Web User - UK (2019-08-07)

Weekend Project

Get to grips with someserioustech tinkering to

boost your computer andotherdevices

58 7 - 20August 2019

comes with two HDMI Micro ports, soyou

canconnect two screens

• HDMI Micro-to-HDMI cable(or a
  standard HDMI-to-HDMI cable and an
  HDMI Micro-to-HDMI adapter):
  thisconnects the Pito the display. You’ll
  need two ifconnecting two screens


• Ethernet cable:to connect the Pito
  your network and the internet (this is
  optional, because the new Pi also
  supports dual-band 802.11acWi-Fi)

Howto

... Use a Raspberry Pi 4

as a desktop PC

Wayne Williamsshows you how to set up the new Raspberry Pi 4

and explains how close it can getto replacing a regular PC

What you’ll need
First off,you’ll obviously needa
Raspberry Pi 4.This comes with a choice
of three RAM sizes – 1GB (£33), 2GB
(£43) and 4GB (£53). 2GB is the
minimum sizeyou’ll needto use the Pi as
a desktop PC, but 4GB is preferable.
In additionto the Pi 4 itself,you will
need thefollowingextrasto get it set up
andworking:

• TV orcomputer monitor:the Pi 4

T

he original Raspberry Pi ( www

.raspberrypi.org) was designed

to provide an ultra-cheap way to

encourage children to tinker with

computer hardware andlearn to code,

just as they hadwith home computers

in the 1980s and’90s. The uncased

creditcard-sized computer hassince

found an appreciative audience

outside of education, too,andis used

in all sorts of projects.

The Pi hasundergone anumberof

revisions since it was launched in 2012,

eachmore powerful andfeature-rich

than the last. The Raspberry Pi 4 B,

whichwent on sale inJune, offers

three times the processing power and

four times the multimedia

performance of its predecessor, the

Raspberry Pi 3+. As we saw in last

issue’s review (bit.ly/webuser480), it’s

not enough to replace aWindows

desktop PC in every respect but it’s

gettingcloser with every iteration.

However, if all you want to do is

browse the web andcarry out some

light office work, you can certainly use

this new Pi for that andmore. Here, we

explain what you need andwhat to

expect if you’re thinkingof

experimenting for yourself.

• USBkeyboard


• USB mouse


• Micro SD card:you need a minimum of
  8GBto install the operatingsystem, and
  may alsorequire an adapterto connect
  to your PCto transfer the operating
  systemto it


• 15W USB-C power supply:the
  Raspberry PiFoundation made a mistake
  with this new Pi’s USB-C hardware
  design, so the port is incompatible with

M T W T F S S