Raspberry 3 on MK3 with Octoprint
Hi all,
as the shipping date of my MK3 is now known, I want to prepare as much as possible.
I use octoprint for my printers with a raspberry 3.
For the new MK3 I also want to use that setup.
Therefore, what do I need to connect the printer to the Raspi to be able to use all the intelligent features (mainly filament sensor)?
Christoph
Re: Raspberry 3 on MK3 with Octoprint
The filament sensor is controlled by the einsy. So you don't need any new connections to the pi3. I use a pi3 with octopi for my mk2 and if I have an issue, messages are sent to octopi and the print either pauses or stops (i.e. thermal runaway). There will be a custom version of octoprint for the mk3 to add some more communication between the pi and the einsy board, but it's going to be aimed at using a pi zero without usb cable (power and data through I/o panel). Not sure you will need anything different at the moment with the pi3.
Re: Raspberry 3 on MK3 with Octoprint
The Raspberry Pi3 have a more powerfull CPU, it can be a difference if you to slice from octoprint.
It's drawing more current than R-Pi Zero W too and I don't know if the connection with the Einsy board is ready for 1A+ on 5V.
And finally, the R-Pi3 is taller (USB and Ethernet ports) and have a full GPIO solder on and AFAIK, it is physically incompatible with the Einsy and its enclosure without unsoldering and cutting unwanted ports.
We may use some cables from GPIO to Einsy... or the good old USB cable 
Re: Raspberry 3 on MK3 with Octoprint
The Raspberry Pi3 have a more powerfull CPU, it can be a difference if you to slice from octoprint.
It's drawing more current than R-Pi Zero W too and I don't know if the connection with the Einsy board is ready for 1A+ on 5V.
And finally, the R-Pi3 is taller (USB and Ethernet ports) and have a full GPIO solder on and AFAIK, it is physically incompatible with the Einsy and its enclosure without unsoldering and cutting unwanted ports.
We may use some cables from GPIO to Einsy... or the good old USB cable
Yeah, don't run the pi3 from the Einsy. Use its own power source and a USB cable. Not sure 1A could even run the pi3, it should have 2.5A.
Re: Raspberry 3 on MK3 with Octoprint
There is a filament sensor plugin for the Octopi, not sure what it does though.. Pretty much any printer that can be controlled via USB can be connected to a raspberry with Octopi or such on it. Just a question of defining your printers parameters, and thats not more complex than giving the size of the buildplate. Five minute job really. Setting up the wifi parameters is more difficult 🙂 I do have both the Pi zero W and a Pi 3. Yes a Pi zero will be more convenient since it takes its power and I guess connectivity from the Einsy board, but I have noticed that the zero is a bit lacking when it needs to stream video. Just yesterday swapped from mu Zero to a Pi 3 and now streaming works flawlessy...