You lot constitute it! Stuck at the back of your DIY drawer, a Raspberry Pi Model A or B that yous put away years ago, perhaps when the Raspberry Pi 2 launched. Information technology has been doing nothing ever since, its time having passed.

Or has it?

Like an old PC, you can still become great results from an old Raspberry Pi. Here are several ways you lot can yet make use of an older Raspberry Pi Model A or B.

Limits of the Older Raspberry Pi Models

While you're not going to be able to run Windows ten IoT, there remains a lot that you tin can even so do with an onetime, forgotten Raspberry Pi.

But don't get carried away: the 2012 version of the Raspberry Pi has a pocket-sized single-cadre 700MHz CPU and 256MB of RAM. The GPIO is smaller too.

Also, y'all'll demand to consider making some improvements to your peripherals. A make new power adapter will provide reliable electricity supply to the device, avoiding unnecessary freezes and restarts. Similarly, yous'll need a proficient quality SD card for storing the operating system.

Y'all won't exist streaming high definition video, or playing Dreamcast games on Retropie with a first-generation Raspberry Pi, but you'll still be able to accept fun, and probably learn something new.

1. Run the Latest Raspbian

This may surprise you, but fifty-fifty though the latest Raspberry Pi has a quad cadre CPU and 1GHz of RAM, the default Raspbian operating system (other Raspberry Pi operating systems are available) is also available for the older, lower-spec models.

Most of the same features are available too, other than a few behind the scenes options (such as USB booting and PXE booting). To use the latest version of Raspbian (rather than leave the quondam installation running), it'due south probably all-time to use a fresh install on your existing SD bill of fare.

Alternatively, you lot could run an upgrade with:

          sudo apt update
sudo apt dist-upgrade

Await for the latest version of Raspbian to download and install, and so reboot when you lot're done.

Alternatively, attempt a really lightweight Bone like piCore, a TinyCore Linux build for the Raspberry Pi. This tin can assistance y'all manage the express resources of your old Raspberry Pi more effectively.

2. Home Security Camera Organization

With a depression spec Raspberry Pi computer, you tin can even create a motion detection security camera. While there is a dedicated Raspberry Pi Photographic camera Module that you could use, many USB webcams are also compatible.

The event is a organization that will observe movement and record the results, fix for you to review subsequently. Note that a network connection is desirable for this project, so ensure you have a Wi-Fi dongle, or Ethernet cablevision.

For full details, run across our detailed instructions on setting upwards your ain motion capture security system, using an original Raspberry Pi Model B.

iii. Basic Retro Gaming System

If you miss your quondam gaming systems from babyhood, the Raspberry Pi is a corking hazard to revisit (or discover) the era of viii- and sixteen-chip computing. Games consoles, dwelling house computers, and arcade machines (collectively known equally MAME) alike tin can all exist emulated on the Pi.

This is thanks to emulation suites such as RetroPie, which you can grab from retropie.org.uk/download.

Meanwhile, if you don't want a full suite of emulators, individual emulation tools can be installed on an erstwhile Raspberry Pi. Come across our guide to retro gaming on the Raspberry Pi. Y'all can even emulate old MS-DOS PC games on a Raspberry Pi with DOSBox!

The original Raspberry Pi models are particularly useful for low-specification, single-purpose projects. While they don't have the aforementioned number of GPIO pins as later versions, these old Raspberry Pis are notwithstanding suitable for connecting electrical components.

1 such viable project is to turn your Pi into a desk-bound notifier for your social media accounts. By utilizing the APIs of Facebook, Twitter, and your email account, and hooking up some seven-segment LEDs, you tin can build a useful display that sits on your desk-bound to update y'all when you accept notifications on social media.

Head to Hackster.io for the full build instructions.

five. Make a Twitter Bot

Another swell social media-based project is to create an automated Twitter business relationship, which posts messages or media. To do this, you'll need to get to grips with Twython, a Python module that interfaces with Twitter. You'll also need to access the Twitter API.

Our guide to turning your Raspberry Pi into a Twitter bot will get you started.

Once yous've got it up and running, you have various options for tweeting. Nosotros looked at different Twitter bot projects you tin run with your Raspberry Pi, so check these out for inspiration.

You lot'll probably need a dedicated Twitter account, and your Raspberry Pi volition need to be permanently switched on.

6. Catechumen an Old Printer Into a Wireless Printer

Wireless printers are almost the default option these days, simply what if you demand wireless connectivity, but don't want to buy a new one? What if the printer y'all bought 10 or so years agone is still working fine?

Drilling holes through walls whenever you move house (or rearrange your habitation function) is ane thing; turning your printer old printer wireless is probably simpler, and is possible cheers to your Raspberry Pi Model B.

All you need to do is install the software, a wireless USB dongle, connect your Raspberry Pi to the printer and your home network, then use the little computer as a impress server. Fifty-fifty if yous don't need to make your printer wireless, this projection will teach y'all about network printing administration systems.

vii. Stream Music to a DIY Sonos-Like Speaker

Love music? Desire to have your favorite tunes pumping out of a defended speaker, with net connectivity? Once again, the Raspberry Pi is the respond, and the quondam 2012 Model B is perfect for this.

An old keyboard or guitar amplifier is suitable for this project, which will require a bit of soldering, not to mention a flake of heavy duty mounting tape. Using the Pi MusicBox disk image, and a USB disk image, your Raspberry Pi will requite the speaker a Sonos-style experience, streaming audio from Spotify, Google Music, SoundCloud, Webradio, equally well as your favorite podcasts and some music from other sources.

See our video above for details, and check our guide for details.

Don't Retire Your Old Raspberry Pi Just Yet!

As you lot can see, there is plenty that you tin can exercise with an quondam Raspberry Pi Model B. These vii projects should certainly keep you busy:

  • Run the latest Raspbian
  • Create a abode security camera system
  • Enjoy retro gaming
  • Build a social media notification display
  • Create a tweeting conditions bot
  • Turn an erstwhile printer into a wireless printer
  • Stream your favorite music with AirPlay

Meanwhile, you may exist thinking you've decided that you would adopt to upgrade merely tin can't quite justify it. Come across our commodity on reasons why you should get a newer Raspberry Pi.

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About The Author

Christian Cawley (1584 Articles Published)

Deputy Editor for Security, Linux, DIY, Programming, and Tech Explained, and Really Useful Podcast producer, with extensive experience in desktop and software back up. A contributor to Linux Format magazine, Christian is a Raspberry Pi tinkerer, Lego lover and retro gaming fan.

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