Getting a Piece of the Pi

You Bought a Raspberry Pi, Now What?

So, you just bought yourself the mini computer called the Raspberry Pi, what are you going to do with it?

This tiny wonder can be used for many different things. Some of those include a tool for learning to program, a video player, music player, or many other practical projects. However, the Raspberry Pi is a blank slate until you unlock its potential using different tools and programs. On this page we will explore some of the many projects that can be completed using a Raspberry Pi, as well as go over the steps for getting you ready to begin.

What Do I Need To Begin

The Basics

• Raspberry Pi Single-Board Computer
• An HDMI cable
• A _MicroSD card, 8gb or higher
• A _MicroUSB cable
• A Monitor or TV to use as a Display
• ^USB Wifi Dongle
• ^USB (Wired or Wireless) Keyboard and/or Mouse

Setting up your Raspberry Pi for Basic Use

Now we will explore the steps that need to be taken to set up your Raspberry Pi to run as a simple Linux computer.

Setting up your Operating System

1. Using a different computer, search the internet for a NOOBS disk image. Find the NOOBS disk image on the website linked after this list
2. After downloading the NOOBS disk image, insert your MicroSD card into your computer using the SD card adapter
3. Use a disk image writer, like Win32 Disk Image Writer or Etcher to write the NOOBS image on the MicroSD card

Once your NOOBS image is writen, it is now time to set up the Raspberry Pi

Basic Setup of your Raspberry Pi

See the Raspberry Pi diagram at the bottom of the page for more information. We are Using a Raspberry Pi2, which does not have on board Bluetooth and Wifi

Examine your board. Start with the picture of the Raspberry found on the board facing you

1. Start by inserting your recently written NOOBS MicroSD Card. Do this by inserting it in the SD card slot to the Left of the Raspberry on the board.
2. Next, we need to insert our USB Wifi Dongle and USB Keyboard and/or Mouse. On the right side of the Raspberry you see 4 USB ports. Insert the dongles in these ports.
3. We need to hook our Pi up to a display. To do this, insert your HDMI cable into the HDMI port, found below the Raspberry on the board. After inserting the HDMI cable in the Pi, insert it in your display (either monitor or TV)
4. Last we need to give the Pi power. To do this, insert your MicroUSB cable into the Pi. The MicroUSB port can be found to the left of the HDMI port. Last, plug the cable into a power source.

• All other steps must be complete before plugging your Pi into a powersource. The Pi will not read anything that is not plugged in after it has been powered on.
• We are working with the Raspberry Pi 2, which does not have Wifi or Bluetooth included on the board. Raspberry Pi3 and Pi Zero W do have bluetooth and Wifi, therefore you would not need a Wifi Dongle if you purchase those versions.
• It is important to protect your Raspberry Pi. Be sure to buy a protective case for your specific version.

Diagram of a Raspberry Pi2

View a Description of the Components of the Raspberry Pi board seen above.