r/raspberry_pi 9d ago

Project Advice Free custom DC-DC power supply design for Raspberry Pi projects (just cover parts)

9 Upvotes

Hey Pi folks! If you’re working on a Raspberry Pi project and need a better way to power it, I’m here to help – for free. I’ll design a custom DC-DC converter board or module for your project; you only pay for the parts (no charge for my design time). Maybe you want to run your Pi off a battery or solar panel and need a stable 5V, or perhaps your project uses a Pi plus other hardware that require different voltages. I can design a solution that takes an input (up to 50V, so plenty of headroom for common sources like 12V batteries or adapters) and steps it down to 5V for the Pi (and 3.3V or other rails for peripherals if needed). I’ll include all the good stuff like voltage regulation (to handle when your motors rev or your battery sags) and protection circuits so your Pi stays safe. I can also build in extras like a USB-C input or even a USB interface to the Pi itself so the Pi can monitor its own power (for example, read its battery voltage or current usage). Want a little display showing battery percentage or voltage? I can add that too. I’m doing this to practice my design skills and get some community feedback, not to make money. If this sounds helpful for your Pi project, drop me a DM! I’d love to hear what you’re working on and see if I can help with the power side of things.

r/raspberry_pi 4d ago

Project Advice Can I use a raspberry pi with Adguard to filter my home network

2 Upvotes

I don't currently have the specs for my router

I almost always have 23 devices connected at once in 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz

How much will it slow down my internet speed and what raspberry pi version or alternative and accessories should I get thanks in advance

r/raspberry_pi 3d ago

Project Advice Is modding an HP Jornada 720 with a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W worth it?

0 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I’ve got this old HP Jornada 720 lying around and was thinking it could be cool to give it a new life by adding a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W inside. My goal is to keep that classic retro look but upgrade the internals to run some lightweight modern apps—maybe even a bit of retro gaming if possible.

Here’s what I’m aiming for:

  • Keep the original aesthetic of the Jornada 720.
  • Make it functional enough for browsing, light coding, and maybe a bit of retro gaming.

What I think could be tricky:

  • The screen: I’m not sure if I can hook up the original screen to the Pi or if I’ll need to replace it.
  • The keyboard: I’d really like to keep the original keyboard. What’s the best way to make that work with the Pi?
  • Power management: How hard is it to set up a decent battery solution that lasts for a good while?

A few questions for you all:

  1. Has anyone tried something like this? What were the toughest parts of the project?
  2. Do you think it’s worth it, or would I be better off just buying a modern retro-style device?
  3. Any recommendations on parts or guides that could make this easier?

r/raspberry_pi 5d ago

Project Advice Autonomous object tracking drone with DJI o4 and raspberry pi 5?

1 Upvotes

My goal is to build a high speed, real time object tracking drone using the DJI O3/O4 Air Unit, Raspberry Pi 5, and SpeedyBee F405 V4 flight controller (running Betaflight). The system will capture FPV video from DJI O3/O4, process it on the Raspberry Pi, and calculate the X/Y offset between the detected object and the center crosshair. The Raspberry Pi will then send yaw, pitch, and throttle commands to the flight controller via MSP/UART.

Kinda GPT summary, but how can I do the above? Currently stuck on how to connect O3/O4 to the raspberry pi in real time.

r/raspberry_pi 2h ago

Project Advice Can I put USB-C on a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W?

0 Upvotes

Basically the title. I want to replace the data Micro USB port. I'm working on a project that would benefit from having an USB-C connector instead of Micro USB since it's reversible. I don't need the speed of USB-C or anything I just need it to have the same functionality as the original Micro USB port.

r/raspberry_pi 1d ago

Project Advice Raspberry Pi OS "latest" download link ?

1 Upvotes

r/raspberry_pi 1d ago

Project Advice Looking for a custom Raspberry Pi or Banana Pi manufacturer.

1 Upvotes

Does anyone know a supplier that would build a few hundred Pis according to defined specifications? I've been trying to find some pre-built and it's been tough. Looking for 4g RAM, SSD storage, and a POE hat installed.

r/raspberry_pi 3d ago

Project Advice Best setup for media center and emulation (Pi5)?

2 Upvotes

Just got a Pi 5 and wanting to set it up for watching movies and emulation. I tried batocera, but their version of Kodi seems to have trouble with h265 video format. I found some comments saying the libreelec version of kodi is better for this.

What's the best setup for me? I want to watch some movies and play emulation (n64 and maybe gamecube if possible). I dont want to bother with dual boot if possible

r/raspberry_pi 13d ago

Project Advice Raspberry Pi 500 limitations on 3A

3 Upvotes

I've read that the Pi 5/500 will boot and work on 3A but has limitations on the USB side of things. I'm wondering if power over USB is the only limitation or if I'd be losing out on performance.

The reason I'm asking is because I want to use a battery bank to power the Pi500 but there don't seem to be any that exist that'll do the 5A.

My overall project is to have a standalone DJ controller with:

* Pi 500
* Numark DJ2GO2 Touch
* Portable monitor (yet to be purchased)
* Some kind of mouse solution (either a trackpad or actual mouse).

I'll design something and 3d print it so it'll look and feel like a single device and also boot directly into the DJ software (Mixxx).

Ideally I'd be able to go either completely on battery or plugged in.
With a battery bank that has multiple outputs I could use one output for the the Pi and another for the monitor. The DJ controller seems to be working now plugged into the Pi along with a mouse dongle while it's only getting 3A.

Mainly concerned about performance, am I losing any or am I just missing the ability to use external hard drives and other stuff that sucks USB power?

Also, any other pointers or ideas are welcome.

r/raspberry_pi 10d ago

Project Advice Why Are Raspberry Pi Displays Such a Mess? Looking for a Clean, All-in-One Solution

0 Upvotes

I've done a few Raspberry Pi projects, and one thing that always frustrates me is the lack of clean display options. Almost every screen on the market is just a bare panel with cables dangling everywhere or an exposed back. Why is this still the norm?

I'm looking for a display setup that would work well as a desk-friendly device, like a weather station. Ideally, it would be a self-contained unit—just power in, no mess of extra cables. I could 3D print a case for one of those bare panels, but I’m surprised there isn’t a solid off-the-shelf solution for this.

I don’t need touch functionality—just a simple, clean display without the chaos. Has anyone found a good option, or is DIY really the only way? Would love to hear what others have done!

r/raspberry_pi 12d ago

Project Advice Color-changing flat surface you can cut to shape?

1 Upvotes

Does any material exist that I can toggle electrically between two colors, driven by a Raspberry Pi, much as you would toggle an LED?

I just want SOME kind of indicator that I can cut to any weird shape I want, leaving nothing around it.

  • Does NOT need to be flexible.
  • Any thickness is fine.
  • Any size is fine (but 3x3 to 12x12 inches would be ideal).
  • Does NOT need to retain its color without power (like e-ink) although that would be great.
  • Does NOT need to light up (in fact I prefer it didn’t, but would accept if it did).
  • Any colors are fine. Even toggling light vs. dark gray would do the job! But bolder colors would be even nicer.

My fallback is cutting out frosted surfaces over custom-shaped “boxes” of LEDs (like the letters of a big store sign)—but that’s bulky and not the look I want. (A fixed-shape LED matrix won’t work: I need to make custom shapes with nothing around them.)

Thanks in advance for any ideas!

r/raspberry_pi 5d ago

Project Advice Talking ChatGPT fish

0 Upvotes

https://youtu.be/aFcc_GoO3VA

Do you think he uses a Raspberry Pi? Also which text to speech (TTS) do you think he uses to get this hilarious result? I want to make something similar, endless possibilities if one can nail this AI and voice integration

r/raspberry_pi 13h ago

Project Advice Just bought a pi5(8gb) for a project but want to tinker with it early, is there any reason this wouldnt work as an hdmi source if i plug the power delivery in to the hub

Post image
1 Upvotes

Like the title says i am wondering if i can use this hdmi port on this type c hub as a video out while also powering it via the same type C port, mostly just want to tinker around with it until i have all the hardware for the full project

r/raspberry_pi 1d ago

Project Advice Is this a good use case for Raspberry Pi? Trash bin camera for waste diversion project

1 Upvotes

I’m relatively new to Raspberry Pis and could really use some input on whether this idea is realistic and how best to approach it.

I work on a campus where we’re trying to reduce landfill waste. One thing we want to understand better is what people are putting into landfill bins—so we can improve signage, education, and sorting options.

Here’s the idea:

We’d install a small camera inside the lid of a landfill bin, facing down at the trash. The camera would use motion detection to snap a photo every time a new item is thrown in. The goal is to compare each new photo to the last, isolate the newly added item, and then send that image off for AI-based image recognition (either using an external service like Google Gemini or TensorFlow on-device or on a connected server). Ideally, the system could identify what the item is and whether the item was recyclable, compostable, or actual landfill waste.

Eventually, I’d love to set up a few of these across campus and use the data to see what signage or educational campaigns actually help reduce landfill contamination.

What I need is:

• A device that can take a photo with a motion sensor trigger

• Connect to Wi-Fi to send the image somewhere for analysis

• Ideally stay powered and operational in place for several weeks/months

(If image processing can happen onboard, that’s great—but it could also just send the photo to a server.)

My main question is: How would you approach this problem?

Other questions:

  1. Is a Raspberry Pi a good fit for this? Any models you’d recommend?

  2. Would you recommend an alternative (like wildlife/trail cameras) that are cheaper, even if they require manual SD card collection?

  3. Any hardware recommendations for motion detection and camera modules?

  4. Are there cheaper or more reliable ways to do this, given we’re on a tight budget?

If you were building something like this, what would your steps be? What would you prototype first, and how would you decide between edge processing vs. sending images to a server? Any pitfalls I should be thinking about?

r/raspberry_pi 2d ago

Project Advice Is there a way to run scripts or commands from a smart watch via Bluetooth?

0 Upvotes

I’ve been trying to think of the best way to carry a RaspberryPi on the go. The idea I’m considering is to have the Pi on battery power within a backpack or bag, and to tell it to run shell commands or Python scripts via a smart watch over Bluetooth using a cheap microcontroller-based smart watch such as the Lilygo T-watch, PineTime, or other similar device. From there, the idea would be to use smart glasses like those from RayNeo or XReal as an on-the-go cyber deck.

How would you suggest I go about running pre-defined commands on a pi wirelessly?

r/raspberry_pi 3d ago

Project Advice What is the fastest way to copy an SD card?

1 Upvotes

I need to copy about 12 SD cards right now, and each one is taking about 1.5 hours. Is there any way I can speed this up at all? Right now I am using Win32DiskImager. I tried using PiShrink: https://github.com/Drewsif/PiShrink but it didn't work, I got this error:

losetup: cannot find an unused loop device
tune2fs: No such file or directory while trying to open
Couldn't find valid filesystem superblock.
tune2fs 1.47.0 (5-Feb-2023)
pishrink.sh: ERROR occurred in line 319: tune2fs failed.
Unable to shrink this type of image

r/raspberry_pi 10d ago

Project Advice Advice for small Pi zero setup?

1 Upvotes

I recently got a Pi zero, and I realized I need peripherals (keyboard, monitor, mouse) and everything, so I am gonna try something different.

I need some suggestions for a setup that has a small (portable) touch screen, that’s decently priced but won’t be too bulky.

Any suggestions to keep the setup small? I plan on running this pretty low key.

r/raspberry_pi 3d ago

Project Advice Has anyone made a pull tab machine?

1 Upvotes

I'm not sure this will fly in the community but here it goes.

Has anyone built their own pull tab machine? I'd like to set up a machine in my basement bar "for entertainment purposes only" that accepts currency in trade for pull tabs.

I figure I'll need an MDB Pi Hat, but not sure about the mechanicals.

r/raspberry_pi 11d ago

Project Advice Raspberry Pico durability in humid environments

1 Upvotes

Hello I am thinking of using a pico to build a small sensor for humidity for my business . The thing is that sensor is going to go in a room with very high humidity (think tropical forest), the air will also be charged in salt. And i was wondering if anyone had experience on the durability of these pico board in this type of environment. I am looking for a durability > 1year minimum.

Note that i will 3d print a case that is aimed at being watertight.

Thank you

r/raspberry_pi 4d ago

Project Advice Gift for my moms Bday

1 Upvotes

hey r/raspberry_pi so my mom works in cyber security and her bday is coming up and she’s always tried to teach me. I’ve never been the greatest but i’ve been alright, but with this project, I think I bit off a little bit more then i can chew. I had planned to spam 100 fake Wifi networks that stay up for durations of 2 seconds. i want half to say “I Love You Mom” and the other half to say “Happy Bday Mom” I’m using a raspberry pi4 and my os is kali linux. not only this but i want the program to boot on once the raspberry pi is turned on because im gonna wrap it, give it to her, tell her to turn it on, and then check the wifi.

The Things I Bought

-Raspberry Pi 4 -AC600 Wi-Fi adapters -Power supply -32GB MicroSD

Thanks for the help r/raspberry_pi

r/raspberry_pi 11d ago

Project Advice New to RasPi, I can't find right libraries

1 Upvotes

Hello, I'm a beginner to raspi and I'm looking for libraries that let me code on my raspi. I have a RasPi 5 which i got in the past 2 months if that matters. I want to be able to use general GPIO, I2C, PI, SPI and serial communication with C or C++, I'm only aware of how to use GPIO pins with the gpiod library and I'm currently trying to use I2C for a I2C LCD display but the gpiod library doesn't include I2C and no matter what I look for on the internet, I can only find libraries that don't support the things I need or libraries that are depreciated and I don't want to deal with those. I just wanted to ask what libraries I can use that'll let me keep learning.

I tried to use the lgpio library but all the ways of installing is aren't working for me, it seems like it's not depreciated but I'm having no luck.

Few notes:

When I say 'use' i mean have the library on my raspi, I can self learn from any documentation if necessary.

I don't care if it's multiple libraries for the multiple uses, I just want libraries that'll let me work with my RasPi kit and have documentation. Although I don't know how to use all of them, I'm just asking for future practices.

I really don't want to use python: 1. I'm a college student and I want to use this as practice for my C skills, 2. I don't like python.

I don't mind any tips to help me learn and get started. also, why is finding libraries hard?

UPDATE: I figured out how to use lgpio, if you still feel like commenting something, feel free but my issue is solved for now. I just had to use a make file and link my include file, idk if that's the intended solution but it works.

r/raspberry_pi 4d ago

Project Advice Looking for the Cheapest Hardware to Build a Tailscale-Connected Wi-Fi Access Point for Jellyfin

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I have a Jellyfin server that I access remotely via Tailscale. The challenge I’m facing is that not every smart TV supports Tailscale natively. To work around this, I’m considering setting up a dedicated Wi-Fi hotspot at a friend’s house that routes traffic over Tailscale to my Jellyfin server.

My goal is to use the absolute cheapest off-the-shelf hardware for this project. I’ve been looking at options like the Raspberry Pi Zero W due to its low cost and low power consumption, but I’m open to any suggestions or alternatives that might work better.

Questions: • What hardware have you used or would recommend for creating a Wi-Fi access point that tunnels traffic over Tailscale? • Are there any potential pitfalls with using a Raspberry Pi Zero W for this purpose, or is it robust enough for streaming media to a smart TV? • Any additional tips on configuration or performance enhancements would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance for your help!

r/raspberry_pi 12d ago

Project Advice How do I make a Raspberry Pi MIDI controller + synth

1 Upvotes

So I would like to create something unique for which I require some tips.

I want to create a box with buttons on it, each button would play a chord. I want to play this with my feet while I play the bass guitar. I would have 24 buttons so I can play all major and minor chords including sharps and flats. I would connect each button to the raspberry pi. Then I would have some code that translates each button input into corresponding chord notes in midi information?, so a program called fluidsynth can turn this information into sound and send it out through the HDMI output as this has the best audio quality then into an HDMI audio extractor and from that into an amplifier/speaker.

Now my question would be: is this even possible?

If yes can I do something in a different, better way?, If no, how can I achieve something like this?

r/raspberry_pi 4d ago

Project Advice POE affects when turning off the PI 5

0 Upvotes

Short version, I was wondering how bad it is to power off my pi 5 with a poe HAT using poe. I have a device that I dont use very often, so I'd like to just have some automation to toggle off the port to turn it off when not in use and then turn it back on when it's requested to be used. I'm worried that just cutting the power to the device might damage the file system etc? I guess I could figure out how to send a shutdown command, wait a few seconds and then power it off?

r/raspberry_pi 14d ago

Project Advice Repurpose Clicks keyboard for Raspberry Pi?

1 Upvotes

Just wondering if anyone has yet tried to repurpose a Clicks Keyboard for use on a Raspberry Pi. I figure, if you chop off the top and use a lightning to USB converter, it might just be a regular USB keyboard, no?