A single board computer (SBC) may not do a lot of the things that modern computers are known to accomplish, but it’s great for educational tinkering and certain industrial applications. An iconic item in hobbyist electronics, an SBC has few demands. It is a full computer that has everything that it needs on its single circuit board. The circuit board has its own microprocessor, its I/O, it’s own memory, meaning you don’t need to add any extra storage, or memory to boot. There is however a catch about SBCs – they are a bit hard to come by. If you are planning to get your hands on one of these computers, you need to know where and how to find them.
Luckily for you, Robert Novak, former system admin and a Field Day delegate has some tips to share on where you can find an SBC of your choice. In an article titled “Pi in the sky: Seven tips for finding the single board computer of your dreams” he shares pro tips on how to obtain a good SBC. He writes:
1. Check local retailers
This is a long shot, but for some people in some regions, it may still work. My local shop, Central Computers in Silicon Valley, has had them intermittently for a couple of months at reasonable prices.
For the rest of his tips and to know what Raspberry Pi alternatives are worth checking out, read his blog “Pi in the sky: Seven tips for finding the single board computer of your dreams”.
