A socket for raspberry pi zero? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Artlav
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2017, 12:14:18 am
content: Lately i've been in love with RPi zero. The thing is tiny, low power and yet provides essentially a full computer.The kind of uses i think for it is as an upper-level control board for things, for example.Basically, what i am looking for is a nice way to plug RPi zero into a PCB.Here is an example, the rover is controlled by a microcontroller, with RPi handling the cameras, data storage, wireless stuff and high level logic.Basically, i got two male microusb plugs mounted on a PCB at the right distance, and moved on from there.This does have two disadvantages:1. The plugs are too low, so there is a need for a cutout in the PCB. This limits placement options.2. MiniHDMI male plugs are essentially nonexistent. I got a few harvested from adapters, but they don't align too well with the microUSB ones.Which got me thinking - are there any pre-made "sockets" for RPi zero? A rig including two microUSBs and the HDMI plugs at the right distances, to be surface-mounted onto a PCB.Alternatively, have someone found or figured out a set of parts that would align well in height to plug an RPi zero into them, including HDMI?And before anyone asks, yes, i heard of "Compute Module", but they are overpriced and clumsy to use (the lack of a removable microsd card effectively kills it's usability, and the need to decide on all GPIO at design time does not help either).

author: buck converter
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2017, 12:20:38 am
content: if you still want to connect the pi to a monitor while it is plugged in to your rover thingy, you could use the composite video pin, instead of HDMI altogether.

author: Artlav
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2017, 12:25:23 am
content: Quote from: buck converter on November 14, 2017, 12:20:38 amNot needed for this project, but i have a few ideas that would need it, and having the HDMI port just plug in straight would be the preferred way.

author: buck converter
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2017, 01:25:30 am
content: Quote from: Artlav on November 14, 2017, 12:25:23 amWhat do you need HDMI for, anyway. You can also use a remote desktop program such as VNC (Internet required).

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2017, 03:04:54 am
content: 40 pin two row header on main PCB, matching female header on underside of Pi Zero, standoff pillars and mounting screws. Power the Pi via the +5V pin on its GPIO header.If your main board needs USB, use a short flylead with a rightangle connector, or if you need a flush case back and don't want to mess with a HDMI extender, use pogo pins onto the USB test pads, and blank off the USB port. (seehttps://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=187766)

author: technix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2017, 02:35:51 pm
content: What do you need the USB for? If it is just powering the device you can feed 5V into the GPIO pin headers. If you need USB maybe you can change the board layout a bit so the HDMI port is not obstructed?

author: Artlav
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2017, 03:14:42 pm
content: Quote from: buck converter on November 14, 2017, 01:25:30 amA laptop/tablet thingy, powered by RPi completely, or having an RPi as a secondary CPU.Kind of like this:Quote from: Ian.M on November 14, 2017, 03:04:54 amThat is going to be absurdly thick, and does not solve the HDMI problem.Quote from: technix on November 14, 2017, 02:35:51 pmCameras on the rover, mouse, wi-fi and so on on the laptop.Quote from: technix on November 14, 2017, 02:35:51 pmIt's not a matter of obstruction, but of the board-mounted plugs not aligning in height - to plug both USB and HDMI in the RPi would be at an angle.

author: technix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2017, 05:01:37 pm
content: Quote from: Artlav on November 14, 2017, 03:14:42 pmIt may be better to move the camera to the MIPI CSI2 interface - much less bus hogging. The Pi 3 and Pi Zero W both have built-in Wi-Fi so you can skip that on USB. As of the mouse maybe it is doable over I2C (There is a HID over I2C protocol defined by Microsoft, and since Surface Keyboards work under Linux it is likely you can get mice and touch panels to work over I2C too. HID over I2C have lower lag than USB as well since it contains a dedicated interrupt signal.)

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2017, 08:32:24 pm
content: If stacking them is too thick you can use a right angle 40 pin two row header and right angle socket to mate the boards in the same plane. You've still got the problem of getting the USB back to your GPI/O board, but as the HDMI is on an outside edge, you can simply plug that in. If you use a mini to standard HDMI adapter, with a 3D printed bracket to secure it, it will set the Pi back enough from the case wall for a rightangle USB Micro B cable to fit with no clearance issues. Otherwise 3D print a recessed surround for the mini HDMI port to gain enough clearance.