Getting Started with Raspberry Pi 2 mod B is a small guide that answers all your basic queries
- Which model of Raspberry Pi should I buy?
There are 2 popular variants of Raspberry Pi available - Pi 1 model A+ and latest Pi 2 Model B.
Pi 1 Model A + is the replacement for original Pi 1 model A. It is usually bought for embedded projects as it consumes less power and is lighter in weight than its counterpart. It does not have any Ethernet Port and also runs on low RAM with a little lower capacity processor
Raspberry Pi 2 Model B is a much powerful variant which comes with a 900MHz quad core processor and 1 GB RAM. Check Introduction to Raspberry Pi 2 Mod B for complete specifications.
Pi 2 Mod B is suggested for users, who do not have any specific project in mind as it offers more flexibility. It would be better to shell out 10$ more rather than spending 25$ and than finding out that your project requires a Pi 2 mod B board.
- Where to buy Raspberry pi 2 mod B?
You can buy your raspberry pi 2 mod B from below official distributors, if you are in US/UK
Element14 (US)
Allied Electronics Inc. (US)
RS Components Ltd. (UK)
If you are in any other part of this beautiful world, a good ecommerce website should solve the purpose.
- What else you need to get started?
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Micro SD card - One micro SD card is required to install the OS. An 8 GB card is recommended, but given the small price difference between an 8GB and 16GB card, you may want to go for the larger size. Remember to choose a card with high speed class, CLASS 10 is recommended. You might also find a deal to get an adapter free with your micro SD card, this might save you from getting into the trouble later, if you just have a regular SD card reader and not the micro one.
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An SD card reader - To help you write the OS image to your SD card. Most of the laptops come with inbuilt SD card readers.
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Power Supply - You will need a 5v micro-USB adapter with at least 600mA output to start your Pi. We used an old Android phone charger and worked really well.
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An HDMI cable - It is required to connect your pi with a display. If you are not using an HDTV and are using an old monitor then you may need to buy an HDMI-to-DVI converter. If you’re using a TV or a monitor that supports HDMI, you won’t need an adapter.
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A mouse and a keyboard - Wireless or USB cabled anything is fine. I would prefer wireless keyboard as it uses only one of the available USB ports and also withdraw less power from your Pi board.
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An Ethernet cable - It is required to connect your Pi with the internet
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Optional items: A case to hold your Raspberry Pi. There are plenty of these available online.
I will cover Configuring Raspbian on Your Pi in my next article…