Pi 305
Task: Installing and Running nbench 306
Adjusting the Memory Split on Your Pi 307
Task: Tweaking Memory Split with Raspi-Config 308
Tweaking Memory Split by Hand 309
A Historical Footnote 309
Various and Sundry Performance Tweaks 311
Chapter 19 Raspberry Pi and Arduino 315
Introducing the Arduino 315
Digging into the Arduino Uno 319
Connecting the Arduino and the Raspberry Pi 321
Connecting the Raspberry Pi GPIO Pins to the Arduino Serial Pins 322
Connecting the Raspberry Pi GPIO Pins to the Arduino I2C 322
Connecting the Raspberry Pi to the Arduino via USB 322
Connecting the Raspberry Pi to the Arduino via a Shield or Bridge Board 322
Connecting the Raspberry Pi to an Arduino Clone 323
Understanding the Arduino Development Workflow 323
Task: Install and Configure Arduino IDE on the Raspberry Pi 324
Task: Running the “Blink” Sample Sketch 327
Fading an LED 330
Task: Running the Fade Sketch 331
Using the AlaMode 332
Task: Getting the AlaMode Up and Running 333
Chapter 20 Raspberry Pi and the Gertboard 337
Anatomy of the GPIO 339
Connecting Your Gertboard and Raspberry Pi 341
Installing the Testing Software 343
Task: Enabling SPI on Your Raspberry Pi 344
Task: Installing the Python Gertboard Test Suite 345
Testing the LEDs 346
Testing Input/Output 349
A Couple Quick Breadboarding Exercises 350
Accessing the GPIO Pins Directly 350
Task: Lighting an LED Directly from the GPIO 351
Accessing the GPIO Pins via the Pi Cobbler 353
Programming the Atmel Microcontroller 354
Task: Preparing Your Arduino Environment 355
Final Thoughts, and Thank You 357
Index 359
About the Author :
Timothy L. Warner has helped thousands of beginners succeed with technology in business and in schools. Until recently a digital media specialist with Pearson Technology Group, he worked in various facets of information technology, including systems administration, software architecture, and technical training. He is the author of The Unauthorized Guide to iPhone, iPad, and iPod Repair.
