Reddit mentions of CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit - 32 GB Edition

Just to BUILD an HTML site requires no hosting or domain! Once you have a built site that you want to display to the public though:

First, get a domain:

• I use Google Domains.
  
• Namecheap is also super great.
  
• If you use shared hosting (see below), they often offer included domain names with your purchase.
  
  Second, find hosting:
  
  
• Github Pages offers great static site hosting. Free.
  
• Shared hosting like DreamHost is great if you aren't comfortable managing your own server but want access to databases (they also give you email addresses with webmail access). Costs a monthly fee.
  
• Use a combination of PaaS like Heroku and Firebase. Free (can pay for more features/performance).
  
• Your own VPS (virtual private server) like Digital Ocean lets you configure just about everything if you're okay with system administration. Costs a monthly fee.
  
• Buy a Raspberry Pi and hook it up to your router (assuming your ISP gives you a public IP address). This is essentially setting up your own server. One time cost.
  
  Third, figure out how you want to make the site:
  
  
• Use a CMS like WordPress, BoltCMS, Grav, DjangoCMS, etc...
  
• Use a static site generator like Hugo or Hexo.
  
• Write everything yourself (too many options out there to link, depends on your language/technology preference). This is the route you're going.
  
  Other stuff:
  
  
• You can get free SSL certs for your site (especially important if people are going to be entering information) from Let's Encrypt.
  
• CloudFlare acts as a CDN and IPS/IDS to help protect and optimize your site (they have a free plan).
  
• A good option for students is to grab the Github Student Developer Pack, which includes a bunch of free goodies.
  
  EDIT:
  
  A few more things you can play with:
  
  
• C9 is cool for prototyping and playing around in a VPS playground with a nice built-in editor. It has a free plan, but last I checked it still requires a payment card for verification.
  
• HyperDev is another cool Node-specific playground.
  
• Forestry.io is a new service that gives you CMS-like functionality with Github Pages. I have not used it.
  
• Prose is an editor application for managing Github content.

Nintendo's "strategy" led me to successfully build a RetroPie using a RaspberryPi starter kit. Now I have a NES mini and an SNES mini all in one with just about every title ever released for both systems. And I can play Quake on it.

Some of the kits on Amazon are great, specifically the ones by CanaKit. They usually come with everything needed to get started (Pi, power adapter, sdcard, case, etc.) Some kits have more items than others.

As for which Pi, there are only really two options: the Pi 3 or the Pi Zero W. The other models are older and slower or lacking wifi/Bluetooth/etc. The Pi3 is more powerful and requires less adapters to make it plug into your TV, use USB devices, etc. The Pi Zero W requires some adapters and isn't as powerful but it is cheaper and a lot smaller so it is great for projects where you want it as small as possible. Both are great.

Overall, I'd recommend a Pi 3. More powerful, less messing with adapters, and still pretty small. This kit covers all the bases: CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit - 32 GB Edition: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/

Pi 3, case, power, SD card, HDMI cable, SD reader, and heatsinks.

Edit: Here is a similar kit for the Pi Zero W if you want to go the smaller/cheaper route: CanaKit Raspberry Pi Zero W (Wireless) Starter Kit with Official Case https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XJQV162/

The SD card isn't as large and you don't get a card reader but you do get the needed HDMI and USB adapters.

Hope it helps!

I recommend the Canakit.

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY

For $70 everything is included. I put an RPie together last Christmas and instead of relying on the wife and family to find the parts as gifts, I just sent them to that link. Super easy, and it's been running non-stop all day since then.

Did you not actually go to the site? It lists specifically what the money goes to, and says the total is around the same price you mentioned. There's no monitors, but there's about another $100 in shipping / taxes / handling.

The final ≈$100 is listed as "Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose.org reach more classrooms." If you hover over the "?", it lets you know this is optional.

>Most kits are $50-$70 x 5 is still only $350.

From the site:

>CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit - 32 GB Edition: $74.99 x 5 = $374.95

They also have 5 "learner labs":

>OSOYOO Raspberry Pi 3 DIY Starter learning Lab Kit (22 in 1) For Beginners: $29.99 x 5 = $149.95

That brings the total to $524.90, lower than your estimate. They then add about $90 of other fees on. The rest is a suggested donation.

>Also the prices for the CanaKits and OSOYOO DIY Kits don't match up either.

Yes, they do:
https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY
https://www.amazon.com/OSOYOO-Raspberry-Starter-learning-Beginners/dp/B01ICNY0FW

>The goal is rather specific to not offer specifics that they want.

How much more specific can they get? They even separated each type of fee.

I've started to get into electronics myself, and I can say that soldering is easy, but you need the right tools for the job.
You'll need an adjustable temperature soldering iron and 1/2 milimeter iron/lead solder as the bare minimum.

I suggest grabbing some tip tinner, solder wick & vacuum, and some cheap boards to practice soldering.

This video shows how to do the actual soldering, while this video covers the tools you'll need and explains their use. These videos are made by EEV Blog and explain soldering in GREAT detail, which is how I learned to do it.



As far as making actual circuits, you have to have an idea AND parts to fulfill your idea. The Arduino UNO is a great way to program and test circuits. It's essentially a small comptuer designed to repeat whatver task you give it over and over. Alternatively, there's the Raspberry Pi, which comes in a few different models. The difference between the Pi and the Arduino is that the Pi is essentially a mini computer. You can literally hook it up to a monitor via hdmi and slam an operating system into it.

Both boards typically come in kits like this one for the Ardunio, or this one for the Raspberry Pi. The Ardunio kits with come with a lot of peripherals, like sensors and LEDs that actually do things, while you'll have to invest more with a Raspberry Pi. These kits come with detailed instructions, code you can copy and paste, and are a great way to learn how circuitry works, and is exactly what I'm doing right now. I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination, I've just done a decent amount of research to find out what's what.

There are two ways to hook up circuits - temporarily and (somewhat) permanently. Breadboards are used to prototype circuits without having to solder anything, typically using these wires to link different parts of the circuits together. Soldering components to those green boards I linked earlier is what you'd do when you have your circuit up and running and want to move it to something more permanent. I say "more" permanent because you can usually de-solder stuff if you needed a component for something.

Adafruit has a decently sized library of projects you can try. They often sell stuff in kits where you get everything you need to make something -- for example, this DIY MIDI controller.

Sparkfun has a great series of articles that explain the very basics of circuits and electricity

Hopefully I've explained everything enough so that you can venture off on your own. Feel free to ask questions!

That is exactly what got me here... can someone confirm this as a decent option? For now I just want to do older sims up to SNES, I realize I would probably need an upgrade for PSX/N64/Wii.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C6Q2GSY/

How about a good controller option?
https://www.amazon.com/iNNEXT-Nintendo-Controller-Raspberry-Windows/dp/B01MYUDDCV/

Guarantee it? Easy! Build something better:

• 1x: https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY
  
  
• 2x: https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Bluetooth-Controller-Classic-Joystick-Android/dp/B014QP2H1E
  
  
• Spend an hour setting up https://retropie.org.uk/
  
  Congratulations! You now have a:
  
  
• Atari 2600 (RetroArch)
  
• Game Boy Advance (gpSP)
  
• Game Boy Color (RetroArch)
  
• Game Gear (Osmose)
  
• Intellivision (RetroArch)
  
• NeoGeo (Genesis-GX, RetroArch)
  
• Sega Master System (Osmose)
  
• Sega Megadrive (DGEN, Picodrive)
  
• Nintendo Entertainment System (RetroArch)
  
• N64 (Mupen64Plus-RPi)
  
• Playstation 1 (RetroArch)
  
• Super Nintendo Entertainment System (RetroArch, PiSNES, SNES-Rpi)
  
• and more!
  
  That is ~2.5 inches wide, ~3.5 inches long and ~1 inch high.
  
  
  Otherwise, get in line at a Best Buy about a month in advance.

Like u/Jack_Bohlen said - the documentation is really good and you should be able to find answers to most of your questions. Being able to read and follow instructions carefully is important, especially if you get into doing anything from the command line.

If you can follow directions, you should have very few problems going from a box full of components to a basic working system in a short time.

Here are the instructions I gave a friend recently:

• Buy this - https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY
  
• Buy whatever USB controllers you prefer or use a PS3/4 controller if you have them
  
• Download RetroPie, follow instructions to put that on the SD. https://github.com/retropie/retropie-setup/wiki/First-Installation#installation
  
• Put SD in Pi.
  
• Plug it in.
  
• Follow instructions here to copy ROMs over - https://github.com/retropie/retropie-setup/wiki/Transferring-Roms
  
  Oh, and I guess you want to have a USB keyboard handy just in case. But it is a really easy process to get started.

Built one this week, actually. Here's the guide I followed:
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/04/one-upping-the-nes-classic-edition-with-the-raspberry-pi-3-and-retropie/

I bought my raspberry and 2 controllers off of Amazon. Cost me about $100 total. Canakit makes starter kits for around $80 that comes with all the hardware you need to make it ready to load games. Took about an hour to have it ready to load all your games. I have around 2k games from 5 different systems and they all fit on a 32 gb card.

Edit: I found the kit I bought. It was $70

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY

Same here. Tried to be honest but Nintendo shipping 10 total minis to each store in Anchorage (insanity) pushed me over the edge. Amazon. Do it. https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1484331052&sr=1-3&keywords=raspberry+pi+3 that's the one I ordered. Complete kit. Join the resistance

It's pretty easy to build a Raspberry Pi for retro gaming. I have built 3 of them recently: 1 for myself, and 2 for family members.

First thing you'll need is the Raspberry Pi itself. You can get it for as cheap as $35, but that's just the system board. No power cord, SD card, or even a case. So I recommend getting this kit for $70.

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY

It comes with everything you'll need: the system board, a case, 32 GB SDcard, HDMI cable, etc. This is the latest model, the Raspberry Pi 3. It has 4 USB ports for controllers, wifi, ethernet, even bluetooth. You'll also need controllers. The Raspberry Pi works best with Xbox and Playstation controllers. You'll have to use USB controllers, but I've read that the new Xbox One S controllers work with Bluetooth. Hell, you can even use your phone! If the Raspberry Pi is connected to your Wifi, just open up Chrome, enter the IP address, and BAM! Touch screen controller.

Next, you'll need RetroPie. This is a pre-made image for the Raspberry Pi. It has all the emulators and GUI you'll need. All you do is supply the ROMs. You can download the latest RetroPie build from here.

https://retropie.org.uk/

Next is the ROMs. I downloaded all the ROMs from EmuParadise.

https://www.emuparadise.me/

This part will take some time since you need to download the game individually, but you can find any game you are looking for. Even rare prototype versions of unreleased games for any system you can think of.

Finally, here's a good tutorial for putting it all together. Hope this helps!

http://lifehacker.com/how-to-turn-your-raspberry-pi-into-a-retro-game-console-498561192

Just a few ideas...

• Nerdy stuff from ThinkGeek.
  
• A Raspberry Pi kit, if you think he'd be into tinkering with hardware.
  
• It's probably going to be more than $70, but a nice mechanical keyboard is a great gift. Das Keyboard, Code, and Logitech G710+ are safe choices.
  
• Book-wise, consider Code. It's a classic for every programmer to read.

Of course :)

Vital parts -

Raspberry pi: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Controls: http://www.ebay.com/itm/251913055189?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Monitor: https://www.amazon.com/VIZIO-D24-D1-Class-Smart-Black/dp/B01A0LGS7W

Extras -

Amplifier (for the 3-way speakers): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HRR5AWQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

LED lights (there's a glow below the controls): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H6O6LA0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

For the speakers I just tore apart some Fluance 3-way tower speakers I had laying around.

Well the control panel he used is this but you could build your own control panel for cheaper by using one of these. If you wanted to only run MAME games then you could easily get by with a Raspberry Pi. Next you want the actual cabinet... There are a few routes you can go. You could buy a kit, you could buy some sheets of plywood and build one yourself using these plans, OR if you're lucky you could find an old broken arcade cabinet on craigslist for super cheap. Once you do all of that you'll have to get the software running on the raspberry pi. So going back on the cost... You could spend anywhere from $500 to $3000 all depending on the specifications you want.

Source: Built one myself

>The Raspberry Pi Starter Kit features a 3 Model B, 8GB NOOBS SD card, a case, 2.5A multi-region power supply, HDMI cable, optical mouse and keyboard, and a copy of Adventures in Raspberry Pi Foundation Edition.

>You Can Now Connect a Camera to Raspberry Pi Zero
Initially available online in the UK.., the £99 ($132) collection will roll out to the rest of the world over the coming weeks.


That is an approx 50% increase to the deals I've seen around. You only really need the raspberry pi, an sd card, and a 5v 2.5a power cord.

Most people already have HDMI cables, a mouse/keyboard. A case is nice but my media center pi just hangs out with it's components out, all naked on the media center table. It doesn't need no stinkin case.


Here's the Amazon kit @ 74.99


Adafruit throws in some more tinkering components for 89.95


Sparkfun also has that deal at 89.95


edit: spl

The guide is for a Raspberry Pi, which you can connect to from a windows machine, yes.

This is the type of stuff that Raspberry Pi was invented for. It's a low cost, small (credit card sized) PC that runs a distribution of Linux. Something like that is perfect if you're learning Java and don't already have a PC.

https://www.raspberrypi.org/

You can get a starter kit with the Pi, case, SD card, and power supply for like $70 on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/

Only other thing you'd need is monitor, mouse & keyboard. I have a few of these, they're pretty good, and would be more than enough for learning on.

In case anyone is considering this, if you know absolutely nothing about computers and want a little something to get your small child interested in technology, this can work as long as you have the cash to spare. However, it is a huge rip off otherwise. If you have any competence with computers, just get a Raspberry Pi 3 kit and plug it into your HDMI capable TV. It'll cost you a fraction of the price and have much more ability to grow with the child.

RetroPie is a retro gaming system for systems like SNES, Atari, N64, Genesis, Game boy, & etc.
. Most people install it on a Raspberry Pi. It's glorious.

Here's all you need to get started. You may want to get a wireless keyboard and a game controller, too.

Get yourself this kit

and put Retropie on it

I had plans to buy the Mini NES for my dad's birthday but when i showed him the list he was bummed at how many games we used to own that wasn't on there so it made me look for an alternative, this is probably one of the best decisions i've ever made, this thing kicks ass the only thing it fails to run well that i've tested so far is N64 where there are stuttering issues and awful fps drops but for anything pre-N64 it works like a charm

Scroll at the bottom to see a list of supported systems

I'm not saying to give up. Buy this:
https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY

You get a larger SD card, the best Raspberry Pi on the market. It takes maybe 3 minutes to assemble. Comes with a USB microSD card reader so you can load RetroPie. The only thing missing would be a controller or keyboard.

Not a fan of the vitrolos case from Amazon. Bought one myself and it had no ventilation. Only box I've ever gotten a high temp indicator.

I'd recommend the canakit stuff off Amazon. If you want it all in one they have a kit that isn't too bad of a value, perhaps a the SD card is a little bit overpriced. But for friends that want to have me make something for them (like a retropie setup or whatever) I just point them to this as it's easier:

CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit - 32 GB Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_qEWfzbMVV9W7S

Otherwise you can pick a board, power supply, case, and heatsinks if you want, and if you have an hdmi cable and extra SD card you can get out a little cheaper.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C6Q2GSY

I bought this and took me like an hour between opening the box, putting together, configuring, and adding ROMS.

I also have no comp exp.

On/Off Button (2 Pack):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077JYXZLL?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf


Full “RetroPie” or “Raspbian” starter kit (“CanaKit”):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C6Q2GSY?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf


3.5 Inch Screen (includes the case that I’m currently using):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075JFHLQD?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf


SNES controllers: I also have N64 Controllers; any type of controller you need, you can find on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N7ANDLC?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf



ADDITIONAL ITEMS (found around the house; or stores near me)

Power source: I used a simple phone charger; just attached it to the bottom of the system.

Zip-ties: I used them to bundle up the cables in the back; over all it condenses the whole thing without having to “splice” and reconnect cables.

“Mighty-Putty” (I got the off-brand called “Tack-Putty”): Used to connect the battery pack to the bottom of the device. Originally was going to use Velcro to have the added ability of attaching and detaching the battery pack at will. (But the putty has a really solid seal; no problems so far)


I think that’s it; happy building!

HDMI Cable, and make sure that SD card is compatible (Needs to be class 10). You should just follow the official guide here. It has a list of hardware.

https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/First-Installation#hardware-needed

Or buy this and the controller. https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_4?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1479150434&sr=1-4&keywords=raspberry+pi+3

Hello,

I have been wanting to start playing around with a raspberry Pi 3. So I was shopping around and found some kits for sale that were interesting.

I was wondering if someone with more knowledge could help. Would buying the board at this price be better than buying one of these kits from amazon with prime?

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1504673256&sr=1-3&keywords=raspberry+pi3

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Ultimate-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q4GLE/ref=sr_1_11?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1504673256&sr=1-11&keywords=raspberry+pi3

https://www.amazon.com/Vilros-Raspberry-Basic-Starter-Black/dp/B01DMFQZXK/ref=sr_1_9?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1504673256&sr=1-9&keywords=raspberry+pi3

https://www.amazon.com/Raspberry-Essentials-Kit-board-Connectivity/dp/B01LWVVMUI/ref=sr_1_10?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1504673256&sr=1-10&keywords=raspberry+pi3


If I just bought the board now, I would need to buy:

• Power supply
  
• Micro SD card
  
• HDMI cable
  
• and a case maybe
  
  Edit: Formatting
  

CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit - 32 GB Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ghuvybV3YWTGG

From a technical standpoint, if you read this and understand everything you shouldn't have any problems.

As far as actually putting it together, just buy this and you'll have everything you need except a controller. You can use just about any USB gamepad, including a wired Xbox 360 controller. The trickiest thing about the assembly is probably getting the micro SD card inserted in the USB reader correctly and then in the Pie itself correctly, which isn't very difficulty.

Raspberry Pi 3 is the way to go. You can have both a retro game system, and kodi.

edit: Suggest this kit
CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit - 32 GB Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_LYZ3yb9CEMZ6P

You can make one all inclusive for about $70 or so. It's relatively simple. You'll need the Pi (~$35), a power chord(~$5-10), a microSD card, an HDMI chord, and USB controllers(~$10-15 each). I highly recommend getting a case, although it's not 100% necessary.

Retropie setup guide: https://learn.adafruit.com/running-opengl-based-games-and-emulators-on-adafruit-pitft-displays/retropie-setup

Kit example: https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY

I would make sure and use a power supply specifically made for the Pi, but if you have a spare HDMI chord, microSD adapter, and decent microSD card laying around you can save a few bucks and get a kit without them.

After you set up RetroPie, download the games you want to install (Warning: Nintendo, Sega, etc games are copyrighted, so they're technically illegal to download. Your chances of repercussions for doing so are very low, but I've included fair warning now). Install the downloaded games and enjoy.

[This is the kit I got] (https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1484331052&sr=1-3&keywords=raspberry+pi+3)

So far, so good. I recommend the CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit - 32GB Edition for $69.99 with free Prime shipping from Amazon. It's the latest model and includes all the important parts. Just add keyboard, mouse and monitor.
 
When setting things up, I found these links to be useful:
 
PIVX-related
How to update your PIVX linux wallet to the new version using the command line
How to: Staking with the command-line wallet
 
Raspberry Pi and Linux-related
How to give your Raspberry Pi a Static IP Address - UPDATE
How to clear bash history completely?
Also, you should Google how to setup a headless Raspberry Pi which involves turning on SSH and/or VNC
 
Good luck!

Overpriced. He built that using a $5 Pi Zero.

Personally, I bought this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C6Q2GSY
It's about 10x more powerful and can play many more types of games. Has Bult-in WiFi and Ethernet.

Download RetroPie disk image from the official site.
There are a ton of videos out there to help you set it up.

I use my Xbox 360 Controllers.

https://github.com/retropie/retropie-setup/wiki/First-Installation

Haven't built mine yet but everything is arriving today and I should be set.

$70 - Cannakit (Includes raspberry pi 3 and everything you need to set it up. You can gets things a little cheaper if you order them separately but this is simple and works for me) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C6Q2GSY

$10 - SNES Style USB Controller 2-pack (not necessary if you already have USB controllers) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KJS4ILY

$16 - Keyboard mouse for tv thingy (this is not a requirement but you need some form of USB keyboard and mouse to config things or you have to use SSH for everything) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KF9IVKC

So $96 total. A lot more than the $35 people try to sell you on raspberry pi's for but I think it will be a nice setup though could've gone cheaper. We'll see.

Just get a Pi 3 through a standard channel (this is considered reputable by Retropie: https://thepihut.com/products/raspberry-pi-3-starter-kit or https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C6Q2GSY/ ), and follow this guide: https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/First-Installation

>>What hardware do I need to start running home assistant?

Learn from my experience and just pony up for a Raspberry Pi 3. I tried running HA for a while on an old Win7 laptop. Getting Python to run was a huge PITA. Then I tried running it with Docker on a Synology NAS. Nearly as bad. Then I purchased this CanaKit. A dream come true. A few days later I spent some quality time kicking myself in the rear for not having gone that route in the first place. SO MUCH BETTER.

I'm running Hass.io now and definitely recommend it for just about anyone... but later. First I'd suggest installing Hassbian because, although the water is a little deeper, you'll have easier root access, and you'll be able to learn the basics much more quickly. You may decide to keep that environment -- it's great. Or you may decide to move to Hass.io which, with the exception of enabling SSH, is really very easy. Just back up any .yaml files that you've customized, wipe the Pi's SD card, and install Hass.io. After booting a couple of times to get the "vanilla" environment initialized, put your .yaml files back, enable SSH server, Samba share, and maybe Bluetooth. You'll be back in business right where you left off.

Like I said, SSH wasn't exactly easy when I was first setting up Hass.io. But I documented the process I went through here, so maybe that will help.

CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit - 32 GB Edition
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_aYlczb608NGEF

If i were to buy a kit on amazon would this be the right one?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=psdc_3015426011_t1_B01C6EQNNK

also the usb thing is very confusing to me...

CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit - 32 GB Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_QI-2wb9A3S0AH

8bitdo SFC30 Wireless Bluetooth Controller Dual Classic Joystick for IOS / Android Gamepad - PC Mac Linux https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Y0LUQFE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_KK-2wbVKCTTT9

And thousands of ROMs...

Yes it can run Netflix and Youtube. The software for it is already a simple package but if you don't learn how to install it you might struggle to use it. It's not simple plug and play. It's Linux. That being said, RaspberryPi was designed to teach children how to use computers. You can do this. There is plenty of support because tons of people have come before you and asked all the questions. All the answers are already laid out so you won't need to make any more reddit posts to get it going. Just do it.

Here's the hardware kit:
https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY

Here's the software:
https://retropie.org.uk/

Edit: don't use wireless controllers. Any USB device will do.

I'd say stop focusing on certifications and start focusing on learning how to do things.

How extensive is your Home Lab?

Have you built out any VM's yet?
Have you built a Windows domain yet?

Have you built a Squid proxy on Linux yet? (Not that Squid is super-useful anymore, but its a decent project with clear results.)

Have you built a pfSense firewall yet?

Have you bought a Raspberry Pi yet (the cheapest Linux Server on the planet)?

When you apply for that next-level job you have in mind, in the interview I am not going to ask you questions that might appear on a certification exam. I am going to ask you questions related to real-world scenarios of problems I think you are likely to encounter in the job under discussion. And I need to see how well you are ready to deal with them.

-----

"I can't afford any of those things..."

If you are trying to learn everything on just one computer or laptop, that's certainly a problem.
But if you have a second PC, just a $300-500 clunker, it changes everything.

CentOS Linux is free.
KVM Virtual Machine manager is free.

Linux Foundation - Intro to Linux for Free
Linux Foundation - Online Course Catalog - some free some paid
DigitalOcean Linux Tutorials
Docker Self-Paced Training


Windows Server 2012R2 Evaluation is free.
Windows 10 Professional Evaluation is free.

Microsoft Virtual Academy
Microsoft MSDN Product Evaluation Center -- Free Downloads
Microsoft TechNet Product Evaluation Center -- More Free Downloads


If you only have a single computer, and cannot afford a second computer, you still have options:

Amazon Web Services has a free offering for you to build virtual machines to play with:

https://aws.amazon.com/free/

If you want something a little more permanent, Amazon Light Sail now lets you build low-end virtual servers for as low as $5/month:

https://amazonlightsail.com/pricing/

Microsoft also has some free offerings for virtual servers:

Microsoft Azure Cloud Services Free Trial Center
Microsoft Training Info Center
Microsoft Ignite Training Convention Video Center
Microsoft MSDN Video Training Portal

-----

In my opinion:

If you think you are likely to apply for some Government or Contractor positions that require security clearances, go ahead and complete the Security+.

But I think you might want to focus a little more time on combining technologies into scenarios where you learn how to perform business operations tasks, rather than add another narrow-focused skillset.

I also encourage you to make yourself gain comfort with Linux.
YES: you will need to learn a whole new world of syntax and terminology, and learn to do more with syntax and less with icons.
But the benefits are real, and significant.

Buy one of these:

Amazon: Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Kit $75

That's a complete Linux Server. Just add a USB keyboard, mouse & HDMI monitor.


Watch two or three of these videos, and observe that all of the biggest players working on the sexiest of technology projects are all doing it on Linux:

USENIX Site Reliability Enginering Convention 2014 Presentations - Free
USENIX Site Reliability Enginering Convention 2015 Presentations - Free
USENIX Large Installation System Administration Conference 2014 Presentations - Free
USENIX Large Installation System Administration Conference 2015 Presentations - Free


-----

> [MCSA]... But again, how far can I really go trying to learn this with home equipment? I'm sure I could install a Server OS, but I don't know if I can play with the inner workings on a home network enough to familiarize myself with the content.

If you have a small home server, you can install Windows Server 2012 R2 evaluation on it, and add the Hyper-V service, and run at least 2 virtual machines on it.

The Server could become a domain controller. Then you add a guest server and a guest client using Windows 10 evaluation and another Windows server eval license.

Now you join them to a domain together and start writing GPO policies and playing in the Forest...

That can also be done in Azure cloud with virtual machines. The challenge is the short duration of the free period in Azure cloud.

1. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/
   
2. https://retropie.org.uk/news/
   
   You're welcome.

This one is the bestseller on Amazon, but when I bought the BF a Pi I got him the barebones Pi by itself so he could build his own case and stuff. Depends on what your brother's interested in doing, I imagine.

PRI3 has wifi built in, while you can set it up headless and access it via SSH if you are new to Linux you will want a USB KB\Mouse and an monitor with a HDMI port and a hdmi cable for your first few times.

This is a great starter kit.. it included everything to get started.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C6Q2GSY/

I just bought this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C6Q2GSY

It was cheaper than buying the parts individually. I also had to purchase a controller seperately

I bought [this] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469372205&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=canakit+raspberry+pi+3&dpPl=1&dpID=61LxoDAa3PL&ref=plSrch) one on sale during Prime Day. Has worked great so far.

Edit: words

I'd suggest analyzing your purpose to wanting this. Is it because you want to learn how to start doing raspberry pi/circuitry...or do you just want a GBA-cased emulator?

If you want to start learning circuitry, soldering, and raspberry pi, I suggest first starting to learn the basics of how circuitry works. Here are some amazon links for some recommended purchases, the same things I bought to start learning.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00P2E9W30/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014KK89BW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These will teach you the basics, and from there, I'd suggest learning from people who have done the project, and can provide you with the knowledge from there.

If your goal is just to have a GBA emulation toy, I'd suggest just buying one from someone who has made them - check etsy, or similar places. Lots of people have what's called a 'retropi' for sale, prebuilt. Just look for one that catches your eye.

+1 for Canakit

I've bought 3 so far.
https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504721644&sr=8-1&keywords=rasberry+pi+starter+kit

Does this set have everything that you need to make a NavPi of your own? Also where can I download the NavPi software?

I'd buy a Cana Kit since it has everything you'd need to have a complete pie.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_Lc5Zzb0280WWW
That's the most full featured Pi3 kit they have but there are other more affordable options.

There are tons of tutorials online but I suggest you look up ETA Prime on YouTube because he helped me a lot with setting up Emulation Station and getting tons of games on my Pi.

As for controllers, the wired iBuffalo ones are great but if budget concerns aren't an issue then get the 8Bitdo SNES30. It's a Bluetooth SNES controller with a 1 to 1 look and feel. It's pricey but you really won't regret it.

Good luck and have fun! Hope she enjoys it!

Edit: As a side note you want to invest in a case with a fan! There are ones that look like a tiny NES or SNES and seem neat but have next to no ventilation so your pi WILL overheat. I made this mistake and wasted $20.

I agree. Speaking of which, does RetroPi support save states? Almost to the point where I think it'd be worth it to just make my own:
https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/

https://www.amazon.com/8bitdo-NES30-Pro-Controller-Carrying/dp/B01LW7JJPJ/

https://www.amazon.com/Super-Tinytendo-Raspberry-Model-Cooling/dp/B074JJRWHH/

Little more expensive, but it'd be PS Classic, SNES Classic, NES Classic and more all in one...

Rasperry Pi 3 Starter Kit. It's a powerful, tiny computer that is great for tinkering with. I imagine if he likes coding and pet projects, he'll find lots he can do with this.

RetroPie has disclaimers in the software saying it's illegal to sell their software on a homemade device, especially with pre-loaded ROMs, just build one for yourself, you can do it for $80, I built one yesterday. This kit has everything you'll need to make your own home retro console in a couple hours. No tools required

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481844368&sr=8-1&keywords=canakit+retropie

pi 3 canakit from amazon with some 8bitdo sfc30 controllers.

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503430263&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=pi+3+canakit&psc=1

This is almost literally what I'm building tomorrow. This is the Pi kit I'm getting. It comes with a case, power supply, and heat spreaders for the Pi's chips (how important are these?). I already have the exact controller in the Arse article, or one that looks just like it, and I have a couple extra HDMI cables around. I don't have an extra microSD card, so I'm buying a 128GB one, and trading my wife for her 64GB model. I don't think I even need 64GB, not for RetroPie. I might put a couple PS1 games on it, depending on how well they can run. But I need more buttons than that controller offers, so it will mainly be for NES/Super NES/Genesis games. And then mainly the first two. Never was a big Genesis player, but ToeJam & Earl, Sonic, Altered Beast, Golden Axe, Phantasy Star... there are some real classics there. $50 for that kit makes it $10 less than the NES Classic... which was never sold here (middle of nowhere, NC).

For beginners (i.e. you have nothing yet), start with this one. It's $70, but it has a 32GB memory card and an HDMI cable, plus a case, the Pi, and a power supply. Oh and a microSD card to USB converter. For microSD card use I would actually recommend getting a USB 3.0 card reader. They're not much. And then you just need a controller.

I don't mean to imply I am not a beginner myself — I have never done this before. But I've played with Linux, I've modded Android (ran custom ROMs, firmware, and rooted four different Android phones by three manufacturers). I also build computers, though I'm only on my fourth built PC in 13 years. I'm kind of a little wet behind the ears, but I have some experience. I don't think you need that much to actually install and set up a RetroPie kit, but it helps to understand what is going on behind the scenes, in case anything goes wrong. And of course any seasoned geek will tell you, Google is your best friend, and from there, threads on Reddit, StackExchange, and Tom's Hardware are some of the best resources. Those are the search results I usually click on, in any case.

Also, not affiliated with CanaKit. I'm pretty sure theirs are the Pi kits RetroPie recommends. Or maybe it was a guide I saw. And then even before, looking to buy a Pi, I saw them on Amazon. There is another Pi kit company and their prices seem comparable, but they don't appear to have the full $70 kit (I may be wrong!), just the $50 case/power/Pi starter kit. I'm sure they're both (that brand and CanaKit) fine as long as the Pi itself is. The rest is probably just standard off-the-shelf stuff.

Here you go, Raspberry Pi

> All i'm really looking for is something that I can plug in and play some old games on for a little while here and there.

You do realize it's not plug and play like the NES classic right? There's still some light software intallation involved with the Rpi. In fact it is illegal to sell/distribute a rpi with preloaded roms.

To answer your original post question, the price of the product is way to high for what you're getting. Taking 5 mins on amazon can get you much cheaper items especially with prime.

I still think this is too expensive, but it's still cheaper than the ebay link:

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_4?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1501389466&sr=1-4&keywords=raspberry+pi+3

You just need to source your own controller which you can get here:

http://www.8bitdo.com/nes30pro-fc30pro/

Best controller you can buy for $30. Which in total is still cheaper than the ebay kit.

The monitoring app was inspired by this excellent post by /u/MaryJannieSmith

I am a rails guy so I decided to go against the python grain for raspberry pi and build the app on rails, and I'm very happy with the result.

You can find the code here:

https://bitbucket.org/tinyplantas/growtent

I'll do my best to help anyone get this setup locally, but be warned that it took me a lot of trial and error. Setup instructions can be found in the readme.

As for parts, I went with the raspberry pi 3 canakit, standard raspberry pi 5mp camera board, and the uxcell temperature and humidity monitor.

Yes it is possible, I don't have my pi with me currently but I have hundreds of NES, SNES, game gear, master system, and Genesis roms all saved on my micro SD card with the retropie setup. If you haven't bought your pi yet I would suggest buying the whole package off Amazon, it's what I did and it was helpful.
CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit - 32 GB Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_nZ8l33jxmjhpy

Here's my setup:

• Raspberry Pi 3
  
• LibreELEC
  
• Kodi Gamestarter addon
  
• 8bitdo SFC30 SNES controller(s)
  
  This allows you to use your Pi not only as a RetroArch machine, but also a general-purpose media center machine running Kodi. Seeing as I have multiple machines like this around the house, I serve up my ROMs and Save Game data off a server via NFS, so that I can play a game on one box, then move to another one and pick up my saved game from there. This is a far better setup than the shit Nintendo is releasing.

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1487393281&sr=1-2&keywords=rasberry+pie+3

Running

https://github.com/rg3/youtube-dl/blob/master/README.md#readme


and a script to run this script every 5 minutes.

The pi has to always be on.

I have an extra laptop as well running the same process (also linux) just in case one or the other happen to break.

I think you may be right about the power issue, but I'm not sure how to check if that's the cause. Both are physical platter drives, both made by WD. Below are links to product pages for the drives (not exact, but very similar).

Drive 1 (external power): amazon link

Drive 2 (usb power, drive with issue): amazon link

Finally, the Pi is powered by a 2.5A wall adapter. I purchased this kit which had the adapter.

Thanks! It came out to around $150, but that's mainly because I got the Raspberry Pi kit on amazon that had the case and other bells and whistles. I'd suggest the Canakit one if you're going with a Raspberry Pi, this eBay seller for cheap buttons and joysticks, and this site for button layouts so you can print it out and drill through it.

My wife actually got me one of these kit last year, and it's a great starter kit!


You can also find them on amazon here as well.

Like /u/JohnScott623 recommended, you'll need a few things. I recommend buying something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY

Edit: I know it's a bit overpriced, but it's convenient...

Pihole for Raspberry Pi is pretty simple, and straightforward. I'm not a networking guy myself, managed to get it up and running in an hour or two. Just requires a Raspberry Pi kit (I have this one) and a network cable. /r/PiHole is a big help.

https://pi-hole.net/

They have a few kits on Amazon.

The one I have now was purchased in October 2018 (from Amazon in the US) and died yesterday sometime. I haven't had time to look into whether it's the card or the Pi that went bad, though.

I'll have to check into the high endurance card. Thanks!

Edit: It's in a case; do you think that could be part of the problem? The case has ventilation holes in it, but could it still be overheating? This is the kit that I am currently running: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Is this a good deal?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506645113&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=rasberry+pie+3&dpPl=1&dpID=61MAJaKWgkL&ref=plSrch

Here's the case and the kit

Pi 3 Model B. I got this kit!

When I first heard about the Nintendo classic I went out and bought a raspberry pi kit for $75 and loaded the entire NES,SNES, and Genesis library. it has over 6000 games in total. It took a little time to setup, but it's well worth it.

Edit: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1492130303&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=raspberry+pi+3&dpPl=1&dpID=61LxoDAa3PL&ref=plSrch

Kit

Instructions

I am a stupid fucking moron when it comes to tech and and I break nearly everything I touch, and even I was able to get it all set up in an hour's time. You can definitely do it.

I'm using a 3 B. This kit specifically.. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C6Q2GSY

If you don't already own a Pi, this is a good starter kit. For programming, I personally found it easiest to learn out of a book, so I'd recommend getting some. Maybe try python, it's really useful on the Pi.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1494265704&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=raspberry+pi+kit&dpPl=1&dpID=61LxoDAa3PL&ref=plSrch

A lot of the "value" they tack on is stuff you could do for free, they're just offering it up with their own tutorial videos. The complete Pi 3 Canakit is $75 on Amazon. If you want some extra stuff to play with they have an ultimate edition for $90. I got my complete canakit pi 2 for $65 on sale before the pi 3 was out.

Edit: to be fair it's not a terrible price considering they spent the time and money making the videos. The "lol" was more about their original price.

Canakit Starter Kit
for the Raspberry Pi 3. I have this one and I love it. I bought several sd cards so I can just swap as needed. One has RetroPie gaming station, one has Kodi Media Center, and the other just has the default os so I can build Python things and Reddit/Twitter bots.

Built my wife a RetroPie setup for Christmas. The kids have been enjoying the old NES games, and Sonic on the SEGA. The wife plays Calstevania every chance she gets. Still working out a bit of input lag, but it's a fantastic setup.

https://retropie.org.uk/

https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/First-Installation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvYX_7iRRI0

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Your better off saving your money and building your own. I would suggest checking out ETA Prime on youtube or DrewTalks. I've watched those two explain how to ustom build my retropie unit from scratch. I've also provided a link here with the extact unit I got. Anything else would be a rip off.

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1525143583&sr=8-2&keywords=raspberrypi

That sucks! I was hoping to get hold of one but it sounds like I'm going to have to wait a while. If he's into DIY computing you could get him the components to make a RetroPie setup. A raspberry pi kit like this one has what you need except for the controller, but you can use a wired xbox controller if you have one or i'd recommend a classic snes controller. It takes a bit of work to get it set up, but it's not too much trouble if he's computer savvy.

If that's no good, here's some geek/gamer recommendations from my site expertly chosen. Good luck!

The base model can be had for $35, but then you have to source your own power supply and memory card. You can go the lazy route and spend a bit more, and buy a full kit from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1478994080&sr=1-3&keywords=Raspberry+Pi

Then just search youtube for "Retro Pi" and you'll find install instructions.

It'll work with any USB controller (bought the niece a USB SNES controller, use a wired 360 controller myself).

All of the needed ROM files can be easily found on the web (CoolROMS was the source of most of mine).

Raspberry pi 3's are nice because they have built in wifi, but the starter kits are going to run you about $75 for everything and even the one I've listed here doesn't include a monitor, keyboard, or mouse, which are also necessary.

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1480634957&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=raspberry+pi+3+starter+kit&psc=1

Honestly though, learning to code and learning to build full fledged computer are two different things. If you're looking at building standard desktop computers the process is going to be a lot different than building a Pi or soldering together parts to make hats.

It might be better to look at getting a cheap chrome book.

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1482762011&sr=1-3&keywords=raspberry+pi

• Rpi3 kit
  
• Flirc Rpi case
  
• Flirc USB Dongle - this will allow you to setup a common remote control
  
• [WD - easystore® 8TB External USB 3.0 Hard Drive - Black] (https://www.bestbuy.com/site/wd-easystore-8tb-external-usb-3-0-hard-drive-black/5792401.p?skuId=5792401) $179
  
• Amber Skin - remove everything, kiosk mode (I believe) so he can't accidentally edit the skin settings.

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY

Here's a 32 GB canakit package with case, power supply, HDMI, etc. Pretty much everything but the controllers. You save little by buying individually, and I've had good experiences with these (made about 12 thus far).

iBuffalo is the king of wired SNES controllers: https://www.amazon.com/BUFFALO-BSGP815GY-Classic-USB-Gamepad/dp/B06XWD8QQJ/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1503628239&sr=1-2&keywords=ibuffalo

8Bitdo gear is the way to go for wireless, but if your recipients aren't tech savy, wired might be better: https://www.amazon.com/SNES30-Game-Controller-PC-Mac-Linux/dp/B00VAQG5GQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1503628269&sr=1-1&keywords=snes30


I'd really stay awaay from controllers not made by those 2 brands. Everything else tends to be shit unless you're using an old Wii, Xbox, or PS controller.

I have the standard case that came with the CanaKit sold at Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_9?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1503624521&sr=1-9&keywords=raspberry+pi+3).

I'm not very good at code or mod, but I found some guides and bought a small fan and made a script that control it. I fixed it at the case cover. When it is on it gets a little noisy for sure. Without a script it will be always on, but with the script it will turn on only when the Pi gets to certain temperature that you can set. As soon as it get below it, the fan turns off.

Works great for me!

This is the guide that I used to set the fan on the hardware side (https://hackernoon.com/how-to-control-a-fan-to-cool-the-cpu-of-your-raspberrypi-3313b6e7f92c) you will need a resistor for that. It's not hard tough. As I said, I'm a total noob and I actually did it.

The script that I use is this one (http://www.instructables.com/id/Automated-cooling-fan-for-Pi/)

One problem that I had is that the script, when started by crontab would not work properly for some reason. Solved by adding to the crontab a command to kill the script before it restart it. Can give you more details if you go trough this road.

This is cool! :)

I've got a Raspberry Pi3 with Home Assistant already set up, but I found that I didn't really have a good use for it, so now it's just a dust collector. I originally got it just to try to use Dash buttons for home automation, but that was underwhelming and there really isn't a lot of good uses for them. Maybe I'll fire it up and give it a shot again.

For anyone wanting to go down this road and spend lots and lots of hours and frustration figuring this stuff out, you can buy this kit on Amazon and follow all the directions in the relevant videos on YouTube from BRUH Automation. http://www.bruhautomation.com/

Are you talking about the Plex client add-on or a server? I just bought a Raspberry Pi 3B kit and installed LibreELEC for Kodi, and I found the Plex extension to work great with it for 1080p. Not sure about 4K.

I went with this kit for $70 to get the board, the case, heat sinks, and that neat little MicroSD adapter.

We can only use what came in our kit and a monitor, keyboard, and mouse

Thanks everyone for the replies, I'll just get the Pi 3. Probably in a kit so I don't have to mess with anything.


https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY

Thanks everyone! Thoughts on this for a Home Automation setup?

CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit - 32 GB Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_zjz6BbN552P3Y

Why is this so expensive?

Here's the same thing without the controller for $70:

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY

Good call on the RPi though, I have one and it's amazing.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_bJFuzbJ8NW7JR

There you go

I want one of these little things. That said, if I can't find one locally I ain't searching.

Incidentally, this complete Raspberry Pi kit, this authentic-feeling wireless SNES controller, and RetroPie can give you a similar experience for a similar price. Plus you can put every SNES game ever made on there, plus NES, Master System, Genesis, and PSX games.

Just saying we have a lot of alternatives to paying scalpers.

That's the first step!

Here's the guide

Here's a complete starter kit with everything you need, hardware wise, to get started. You'll have to supply your own monitor and keyboard for the initial setup, but any HDMI monitor and any USB keyboard will work.

Here's a bit more high-end controller

Here's a couple cost-effective controllers.

The only thing not included here are the ROMs, which can be found with a google-type search for such things, but as with any legally gray area, enter at your own risk.

EDIT: some more resources

another guide

/r/RetroPie

For those who could not find one, I highly recommend the next best thing: A Rhaspberry Pi 3 kit.

I got really bummed out when the first wave of stock was sold out within minutes. I bought one of these Pi Kits and created my own emulation station. I can put games from the Atari era all the way to N64 / PSOne era (And some PSP games, though haven't tried those). It only cost me about $75 for the kit, I had two USB SNES Controllers ($10 each) and it took maybe two+ hours to figure out how to set it up. Adding games now is just minutes.

If you're going to go with a Retron solution, you might as well explore a RetroPie:

https://retropie.org.uk/

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1487601834&sr=8-3&keywords=retropie

Hmm... I see that now. But I think you're right. Even at $90 now, I cannot imagine them lowering it much

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C6Q4GLE/

I saw this as a non-prime day lightning deal yesterday for $62, down from $70. Was tempting, but I didn't need most of the crap in it.

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/

I ended up buying this one that seemed cheaper than buying the RP3 and power supply separately. $43 total.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C6FFNY4

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY

That was the kit I used. Turned out it was a rip-off, but it was convenient.

I don't really remember the resources I used (90% sure I also used retro pi), but I think you just put the program on an SD card, and boot it. Then you have to take the card back out and put the ROM's on. Or at least thats what I did.

> So, what are my options if I don't want this internet connected / PC controllable?

That seems like an odd question. What exactly do you mean you don't want it internet connected? Do you just mean you don't want to have to rely on the cloud services. In other words do you just want to be sure your HA system will continue working if your internet goes out?

If thats the case i would go with a

raspberry pi

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1483394601&sr=1-2&keywords=raspberry+pi

A zwave usb stick

https://www.amazon.com/Aeotec-Aeon-Labs-ZW090-Stick/dp/B00X0AWA6E/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1483394649&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=zwave+usb+stick

And then from there just start grabbing some zwave switches/outlets

You can choose whether the system is accessible outside of the network while still having access to the system through your phone/tablet/pc/switches/remotes from in the home.

This is the kit I have - includes everything you need except a remote/kb/m. It also comes with 4 different distro installers preloaded on the SD card, so on first boot all you have to do is select OpenELEC and it will install Kodi and erase the other distros. Then it's just configuring.

I purchase this one for my friend

Worked great. Problem is it didn't have an on/off button. Also remember Youtube is your friend when you want to set it up.

https://smile.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=smi_www_rco2_go_smi_2609328962?_encoding=UTF8&%2AVersion%2A=1&%2Aentries%2A=0&ie=UTF8

I got a canakit with the B, I feel like I’ve seen that there’s issues with Retropie and the B+, but maybe I’m thinking of something else... mine came with a sandisk microusb. Used etcher on my Mac to format and write the retropie image. I got the innext controllers and I think they work well (two for $14.99 on Amazon). In the future I may buy a case with a fan built in, but that’s just something I’m interested in, not too worried about it.

This is what I got and it came with everything as listed
https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY

I’ve had a lot of fun with it, hope it works out for you

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY

Get this if it's available. Then buy your own SNES controllers. Most are trash. iBuffalo and 8bitdo appear to be the only companies that make good ones.

No problem!

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485199499&sr=8-1&keywords=raspberry+pi+3+bundle

If you buy that you'll have everything you need and more to be able to run any software you like and pretty much do anything you want :)

Just the latest Pi 3 model B

> http://www.ekt2.com/products/productdetails/412_RASPBERRY_Pi_3

Kit that doesn't include MicoSdcard or HDMI

> http://www.ekt2.com/products/productdetails/412_RASPBERRY_Pi_3_KIT

Amazon CanaKit that I ordered from abroad using Aramex, that includes everything you may possibly need

> https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY

Total price after import was $105 which is a bargain compared to local alternatives, but this is if you're interested in gaming on the Pi

Good Luck

The CanaKit is a good one too

I ordered this kit.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A30ZYR2W3VAJ0A

My TV is an older one and doesn't have HDMI.

Will this cable work or is there a different cable I would need to make everything work on TV that doesn't have HDMI and only has RCA.

https://www.adafruit.com/products/2881?gclid=CLf7vM659NACFZSMaQod0zUJfg

Oh man isn't the pi 3 capable of emulating ps1 too? Wouldn't it be cheaper to just get a pi 3?

Edit: for anyone looking to get a pi, I'd recommend the canakit pi 3 starter pack
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=psdcmw_3015426011_t1_B008XVAVAW

It has worked well for me and all you need apart from that is a keyboard, a controller, and a monitor of some sort (I use an old tv). I'd also recommend using Filezilla to transfer your ROMs onto the pi

Is a kit like this a waste of money? I'm planning on using a Wii U Pro controller, but don't have any of the other parts.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C6Q2GSY/

88USD doesn't seem too bad, but I paid 70USD for this kit and 75USD for this one

I'm looking at buying a 3rd, because other other brother saw the retro pie yesterday that I made for our brother, and now he too wants one.

I got a raspberry pi ($70 but you can find cheaper options) and installed pi-hole. This becomes the DNS server for anything on my home network. When anything tries to lookup a site that serves ads the pi-hole makes it look like that site is dead.

It blocks ads on my computer and on my iphone/ipad. Not only that, it blocks ads on the app my internet provider has for watching cable programs on mobile devices. I've been using it for several months and the only downside is that it slows down the load time of some pages, i.e., a few seconds to load the google news page on mobile.

Highly recommended!

Yes. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Well I sent an email requesting to cancel my order. amazon has a bundle including a case, heatsinks, 32gb class 10 mSD card with Noobs on it, power supply and HDMI cable for $80. I was paying $60 for the pi 3 plus a case from MCM.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C6Q2GSY?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_1&smid=A30ZYR2W3VAJ0A

It's the v3 starter kit purchased on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The image is retropie-4.4-rpi2_rpi3.img

I did initially set everything up with the keyboard.

I did just start it up for the first time in months. I have two of the Buffalo USB controllers. One doesn't appear to work at all and I tried multiple USB ports. The other seems to work for navigating around RetroPie but once I get into a game nothing works.

Any ideas? Thank you for the help. I was so excited about this when I first set it up and it's mostly been a disappointment because I can't get the damn thing working.

I have this one if you are interested? I am in Louisville so could just meet up local.

For sure. My cousin is helping me. I ordered this which is almost everything you need other than the games.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1511207579&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=raspberry+pi+3&dpPl=1&dpID=61MAJaKWgkL&ref=plSrch

My cousin said he's going to send a preloaded sd card with all nes, snes, and genesis games. I'll definitely let you know.

I know I don't need the two flash drives. The 8 GB is for me because I only have one other laying around. It doesn't really need to necessarily be added in the cost. ;) It's for me.

My nephew will be using his ps4 controllers and I think he'll be satisfied with that for a while. I'll give him one of my old retro gamepads as well if he wants.

I'm definitely not putting the whole PS catalog on there but probably quite a few of the games. RE series, some platformers, and the abundance of pretty good RPGs. I know the N64 and dreamcast have their problems but I'll see what his favorite games are on the systems and test them out at least. Yeah, 128 SD card is probably my first cost cut. :)

Edit: Just went with CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit - 32 GB Edition for $74.99

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A30ZYR2W3VAJ0A

Should do the trick, right? Won't get much cheaper for the ideas? The heat sinks shouldn't be necessary but I might as well use them, right? Will it be quieter or noisier with them for this project?

the "Cana kits " on Amazon should get you started.

most any case can work, but I like the flirc cases because the whole case works as a heat sink.

and do not cheap out on the power supply.

a pi3 can also be setup to boot from a USB flashdrive.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01C6Q2GSY

Thanks, I appreciate the help.

This is the set I'm thinking of buying. What is missing besides the keyboard? https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1519609435&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=retropi&dpPl=1&dpID=61MAJaKWgkL&ref=plSrch

A bit late, I just built one a couple months ago and it's great! As far as the raspberry pi kit/controllers below is what I purchased. Installing retropie was pretty simple as explained in other responses:

CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit - 32 GB Edition

Controllers

Basically, It's a tiny computer you can turn into a console that contains all the old school consoles, NES, SNES, Sega, as well as all the games.

I bought this kit, it has everything you need, except controllers (you also need a usb mouse and keyboard to set up). It walks you through the steps and is easy.

https://www.amazon.ca/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY The one included here

The hardware is a Raspberry Pi running RetroPie.

[Edit] There are things like a Canakit that has the Pi and included accessories instead of sourcing each part individually. The kits are kinda modular. Some a minimal and others are full on kits.

[Edit2] Some users even 3d print Retro console cases. NES case SNES Case

You will need to have access to a computer to download the RetroPie image and all the ROMs, a micro SD card reader to load the image, and either a home network or USB stick to transfer the ROMs. Also a USB or bluetooth controller for the actual gaming part. Overall it's pretty easy to do as long as you have everything you need.

EDIT: Link for a good kit with everything you need.
https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY

The device has a built-in microcontroller. When a button is pressed, it bridges two ends of an electrical lead, forming a complete circuit, which in turn connects to one of the voltage pins in the microcontroller.

The microcontroller has an infinite loop that essentially listens for voltage changes on its pin. If the pin has a change in voltage, the microcontroller can react to it by, for example, increasing the wattage in the vaporizer.

It's not possible to explain how all of this works in detail, but if you want to build things like this, I recommend looking at Arduino or Raspberry Pi for a small microcontroller that you can program for ad hoc tasks. See the following:

Arduino Starter Kit

Raspberry Pi Starter Kit

This is a kit that includes everything. All you’ll have to buy is your choice of USB controller

CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit - 32 GB Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_a8LZzb17ANRBN

This is the kit that I bought and i can vouch for the quality.

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506192054&sr=8-1&keywords=raspberry+pi

I got this one around 10 months ago and haven't had any problems. I use a PS4 controller wired with a usb cord extender.

Raspberry Pi 3 model B (https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY). Comes with noobs that has OE as an option. Everything just works - from unboxing to running Kodi in about 10 minutes!

I am truly amazed at how well this runs. I have replaced all PCs running XBMC with these little Raspberry Pi's running OE. The only issues I have are:

1. I have all Pi's setup to reboot each morning at 2AM. The reboot sends CEC signals to the TV (which is powered off) telling the TV it just powered on. On one older Samsung TV it causes the TV to power on as well. Mildly annoying - probably can disable CEC on Pi or TV - haven't looked into.
   
   
2. On the main TV the sound will cease at some point. This only appears to happen when watching videos as part of a M3U playlist (cough youtube videos cough). It doesn't happen often but, at lest once per weekend. Sometimes the box will play for 12+ hours without it happening, sometimes within an hour. The fix is rebooting the Pi. I have on a rare occasion had to reboot the Pi 2-3 times in one day. This has never happened while watching a movie or TV show.
   
   One thing that is better on the Pi than on the Windows 7 box is I no-longer get vertical black bars on playback. It was frequent but, fleeting and I think I was the only one to notice it but, skinny black lines would flicker on random spots on the screen during playback. Since going to the Pi I have yet to see this.
   
   I use the Amber skin but, the Pi had no problem with any of the Nox's. You have to use Confluence to administer the box (mainly to get to the OE settings).

> Can you program regular stuff on there as well?

Yes sir! They're fully functional computers than can run anything from Minecraft to FTP servers.

I recommend a starter kit. They don't cost much more (landing right in your price range) and they have the basic hardware and peripherals to get started.

A couple suggestions:

• https://www.amazon.com/Vilros-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Black/dp/B00MV6TAJI
  
• https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY

By a raspberry kit. I used this one.

CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit - 32 GB Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_2z3mhrjGo6fDb

Set it up. You might need a spare keyboard and mouse.

Install software.

Tell router to use it as dns provider.

Done.

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY

CanaKit is only the brand for this. You are only looking at a power supply here, you'd still need to buy the actual raspberry pi and a micro sd card at the very least. Raspberry Pi 3 itself cost a minimum of $35, kits will obviously cost a bit more. As others have said, you'll need to search for a starter kit... something like this https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1501860905&sr=8-4&keywords=raspberry+pi+3+starter+kit

Kit will save a few bucks if you don't mind the brand or parts they give you https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1503627652&sr=1-2-spons&keywords=raspberry+pi+3&psc=1

Either get this if you want small form factor or one of these, 2 if you want a bit more processing power. The first one (the pi zero w) will work just fine though, save you about 40% too.

Yes, it's the CanaKit here:

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY

The tape was already on the sinks. Black in color, if that helps?

Correct, nothing tweaked as in software or settings. It's running all on default settings.

Idiot here. I used this guide, and purchased this kit. 75 bucks and an hour of work and I have any oldschool game I want.

Okay, so I'm looking at a couple of them on Amazon. This one in particular looks to cover all the basics, but I'm questioning if I should buy the parts all separately. I for sure want the black case. Don't necessarily need the HDMI cable. Everything else looks to be essential. This bundle also looks similar, except with a Samsung MicroSD (which I would think is better).

I'm hoping 32GB would be enough, but again, not entirely sure and I can't speak to the quality of that specific microSD in the bundle. My main concern is not having enough space for N64/PS1 games. I'd use my PS3 controller to start off and eventually buy the Buffalo SNES controller.

Q Acoustics 3050 - $600

Cambridge Audio Topaz AM10 - $300

Raspberry Pi for streaming music - $75, Chromecast Audio replacement

Volumio software

Just found a PI3 on Amazon! Everywhere else I looked it was sold out...

http://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1457369528&sr=1-2&keywords=canakit

RASPBERRY PI

Could I just run OpenHab off of my mac without the rasberry Pi? What are the downsides to the Mac vs the Pi?

EDIT: Was thinking of going with this kit. Should be sufficiant and provides me every OpenHab site says I need... Pi

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY

I got the Raspberry Pi 3, in a lazy man's kit on Amazon. I had pre-loaded some ROMs and the RetroPie OS to my computer beforehand, so when I got the Pi it only took about 30 minutes to get it working.

I also got these.

The entire shebang cost me $93. I am still pleased with the purchase. lol

I've done a project just like this, what you'll want to do is buy the CanaKit set for the Raspberry Pi 3 on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_4?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1498681064&sr=1-4&keywords=raspberry+pi+3 and then install a software called "RetroPi" https://retropie.org.uk/, there are some great tutorials on YouTube. You can connect it to your home WiFi network and use a client like FileZilla to wirelessly send ROM's over to your Pi.

It probably doesn't cost much at all. Alternatavely you could buy this and load retro pi on it. It would be compatible with a Bluetooth controller. You could load every SNES game on it and it would cost you about the same price as the SNES classic...

Travel is a strong motivator to bring some kinda of travel gaming device and I can see a case to be made for the Switch on the go. However, allow me to suggest an alternative...

For 75ish$ you can get a complete Raspberry Pi kit and you could put Retro Pie (/r/RetroPie) on it and play your favorite old games with a bit of DIY?

I carry mine with me and hook it up to hotel TVs all the time. Carry a controller or your favorite fightstick and you are good to roll.

If you want to get crazy with it, you can put a screen on the Pi itself and play on the go with a bit of work.

It's not the most elegant solution, but play a ton of retro games on the go and waiting to see what Nintendo does seems like the better option in my eyes.

Is there a reason you prefer the K400 over the K400 Plus? Amazon told me there was a newer model, and it's $15 cheaper.

Do you have any thoughts on the CanaKits? I saw this on Amazon also. If I can get the whole kit for $80 including SD, AC Adaptor, a couple heatsinks, case, and HDMI cables, that might be the way to go for a user unfamiliar with Raspberry Pi in general.

I think my investment might be the CanaKit, K400 Plus keyboard, and an external 1TB hard drive. Connected to my TV, would I be able to use Kodi or OSMC to run a media center?

Tablet charger is probably fine. I'm not aware of an "official" charger. I bought this one though: http://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Supply-Adapter-Charger/dp/B00MARDJZ4/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1458158418&sr=8-8&keywords=cana+kit

Side note, I spent $50 shipped on a PI3 from Adafruit, $6 on a 8 GB uSD card, $10 on a power supply and $5 on heat sinks. $71 total. I'll need to print an enclosure for it. In hind sight, I wish I had spent $75 on this: http://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1458158418&sr=8-2&keywords=cana+kit

You could consider building a RetroPie emulation console to let them play games from many different older consoles. It's a Raspberry Pi 3 computer that is running the RetroPie operating system.

Thank you for your reply. Based on what you've said, I think I will go with this 32GB Canakit here. I would like to see how well the Gamecube emulation works.

You seem to be experienced, so I hope you don't mind me asking a couple other questions real quick:

1. How would I turn the Rasp Pi on and off if I am building an arcade cabinet enclosure to put it in? I know it can be powered off by accessing the menu with the controller - can it also be turned on with the controller?
   
   
   
2. Does a sudden power failure have any detrimental impact on the device? (ex. if it was randomly unplugged prior to being shut down properly)
   
   
   
3. What direction would you look for screens that I can plug into the Pi? I am looking for between 22-32 inches. Would the best bet to be buying a cheap TV of the right size that takes HDMI?
   
   
   
   Thanks for all your help!

Sure, here's what I got:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GU76T2O

It doesn't come with the SD Micro card you need though. A lot of people go with one of the CanaKits though. This one has everything including the SD card:

https://smile.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY

Here is the complete starter kit with everything you need for $75

or

You can also buy it on Amazon for a bit less.

The only thing you will need that's not in the kit are the ROMs and controllers. The ROMs you can find practically anywhere online.

For controllers, I splurged on a couple of Buffalo USB SNES controllers for the nostalgia, but any bluetooth or USB controller will work.

The way you write is incredibly confusing. It's not that difficult. Just go to Amazon and buy a Canakit.

Actually it’s about equal and I would prefer a cloud key as it’s the better choice than some jacked together pi kit running the software. For example: CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit - 32 GB Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C6Q2GSY

I actually got mine used on ebay for cheap but I think something like this would work and give you decent space. You can also just piece these out and need the Pi3 board,hdmi cord,power supply,sd card with some sort of reader for your pc and a case of your choice.

We use a Raspberry Pi 3 plugged into the back of a normal 50" TV as a Wallboard. It takes it's power from the PC's USB port and connects wirelessly to our server for production stats. It's uses SSRS for report generation. The Pi's small enough to just be velcroed onto the back of the TV. We use VNC if we have to log into it for any reason.

It cost us less than £40 (approx $60-70).

You could use a very similar setup, obviously using a slideshow rather than an SSRS report.

When you start looking as low as $200 you have to really know what you are looking for in the laptop, as conventional laptops do begin to compete in this price range with other devices. As /u/Orangematz said, used/refurbished is definitely a good fit for you, unfortunately I don't know that I could give any specific suggestions in this area. However, if you want to buy new, you may want to consider a Chromebook. You can't run Audacity on a Chromebook natively, but there are some alternative apps available to make this work (see this list for some options).

Alternatively, you mentioned an external hard drive. Do you already have one or would that be included in the budget? If you already have it, you can use this for storage and install Linux on your Chromebook to use Audacity natively (Having an Intel processor in your chromebook is necessary if this is your plan).

If you are feeling very adventurous, you could purchase a Raspberry Pi like the one here. This runs Linux natively and should be able to handle Audacity without issue, although it may take some tinkering to get up and running the first time, especially if this is your first foray into Linux. The Raspberry Pi 3 is missing three things that laptops have, keyboard and mouse, and display. That display only comes with a cigarette lighter power adapter, so you would need a 12 V adapter. Note that this solution has a lot of parts compared to one laptop, and the display is smaller and lower resolution than you are likely to get in a good laptop, so this is really a nifty solution to your problem that adds in a bunch of extra functionality (your display can play audio/video from USB/SD and can be mounted to the back of a headrest while your computer is a neat little hobbyist device that can have a bunch of different uses besides just computer), but not really recommendable if you aren't enthusiastic about those things.

For something along the same vein but slightly less adventurous if you don't feel comfortable with Linux would be to replace the raspberry pi in the previous solution with an Intel Compute Stick (comes with windows). Alternatively, the display can be replaced with a significantly better or somewhat better and significantly cheaper monitor if portability is something you are willing to compromise on (the Raspberry Pi/Compute Stick would still be very portable, but you would need to find an HDMI-enabled display to plug into).

In conclusion, buying used/refurbished is a good idea, but if you are open to it, the "microcomputer" market segment is starting to come up to par with laptops in this price range and could offer some interesting alternative solutions for you. Wow, that was a long comment.

Is this good??

CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit - 32 GB Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_DL4fAbQB8MGPP

I bought a Canakit for Retropie and it gave me everything I needed.

Edit: this is the kit I got

https://smile.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/

uh, not really, this is the kit I bought (kinda randomly chosen, really)

Actually, I bought the one with the 16GB microSD, and no sd->USB adaptor, but from the same guys (same heatsink, case, cables, etc). Obviously not affiliated with those guys or anything like that

I recommend this CanaKit.

http://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_1?srs=3020163011&ie=UTF8&qid=1465083298&sr=8-1&keywords=pi3+kit

That price is just for the board. RP3 would be about $80 all in. Power, Case, Heatsink, Cords, SD card

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1466444456&sr=1-5&keywords=raspberry+pi

This is the easiest kit to buy.

which of these kits would be better:
https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1483774244&sr=1-2&keywords=raspberry+pi+3
or
https://www.amazon.com/LoveRPi-Raspberry-Backlit-Keyboard-TouchPad/dp/B01LYBWO7H/ref=sr_1_74?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1483774396&sr=1-74-spons&keywords=raspberry+pi+3&psc=1

You could try this.
Price isn't too bad for all it gives you, and it'd set you on the right track.

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1483931991&sr=1-1&keywords=Canakit

The kit I got plus 2 Logitech 310 controllers. Well worth it!

You basically buy one of these, proceed to connect it to my pc with a USB to sdCard thing I bought for $5, then use Win32DiskImager with the EmulationStation image and just get a wireless keyboard + 8bitdo bluetooth controller, an XBOX controller, a Steam controller or one of the wired controllers (Bluetooth on Raspberry Pi is trash so only 8bitdo works right). Run it then get some ROMs and either connect via WinSCP to the ftp folder and put them in there or just connect to the device and put the files in the SDCard. There is a thing called Selph's scrapper which automatically scans a database and puts the name of the game with images and descriptions including user ratings next to all the emulated roms.

It will probably require a day of assembly unless you get one premade with games, I made a 32gig image and just made like 10 of these things for 'reasons' which took no time to just copy and store.

The r/raspberry_pi subreddit and youtube tutorials exist, but I have a more complex one that is designed to be pluggable into just about anything with carrying case and 4 traditional SNES turbo controllers. I jammed it with all known games from every console including handhelds and even obscure stuff like Dragon32 OS games or Vectrex and SG-1000.

Theoretically, all you'd need is this, though you'd have to provide your own controllers.

If you game at all though, you've got a bunch of PS3/Xbox360/PS4/X1 controllers around. If not, you can get cheap controllers pretty much anywhere.

Once you have the kit, go to RetroPie and install following their instructions. You'll have to find the ROMs and CD images yourself, but if you have the VIMM and vigor to find it, I'm sure you'll manage.

r/retroPie

I just bought this off of amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014QP2H1E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

There are cheaper controllers, but that one comes very highly rated.

That contains everything you need. Just look on the sidebar of the subreddit I linked and it will have step by step instructions on how to load RetroPie on your Raspberry Pi. You will just need to find the Roms, which shouldn't be to difficult if you know where to look.


AAARRR MATEYS ;)


Edit: Something to note, you can save ~10$ if you want to buy the pieces that come in that kit individually and you dont need something like the HDMI cable, or the micro SD to USB adapter.

Would you say this is a good deal?

Why are any of you worried about it? Honestly? Go to amazon.com, order a raspberry pi kit for 65$, install retro pie on it, put every video game ever created up until the PS2 was released and enjoy. I have a 64 meg SD card in mine and I have all systems from atari to PlayStation. Nintendo forces us to pirate their games, its not our fault the CFO didnt take any economic classes in college, but it is what it is. https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1503497197&sr=1-2-spons&keywords=raspberry+pi+3&psc=1 <--- This is how you retro game. Fuck Nintendo.

Raspberry Pi with LibreElec and Kodi media center Link, plus a Flirc Link so that you can use any IR remote to control it. Right at $100. Now you can fill USB hard drives with shows and they just plug them in to the USB port.

.


Edit: Looks like Flirc has a new version that isn't out yet. You can still find the original one on ebay.

.

Set up couldn't be easier. Put it together, choose your OS, let it download and install. You will need to program the Flirc on your PC/Mac.

I recommend customizing your build but this will give you an idea of what you need.
https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1503973853&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=raspberry+pi+3+kit&psc=1

CanaKit Raspberry Pi 3 Complete Starter Kit - 32 GB Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_VXbvzbMHRSAX4