Pi

[D-Dan]

After having got my Pi set up as a Plex media server, and having a spare SDCard, I played with Arch ARM for a while, and didn’t get on with it (despite being an Arch user on my mains computers).

Just discovered retropie, though, and have wasted half the day playing Croc and Tomb Raider 1 using the PS emulator. Fortunately, I have a HDMI switcher and so can use it on my big monitor, and have set up pulse on it to use my main system audio server. Now I need to acquire a new RPi 3B (maybe even a plus), since it’s now mandatory that I have both the media server and the retro gaming machine working.

What an absolutely wonderful little circuit board this thing is 🙂

Arch Linux, on a Ryzen 7 1800X, 32 GB, 5 (yes -5) HDs inc 5 SSDs, 4 RPi 3Bs + 1 RPi 4B - one as an NFS server with two more drives, PiHole (shut yours), Plex server, cloud server, and other random Pi stuff. Nice CoolerMaster case, 2 x NV GTX 1070 8GB, and a whopping 32" AOC 1440P monitor.

[Drezha]

Indeed!

I’ve a Pi Zero W running Pi-Hole, a Pi Zero W in the kitchen along with a USB temperature sensor to track the temperature (coldest room in the house) and a Pi2 as a media centre.

I’ve not yet played with RetroPie, but might be worth a shot I guess! I’ve got two RPi3’s lying around at the minute.

"Everything looks interesting until you do it. Then you find it’s just another job" - Terry Pratchett

[Ed P]

You have obviously been bitten!

Just wait until you delve into what can be done by connecting a few things to the gpio pins. That can get to be a huge time waster, especially if someone from the local school cons you into helping them implementing STEAM demos. I spend every other day fiddling with Lego, plastic gears and small stepper motors to make an autonomous tank that likes ‘blue’ things and fires its gun at ‘red’ things! The Python programming bit is easy, but trying to shoe-horn everything into a restricted space is not!

[Robin Long]

I discovered retropi yesterday, 24 hr’s later my NES itch has been filled moving onto my SNES itch now.  I’m going to look to move it to the Pi-Zero thats currently gathering dust I’m told it will work,  if it does there will be a new console in the living room!

 

Cheers Knight,

RIP Spike09 Your Missed
If I'm not here, I'm there.

Finally joined Twitter! longr79

[Anonymous]

Drezha wrote:

Indeed! I’ve a Pi Zero W running Pi-Hole,

I had PiHole running but switched it off. It’s more of a faff to enable sites than just running AdBlock locally.

[Drezha]

Anonymous wrote:

Drezha wrote:

Indeed! I’ve a Pi Zero W running Pi-Hole,

I had PiHole running but switched it off. It’s more of a faff to enable sites than just running AdBlock locally.

No help for the iPad or phones though 😉
It’s rare that I need it turned off but I do occasionally. Haven’t found it to hard to do.

"Everything looks interesting until you do it. Then you find it’s just another job" - Terry Pratchett

[Anonymous]

Drezha wrote:

No help for the iPad or phones though  It’s rare that I need it turned off but I do occasionally. Haven’t found it to hard to do.

That’s true. It’s not hard no, I’m just lazy 😛

But yes, for all other devices it would be better. I actually had a chat with a colleague and said he’d set one up and it had removed all the adverts from the likes of 4od, itv, etc. That might be worth it just for that!

[The Duke]

If someone can confirm it stops channel 4 many adds out. I’m in. I have a pi set up in the corner, so I’ll defo be into that.

I don’t mind ads, but C4 and C5 that the pee.

[Dave Rice]

My Pi is sat there doing sod all, might give this a go.

[D-Dan]

I liked RetroPie that much, that I couldn’t decide between running the Plex install, or the RetroPie, so I just ordered a new Pi 3B+ and case. Probably won’t need an ethernet connection on it, so WiFi will be fine. SDCard is already prepped and working.

And next day delivery, all in £44. Now, look at the number of emulators it includes, and work out the original cost of them all combined. I reckon £44 is an absolute bargain.

As of tomorrow (or possibly Wednesday, since it’s late in the day today) I’ll have the plex server and the retro game machine up and running. Now, need to hunt down a spare good quality MicroUSB cable. I’m sure I must have one knocking about.

Arch Linux, on a Ryzen 7 1800X, 32 GB, 5 (yes -5) HDs inc 5 SSDs, 4 RPi 3Bs + 1 RPi 4B - one as an NFS server with two more drives, PiHole (shut yours), Plex server, cloud server, and other random Pi stuff. Nice CoolerMaster case, 2 x NV GTX 1070 8GB, and a whopping 32" AOC 1440P monitor.

[Ed P]

A Pi Zero WH is even cheaper. Add in a USB Stick (more reliable than a SD card) and a ClassD Amplifier+3 inch speaker. OK there is a smidgen of soldering but not really very much and you finish with a good little media centre.

[The Duke]

Just looking up pi hole. And i found something out i never knew. (You lot probably did a decade ago)

In your routers dns host box, the one we change to either google or open dns, you can put your pi holes static IP in there. (Have your dns of choices set up in pi hole).

That way their is no messing on any of your connected devices.AAnd tou just connect staight to your router as normal.

I thought you had to connect your devices to the ras pi running pi hole. I don’t know why i thought this, but it’s what put me off in the past.

Defo going to do this tomorrow. I have a rad 1 2 and i think 3. Will the speed matter, or is any of them more than up to the task?

[Ed P]

If Ethernet speed worries you, then you may want to splash out on a new Pi3+ that brings near gigabit speed to the Pi. As Dave points out most people will not even notice that it is a cobbled-up gigabit.

[Drezha]

The Duke wrote:

Just looking up pi hole. And i found something out i never knew. (You lot probably did a decade ago) In your routers dns host box, the one we change to either google or open dns, you can put your pi holes static IP in there. (Have your dns of choices set up in pi hole). That way their is no messing on any of your connected devices.AAnd tou just connect staight to your router as normal. I thought you had to connect your devices to the ras pi running pi hole. I don’t know why i thought this, but it’s what put me off in the past. Defo going to do this tomorrow. I have a rad 1 2 and i think 3. Will the speed matter, or is any of them more than up to the task?

 

That’s what I did and was part of the reason I stopped using the BT Homehub (because you couldn’t change the DNS settings). This way, I didn’t have to sort out any of the fiancé’s devices to work (it just works).

Also had no complaints about it either – in fact, I’ve had queries when it’s NOT working!

In regards to the Pi used, it shouldn’t make a lot of difference. The Pi Zero W runs it perfectly well, though is a bit slower on the web side of things (displaying the dashboard) but I rarely use that, so it isn’t much of a hardship! No noticeable speed different using a Pi 3 or the Pi Zero.

At work now, so can’t confirm the adverts. It certainly didn’t whilst I was watching the Derry Girls on 4OD on the Apple TV recently. I’ve also noticed Youtube ads creeping back in on the apps on iOS and Android so I wonder if they’ve found a way around that now.

"Everything looks interesting until you do it. Then you find it’s just another job" - Terry Pratchett

[Dave Rice]

PiHole up and running and integrated into the network via DHCP server settings. I’ve just ordered an Active PoE Splitter 48V to 5V 2.4A £8 on Amazon so I can hide it in the network cabinet.

It’s working well and things are definitely snappier compared to Adblock software. It’s amazing how many queries are being blocked.

[Anonymous]

The Duke wrote:

If someone can confirm it stops channel 4 many adds out. I’m in. I have a pi set up in the corner, so I’ll defo be into that. I don’t mind ads, but C4 and C5 that the pee.

Set it up, can confirm at least for Channel 4!

For now, I’ve set it up just for my devices. Don’t want to make it network wide, my flat mate won’t appreciate it breaking things until I get the major sites that need whitelisting sorted.

Wonderfully, I’ve been able to force it on VPN too, so where I am VPN’d in I get adblocking too!

 

Dave Rice wrote:

PiHole up and running and integrated into the network via DHCP server settings. I’ve just ordered an Active PoE Splitter 48V to 5V 2.4A £8 on Amazon so I can hide it in the network cabinet. It’s working well and things are definitely snappier compared to Adblock software. It’s amazing how many queries are being blocked.

Well now I’m off to research PoE!

[The Duke]

All looking great guys, im going to have a play tonight if i have the time after i come in.

[D-Dan]

I had no idea about PiHole, but having done a quick test, I love it, and one less extension for the browsers 🙂

Arch Linux, on a Ryzen 7 1800X, 32 GB, 5 (yes -5) HDs inc 5 SSDs, 4 RPi 3Bs + 1 RPi 4B - one as an NFS server with two more drives, PiHole (shut yours), Plex server, cloud server, and other random Pi stuff. Nice CoolerMaster case, 2 x NV GTX 1070 8GB, and a whopping 32" AOC 1440P monitor.

[The Duke]

Having set pihole up earlier, I can say I’m liking it. This is a big jump for me as I’m very anti ad avoidance.

Though I did install add blocker to chrome, to help my ageing chrome book.

Moments after I finish3d the pi hole setup and swapped the dns IP in my router. I noticed my router had a firmware update. As soon as I updated it, the whole think just packed in.

I’ve never seen the kids all want to speak to me in one go for a long time. Though they had nothing nice to say. It was like their worlds just collapsed.

I couldn’t connect to my routers admin page, even my cable, so I bite the billet and decided to do a factory reset. Thinking about all my ‘smart stuff’ I resigned myself to a night of settings crap up, I’ve long forgot how I set up on the first place.

Though to my surprise, after holding the factory reset button, the router rebooted, and all was fine. All settings in order and all working as it should.

I parted it on its pretty head. And carefully placed it back where it lives.

This pi hole seems to of turbo charged a lot of the sports related news pages. Very nice indeed.

[The Duke]

Does pi hole auto launch on boot. I am going to move the pi from where it is too next to the router.

Will pi hole launch when I power my pi back on. Or to I have to manually launch pi hole once raspbian boots up.

I’m hoping on the former.

[Author]

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