Hacking Raspberry Pi

Raspberry Pi is taking off like a rocket! Millions of people worldwide are using this incredibly low-cost board to learn powerful hardware hacking techniques -- and to create an incredible array of creative and useful projects. Now, for the first time, there's an easy and complete guide to hacking Raspberry Pi -- and it requires absolutely no experience with either hardware hacking or programming! This lush, 4-color guide is loaded with step-by-step photos that guide you every step of the way, and it's written by Timothy Warner, who's personally helped thousands of people get comfortable with new technology. "Raspberry Pi Hacking" takes a holistic approach, covering a wide range of topics -- from the basics of the device to controlling it to building complete projects with it. "Start with all the basics: " What Raspberry Pi is, why it's so exciting, and how you can use it Touring the Raspberry Pi hardware and peripherals Understanding Raspberry Pi storage, USB and Bluetooth connections, networking, and more Installing and configuring Raspbian, Raspberry Pi's native Linux-based operating system Managing users and configuration files Networking Raspberry Pi and adding Wi-Fi Programming Raspberry Pi with Python; Scratch; XHTML; and PHP "Then move on to build each of these great projects, step by step: " Media Center Retro Atari 2600-compatible console game station Firewall and personal VPN Web Server Webcam/Time Lapse Device Picture Frame "Finally, now that you're ready for advanced techniques, learn how to: " Overclock the Raspberry Pi CPU to get even better performance Link Raspberry Pi with the Arduino board to do even more interesting projects Even get started with robotics! "Note: A complete set of instructor materials and a companion student workbook will be available to make this book even more valuable in the classroom." Introduction......Page 24 What’s in This Book......Page 25 Task: This Is a Task......Page 27 There’s More Online.........Page 28 Part I Hardware Foundations......Page 29 Chapter 1 What Is the Raspberry Pi?......Page 30 Why the Pi?......Page 31 Hardware Versions......Page 32 Open Source Licenses......Page 37 How Can I Purchase a Raspberry Pi?......Page 38 Understanding Pi Hardware Terminology......Page 40 The Hidden Cost of Owning a Raspberry Pi......Page 43 A 5V Power Supply......Page 44 Powered USB Hub......Page 46 Monitor......Page 47 USB Keyboard and Mouse......Page 48 Networking......Page 49 Video and Audio......Page 50 Power/Status Information......Page 51 Camera......Page 52 Expansion......Page 53 Next Steps......Page 54 Circuit Prototyping Equipment......Page 55 Single-Board Microcontrollers......Page 59 The Gertboard......Page 60 Single-Board Computers......Page 61 Task: Check Raspberry Pi Voltage with a Multimeter......Page 63 Raspberry Pi Starter Kits......Page 65 Next Steps......Page 67 Part II Software Foundations......Page 68 Chapter 4 Installing and Configuring an Operating System......Page 69 Understanding Linux......Page 71 Linux and Raspberry Pi......Page 73 The Kernel and Firmware......Page 74 Raspberry Pi’s Other Operating Systems......Page 75 Installing Raspbian on Your Raspberry Pi......Page 77 Task: Creating a Raspbian SD Card in Windows......Page 79 Task: Creating a Raspbian SD Card in OS X......Page 80 Task: Creating a Raspbian SD Card in Linux......Page 82 An All-in-One Solution......Page 85 Task: Installing an OS on Your Raspberry Pi Using NOOBS......Page 86 Testing Your New Raspbian Image......Page 87 Baby Steps......Page 89 startx......Page 91 pwd......Page 92 ls......Page 93 cd......Page 94 sudo......Page 95 nano......Page 96 man......Page 97 shutdown......Page 98 Updating Your Software......Page 99 Updating Raspbian......Page 100 Updating the Pi Firmware......Page 101 Revisiting Raspi-Config......Page 102 Enable Boot to Desktop......Page 104 Add to Rastrack......Page 105 Advanced Options......Page 106 Raspi-Config Under the Hood......Page 107 Next Steps......Page 108 LXDE—The Desktop Environment......Page 109 Touring the LXDE Interface......Page 111 Delving into the Main Menu......Page 114 Installing, Updating, and Removing Software......Page 116 Accessing the Pi Store......Page 117 Tweaking the LXDE UI......Page 119 Task: Customize the LXTerminal......Page 120 Task: Customize the LXPanel......Page 121 Openbox......Page 122 Editing Configuration Files......Page 123 Basic Networking Concepts......Page 125 Configuring Wired Ethernet......Page 126 Task: Setting a Static IP Address on Your Raspberry Pi......Page 128 Configuring Wireless Ethernet......Page 129 Task: Setting Up Wi-Fi on Your Pi......Page 130 Configuring “Headless” Raspberry Pi......Page 132 Secure Shell (SSH)......Page 133 Task: Using SSH to Connect to a Raspberry Pi Remotely......Page 134 Virtual Network Computing (VNC)......Page 135 Task: Using VNC to Connect to the Raspberry Pi......Page 136 Task: Configure Your Pi to Start VNC Server Automatically......Page 137 On Browsing the Web with the Pi......Page 139 Technical Aspects of Scratch......Page 142 The Scratch Community......Page 143 Getting Comfortable with the Scratch Interface......Page 145 About Blocks......Page 148 Task: Creating a Basic Scratch App......Page 151 The PicoBoard......Page 154 Obtaining a PicoBoard?......Page 155 Task: Using the PicoBoard in Scratch......Page 156 Begin with the End in Mind......Page 159 Let’s Build the Game!......Page 162 Task: Setting Up the Game Screens......Page 163 Task: Setting Up the Scratch Cat......Page 166 Setting Up the First Ball......Page 168 Setting Up the Second and Third Balls......Page 170 Debugging and Troubleshooting......Page 171 Task: Share Your Scratch Project......Page 173 Task: Create a Remix......Page 175 Chapter 10 Programming Raspberry Pi with Python—Beginnings......Page 176 Checking Out the Python Environment......Page 177 Exiting the Interpreter......Page 179 Getting Online Help......Page 180 Writing Your First Python Program......Page 181 Task: Creating Your First Python Script......Page 182 Running Python Scripts......Page 183 Task: Running Python Scripts (IDLE)......Page 184 Broadening Your Python Horizons......Page 185 Getting Comfortable with IDLE......Page 187 Writing a Simple Game......Page 190 Type Casting......Page 193 Modules......Page 195 Task: Loading and then Updating the GPIO Module in Python 3......Page 198 Where Do You Go from Here?......Page 199 Part III Basic Raspberry Pi Projects......Page 201 Chapter 12 Raspberry Pi Media Center......Page 202 A Bit o’ History......Page 203 Introducing Raspbmc......Page 204 Task: Installing Raspbmc Under Windows......Page 205 Task: Installing Raspbmc Under OS X......Page 206 Configuring Raspbmc......Page 207 Getting Your Remote Control Working......Page 209 Task: Controlling Your Raspbmc Box from iOS......Page 210 Task: Controlling Your Raspbmc Box from a Web Browser......Page 216 Task: Configuring a GPIO-based IR Receiver......Page 217 Task: Uploading Media Content to Raspberry Pi......Page 219 Task: Configuring XBMC Media Detection......Page 221 Playing Your Content......Page 223 Installing Add-Ons......Page 224 A Word About Console Video Game Emulation......Page 226 Installing RetroPie......Page 227 Task: Setting Up RetroPie......Page 228 Transferring ROMs to RetroPie......Page 230 Task: Transferring ROMs to Your Raspberry Pi......Page 231 Setting Up Your Controls......Page 233 Task: Configure RetroPie Joystick Control Mappings......Page 235 Playing Your Games......Page 237 Task: Install ES-Scraper......Page 238 In Search of the Perfect Joystick......Page 240 Chapter 14 Raspberry Pi Minecraft Server......Page 246 Task: Installing Minecraft Pi......Page 248 Accessing the Python API......Page 250 Task: Loading the Minecraft Python Libraries......Page 251 Task: Making Your Player Jump High!......Page 253 Task: Create a Diamond Floor......Page 254 Building a Minecraft Server......Page 255 Task: Installing Java and the Minecraft Server......Page 256 Administering a Minecraft Server......Page 259 Minecraft Plugins......Page 260 Chapter 15 Raspberry Pi Web Server......Page 262 What Is the LAMP Stack?......Page 263 Task: Installing the LAMP Stack on Raspberry Pi......Page 264 Task: Verifying PHP Configuration......Page 265 Task: Verifying MySQL Installation......Page 268 Transferring Content to Your Web Server......Page 269 Task: Using SFTP to Transfer Content to Your Pi......Page 270 Setting Up phpMyAdmin......Page 272 Task: Installing phpMyAdmin......Page 273 Setting Up Joomla......Page 274 Task: Installing Joomla on Your Raspberry Pi......Page 276 Putting Your Web Server on the Public Internet......Page 278 Task: Making Your Raspberry Pi Publicly Accessible by Using No-IP......Page 279 About the Raspberry Pi Camera Board......Page 282 Task: Preparing the Raspberry Pi for the Camera Board......Page 284 Task: Installing the Raspberry Pi Camera Board......Page 286 Capturing Still Pictures......Page 288 Recording Video with the Camera Board......Page 292 Using a Third-Party USB Webcam......Page 294 Task: Configuring a Third-Party USB Webcam......Page 295 Task: Setting Up a Time-Lapse Webcam......Page 298 Adding a Rechargeable Battery Pack to Your Pi Camera......Page 301 Task: Setting up SimpleCV......Page 303 Encrypting Your Internet Connection with a VPN......Page 306 Browsing Where You Want via a Proxy Server......Page 307 Building Your Raspberry Pi VPN Gateway......Page 309 Task: Creating Your Hamachi VPN......Page 310 Task: Connecting to Your Hamachi VPN from Your Desktop Computer......Page 312 Task: Installing Hamachi Client on Your Raspberry Pi......Page 314 Building Your Raspberry Pi Proxy Server......Page 315 Task: Installing and Configuring Privoxy Raspberry Pi......Page 316 Testing the Configuration......Page 317 Task: Pointing Your Workstation Computer at Your Pi Proxy......Page 319 Speaking of Geolocation.........Page 322 Building a Raspberry Pi Tor Proxy......Page 324 Part IV Hacking the Raspberry Pi......Page 328 What Is Overclocking?......Page 329 Warranty Implications of Overclocking......Page 330 Overclocking Your Pi......Page 331 Task: Verifying Your Pi’s CPU, Voltage, and Temperature Status......Page 332 The Manual Method......Page 333 Benchmarking Your Pi......Page 334 Task: Installing and Running nbench......Page 335 Adjusting the Memory Split on Your Pi......Page 336 Task: Tweaking Memory Split with Raspi-Config......Page 337 A Historical Footnote......Page 338 Various and Sundry Performance Tweaks......Page 340 Introducing the Arduino......Page 343 Digging into the Arduino Uno......Page 347 Connecting the Raspberry Pi GPIO Pins to the Arduino I2C......Page 349 Connecting the Raspberry Pi to an Arduino Clone......Page 350 Task: Install and Configure Arduino IDE on the Raspberry Pi......Page 351 Task: Running the “Blink” Sample Sketch......Page 355 Fading an LED......Page 358 Task: Running the Fade Sketch......Page 359 Using the AlaMode......Page 360 Task: Getting the AlaMode Up and Running......Page 361 Chapter 20 Raspberry Pi and the Gertboard......Page 365 Anatomy of the GPIO......Page 366 Connecting Your Gertboard and Raspberry Pi......Page 368 Installing the Testing Software......Page 371 Task: Enabling SPI on Your Raspberry Pi......Page 372 Task: Installing the Python Gertboard Test Suite......Page 373 Testing the LEDs......Page 374 Testing Input/Output......Page 377 Accessing the GPIO Pins Directly......Page 378 Task: Lighting an LED Directly from the GPIO......Page 379 Accessing the GPIO Pins via the Pi Cobbler......Page 380 Programming the Atmel Microcontroller......Page 382 Task: Preparing Your Arduino Environment......Page 383 Final Thoughts, and Thank You......Page 385 Index......Page 386 DIY hardware hacking...easy as Pi ®! Raspberry Pi is taking off like a rocket! You can use this amazing, dirt-cheap, credit card-sized computer to learn powerful hardware hacking techniques as you build incredibly creative and useful projects! This complete, full-color guide requires absolutely no experience with either hardware hacking or computer programming. Colorful photos guide you through each project, and the step-by-step instructions are stunningly clear and easy! 1. Start with the absolute basics: Discover why millions of people are so passionate about the Pi! Tour the hardware, including storage, connections, and networking Install and run Raspbian, Raspberry Pi's Linux-based operating system Manage devices and configuration files Network Raspberry Pi and add Wi-Fi Program Raspberry Pi using Python, Scratch, XHTML, PHP, and MySQL 2. Next, build all these great projects: Media Center Retro Console Video Game Station Minecraft Server Web Server Portable Webcam Security & Privacy Device 3. Then, master all these cutting-edge techniques: Overclock Raspberry Pi for better performance Link Raspberry Pi to the Arduino and Arduino clones, including the AlaMode and the Gertboard Use the Pi to build electronics prototypes using a breadboard