Why many people use Pi ZeroW for Octoprint even Octoprint states that Pi Zero is not recommended?
 
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Why many people use Pi ZeroW for Octoprint even Octoprint states that Pi Zero is not recommended?  

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prusanewuser
(@prusanewuser)
Prominent Member
Why many people use Pi ZeroW for Octoprint even Octoprint states that Pi Zero is not recommended?

Hi, when searching for info on how to properly connect a raspberry pi 4 to Prusa i3Mk3 and Octoprint,  many YouTube videos and form posts use Pi Zero even Octoprint states on their website that Pi Zero is not recommended. How come?

Posted : 23/06/2020 3:29 am
towlerg
(@towlerg)
Noble Member
RE: Why many people use Pi ZeroW for Octoprint even Octoprint states that Pi Zero is not recommended?

".... how come?"  I suspect when the Mk3 mainboard was conceived the zero seemed like a good idea. I wonder is Joe asked Gina before he committed? Anyway things have moved on and the zero is no longer fit for task. Get a 3B+ or 4B (same price most places).

Posted : 23/06/2020 11:47 am
prusanewuser
(@prusanewuser)
Prominent Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: Why many people use Pi ZeroW for Octoprint even Octoprint states that Pi Zero is not recommended?

Thanks. There are many guides on how to use the Pi ZeroW with the Prusa i3 MK3. Any good guide on how to do it with the Pi 4? As for storage, what size of the SD card is recommended?

Posted : 23/06/2020 12:50 pm
HeneryH
(@heneryh)
Estimable Member
RE: Why many people use Pi ZeroW for Octoprint even Octoprint states that Pi Zero is not recommended?

The only reason to use the Zero would be to fit it into the Einsy case.  Very small benefit if you ask me.

I've been using the 16 gb Pi cards and haven't had any problem.  My pi is 14% used of the 16gb card. Videos recorded by OctoPrint would chew into that.

Posted : 23/06/2020 2:09 pm
towlerg
(@towlerg)
Noble Member
RE: Why many people use Pi ZeroW for Octoprint even Octoprint states that Pi Zero is not recommended?

BTW don't get an 8GB Pi4, there is some issue either for Raspian or OctoPrint. I'd get either a 3B+ or 1 or 2GB 4B

Posted : 23/06/2020 7:06 pm
prusanewuser
(@prusanewuser)
Prominent Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: Why many people use Pi ZeroW for Octoprint even Octoprint states that Pi Zero is not recommended?
Posted by: @heneryh

The only reason to use the Zero would be to fit it into the Einsy case.  Very small benefit if you ask me.

I've been using the 16 gb Pi cards and haven't had any problem.  My pi is 14% used of the 16gb card. Videos recorded by OctoPrint would chew into that.

Thanks. What is the use for video recording?

Posted : 23/06/2020 7:49 pm
HeneryH
(@heneryh)
Estimable Member
RE: Why many people use Pi ZeroW for Octoprint even Octoprint states that Pi Zero is not recommended?
Posted by: @peter-c20
Posted by: @heneryh

The only reason to use the Zero would be to fit it into the Einsy case.  Very small benefit if you ask me.

I've been using the 16 gb Pi cards and haven't had any problem.  My pi is 14% used of the 16gb card. Videos recorded by OctoPrint would chew into that.

Thanks. What is the use for video recording?

People like to 1) remotely check on the printer to make sure the job hasn't become a pile of spaghetti and 2) record cool build-up videos of the job print.

 

Both are able to be done with OctoPrint.

Posted : 23/06/2020 8:16 pm
prusanewuser
(@prusanewuser)
Prominent Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: Why many people use Pi ZeroW for Octoprint even Octoprint states that Pi Zero is not recommended?
Posted by: @heneryh
Posted by: @peter-c20
Posted by: @heneryh

The only reason to use the Zero would be to fit it into the Einsy case.  Very small benefit if you ask me.

I've been using the 16 gb Pi cards and haven't had any problem.  My pi is 14% used of the 16gb card. Videos recorded by OctoPrint would chew into that.

Thanks. What is the use for video recording?

People like to 1) remotely check on the printer to make sure the job hasn't become a pile of spaghetti and 2) record cool build-up videos of the job print.

 

Both are able to be done with OctoPrint.

Being able to check remotely the printer to make sure that the job is working fine is important to me but isn't the camera viewing realtime? If that is the case, do I still it to record?

Posted : 23/06/2020 8:46 pm
HeneryH
(@heneryh)
Estimable Member
RE: Why many people use Pi ZeroW for Octoprint even Octoprint states that Pi Zero is not recommended?

You're right Peter but real time is actually more demanding that recording because most of the recording is just still frame time lapse.

Posted : 23/06/2020 9:24 pm
prusanewuser
(@prusanewuser)
Prominent Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: Why many people use Pi ZeroW for Octoprint even Octoprint states that Pi Zero is not recommended?

When using the Pi4 with Octoprint and Pi camera, which Sandisk microSD card is recommended? The one with white and grey or red and gold on the surface?

Posted : 24/06/2020 12:05 am
HeneryH
(@heneryh)
Estimable Member
RE: Why many people use Pi ZeroW for Octoprint even Octoprint states that Pi Zero is not recommended?
Posted by: @peter-c20

When using the Pi4 with Octoprint and Pi camera, which ... microSD card is recommended?

Not to be short, but....    whatever ones you happen to have lying around or "I have never heard of any complaints on any."

 

But someone probably will have some.  You are NOT using a super high resolution DLSR camera in 8k video mode so consider that.

Posted : 24/06/2020 1:15 am
bobstro
(@bobstro)
Illustrious Member
RE: Why many people use Pi ZeroW for Octoprint even Octoprint states that Pi Zero is not recommended?
Posted by: @towlerg

".... how come?"  I suspect when the Mk3 mainboard was conceived the zero seemed like a good idea. I wonder is Joe asked Gina before he committed? Anyway things have moved on and the zero is no longer fit for task. Get a 3B+ or 4B (same price most places).

IIRC, Octoprint worked "well enough" on the original RPi B+ and the thinking when the Zero was announced was that the Zero was essentially the same capability in a smaller package. The realization that wireless and USB bus performance were in contention on the Zero W took a while. I suspect the Mk3 design team was a bit over-optimistic in terms of what the Zero W could handle and Octoprint's changing requirements in the last 3+ years.

I do agree that Prusa should label those pages as obsolete to avoid ongoing confusion. The Octoprint developer has specifically stated that the Zero W is not supported since 2017. Octoprint's requirements have also grown over time, and I notice that the recent recommendations are for a RPi 3B or greater. Even the 2B isn'trecommended any longer.

Of course, it would be awesome if a multi-core Zero  drop-in replacement, but this doesn't seem to be likely. This is why I'm baffled that Prusa elected to use the lowly EP01 module in the Mini.

 

My notes and disclaimers on 3D printing

and miscellaneous other tech projects
He is intelligent, but not experienced. His pattern indicates two dimensional thinking. -- Spock in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan

Posted : 24/06/2020 3:12 pm
HeneryH
(@heneryh)
Estimable Member
RE: Why many people use Pi ZeroW for Octoprint even Octoprint states that Pi Zero is not recommended?
Posted by: @bobstro

I do agree that Prusa should label those pages as obsolete to avoid ongoing confusion.

And clarify what the hardware setting named "RPI Enabled" means.

It really means "Pi on internal Einsy USB port"  and if your Pi is connected to the external USB port then you want to set this LCD setting to NO.

Posted : 24/06/2020 3:26 pm
bobstro
(@bobstro)
Illustrious Member
RE: Why many people use Pi ZeroW for Octoprint even Octoprint states that Pi Zero is not recommended?
Posted by: @heneryh

And clarify what the hardware setting named "RPI Enabled" means.

It really means "Pi on internal Einsy USB port"  and if your Pi is connected to the external USB port then you want to set this LCD setting to NO.

I know there's very little memory available for firmware on the Mk3. I wonder what removing those RPi Einsy support routines would gain in memory for other features.

It's a shame. Reading up on the Mk3 back in late 2017, I was stoked about the RPi integration, but it didn't take long to realize it wasn't going to work out in the long term.

 

My notes and disclaimers on 3D printing

and miscellaneous other tech projects
He is intelligent, but not experienced. His pattern indicates two dimensional thinking. -- Spock in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan

Posted : 24/06/2020 4:05 pm
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