Arduino vs Raspberry PI??

DampDog · 4 May 2015 at 13:03

Not quite sure which section to post in. Feel free to move or point me in the right direction.

As both these are cheap and look relatively easy to access free forums and info. I quite like the idea getting one to just have a go at some very basic programing and tinkering. For no other reason than trying to learn something new.

Coming form the position of knowing absolutely nothing I'm being drawn to the Arduino, it's cheap there are lots of little starter kits around and I think it uses 'C' as it's programing language. There also seem to be dozens of different interface shields out there ready to go. And in terms of getting something to talk to the outside world it looks the way to go. Plus I don't need an extra monitor & keyboard as it's all programmed from PC software. It also looks stand alone in that once programmed you just power it up and off it goes.

That said am I missing a trick with the Raspberry Pi, and will it do all those things and more? From what tiny bit I've read it runs 'Python' and other than having heard of the language that's as much as I know.

thebennyboy · 4 May 2015 at 15:26

I'd say Raspberry Pi. Get the "Raspberry Pi 2 Model B" as that is the newest and only ~£30.

MarkLP · 4 May 2015 at 15:35

^^ Disagree. I have both and had zero programming knowledge. The arduino was so much easier to work with for programming it has everything you need from the start and you can just build on it whereas the PI needs setting up etc..

What took me a couple of weeks trying to program on the PI and failing took me an evening on the arduino and it worked.

thebennyboy · 4 May 2015 at 15:51

MarkLP said:
^^ Disagree. I have both and had zero programming knowledge. The arduino was so much easier to work with for programming it has everything you need from the start and you can just build on it whereas the PI needs setting up etc..

What took me a couple of weeks trying to program on the PI and failing took me an evening on the arduino and it worked.

I found the PI pretty easy to use. I couldn't comment on the Arduino, but from my own experience i would say the PI.

Rilot · 4 May 2015 at 17:43

Arduino if you want to start learning programming. Pi if you want to use programs that are already available, but of course there are programming environments for the Pi too.

Arduinos are awesome for making control circuitry.

DampDog · 4 May 2015 at 18:01

Think I'm going to go for the Arduino. As a novice they look more accessible and simpler, plus some of the little bundled starter kits are pretty cheap. Just looking at them it's obvious how they interface to the outside world via the various shields. From a beginners view point I wouldn't know where to start with R-Pi.

kaku · 4 May 2015 at 20:43

What exactly are you looking to do? Each are fairly different market segments.

DampDog · 5 May 2015 at 08:31

kaku said:
What exactly are you looking to do? Each are fairly different market segments.

Just learn something new really. I've wired and repaired PLC hardware in the past at work but never really got into the software side as much as I would have liked. As they're now so cheap, thought I'd just have a look and a play.
You say they occupy "different market segments" how would you characterise their use?? (asking out of ignorance)