My Raspberry Pi3 desktop system

I waited until there was at least 1GB ram & wifi before jumping in, & now that there is, I am trialling it as a desktop computer replacement.

So, I bought a Pi3 kit, board, case, power supply, HDMI cable, Cat 5 cable, 16GB microSD card.

I quickly found out it is more than capable of doing my daily tasks, which is mainly internet email, web browsing, & forums - plus listening to music & watching video.

Loving the small size of this piece of kit, I investigated the internet for an equally small but usefully sized monitor for it, & found an Eyoyo 11.5" (1366x768), same size as my netbook/laptop, & so bought it.

Next was finding a replacement for the full sized keyboard & mouse.

Two possibilities emerged, both were remotes (Bluetooth/Wifi), a micro keyboard with touchpad, & a smallish keyboard with standard sized keys & a touchpad.

I couldn't decide if one would be better than the other, so I got both.

Edit: Running Raspbian, as I have been using Debian based systems since 1999.

Thanks for the info. I've been considering playing with small single boards now that more linux and bsd support is up.

Originally Posted by fatmac I waited until there was at least 1GB ram & wifi before jumping in, & now that there is, I am trialling it as a desktop computer replacement. So, I bought a Pi3 kit, board, case, power supply, HDMI cable, Cat 5 cable, 16GB microSD card. I quickly found out it is more than capable of doing my daily tasks, which is mainly internet email, web browsing, & forums - plus listening to music & watching video. Loving the small size of this piece of kit, I investigated the internet for an equally small but usefully sized monitor for it, & found an Eyoyo 11.5" (1366x768), same size as my netbook/laptop, & so bought it. Next was finding a replacement for the full sized keyboard & mouse. Two possibilities emerged, both were remotes (Bluetooth/Wifi), a micro keyboard with touchpad, & a smallish keyboard with standard sized keys & a touchpad. I couldn't decide if one would be better than the other, so I got both. Edit: Running Raspbian, as I have been using Debian based systems since 1999.

Hi.
Thank you for posting this.

As someone who's considering to do the same (though with VPN clients + other streaming services like Plex, Steam and friends), using a big noisy server in my basement ... just one question:

How did you deal with its sound issues (being just raw-output and not amplified)?

Any recommendation for (cheap) external amplifiers would be very appreciated (the ones from adafruit are insanely overpriced).

No problem with sound for me, just plugged in my headphones or my usb powered speakers.

Originally Posted by jens Any recommendation for (cheap) external amplifiers would be very appreciated (the ones from adafruit are insanely overpriced).

I've been using one of these Lepei amps for years (see picture below). Works great for me as a simple sound system for my PC. Something to consider if all's you need is stereo and don't plan on filling a large auditorium with sound. Currently $29 (you probably know that Amazon prices seem to go up and down as the wind blows!) This is just an amp, you will need your own speakers. https://www.amazon.com/Lepai-LP-2020...ereo+amplifier

You could also use a wireless bluetooth speaker. I have a "Shark2o" (see picture below) that I think is a decent sounding and full featured speaker for the price. Currently $52 (amp, rechargeable LiIon battery and speakers all in one unit -
ready to go). https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Spe...ywords=shark2o

I think you probably need to install some additional software packages on a Raspberry Pi to have it output audio via bluetooth. I've seen tutorials on how to do that, but haven't tried it myself. Here is one such tutorial like I'm referring to (having not done this, I can't vouch for the accuracy of the tutorial). http://youness.net/raspberry-pi/blue...t-raspberry-pi