RASPBERRY Pi 2

[gregory_choo]

I don't have the invoice anymore. I vaguely recall that with GST, it was close to $50. And if you order only the Pi 2, you have to pay quite a bit extra for delivery (unless you self collect). When I added the casing and the 2amp power supply, the delivery charges amounted to only a few dollars.

Element 14 has stock; the other shop - RS - is still waiting for their stocks to arrive. And their prices are about the same.

I checked RS, it mentioned same day free delivery if have stock. So I will wait for a few more days.

 

[jchoong]

My Pi 2 ordered with RS has a tentative delivery date of Mar 4.

 

[lewkw]

I have just installed openelec and running from a usb stick. Seems to work ok. But intermittently the navigation will hang like the system is busy processing something. Also download video option always gives a script error.
Do you have this problem too?

Think I may try raspbmc next to see if it's better. Have you compared both? Which one do you think is better?

Are you using dual boot on raspberry pi? I switch back to raspbian +XBMC after having similar issue discussed.

 

[jchoong]

There is no power switch on the Pi 2 (to keep costs low, I guess); so it is a pain in the butt to switch on/off the power supply. Of course we can leave it on as it consumes very low power; but I don't feel comfortable with that.

 

[lewkw]

There is no power switch on the Pi 2 (to keep costs low, I guess); so it is a pain in the butt to switch on/off the power supply. Of course we can leave it on as it consumes very low power; but I don't feel comfortable with that.

My pi is powered on/off by a remote control UK socket.

 

[jchoong]

Can provide some info - product description/brand, where to buy, price, etc. Thanks.

Edit: I found one on Qoo10 - the cheapest is about $18 delivered.

 

[Raj1969]

You can get the RemotePi board. Allows you to do a proper shutdown of the OS using a remote controller.

All Products

 

[jchoong]

Thanks for the info. Elegant solution but it costs about the same as a Pi 2. Does not seem like a cost effective solution.

 

[kennlee]

Just leave it on lor. It's drawing very little power anyway.

 

[jchoong]

My Pi 2 runs a microSD with a standalone OpenElec/Kodi. Yesterday, after switching off Kodi, I was a bit impatient and switch off the power supply too early. This corrupted the microSD (could not finish its write and wear leveling tasks) and I could not reboot after that. I had to reimage the microSD and setup Kodi again!

 

[kennlee]

have you tried the usb as the storage? Seems this will prevent such problem.

 

[jchoong]

Won't a thumbdrive behave the same as the microSD?

 

[lewkw]

Can provide some info - product description/brand, where to buy, price, etc. Thanks.

Edit: I found one on Qoo10 - the cheapest is about $18 delivered.

Attached is a sample link. I purchased my current set 3 years ago (3 socket and 1 remote). Do note that the remote is not very well built.

hXXp://www.ebay.com/itm/Wireless-Remote-Control-Socket-Electric-AC-Power-Outlet-Switch-US-UK-EU-AU-Plug-/171658525747?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item27f7a53c33

I shutdown my unit from remote access or my mobile (Android/Yatse), afterwhich I will use the remote control to power off the unit.

 

[lewkw]

My Pi 2 runs a microSD with a standalone OpenElec/Kodi. Yesterday, after switching off Kodi, I was a bit impatient and switch off the power supply too early. This corrupted the microSD (could not finish its write and wear leveling tasks) and I could not reboot after that. I had to reimage the microSD and setup Kodi again!

I prefer the raspbian + XBMC as I could update packages. You can check the image by using fsck, on some virtual machine with gparted.

 

[jchoong]

Attached is a sample link. I purchased my current set 3 years ago (3 socket and 1 remote). Do note that the remote is not very well built.

hXXp://www.ebay.com/itm/Wireless-Remote-Control-Socket-Electric-AC-Power-Outlet-Switch-US-UK-EU-AU-Plug-/171658525747?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item27f7a53c33

I shutdown my unit from remote access or my mobile (Android/Yatse), afterwhich I will use the remote control to power off the unit.

Thanks for the info. I saw a similar one on Qoo10 going for about the same $.

 

[jchoong]

I prefer the raspbian + XBMC as I could update packages. You can check the image by using fsck, on some virtual machine with gparted.

I don't remember now, but is this "raspbian + XBMC" from NOOBS? I ran it for a while and then put it aside as I prefer the OpenElec/KODI version.

 

[lewkw]

I don't remember now, but is this "raspbian + XBMC" from NOOBS? I ran it for a while and then put it aside as I prefer the OpenElec/KODI version.

I am using this: RaspbianXBMC - Raspbian

 

[jchoong]

Thanks for sharing.

I am not familiar with Raspian and will need to take some time to learn this.

 

[jchoong]

Here's an excerpt from a very knowledgeable guy on KODI:

'[The "I want a good cheap box that can properly play my 2D Blu Ray and DVD rips on my TV via Kodi." Category]

The Pi 2 is winner in this category. When you purchase the codecs it can play any Blu Ray rip you throw at it, and it provides a great value by de-interlacing old DVDs really well. The Pi 2 can give you proper 24p support unlike almost any Android box and it can run the interface well for a modest library.

I give the Pi 2 my full endorsement for playing ripped media properly.

The only restrictions otherwise compared to a Chromebox are it can't run every plugin, it won't run every skin as well, it doesn't have the power to decode really any HEVC and maybe some Hi10p stuff, and it can't bitstream HD audio (that is the big one). Oh and I personally wouldn't use it for 1080i live TV unless I really couldn't afford a Chromebox.

But for the price the Pi 2 really is the only thing I feel safe saying can just take on a hard drive of random Blu Rays. I am kinda picky and I would take a Pi 2 over any Android box any day on a primary viewing station. Anyone near its price doesn't get the support the Pi does, plus Android is a second-class HTPC OS currently. There are better Android devices than a Pi 2, but honestly if you are spending more on a Pi 2 then a Chromebox is probably what you should be buying.

One limit of both the Pi 2 and the Chromebox is lack of ten foot Netflix support. I don't think that is a big deal, but some people want just one box for everything even if that means sacrificing a Pi 2 level Kodi experience. That is the next category."

You can read more from here:

Pick the Right Kodi Box (UPDATED FEB 2015)

 

[jchoong]

I received my Pi 2 ordered from RS today - delivered to my home. So, both RS and Element should now be stocked with the Pi 2.