unassembled pi3

[tony1812]

Hello, I am wondering is there any place I can get a pi3 that is not pre-assembled.( ie no header, no wired-ethernet the 4 usb? surely I can take them out but it requires a quite bit of desoldering. Thanks

[klricks]

Yes you can: https://www.element14.com/community/doc ... on-service

But you will have to purchase 5000 + units.
Otherwise.... NO

[Imperf3kt]

The other alternative is a CM3 /CM3L
But you'll need to buy additional parts that you'll need to design and order yourself.
Its not recommended for beginners or even intermediate users.

[W. H. Heydt]

The other alternative is a CM3 /CM3L
But you'll need to buy additional parts that you'll need to design and order yourself.
Its not recommended for beginners or even intermediate users.

Well....The CM3 and CM3L aren't *that* hard to use. Unless you're going to design your own carrier board, finding one that meets a particular need might be kind of difficult. As for working with the modules, probably the biggest hurdle is loading the OS onto the on-board eMMC flash.

I'll agree that CMs aren't for beginners, but anyone at an intermediate skill level with a Pi should be able to handle one, especially the CM3L on the development CPIO3 board. That's just like using an A+, only with both camera and display ports. I say "A+" because you only have one USB port. No LAN chip, no 4 USB ports, no Ethernet jack.

[MaxK1]

Do you need a Pi3 or could a Pi0/Pi0W do the job? If you do need a Pi3, then de-soldering all the "un-needed" stuff may be your best bet. (only do this if you are comfortable with de-soldering)

[tony1812]

Thanks for the replies.
I am actually making a home made 7" tablet(piBlet ). I wrote the python script for it on a piZero W, but it is unbearably slow! pi3 will be perfect except for the ports. They take up so much space.(I want it to be a thin as possible.( Plus in this age, who use wired Ethernet?) I looked at other single board, pi like computers, they all seem to have some kind of large port soldered in. I guess I have some de-soldering to do. Btw, I intend to replace the two USB ports with two mini USB ports. as long as I connect the 4 wires connectedly, that ought not to be an issue, right?

[MaxK1]

If it doesn't get too hot - a tablet-like case with display doesn't leave much room for a heatsink on the SoC. A metal case (Acting as a heat sink) milled to fit the Pi may be called for.

Good luck with the project!

[RaTTuS]

.... Plus in this age, who use wired Ethernet?) ...

anyone who is interested in security
wifi is just so bad...

[n67]

.... Plus in this age, who use wired Ethernet?) ...

anyone who is interested in security
wifi is just so bad...

My experience is that WiFi just doesn't work very well. It is great when it does, ...

It's like the difference between watching cable TV or OTA TV. OTA is great, when it works (which is some of the time - and only when the wind is blowing in the right direction).

[MaxK1]

We have dogs, guns and distance protecting our Wi-Fi. + if you are just looking for Free Wi-Fi, our internet service provider isn't on the list of Top 10 Internet providers...

[W. H. Heydt]

( Plus in this age, who use wired Ethernet?)

Them's fightin' words.

[tony1812]

Haha would be funny yo see an iOS tablet or android tablet with a big bulky ethernet connector and 1" thick!

[Burngate]

Since my home has no tablet, iOS or android or other, and my daughter & I sit with our laptops on the dining-room table (together with a Pi or three plus other stuff at my end) I see no reason to hogtie ourselves to WiFi, when we can have the full cat-5 bandwidth.

[Imperf3kt]

Speaking from a very similar experience, a Pi3b will NOT make a good thin tablet without some serious considerations regarding heat.
Just look at my signature

[tony1812]

Just a thought, after thinning the pi3, I could probable use the bottom of the 7" LCD panel which is all metal, put a bit of cpu paste on the chip then use it as a large area heat sink, yes?
Plus in normal use with wifi on the cpu heat is only about 70°C in a 3D printed box without any heat sink or fan. I am not too concern abut over heating.

[Imperf3kt]

I think that metal is tin and Tin is around 40% as effective as aluminium at transferring heat.

You can try it, but I don't think it will work as well as you expect.

[davidcoton]

I think that metal is tin and Tin is around 40% as effective as aluminium at transferring heat.

Have you seen the price of Tin? Parts made to go with Pi are usually low cost designs, unless they are headed for the ISS. It may be tin plated steel (if it is shiny), or it may be just steel or aluminium alloy. Test with a magnet.

Any sheet of metal that you can get the heat into and which has the surface area to radiate the heat will probably work. Conduction within the metal is far less significant then tranferring heat in or out. I would be concerned about raising the temperature of an LCD panel, that may well significantly shorten its life.

[mikerr]

How much extra would you pay for a partially depopulated "flat" pi ?

[Imperf3kt]

How much extra would you pay for a partially depopulated "flat" pi ?

I know the question was not directed at me, but personally, I feel that if sufficient interest for such a model was there, a fair price would probably be something we cannot guess xD

Personally though, I'd be willing to pay up to around $45USD for such a Pi - an extra $10USD for the extra work involved in manufacturing these different units and managing sales / shipping.
Whether thats even remotely in scope of accurate pricing, only the Pi foundation pricing department could say.

And yeah, if such an unpopulated Pi3b was available (in single units), I'd definitely buy at least one, whetherr that be a Pi without the Ethernet port and slim USB ports, or no Ethernet port / no USB at all, either option interests me.

But lets not turn this into a locked thread by discussing wishlists.

I think that metal is tin and Tin is around 40% as effective as aluminium at transferring heat.

Have you seen the price of Tin? Parts made to go with Pi are usually low cost designs, unless they are headed for the ISS. It may be tin plated steel (if it is shiny), or it may be just steel or aluminium alloy. Test with a magnet.

Any sheet of metal that you can get the heat into and which has the surface area to radiate the heat will probably work. Conduction within the metal is far less significant then tranferring heat in or out. I would be concerned about raising the temperature of an LCD panel, that may well significantly shorten its life.

Yeah thats one thought I had when I said "I don't think it will work as well as you expect." - I expect the LCD isn't designed to be so close to that much heat.

[tony1812]

I think some of you business minded guys are missing the point.
1. this is simply an experimental/teaching project, never meant to re-invent the wheel. Apple, Samsung, LG... are already doing too good of a job, dump the market with tablets, polluting the planet.

2. It will never be commercially feasible. By the time I make it a sophisticated tablet, the material costs, GPS, Camera... probably cost more than the cheap Chinese made Andriod tablets. I am only playing with my existing whatever available, otherwise collecting dust hardware, which don't cost me a dime.

3. The true reward that I can get out of this process is I will learn a lot about hardware and software, get a ton of joy from doing it and the bragging right!

[mikerr]

Depopulating a Pi3:

https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/pimoroni-thinnest-pi/
https://learn.adafruit.com/diet-raspberry-pi/steps

Using a CM3 and media stick is probably quite thin (though no wifi)
https://www.wdc.com/en-ie/products/wdla ... ry-pi.html

[tony1812]

Thanks mikerr ,

that video helps.

[W. H. Heydt]

And yeah, if such an unpopulated Pi3b was available (in single units), I'd definitely buy at least one, whetherr that be a Pi without the Ethernet port and slim USB ports, or no Ethernet port / no USB at all, either option interests me.

Well...if you think a Pi3B with only a single USB port would be worth $20 (at a guess), you can join be in urging the launch of the Pi3A. The only thing the OP would need to remove would probably be the GPIO header.