New $35 carrier board converts Raspberry Pi CM5 into feature-packed TV stick
Makerfabs is offering a new carrier board for the Raspberry Pi CM5, and as @Magic__smoke describes, it can convert the Compute Module 5 into a full-fledged TV stick. Called CM5 TV Stick Lite, it comes with an HDMI connector, meaning that there won't be any need for additional cables.
Of course, it does require USB-C power, but that's not something out of the ordinary. While such a configuration makes it very similar to the TV sticks available in the market, such as the Amazon Fire TV Stick, it's more versatile. When paired with the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5, the carrier board essentially becomes a portable system that can boot with a USB-C power adapter and an external monitor.
The versatile nature of the board, in particular, comes from all the interfaces that it brings. There is a MicroSD connector, two USB Type-A ports, an IR receiver, a fan connector, and more. Moreover, given that the setup is powered by a Raspberry Pi CM5, users can run many things on it.
It can be a small retro gaming setup with RetroPie installed, for example. As for the main target of the setup, it can turn a TV or a monitor into a smart TV with Kodi. While all that sounds great, it's worth noting that Raspberry Pi CM5 currently starts at $67.50.
This starting price is for the configuration with 2GB of RAM and no storage, which is where the MicroSD card slot of the carrier board will come in handy. For those who might want to build a bit more capable setup, the Compute Module 5 with 16GB of RAM and 64GB eMMC currently costs over $325, which would make this project quite expensive.
However, the carrier board with the 2GB Raspberry Pi CM5 does make sense for advanced users. After all, it brings broader OS support and better expandability. For others, the Fire TV Stick, Xiaomi TV Stick, or Roku Streaming Stick (curr. $17.99 on Amazon) still remains a more cost-effective option. The carrier board is available to purchase from Makerfabs, with the current price tag being $35.
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