Ask HN: What do you do with your Raspberry Pi?

Article summary

The article asks readers about their uses for Raspberry Pi, a small, affordable computer. The author uses their Raspberry Pi for VPN and piHole. The post invites others to share their own experiences and projects with the device. Various uses are discussed in the comments, including media centers, home automation, and DIY projects.

Main themes

• Raspberry Pi projects
• Home automation
• Media centers
• DIY electronics
• Networking

What commenters say

• Some users employ Raspberry Pi as a media center or TV PC, leveraging its capabilities for entertainment and streaming.
• Others utilize the device for home automation, including setting up piHole for DNS and DHCP server functions.
• A few individuals use Raspberry Pi for more complex projects, such as building a cloud backup system or creating a frontend/backup camera system.
• There are concerns about the reliability and failover of Raspberry Pi-based systems, particularly when used for critical functions like DNS and internet access.
• Some commenters suggest setting up redundant systems or using fallback DNS servers to mitigate potential outages.
• Raspberry Pi can also be used for educational purposes, such as introducing children to computer programming and technology.
• A few users have repurposed the device for specialized applications, including flight tracking and ADSB receiver operation.