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It wasn’t long ago that ANPR technology was extremely expensive to purchase and implement. Now, even the Raspberry Pi has the ability to read number-plates with high accuracy using the Pi Camera Module and open-source software. Let’s demonstrate what’s possible by building a system to detect and alert when a car comes onto the driveway.

First things first: where are we going to put it? Although this project has lots of applications, we’re going to see who’s home (or not) by reading number-plates of cars coming and going on a driveway. This means the Raspberry Pi is probably going to live outside; therefore, many environmental constraints come into place. You’ll need USB 5 V power to the Pi and a mounting position suitable for reading plates, although the software is surprisingly tolerant of angles and heights, so don’t worry too much if you can’t get it perfectly aligned.

As our Pi is going to live outside (unless you have a well-placed window), you’ll need an appropriate enclosure. For a proper build, get an IP67 waterproof case.

We’re opting for homemade, and are using a Raspberry Pi 3 A+ with the RainBerry – a 3D-printable case that, once you add some rubber seals, provides adequate protection. Make sure whatever you choose has a hole for the camera.

As we don’t need a graphical user interface, Raspbian Stretch Lite is our operating system of choice. Any Pi can handle this task, although if you want the fastest image processing possible, you probably want to avoid the Zero models and get a nice, zippy Model 3B or 3B+. Get your operating system set up, make sure you’ve done the necessary sudo apt update && sudo apt -y upgrade and have configured WiFi if you’re not using Ethernet. Finally, make sure your Pi Camera Module is connected and enabled. You can check this by running sudo raspi-config and looking under ‘Interfacing Options’.

So that we can get an alert when a car arrives or leaves, we’re using old favourite Pushover, which makes sending notifications to mobile phones a breeze. There’s a free trial, after which it’s a flat fee of $4.99 per device, with no subscription or limits. Once logged in, go to ‘Your Applications’ and make a note of your User Key. Then click ‘Create an Application/API Token’. Call it ‘ANPR’, leave all the other fields blank, and click ‘Create Application’. Now make a note of the API Token; you’ll need this and the User Key for your code.

The code makes use of the Pi Camera Module and openALPR in tandem. Every five seconds, the camera takes a picture which is passed to openALPR for analysis. If a licence plate is found, we get the number. If there has been a change, an alert is sent to Pushover, which is then forwarded to any registered mobile devices.

A key part of any ‘hands-free’ Raspberry Pi installation is ensuring that in the event of a power failure, the required services start up again. There are many ways of doing this; we’re going use one of the simpler methods.

As ever, it’s over to you. Now you have the ability to track and record registration plates, there are many different applications for you to explore. Since all the analysis of the image is done locally, no internet connection is required for the system to work. Is there someone ‘borrowing’ your parking space at work? Catch ’em in the act! Why not take your Car Spy Pi on the road? It could record every vehicle you encounter, which may be useful should something untoward happen. Combine a Raspberry Pi Zero with a ZeroView  and you’re all set.

Depending on your display stand, you might find that the LCD display defaults to being upside-down. You can fix this by rotating it with /boot/config.txt.

If some windows in X are cut off at the side/bottom of the screen, this is unfortunately a side-effect of developers assuming a minimum screen resolution of 1024x768 pixels.

At the moment you can’t use HDMI and the LCD together in the X desktop, but you can send the output of certain applications to one screen or the other.

You may need to increase the amount of memory allocated to the GPU to 128MB if the videos are 1080P. Adjust the gpu_mem value in config.txt for this. The Raspberry Pi headline figures are 1080P30 decode, so if you are using two 1080P clips it may not play correctly depending on the complexity of the videos.

I recently reviewed the Orchard Audio PecanPi Streamer Ultra, a Raspberry Pi-based network music streamer device with an integrated touchscreen. While I appreciated the device’s idea and sound quality, I struggled to justify the price and the compromises made in convenience and features.

Many compelling aspects of a Pi-based streamer became apparent when using the Streamer Ultra. Rather than using a multi-purpose, complicated, and inherently noisy computer to serve up digital music files, a Pi streamer can offer a streamlined and straightforward solution. It’s the ultimate DIY device, allowing the average tinkerer to select components and easily combine them into a custom product. And the price CAN be far less than a finished commercial product with similar features and sound quality.

The great thing about a Pi-based device is that you’ve got SO MANY options and choices to make every step of the way, and the end product can be significantly different for each builder.

Build 1 contains an internal DAC board but the slower Pi 3B+, while Build 2 does not include a DAC in the price (it requires an external USB DAC) and is based on the faster Pi 4B.

There have been several Raspberry Pi revisions over the last few years. Each revision is more powerful than the previous but shares the same basic shape and size. The Pi’s claim to fame is, of course, inexpensive and flexible open-sourced computing power. For the sake of this discussion, we only need to concern ourselves with the most recent Pi models.

Before the 4B version, using a Pi as a network streamer was primarily limited by the shared Ethernet and USB controller. This combined controller restricts the bandwidth for USB-based DAC connections (to external DACs) and the Ethernet throughput. Clever folks worked around this limitation by designing separate DAC boards (HATs) that bypass the USB connection and connect via the 40-pin GPIO header on the Pi board. More on this later.

The 4B model is about twice as expensive as the sub-$50 Pi 3B and 3B+ versions, but the improved speed and unrestricted bandwidth make the 4B this model of choice. Unless you are going to use a very air-flow restricted case, overheating shouldn’t be an issue, and adding a powered fan is an option (although this adds noise as well).

You can make things easy on yourself (as I originally did) and purchase a Pi that comes in a starter kit bundled with needed accessories, namely power supply, microSD card, and case. Or you can buy them separately (which may make more financial sense if you are going to end up buying a different case anyway).

There are official power supplies available for each model that are reliable, use heavy gauge wires, and are reasonably priced. The Pi creators recommend their 2.5A micro USB Supply for the 3, and for the 4, they recommend their 3A USB-C Supply.

“The power requirements of the Raspberry Pi increase as you make use of the various interfaces on the Raspberry Pi. The GPIO pins can draw 50mA safely, distributed across all the pins; an individual GPIO pin can only safely draw 16mA… Check the power rating of the devices you plan to connect to the Pi and purchase a power supply accordingly.

If you need to connect a USB device that will take the power requirements above the values specified in the table above, then you must connect it to an externally-powered USB hub.” – The Raspberry Pi Foundation

Suppose the power supply isn’t sufficient for the Pi’s power demands. In that case, the Pi incorporates low-voltage detection circuitry and displays a low power warning icon (yellow lightning bolt) on all attached displays. Insufficient power can cause erratic behavior, including unexplained crashes and corruption of the SD card.

As there isn’t a hardware power switch on the Pi itself, some power supplies include a physical switch on the cable. Choosing a power supply with a cable mounted switch can be a handy feature, saving you unplugging and reconnecting when needed.

A switching power supply typically creates high-frequency voltage using a power transistor and uses pulse width modification (PWM) to regulate the output voltage. This voltage is then filtered to remove unwanted noise and become DC. Linear power supplies pass the AC through a transformer to convert it to DC and then filter after that.

Since linear power supplies use no high-frequency switching, they are generally considered lower noise. Their rectifier circuitry and filtering produce very clean DC voltage; however, they are typically larger, heavier and less efficient than a comparable switching power supply.

For those concerned with squeezing the best (but perhaps unnoticeable) performance out of their Pi build, a high-quality linear power supply is an option. Keep in mind that adding a linear power supply can add to the project’s overall price many times over.

The Pi has no internal memory for an operating system (OS), so everything that it does is dependent on an installed MicroSD card. In fact, a Pi can instantly change between being a full-fledged desktop computer, or retro-gaming station, or a network music player simply by powering it off and swapping the MicroSD card. Buy a few and try the many software options out there!

Memory is cheap these days, so there is no excuse for not simply purchasing the best performing MicroSD card available, such as the class 10 Sandisk Ultra. A 16Gb capacity is typically more than enough to run most available software, as long as you don’t expect to store media on the card as well. Media will need to be accessed via the network or a connected USB drive.

SD card class is an indication of memory access speed. Class 4: 4Mb/sec. Class 10: 10 Mb/sec. Depending on the software used, and the Pi version, there may not be any noticeable real-world differences between the classes.

Most music playback software includes a phone app and/or web interface for control, so it isn’t essential to include a screen in your build. This significantly decreases case size and overall project cost. A Pi without an attached screen is referred to as ‘headless.’

There are two main ways to connect a screen to a Raspberry Pi. The first is through the HDMI connection on the Pi. Unfortunately, although HDMI is an industry standard and allows for compatibility with a significant number of screens, many of the network streaming software options do not support this interface.

The other connection method uses the Pi S2 connector. The S2 port is a display serial interface (DSI) for connecting a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel using a 15-pin ribbon cable. The official 7” Raspberry Pi Touch Display uses the DSI port.

“The Display Serial Interface (DSI) is a specification by the Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) Alliance aimed at reducing the cost of display controllers in a mobile device. It is commonly targeted at LCD and similar display technologies.” – Wikipedia

LCD displays have an optimum viewing angle, so it is advantageous to choose a case that can adjust the display to the proper angle for your application. Most LCDs seem to work best when viewed from slightly above. A 90 degree, straight up and down, vertically mounted display is easy to implement, but you may struggle to read or interact with it.

Case choice is limited by the decision to include a screen in your network streamer. While a screen is convenient for setup, and I like the option of touch screen controls and ‘now playing’ notification, many folks choose to build smaller and less expensive streamers without a screen. The basic and inexpensive cases bundled in many Pi accessory packages work fine.

Since I decided to integrate the 7” official Pi screen (for maximum software package compatibility), surprisingly few case options were available. Luckily, the SmartiPi SmartiCase met my needs and is unexpectedly affordable. They make (in their words) “super cool Raspberry Pi cases.”

The SmartiCase is available in a few different options. For my first build, I went with a black SmartiPi Touch 2 because it was readily available on Amazon, although it does require separately purchasing a back cover if using a DAC add-on board. The newer SmartiPi Touch Pro case with its centered screen position and spacious back cover will fit virtually any hardware choice.

Assembling the SmartiPi cases is a relatively simple affair, with good instructions and pictures available on the official webpage. The screen is mounted to the front of the case, while the Raspberry Pi is assembled into the back and connected via the included ribbon cable.

The included 30x30mm fan (optionally mounted on the rear door) can be powered by the 5v GPIO pin (7500 RPM) or 3.3v GPIO pin (4800 RPM) to change speed and noise level. On the Touch 2 case, the rear door must be removed in order to use add-on HAT boards. An optional back cover plate accessory can be purchased separately to cover the HAT board.

The primary limitation of the SmartiPi cases is the inability to access the installed microSD card without removing the rear cover and Raspberry Pi. It is not a big deal once you’ve decided on software, but it makes quick changes somewhat more cumbersome. Additionally, due to the Pi’s positioning at the leftmost edge (as viewed from the front), any USB or ethernet cables stick out from the side.

If you are basing your build on the Raspberry Pi 4B , you are free to use whatever sort of DAC you want. Already have an excellent external USB DAC? No problem! Just connect it via the USB port and have at it!

It may be a good idea to check on the Pi music software forums and associated help documents to ensure your DAC is compatible with a particular software package before making any purchases or final decisions. Most DACS should be supported; however, I recently ran into problems with a Helm Bolt DAC dongle not being recognized.

For my own project based on the Pi 3B+, I have been able to use a USB DAC with no real issues, but the model’s bandwidth limitations strongly suggest that the best way to go for maximum stability is a HAT DAC.

The Raspberry Pi connects to add-on extension boards via its 40-pin GPIO header interface. These add-on boards are called HATs (Hardware Attached on Top). I assume its name also is derived from the fact that the Pi wears the board much like a hat. As mentioned before, the GPIO interface’s use circumvents any bandwidth limitations of USB and can ensure maximum sound quality.

Now that you’ve assembled all the hardware for your Pi-based network streamer, it’s time to pick the software. No matter how great the hardware choices you made are, if the user interface is cumbersome and frustrating to use, you will not be happy with the device. Software choice is a crucial decision.

Please don’t let the number of options below overwhelm you. If you don’t know where to start, just pick Volumio for your network music streamer. It’s beautiful, fully-featured, easily configured, and has excellent documentation.

Mopidy – An easy-to-use, audiophile-focused, music server developed with Python. Extensions allow support for local playback, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Google Music. Control through a web interface on the same network.

PiCorePlayer – (pCP) – A very small, but high-quality audio player via Squeezelite and Logitech Media Server (LMS), built on piCore Linux. It boots very quickly and runs entirely in RAM.

PiMusicBox – A “Swiss Army Knife” media player (based on Mopidy) supporting local network-based music playback, AirPlay, and DLNA streaming, as well as support for online services such as Spotify, Google Music, SoundCloud, Webradio, and podcasts.

RoPieee – A Roon Bridge that enables playing audio over a USB DAC and supports most well-known audio HATs. It can use the original 7″ Raspberry Pi touchscreen for display and control purposes. RoPieee also supports RF-based remote controls and has an elaborate update mechanism (saving you the hassle of manually downloading and reflashing the card to update the program).

RuneAudio – A free and open-source Linux OS, with only the features and functions necessary for high-quality music playback retained. Rune can be controlled by any device on the same local network as the Raspberry Pi via a web user interface.

Volumio – A music server for the Raspberry Pi dedicated to audiophiles based on the Raspbian Pi operating system. Volumio is easy to use, supports all types of files (mp3, FLAC, Alac, Aac, Vorbis, etc.), and works with most DAC HATs and the official Pi touchscreen. Available extensions allow compatibility with DLNA, AirPlay, and Spotify. A subscription-based premium service called “MyVolumio” allows for Tidal and Qobuz support as well.

If you are looking to simply create a dedicated music-only streamer, the Kodi options are likely overkill as they are designed to play back all popular media file formats including audio, video, and pictures.

OpenELEC – (Open Embedded Linux Entertainment Center) – A small Linux-based Just Enough Operating System (JeOS) built from scratch as a platform to turn the Pi into a Kodi media center. It offers add-ons to Kodi which allows access to more platforms and content and is faster and lighter weight than Kodi.

Volumio is likely the best (and most common) solution for a Pi-based network streamer. It offers an efficient and highly intuitive web control interface and is ideal for getting started. Newbies should start here!

Since I’ve recently become a dedicated Roon user, I ended up settling on the more fully-featured XL version of RoPieee for my Pi network streamer after trying the other options. In addition to Roon, the XL version supports DLNA, Airplay, and Spotify technology to stream audio.

RoPieee’s motto is “it’s not an OS, but an appliance.” This commitment to simplicity appeals to me. I just want a device to work and not require constant fiddling around with. Configuration (if necessary at all) is done from RoPieee’s web interface from any device on the network.

Frankly, RoPieee is not the prettiest option for the touchscreen. Volumio’s fonts and layout are more attractive, but far more complicated. Certainly, Roon itself is much more aesthetically appealing. But, it’s a tradeoff I’m willing to make.

The left half of the Ropieee screen displays album art, while the right side has basic play/pause, previous, next, repeat, random, and volume controls. When no music is playing, RoPieee can default to displaying a digital clock. Simple and useful.

That being said, for my second build, I skipped the DAC HAT, and for about the same overall price, upgraded to the Pi 4B, Touch Pro case, and used an external USB DAC (that I already had on hand and is not factored into the build price).

If you are just looking for analog RCA outputs, the Topping D10s is a great affordable DAC choice. Or, the xDuoo XD05 Plus offers analog outputs for an external amplifier or amplified speakers, and a terrific integrated headphone amp. The sky’s the limit for DAC choices with a build based on the Pi 4B!

The DS18B20 temperature sensor is perfect for projects like weather stations and home automation systems. Few sensors are this easy to set up on the Raspberry Pi. They’re the same size as a transistor and use only one wire for the data signal. They’re also extremely accurate and take measurements quickly. The only other component you need is a 4.7K Ohm or 10K Ohm resistor.

In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to connect the DS18B20 to your Raspberry Pi and display the temperature readings on the SSH terminal or an LCD display.

Digital temperature sensors are typically silicon based integrated circuits. Most contain the temperature sensor, an analog to digital converter (ADC), memory to temporarily store the temperature readings, and an interface that allows communication between the sensor and a microcontroller. Unlike analog temperature sensors, calculations are performed by the sensor, and the output is an actual temperature value.

A 64 bit ROM stores the device’s unique serial code. This 64 bit address allows a microcontroller to receive temperature data from a virtually unlimited number of sensors at the same pin. The address tells the microcontroller which sensor a particular temperature value is coming from.

We’ll need to enable the One-Wire interface before the Pi can receive data from the sensor. Once you’ve connected the DS18B20, power up your Pi and log in, then follow these steps to enable the One-Wire interface:

That’s all that’s required to set up the one wire interface. Now you can run one of the programs below to output the temperature to an SSH terminal or to an LCD…

The examples below are written in Python. If this is your first time running a Python program, check out our tutorial How to Write and Run a Python Program on the Raspberry Pi to see how to save and run Python files.

We’ll be using a Python library called RPLCD to drive the LCD. The RPLCD library can be installed from the Python Package Index, or PIP. PIP might already be installed on your Pi, but if not, enter this at the command prompt to install it:

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Rather than plug your Raspberry Pi into a TV, or connect via SSH (or remote desktop connections via VNC or RDP), you might have opted to purchase a Raspberry Pi touchscreen display.

Straightforward to set up, the touchscreen display has so many possibilities. But if you"ve left yours gathering dust in a drawer, there"s no way you"re going to experience the full benefits of such a useful piece of kit.

The alternative is to get it out of the drawer, hook your touchscreen display to your Raspberry Pi, and reformat the microSD card. It"s time to work on a new project -- one of these ideas should pique your interest.

Let"s start with perhaps the most obvious option. The official Raspberry Pi touchscreen display is seven inches diagonal, making it an ideal size for a photo frame. For the best results, you"ll need a wireless connection (Ethernet cables look unsightly on a mantelpiece) as well as a Raspberry Pi-compatible battery pack.

Several options are available to create a Raspberry Pi photo frame, mostly using Python code. You might opt to script your own, pulling images from a pre-populated directory. Alternatively, take a look at our guide to making your own photo frame with beautiful images and inspiring quotes. It pulls content from two Reddit channels -- images from /r/EarthPorn and quotes from /r/ShowerThoughts -- and mixes them together.

Rather than wait for the 24th century, why not bring the slick user interface found in Star Trek: The Next Generation to your Raspberry Pi today? While you won"t be able to drive a dilithium crystal powered warp drive with it, you can certainly control your smart home.

In the example above, Belkin WeMo switches and a Nest thermostat are manipulated via the Raspberry Pi, touchscreen display, and the InControlHA system with Wemo and Nest plugins. ST:TNG magic comes from an implementation of the Library Computer Access and Retrieval System (LCARS) seen in 1980s/1990s Star Trek. Coder Toby Kurien has developed an LCARS user interface for the Pi that has uses beyond home automation.

Building a carputer has long been the holy grail of technology DIYers, and the Raspberry Pi makes it far more achievable than ever before. But for the carputer to really take shape, it needs a display -- and what better than a touchscreen interface?

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Setting up a Raspberry Pi carputer also requires a user interface, suitable power supply, as well as working connections to any additional hardware you employ. (This might include a mobile dongle and GPS for satnav, for instance.)

Now here is a unique use for the Pi and its touchscreen display. A compact, bench-based tool for controlling hardware on your bench (or kitchen or desk), this is a build with several purposes. It"s designed to help you get your home automation projects off the ground, but also includes support for a webcam to help you record your progress.

The idea here is simple. With just a Raspberry Pi, a webcam, and a touchscreen display -- plus a thermal printer -- you can build a versatile photo booth!

How about a smart mirror for your Raspberry Pi touchscreen display project? This is basically a mirror that not only shows your reflection, but also useful information. For instance, latest news and weather updates.

Naturally, a larger display would deliver the best results, but if you"re looking to get started with a smart mirror project, or develop your own from scratch, a Raspberry Pi combined with a touchscreen display is an excellent place to start.

Many existing projects are underway, and we took the time to compile six of them into a single list for your perusal. Use this as inspiration, a starting point, or just use someone else"s code to build your own information-serving smart mirror.

Want to pump some banging "toons" out of your Raspberry Pi? We"ve looked at some internet radio projects in the past, but adding in a touchscreen display changes things considerably. For a start, it"s a lot easier to find the station you want to listen to!

This example uses a much smaller Adafruit touchscreen display for the Raspberry Pi. You can get suitable results from any compatible touchscreen, however.

Alternatively, you might prefer the option to integrate your Raspberry Pi with your home audio setup. The build outlined below uses RuneAudio, a Bluetooth speaker, and your preferred audio HAT or shield.

Requiring the ProtoCentral HealthyPi HAT (a HAT is an expansion board for the Raspberry Pi) and the Windows-only Atmel software, this project results in a portable device to measure yours (or a patient"s) health.

With probes and electrodes attached, you"ll be able to observe and record thanks to visualization software on the Pi. Whether this is a system that can be adopted by the medical profession remains to be seen. We suspect it could turn out to be very useful in developing nations, or in the heart of infectious outbreaks.

We were impressed by this project over at Hackster.io, but note that there are many alternatives. Often these rely on compact LCD displays rather than the touchscreen solution.

Many home automation systems have been developed for, or ported to, the Raspberry Pi -- enough for their own list. Not all of these feature a touchscreen display, however.

One that does is the Makezine project below, that hooks up a Raspberry Pi running OpenHAB, an open source home automation system that can interface with hundreds of smart home products. Our own guide shows how you can use it to control some smart lighting. OpenHAB comes with several user interfaces. However, if they"re not your cup of tea, an LCARS UI theme is available.

Another great build, and the one we"re finishing on, is a Raspberry Pi-powered tablet computer. The idea is simple: place the Pi, the touchscreen display, and a rechargeable battery pack into a suitable case (more than likely 3D printed). You might opt to change the operating system; Raspbian Jessie with PIXEL (nor the previous desktop) isn"t really suitable as a touch-friendly interface. Happily, there are versions of Android available for the Raspberry Pi.