“It's amazing that you can get a full grown computer so cheaply. OK it's not fast, and if you want something to use for HD media playing or as any form of desktop PC replacement you'd be sensible to get the RPi3.
This device comes into it's own as a low cost way of interfacing with / controlling the real world. As such it is a pity that there's no native network support. You can add a cheap wireless USB adapter, but that's more expensive than the Pi Zero itself.
A PiZero+ with built in wifi network support would be a real bonus.”
“Nice cheap device. However :
- If you want to use it in a game console, that is annoying to wait so long for it to boot.
- usb hubs don't work with it, this is very annoying.
- And why hell didn't they give it an analog sound output ?”
“Already have two PI 1s a PI2 and a PI Zero for hardware dev work.
So when stock of another PI Zero came available I got one.
Got a cheapo class 10 memory card, about £5.00
Loaded raspbmc onto card and inserted into PI , no HDMI as yet.
As I recall you enter your wifi code when you install raspbmc onto card.
One usb device, a wifi dongle, about £5.00, no keyboard or mouse.
Used my phones usb charger in power socket.
Powered on and waited, made a cup of tea.
From my router worked out what IP it had given the PI
On my main PC using putty and ssh and logged on to the PI, no problem.
And we were up.
Later connected a HDMI monitor and Kodi seemed to work OK.
Point to note: I bought a nice cheap short HDMI cable off eBay, it had the correct connectors for the PI. Seemed to work OK but the CEC (remote) did not work. Spend quite a while debugging, turns out pin 13 is CEC and it didn't have it. So all HDMI cables are not equals.
Jim”
