Book Image

Getting Started with Raspberry Pi Zero

By : Richard Grimmett
Book Image

Getting Started with Raspberry Pi Zero

By: Richard Grimmett

Overview of this book

Raspberry Pi Zero is half the size of Raspberry Pi A, only with twice the utility. At just three centimeters wide, it packs in every utility required for full-fledged computing tasks. This practical tutorial will help you quickly get up and running with Raspberry Pi Zero to control hardware and software and write simple programs and games. You will learn to build creative programs and exciting games with little or no programming experience. We cover all the features of Raspberry Pi Zero as you discover how to configure software and hardware, and control external devices. You will find out how to navigate your way in Raspbian, write simple Python scripts, and create simple DIY programs.
Table of Contents (16 chapters)
Getting Started with Raspberry Pi Zero
Credits
About the Author
About the Reviewer
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Index

Setting up the Raspberry Pi Zero


While the Raspberry Pi Zero is a powerful computer, you'll need some additional hardware to access this capability. Here are the items that you'll need for this chapter's projects:

  • A Raspberry Pi Zero

  • A micro USB cable and power supply to provide power to the board

  • A display with an HDMI video input

  • A keyboard, a mouse, and a powered USB hub

  • A microSD card – with at least 4 GB capacity

  • A microSD card writer

  • Another computer that is connected to the Internet

  • A WLAN USB dongle

  • A 40x2 pin connector strip

Before you get started, let's get familiar with the Raspberry Pi Zero. Here is an image of the hardware:

Note that the GPIO pin male headers are not pre-soldered to the board; you'll want to do that. You can buy these at most online electronics retailers. You should also become familiar with the various connections on the board. Here, you can see the Raspberry Pi Zero with the connector soldered and the connections labeled for your information: