Raspberry Pi Pico

[DavidB-AU]

Has anybody been able to get hold of a Raspberry Pi Pico and see how it compares to other microcontrollers for layout applications? At about £3.60 (the price at PiHut in the UK) it's about a third of the price of the smallest Arduino but about 8 times faster.

 

Cheers

David

[SHMD]

I'm interested too.

I imagine it has tonnes more memory. 

 

Is it a cut down version of the Pi - ie basically a Linux based PC?

 

 

Kev.

 

[SHMD]

Ah - it's better I follow the link!

 

Now reading....

 

 

Kev.

 

[DavidB-AU]

Yes and no. It's a microcontroller more than a cut down Pi, but it does have a dual-core ARM processor and can run (almost) anything in MicroPython or C/C++ and can do some number crunching. About 100 times the SRAM and 64 times the flash memory of the smallest Arduino. That's enough to process low res video in real time.

[SHMD]

It's got good interfacing too...

2 off SPI, I2C, programmable blocks, and UARTs but it is the 16 off PWM channels (DC/Stepper motor control and/or Servo control) and the 8 off State machines (think Interlocking) that, (need to be proven), and may be really useful in model railway electronics.

 

It might, (just might), become a standard!

(..but with increased features/performance but with backward compatibility.)

 

 

Kev.

[richard brown]

I have one I just need to find a use for it. the way to program it is so easy you drop the file to it. you program it in python create a file and drop it on the the device

[Jonboy]

There is a magazine called Hackspace (intended for makers), currently in WH Smith for £6 with a free Pico stuck on the front.

Edited January 27, 2021 by Jonboy

[Hroth]

On 27/01/2021 at 18:26, Jonboy said:

There is a magazine called Hackspace (intended for makers), currently in WH Smith for £6 with a free Pico stuck on the front.

 

I visited my (soon to be closed) WHSmith when the Feb Hackspace came out on the 21st. They had only received 4 copies of the mag which I quickly reduced by 50%...  One to use straight away, one for reserve. 

 

The C/C++ toolchain is a slight faff to set up (I might try it out sometime) but I'm starting to familiarise myself with Python and MicroPython and Thonny on a Raspberry Pi 4B (or a  Windows PC) makes programming a breeze.

 

[Suzie]

It looks good, but is probably too late in to the space that Arduino has already taken.

 

It will be interesting to see if Betamax beats VHS in this race!

[Hroth]

28 minutes ago, Suzie said:

It looks good, but is probably too late in to the space that Arduino has already taken.

 

It will be interesting to see if Betamax beats VHS in this race!

 

Its smaller, faster and cheaper than the cheapest "real" Arduino, with more memory and IO facilities.

 

While it couldn't directly compete with the Arduino ecosystem, it fits into an educational one in that programming in schools  is generally facilitated using something like the Scratch environment, that the Pico uses MicroPython makes it a familiar option and an ideal stepping stone into physical computing for school projects, growing a user base from the ground up.

 

Have a look at the already available child-orientated book produced by the Pi Foundation Get Started with MicroPython on Raspberry Pi Pico , as a physical book or a downloadable free PDF. Its impressive stuff. Adult level documentation is also freely available as are resources on the Raspberry Pi Foundation website.

 

Meet Raspberry Silicon: Raspberry Pi Pico now on sale at $4 

 

No connection with Raspberry Pi, just an appreciative user of their stuff!

 

[Jonboy]

For the projects I am planning on playing around with the solder tags and small format may make it a better option than the pins of an arduino.

[melmerby]

On 30/01/2021 at 09:01, Hroth said:

 

Its smaller, faster and cheaper than the cheapest "real" Arduino, with more memory and IO facilities.

 

 

The Arduino is open source so anyone can make them, hence Nanos at around $1/£1 , Unos £1.50, even Megas aren't over expensive.

The Pi is not AFAIK open source hence only "real" ones and is normally distributed by CPC/Farnell at a fixed price.

 

Sounds like a nice little piece of kit.

I like tinkering with these mini microcontrollers.

Apart from various Arduino clones, I have tinkered with a Pi B3+ and a PC Duino

 

IMHO The PC Duino was a good piece of kit with an Arm controller, LAN/WiFi/HDMI/USB and runs C++ and comes with Linux installed, with Chrome browser, Java etc.

Mine cost about the same as a "proper" Uno.

Unfortunately it was originally well over priced and poorly supported so died after a few years.

I still intend using it as a stand alone JMRI system as long as I can update the Java (possibly not!)

[SHMD]

I had to go into work yesterday, (I usually work from home now), and coming back through Manchester Piccadilly Station I accidentally picked up one of these for a paltry sick squid!

(Now 4 left.)

 

I am thoroughly impressed and am already planning a "first project".

 

 

 

Kev.

[backofanenvelope]

I got one of these the other day with the mag. I am looking to get into some beginners electronics, but a bit confused by terminology. So a microcontroller is a single use computer and the Pi4 is a full blown multi use computer? I got the board really to find out about controlling servos for points and am looking at gettting an Adafruit servo module. I’m just waiting for some pins to arrive and then I’ll start learning some coding.

 

what I don’t understand is all the input/output lingo, but am teaching myself via YouTube.

[melmerby]

Definitely looks like it's aimed at the Arduino, especially the Nano which it resembles

Put some pin headers on and away you go.

 

That issue of the Mag seems to have sold out, I was going to see if I could get one and have a play.

 

5 mins later Just bought a Pico from PiHut, should be coming in a few days

 

[backofanenvelope]

Found out you can download mag for free as pdf. The content is not particularly interesting to me but there’s certainly plent to learn from.

[SHMD]

Last I heard, Manchester Piccadilly Station had 2 left in smiffs after a work colleague bought 2 mags with Picos attached.

 

The Mag, (free or tactile), does have lots of pointers to good resources.

I liked this site, (in Sheffield - so no nasty importing harassment to deal with): -

 

https://shop.pimoroni.com/

 

 

Kev.

[melmerby]

2 hours ago, SHMD said:

Last I heard, Manchester Piccadilly Station had 2 left in smiffs after a work colleague bought 2 mags with Picos attached.

 

The Mag, (free or tactile), does have lots of pointers to good resources.

I liked this site, (in Sheffield - so no nasty importing harassment to deal with): -

 

https://shop.pimoroni.com/

 

 

Kev.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation is a British organisation and has 5(?) official UK sellers for the Pico.

PiHut where I have ordered from is one of them. (along with PiMoroni)

https://thepihut.com/

 

 

 

[DavidB-AU]

12 hours ago, backofanenvelope said:

I got one of these the other day with the mag. I am looking to get into some beginners electronics, but a bit confused by terminology. So a microcontroller is a single use computer and the Pi4 is a full blown multi use computer?

 

A microcontroller is a small computer generally used to control some electronics and generally only runs a simple scripting language. A Pi is a single chip standalone computer with an operating system that can do a lot of different things. The Pi 4 and its predecessors can do number crunching, read or control more or less any USB device, connect to a network and generate graphical output.

 

The Pi Pico starts to blur the line a bit. It can control electronics but it's fast enough and powerful enough to do some number crunching if desired and can be programmed in Python or C/C++. It is in the order of 100 times more powerful than a 1980s home computer. But it doesn't quite have the flexibility of a standalone computer, will only run one program at a time and doesn't have any graphical output.

 

Cheers

David

[backofanenvelope]

3 hours ago, DavidB-AU said:

A microcontroller is a small computer generally used to control some electronics

 

 

Thanks David,

 

That explained it clearly to me. So for my project idea, controlling servos by switches, would good as I don’t need to to do anything else. I have downloaded micro python and blinked the LED. “One small step.......”

 

One last question if I may. I see people on you tube using prototype boards, but what do they do when they have got it working? I assume you would have to mount it to a pcb board?

Tom

[NIK]

Hi,

 

I've started playing with the Pico. As the PIO programmable state machines seem to be unusual in a dual core MCU board* for £4 I decided to have a look at those.

 

* the 240Mhz dual core version of the ESP32 development board is available from about £3 from Aliexpress - its generally more capable, has Wifi/Bluetooth but doesn't have programmable state machines.

 

I've got the PIO to fade out Leds or pairs of Leds independently of the CPUs.

My aim is to make a demo program that uses the state machines to control the fade in/out of colour light signals (of the type that use use incandescent bulbs on the prototype).

That might save an external RC network per Led channel and simplify the real time demands on the CPUs.

 

The Pico doesn't have as much current drive on output pins as the ATMega328P in some Arduinos and is 3.3V rather 5V. None of the GPIO pins are 5V tolerant unlike many GPIO pins on the STM32 based Blue Pill boards.

 

 

Regards

 

Nick

[melmerby]

41 minutes ago, backofanenvelope said:

 

 

Thanks David,

 

That explained it clearly to me. So for my project idea, controlling servos by switches, would good as I don’t need to to do anything else. I have downloaded micro python and blinked the LED. “One small step.......”

 

One last question if I may. I see people on you tube using prototype boards, but what do they do when they have got it working? I assume you would have to mount it to a pcb board?

Tom

When using an Arduino Nano, the Pico has the same sort of form factor,  I normally mount sockets on a stripboard, where the peripheral components are mounted and can then just plug it in, like it was an oversize IC using these:

https://thepihut.com/products/male-headers-for-raspberry-pi-pico

[DavidB-AU]

3 hours ago, backofanenvelope said:

One last question if I may. I see people on you tube using prototype boards, but what do they do when they have got it working? I assume you would have to mount it to a pcb board?

Tom

 

If you want to build something permanent, stripboard is an easy transition although would probably be bigger than you need. There are stripboards with the exact same layout as breadboard (prototype board) but with copper tracks for soldering.

 

 

Much cheaper is stripboard with continuous copper tracks. It's very easy to cut into smaller pieces using a razor saw, or scribe and snap. You need to "break" a track if you need to isolate some components. This is easily done with a drill bit, just a couple of twists by hand with gentle pressure. 

 

Here's an example of tracks broken with a drill bit.

 

 

Perfboard has no strips, just solder pads and you need to connect components with wire.

 

 

Cheers

David

 

 

[KeithMacdonald]

On 30/01/2021 at 09:01, Hroth said:

Have a look at the already available child-orientated book produced by the Pi Foundation Get Started with MicroPython on Raspberry Pi Pico , as a physical book or a downloadable free PDF. Its impressive stuff. Adult level documentation is also freely available as are resources on the Raspberry Pi Foundation website.

 

Meet Raspberry Silicon: Raspberry Pi Pico now on sale at $4 

 

No connection with Raspberry Pi, just an appreciative user of their stuff!

 

 

Excellent!

 

With my fading eyesight and clumsy fingers anything that's "child-orientated" is just the right level for me too.

 

 

[backofanenvelope]

Thank you David and Melmerby.

 

That’s just what I was looking for. A friend gave me an arduino kit last Christmas and I had no idea what to do with it or all the bits that came with it. I now have the basis for my project with Pico and breadboard to try out a servo control app.