[Swansea Hackspace] Raspberry Pi Zero

Fri Nov 27 09:10:34 GMT 2015

I started getting buyer’s remorse for supporting the C.H.I.P. Kickstarter until I realised that for only £2 more I’m getting Bluetooth, WiFi, 4GB flash and a fully open-source computer, where they are working on reducing the number of binary blobs to zero: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1598272670/chip-the-worlds-first-9-computer/posts/1247188 <https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1598272670/chip-the-worlds-first-9-computer/posts/1247188>

> On 27 Nov 2015, at 00:13, David Davies-Day <djdavies83 at hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Oooh, I really shouldn't have kicked off the puns.
> 
> When I rang WH Smith (Swansea quadrant), the lady said I was about the 20th person to phone in and that they won't be getting anymore.
> 
> Looking at the Pi blog, the Zero is made here in Wales. 
> 
> https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/raspberry-pi-zero/
> 
> WARNING, LONG RAMBLE APPROACHING: short version bear the end.
> 
> 
> Now that I work in the PCB assembly environment, I can fully appreciate exactly how they am have got the cost down on this one. I would imagine they would be manufactured in panels of 8, they would go through a screen printer to add the solder paste, pass through the pick and place machine (Mydata19 for example), then the reflow oven. That's the assembly complete, into the Automatic Optical Inspection machine to check for solder bridges, dry joints,  miss aligned compnents etc, if it passes AOI and there are no though hole components there would not be a manual inspection, maybe a quick system check (but I doubt it), that's it off to packing!
> 
> Now, if they were to have populated that 40 pin header, it woukd have been hand placed and sent over a wave solder machine, before that though, the 4 mounting holes and any other hales or pads that should not tmbe soldered would need to be manually masked using Kapton tape.
> 
> After another person takes a full rack of header populated boards, puts then through the wave machine/solder bath, another person would remove the tape and debug any dry joints or solder bridges, re-seat any raised components,  fit any missing ones or ones that cannot go through a wave machine, the solder side would be washed with a safe liquid solution, manual inspection, then it's packaging.
> 
> If a manufacture,  paying UK wages were to make any profit, they would have to charge their customer 3-4 the hourly the amount of a UK national minimum wage person.
> 
> (HERE'S THE SHORT OF IT)
> 
> In short, by using the smallest component so possibly, e.g. the micro USB, mini HDMI etc the board can be shrunk to its smallest to allow a greater number of boards to be SMD populated and flowed in on pass, leaving the 40 way through holes pads unpopulated for the end customer to do what they want with cuts a out a huge chuck of extra assembly time.
> 
> Ramble over. :-)
> 
> The attached image shows the connections, really please to see the Pi Zero still has Composite video out, even if I will have to populate it with a connector.
> 
> The sets that include cable are good value, but as a have mini HDMI cable for my android boxes and MICRO USB OTG cables for my phone, I imagine they will work with the Zero, I don't really need a bundle, but I may get one to know I have new set that will be reliable.
> 
> Emry, did you see the Chip Computer I sent an email about back when the kickstarter campaign was running? 
> 
> The $9, now $8 computer has the same 1Ghz, 512ram as the Zero, but has built in wifi, blue tooth AND 4Gb of on board storage, HDMI shield is an extra, it does come with the Composite cable as standard.
> 
> http://mobile.geek.com/latest/258638-chip-computer-drops-price-to-8-dollars-raspberry-pi-zero-immediately-steals-its-thunder?origref=https:%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F
> 
> Well, time to sleep, and dream of getting a Zero. 
> 
> No animals were harmed in the making of this email. However, several thousand electrons were severely inconvenienced.
> 
> -------- Original message --------
> From: Neil Jones <neil at aurinia.co.uk>
> Date:26/11/2015 20:53 (GMT+00:00)
> To: hackspace at swansea.hackspace.org.uk
> Cc:
> Subject: Re: [Swansea Hackspace] Raspberry Pi Zero
> 
> 
> 
> On 26/11/15 20:21, Alan Cox wrote:
> > On Thu, 26 Nov 2015 19:41:05 +0000
> > David Davies-Day <djdavies83 at hotmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >> It's a wash out!
> >>
> >> WH Smith sold out almost as soon as they went in sale, despite what the website says about Asda, Sainsbury and Tesco, non of them have it on their systems, let alone their shelves.
> >>
> >> Two copies of issue 40 have appeared on ebay (both currently over £21 ) in the last two hours, also a Pi Zero on its own currently at £7.50.
> >>
> >> Raspberry Pi's Twitter feed has commented how they can't believe their issue 40 is on ebay.
> >>
> >> This is complete Pi-demonium! as Emyr mentioned, most local newsagents should be able to get them, I've asked mine for a copy.
> > You'll just have to Pi-ne for one for a little while. I'm sure they'll be
> > flooding out soon, after all they are still made in Bridgend aren't they
> > - so it's not a crates from China job.
> >
> > Alan
> Oh dear your puns are worse than mine :-)
> I agree with Alan basically. They will be available soon. I would have 
> liked to get a magazine and I am going to see if one can be obtained. 
> There is one up to 30 quid on ebay now! I am not paying that! I do think 
> the original link that Justin sent us, where they have sold out, is a 
> good deal because you need adapters to get one working unless you have 
> them lying around, which I don't
> The magazine at its shop price is a bargain, but my research says there 
> will be more  Pi Zeros available at the end of December.
> 
> People have suggested that "newsagents" can order the magazine? Well 
> I'll need to look around. I know of lots of shops that sell a few papers 
> and magazines but they tend to be general shops that sell a bit of 
> everything these days. They didn't suggest when I asked in my WHSmith 
> that they could order it. I would guess they would be better at it if I 
> were to ask. What do others think?
> 
> Good heavens! They are now giving away computers with magazines and the 
> PI is now as cheap as an Arduino!
> 
> Neil
> 
> 
> 
> 
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