Raspberry Pi Single board microcomputer

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The Raspberry Pi is a single-board microcomputer originally designed to teach computer science. However, the project subsequently gained popularity and distribution due to the computing power and compatibility with various software, which allows not only data transmission, but also preliminary processing of the information received. Raspberry Pi is used in creating applications and systems for the Internet of Things.

2023: Raspberry Pi 5

On September 28, 2023, it became known that more than four years after the creation of the Raspberry Pi 4 board, the Raspberry Pi Foundation introduced the next generation board - the Raspberry Pi 5, which will go on sale at the end of October 2023 at a price of $60 for the variant with 4 GB of RAM and $80 for the variant with 8 GB of RAM. For comparison, the Raspberry Pi 4 board with 2 GB of RAM sold for $35, 4 GB of RAM - $55, and 8 GB of RAM - $75, but it is stated that the performance of the Raspberry Pi 5 board is 2-3 times higher than the Raspberry Pi 4.

Raspberry Pi 5

As reported, Raspberry Pi 5 includes:

• Broadcom SoC BCM2712 2.4GHz based on 4-core 64-bit Arm Cortex-A76 CPU. The processor is manufactured using the 16nm process technology, supports an extension to optimize cryptographic operations, is equipped with an L2 cache in 512KB for each kernel and a common L3 cache of 2 MB. The chip is specially designed for the Raspberry Pi 5 board and is capable of handling typical workstation loads in terms of performance. The design of the board used the concept of chiplets. For comparison, the Raspberry Pi 4 board came with a BCM2711 SoC based on the 4-core 64-bit Arm Cortex-A72 CPU, manufactured using the 28nm process technology and operating at 1.5GHz frequency.
• GPU VideoCore VII 800MHz with support for OpenGL ES 3.1 and Vulkan 1.2 graphics APIs (GPU VideoCore VI was delivered in Raspberry Pi 4).
• 2 Micro HDMI ports with HDR support and 4Kp60 quality with simultaneous output via two ports. Announced the initial delivery of fully open drivers for Mesa. The Raspberry Pi 4 had two Micro HDMI ports that supported 4Kp60 quality output when outputting from one port and 4Kp30 when outputting from two ports.
• Built-in hardware decoder for HEVC/H.265-format video that supports 4Kp60-quality video decoding.
• 4 or 8 GB of RAM (LPDDR4X-4267 SDRAM). Memory performance is more than twice that of the Raspberry Pi 4 (4267MT/s vs. 2000MT/s). In the future, a version with 16 GB of RAM is expected.
• with Wi-Fi 802.11ac support for 2.4GHz and 5GHz.
• Bluetooth 5.0 / Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).
• MicroSD slot with support for SDR104 mode.
• Two USB 3.0 ports with 5Gbps bandwidth and two USB 2.0 ports.
• Gigabit Ethernet with PoE (Power over Ethernet) support.
• Two 4-line MIPI transceivers for camera and screen (dual MIPI CSI/DSI connector).
• One PCIe 2.0 slot (due to the need to fit the slot into a miniature form factor, a non-standard connector is used).
• Power 5V/5A via USB-C. Due to the increase in power consumption, power supplies from older Raspberry Pi boards may not be suitable, a 27W PSU is recommended. It is also recommended to use a case with a cooler for active cooling.
• Typical of Raspberry Pi 40-pin GPIO.
• RTC (Real-time clock) with a separate battery.
• Power on button.

The board size and form factor have not changed and still correspond to the "B" models of Raspberry Pi boards. As an operating system on Raspberry Pi 5, it will be possible to use the next release of Raspberry Pi OS based on Debian 12, which is planned to be formed in mid-October 2023^[1].

2022: Pi Pico W

On June 30, 2022, it became known that the Raspberry Pi Foundation released an updated version of its cheapest microcomputer, the Pi Pico. The board was called Pi Pico W, in which an additional letter indicates the main, although not the only, but very important difference in the model in technical terms.

Pi Pico W

As reported, Pi Pico W received a separate Wi-Fi module soldered on the board, expanding the list of options for its use. This is a universal controller on the basis of which you can assemble various gadgets, including robotics and Internet of Things devices.

The installation of the updated module led to an increase in the cost of Pi Pico W by a third compared to the regular Pi Pico. The latter is estimated at $4 (205 rubles at the Central Bank exchange rate as of June 30, 2022), while Pi Pico W costs $6 (306 rubles). The time period between controller outputs was about a year and a half - Pi Pico appeared in early 2021.

Raspberry Pi Foundation employees do not name the start date of Pi Pico W sales, but, apparently, the opportunity to purchase a controller will appear in the near future. The first batch will consist of 50 thousand copies, and by the end of 2022, according to the representative of the Raspberry Pi Foundation Eben Upton, about 2 million Pi Pico W will come off the assembly line.

The Wi-Fi module on the W board is hidden under a metal screen. This is an Infineon CYW43439 chip that supports only 802.11n, aka Wi-Fi 4. In the 5 GHz band, it does not work, so customers will have to limit themselves to the capabilities of the base 2.4 GHz. To optimize the signal, an integrated antenna ABRACON is used, for secure data transfer - the WPA3 encryption protocol.

Like the Pi Pico, the controller is built on a proprietary RP2040 processor with ARM architecture and a pair of Cortex M0 + cores, the frequency of which varies from 48 to 133 GHz. This CPU is produced according to 40-nanometer standards at the TSMC factory and contains 264 KB of RAM SRAM, a DMA controller, 16 PWM channels, two UART, SPI and I2C controllers.

Pi Pico W is based on the chip, which turned six in 2022. Despite this, it supports the connection of additional storage with a capacity of up to 16 MB via a dedicated QSPI bus.

The Pi Pico W board has a 2 MB flash memory module and a power chip that allows the controller to operate at 1.8-5.5 V.

The Pi Pico W has a Micro-USB 1.1 connector used to power and transmit information. There are 26 GPIO contacts, a three-pin SWD port for debugging, a real-time clock and a hardware timer. The board operates in the temperature range of -20 to + 70 degrees Celsius. This is monitored by a separate 12-bit temperature sensor.

In terms of the location of the main components, Pi Pico W does not differ from Pi Pico in any way. A lot of free space was left on the board of the original Pi Pico in advance, as if the developers knew from the very beginning that they would release an improved version of the controller in the future. However, they do not officially declare this.

Be that as it may, the Pi Pico W board, despite measuring only 51x21mm, still has empty space. This increases the likelihood of a modification with a Bluetooth module.

Another difference between Pi Pico W and Pi Pico lies in the controller board itself. As reported, the developers abandoned the two-layer board in favor of the four-layer board. This probably also affected the final price^[2].

2021: Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W

On October 28, 2021, it became known that Raspberry Pi Trading supplemented its line of computers with the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W model. The updated version of the single-board with built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth inherited compact sizes from its predecessor, but significantly advanced in terms of performance - in some tests the model is almost five times faster than the first version of the device.

According to the creators, in multithreaded mode, when tested with the sysbench utility, the model demonstrates almost exactly five times higher results than the original Pi Zero. However, unlike it, the Pi Zero 2 W, like the Pi Zero W, carries additional wireless modules on board, which affects its price. The fresh Raspberry can be purchased for $15.

Despite the release of the updated model, Raspberry Pi does not plan to curtail production of Pi Zero and Pi Zero W. According to the developers, the improved version of Zero 2 W harmoniously fits into the Zero family.

In October 2021, it was reported that Raspberry Pi raised the price of one of its products for the first time in the history of the project. Such was the 2 gigabyte model Raspberry Pi 4, which went up by almost a third. In addition, the company has given some single-board models a low priority. The increased demand for the products of the British company against the background of the global shortage of semiconductors is to blame.

At the heart of the upgraded Pi Zero 2 W single board is the Broadcom BCM2710A1 single-chip system, exactly the same as in the launch version of the full-size Raspberry Pi 3. The only difference is that in the updated mini-computer, the frequency of all four 64-bit ARM Cortex-A53 cores is forcibly reduced to 1 GHz.

Pi Zero 2 W has 512 MB of RAM LPDDR2 manufactured by Micron in a single package (SiP) RP3A0 with a BCM2710A1 chip. The authorship of the packaging design and the entire single-board solution belongs to Simon Martin, ex-Broadcom engineer.

According to the head of Raspberry Pi Trading, Eben Upton, it is thanks to the work of this specialist that the dimensions of the Zero 2 W (65x30 mm) coincide with those of the Zero W. Thus, the company's customers will be able to find use for old single-board cases after purchasing this model. The model is also compatible with most other accessories.

In addition, the Zero 2 W, like all recent Raspberry Pi products, uses an updated thermal interface based on a thick layer of copper, which provides better heat removal. According to Upton, the Zero 2 W without a case at an ambient temperature of 20 degrees Celsius calmly and arbitrarily long withstands the LINKPACK stress test, and without reducing performance over time. As for the network capabilities of the board, support for Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz IEEE 802.11b/h/n) and Bluetooth 4.2, BLE is announced.

The single-board solution is also equipped with a microSD memory card connector, a 40-pin HAT-compatible connector, a Mini HDMI port, a composite video output, reset contacts and a CSI-2 interface for connecting the camera. One OTG-enabled USB 2.0 port is available.

The device supports the OpenGL ES 1.1 and 2.0 graphical interface; hardware decoding of video using H.264, MPEG-4 codecs in resolution up to 1080p at 30 personnel per second, as well as encoding video using H.264 all in the same FullHD resolution and at 30 fps.

Together with Pi Zero 2 W, the British project also presented an official USB power supply for it. Externally and in its characteristics, it resembles a similar device for the Raspberry Pi 4 model, but differs in connector. The product uses a USB Type-B connector instead of Type-C. In addition, the maximum current in the network adapter just presented is limited by 2,5A. However, according to the developers, this will be more than enough, plus, if necessary, it will be possible to power the Raspberry Pi 3B or 3B + using the device.

According to information published on the Raspberry Pi Trading website, from October 28, 2021, the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W is available in, Great Britain countries,, and European Union USA. To Canada Hong Kong The company promises that this list will be replenished as it passes certification in certain countries. The closest candidates are and. Australia New Zealand It will be possible to purchase a model there approximately in November 2021.

Raspberry Pi Trading emphasizes that for October 2021, the shortage of chips around the world concerns their latest product. Taking into account this problem, the company expects to ship about 200 thousand pieces of Zero 2 W by the end of 2021 and about 250 thousand in the first half of 2022^[3].

2018: Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+

On March 15, 2018, the Raspberry Pi Foundation announced it was expanding the range of its Raspberry Pi single board computers with the Pi 3 Model B +. The microcomputer received a number of improvements, support for the Bluetooth 4.2 standard was added (instead of Bluetooth 4.1 in the previous version), a dual-band Wi-Fi module supporting 2.4 and 5 GHz bands is used. This module has "modular compliance certification." This means that if developers use a microcomputer in their final products, they will not have to undergo additional Wi-Fi certification from regulators.

Raspberry Pi 3 Model B + microcomputer

The Bluetooth 4.2 module has support for Low Energy mode for connecting IoT hubs and smart home devices. The computer has native support for Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology, which allows it to receive electricity along with data via a twisted pair in an Ethernet network.

The Raspberry Pi 3 Model B + has the same dimensions (a little more than a deck of playing cards) as the previous model, that is, it will be possible to replace one board with another without assembling a new case.

The computer is based on the Broadcom BCM2837B0 single-chip system with four Cortex-A53 cores (ARMv8). The frequency of the SoC is 1.4 GHz. The manufacturer has improved temperature management. Up to 70 °, a frequency of 1.4 GHz is set, at a temperature above this threshold, the frequency decreases to 1.2 GHz, while the voltage supplied to the chip also decreases, which minimizes cases of reaching the cut-off temperature (80 °).

As in the previous version of the board, the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B + has full-size HDMI, microUSB, microSD ports, four USB ports, 40 GPIO ports, DSI (touch screen connection) and CSI (camera connection). The amount of RAM of the LPDDR2 standard is 1 GB. External devices, such as a mouse or keyboard, are connected via a USB port.

The recommended cost of the fee is $35.^[4]

2017

Russians find Linux Trojan that takes Raspberry Pi prisoner and forces cryptocurrency mining

The Russian information security company Doctor Web (Dr.Web) has discovered a Linux Trojan that affects Raspberry Pi single-board computers. Despite the modest processing power of the devices, the Trojan uses them to mine cryptocurrency. Since bitcoins with such performance cannot be obtained, the authors of the virus chose the Monero cryptocurrency, popular with drug dealers^[5].

A new Trojan for Linux forces Raspberry Pi single-board computers to mine cryptocurrency. The malware discovered by the Russian information security company Dr Web is called Linux.MulDrop.14. It does not apply to any other devices other than the Raspberry Pi.

Users of these computers are advised to install a recent Raspbian OS update, especially if their devices are now configured to use external SSH connections. However, developers from the Raspberry Pi Foundation warn that this update is still not currently installed on "millions" of computers. According to the official Raspberry Pi Magazine, about 12.5 million Raspberry Pi computers have been sold in just the last 5 years.

The Trojan does not try to mine bitcoin, since this requires much more computing power than a single-board computer has. Instead, it mines Monero, the lesser-known but increasingly popular cryptocurrency used in "dark web" drug deals.

The Trojan was discovered after it infected an experienced Dr Web device designed to attract malware. The program uses a simple Bash script to try to connect to Raspberry Pi devices configured to accept external SSH connections. The Trojan targets computers where the default login and password are saved: "pi" and "raspberry," respectively.

The Trojan changes the "pi" login, installs the ZMap Internet scanning tool and the sshpass utility, and then searches the network for other devices with an open port 22 to infect them.

Older Raspberry Pi devices that have not been updated for some time are especially vulnerable to it. The Raspberry Pi Foundation told TechRepublic that a Raspbian OS update released in late 2016 disabled SSH by default and forced users to change their default password. Installing this update should protect computers from the Trojan.

Raspberry Pi Zero W

On March 1, 2017, the Raspberry Pi Foundation announced the release of the Raspberry Pi Zero W microcomputer model - an upgraded Raspberry Pi Zero model board.

The product includes two wireless modules Wi-Fi 802.11n and Bluetooth 4.0. Support for wireless interfaces is provided by the Cypress CYW43438 chip, similar to the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B.

Raspberry Pi Zero W, (2017)

The evolution of an inexpensive computing device continues with the addition of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functionality. This is the main thing that users asked us, this is the main thing that people considered missing from the Zero model. Raspberry Pi founder Eben Epton

There are no other changes: the Broadcom BCM2835 single-chip system operates at a frequency of 1 GHz, the amount of RAM 512 MB^[6]

As part of Pi Zero W:

• HDMI connector,
• microSD slot,
• two microUSB connectors (for powering and connecting peripherals),
• CSI interface for connecting the camera,
• Two non-soldered connectors, a 40-pin extended I/O connector and a composite video output.

The Zero W can be equipped with a power supply, keyboard, mouse or other input device, a display screen to be used as a full-fledged PC.

Raspberry Pi v3 module

On January 17, 2017, the company Raspberry Pi Foundation announced the release of a global update to the Raspberry Pi module. The update is the first in nearly three years, the company said, increasing the device's power by 10 times and allowing users to set its memory size for. data storage

Raspberry Pi Compute Module, (2016)

The update included 1GB of RAM processor and Broadcom BCM2837 (1.2GHz) - twice the RAM and about 10 times the processor performance of the original module, Raspberry Pi Foundation said^[7]

The released version of the module was called "Module 3," in accordance with the numbering of the "flagship line" Raspberry Pi. Raspberry Pi Compute Module with a stripped-down form factor is suitable for embedding in computing systems.

The device is suitable for a standard SODIMM connector (designed for use in laptops or as an expansion of memory on the board, therefore it has a reduced size).

The third model of the module is compatible Windows IoT with Core (OS for) internet of things and supports. Linux

The module can "evolve." To do this, there is a separate I/O card with a GPIO interface, USB, microUSB, HDMI connectors, CSI and DSI ports for connecting the camera and display.

According to the developers, the third module can replace the first in devices, but "with reservations," since the new processor consumes more power and generates more heat.

2016: Collaboration with NEC Display Solutions

NEC Display Solutions announced in October 2016 plans to use an open platform common with Raspberry Pi, a modular approach that effectively integrates Raspberry Pi devices with NEC displays. NEC's leading position and its broadest range of display solutions combine perfectly with the products of Raspberry Pi, the organization responsible for developing a family of low-cost high-performance computers.

Originally designed to teach the basics of computer literacy in schools and developing countries, the original Raspberry Pi computer has good performance at a very low price. Meanwhile, the latest Raspberry Pi 3 computing modules have significantly increased performance, adding new network capabilities, making them an excellent solution for NEC displays.

Equipped with a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor, the motherboard is no longer the simplest computer for programming, but a reliable intelligent device with unlimited capabilities. In addition to the standard Raspberry Pi 3 computing module, NEC will also offer a customized model that meets the special performance and functionality requirements of the display market.

As part of and complementary to the NEC Open Modular Intelligence (OMI) platform, the Raspberry Pi 3 effectively integrates with the new series of l, P, and V series professional displays. These new displays provide easy access to embedded smart features effectively connected to "Internet things" Internet of Things solutions IoT (,), Digital Signage products (), Digital Signage and presentations. Sleek integration with displays helps to perform installations in any environment without any problems. In addition, you can customize screens to suit your individual needs, which turns these displays into a reliable solution - anytime, anywhere.

This technological collaboration - the first of its kind between a display manufacturer and the creator of Raspberry Pi - will help NEC expand its market capabilities, demonstrate its options for a wide variety of markets and applications. It will also introduce new B2B applications for the Raspberry Pi, strengthening its position as a platform with reliable functionality for retail, aviation, transport, education and corporate conference rooms.

The NEC series of smart large-format displays with Raspberry Pi connectivity will be released starting in January 2017.

Notes