UK-Automation offers a variety of branded products and one of the most interesting is the Raspberry Pi. This ingenious little device is a relatively inexpensive computer the size of a normal credit card, that plugs into a computer monitor or TV. Using a standard keyboard and mouse, it acts in exactly the same way as a desktop computer (internet usage, video games, to making spreadsheets, word-processing) but it has the facility of interacting with the outside world. It also allows people to programme computers and learn how they work.
Initially launched and developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation charity http://www.raspberrypi.org/help/what-is-a-raspberry-pi/ with the “intention of promoting the teaching of basic computer science in schools”, it has already proved its value in numerous situations, from music machines and parent detectors to weather stations and tweeting birdhouses with infra-red cameras.
What Else is New?
So what is offered with the Raspberry PI from UK-Automation? First is the RaZberry, a small daughter board that connects on to the Raspberry PI. This allows it to be used as a controller and gateway for any Z-wave equipment. This little board is ideal for those who want to be creative in writing an individual user interface and applications. It comes complete with an Installer UI and Ajax web demo.
Features include:
- External 32 K SPI flash for network data
- Sigma Designs 3102 Z-Wave transceiver module offering additional enhancements
- Backup and recovery function including network topology
- Extended Node Information Frame
- Firmware update from the Raspberry PI OS
- Network management (Include, Exclude, Reorganize)
- Device interview and configuration
- Management of direct associations between devices
And a host of other interesting features.
There is also the Installer User Interface that implements all the features of the Z-Wave network. Not only does it manage and operate a Z-Wave network but also acts as a reference instance to learn how to access the JSON Data model and execute demands.
HiFiBerry DAC+
There is also the HiFiBerry DAC+ a high-resolution digital-to-analog converter for the Raspberry Pi Model B+. In layman’s terms, this is a sound card for the Raspberry Pi, to give the best audio playback quality.
Features include:
- A dedicated 192kHz/24bit high-quality Burr-Brown DAC giving hifi quality audio output
- Compatible with Raspberry Pi Model B+ & Raspberry Pi 2 with no additional power supply required
- Ultra-low-noise voltage regulator for optimal audio performance
- Hardware volume control. You can control the output volume using “alsamixer” or any application that supports ALSA mixer controls.
- Supplied with spacers to fix the board onto the Raspberry Pi
Whatever your needs, UK-Automation keeps ahead of the competition and looks for devices that will make your smart home even smarter. We have a good range of HiFiBerry parts for the Raspberry Pi.