Banana Pi is a series of single-board computers designed for maker and embedded computing enthusiasts. Each board is built based on open-source hardware and software standards and offers a range of features and capabilities suitable for various projects, from home media centers to robotics and IoT applications.
Banana Pi was first launched in 2014 by Chinese company LeMaker as an alternative to the popular Raspberry Pi.
Since then, several versions and models have been released, such as Banana Pi M2, Banana Pi BPI-M64, Banana Pi BPI-R2 and Banana Pi BPI-M4, each offering different specifications and upgrade options.
The Banana Pi community has grown rapidly and is now widely used by educators, developers, and DIY enthusiasts worldwide.
Raspberry Pi is a series of low-cost, credit card-sized single-board computers developed in the UK by the Raspberry Pi Foundation. It is one of the most popular boards in the maker and DIY community and comes in different configurations suitable for various projects and applications.
Arduino is an open-source electronics platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software that is designed for non-experts and beginners. It consists of a programmable board and a software development environment that allows users to create interactive projects and digital devices easily.
BeagleBone is a series of small single-board computers developed by Texas Instruments. It offers open-source hardware and software platforms for developers, makers, and hobbyists to create various projects, from IoT applications, robotics, automation, and home entertainment systems.
Banana Pi BPI-M4 is a powerful single-board computer built based on the Rockchip RK3399 SoC, featuring a hexa-core ARM Cortex-A72/A53 CPU, 4GB LPDDR4 RAM, Gigabit Ethernet, WiFi, Bluetooth, and SATA interface, making it an ideal board for multimedia, gaming, and other high-performance applications.
Banana Pi BPI-R64 is a multi-port router board built based on the MediaTek MT7622 quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 SoC, featuring 2GB DDR4 RAM, dual-band WiFi, Gigabit Ethernet, and four mini-PCIe slots, making it an ideal platform for network applications, VPN, and security.
Banana Pi BPI-M2+ is a compact size single-board computer built based on the Allwinner H3 quad-core ARM Cortex-A7 SoC, featuring 1GB DDR3 RAM, WiFi, Bluetooth, and four USB ports, making it suitable for IoT and home entertainment applications.
Banana Pi can be used for various projects, such as home media centers, gaming consoles, IoT applications, robotics, automation, security, and more.
The cost of a Banana Pi board varies depending on the model and specifications. It ranges from $20 to $100.
Banana Pi supports various operating systems, such as Ubuntu, Debian, OpenWRT, Android, and Raspbian (unofficial).
Most of the Raspberry Pi accessories are compatible with Banana Pi, but it is recommended to check the compatibility before purchasing.
Yes, Banana Pi can be used for commercial projects, provided that the project complies with the open-source hardware and software standards and licenses.