If you’re an enthusiast or a developer working with Raspberry Pi Pico, understanding its pinout is essential. The pinout diagram provides you with a visual representation of the pins and how they are connected on the Pi Pico board. In this article, I’ll walk you through the Pi Pico pinout, explaining the purpose of each pin and its capabilities.
General Overview
The Raspberry Pi Pico, designed by Raspberry Pi Foundation, is a microcontroller board based on the RP2040 microcontroller chip. It provides a versatile and cost-effective platform for electronics projects. The board offers a range of pins that allow you to connect various components and peripherals.
Pinout Diagram
Here is a pinout diagram of Raspberry Pi Pico:
Explaining the Pinout Diagram
The pinout diagram presents a clear layout of each pin and its respective functions. Let’s dive into the details of each pin category.
Power Pins
Power pins provide the necessary electrical supply to Raspberry Pi Pico. The main power pins include:
VBUS
VBUS is the input voltage pin that powers the Pi Pico when connected to a USB host. The voltage can range from 4.0V to 5.5V.
VSYS
VSYS is the input voltage pin for an external power supply. It should be provided with a regulated 5V power source.
GPIO Pins
General Purpose Input Output (GPIO) pins are versatile pins that can be configured as either inputs or outputs. Raspberry Pi Pico has a total of 26 GPIO pins, numbered GP0 to GP25.
GP0 – GP28
These pins offer programmable input/output capabilities. You can use them to connect sensors, buttons, LEDs, or any other electronic component based on your project requirements.
Ground Pins
Ground pins are necessary for completing electrical circuits and providing a common reference point for signals. Raspberry Pi Pico has multiple ground pins to ensure good grounding throughout your project.
GND
GND pins are indicated by the symbol “-“, and you can use any of them as ground connections for your components.
Special Pins
In addition to power, GPIO, and ground pins, Raspberry Pi Pico has a few special pins with unique functions:
LED
The LED pin is connected to the onboard LED on Raspberry Pi Pico. You can control the LED by programming this pin.
SWCLK
The SWCLK (Serial Wire Clock) pin is used in Serial Wire Debug (SWD) mode, enabling the debugging of programs running on the RP2040 chip.
SWDIO
The SWDIO (Serial Wire Debug I/O) pin is also used for debugging purposes when using SWD mode.
VBUS_DETECT
The VBUS_DETECT pin detects the presence or absence of USB power, helping you determine if the Pi Pico is connected to a USB host.
UART Pins
Raspberry Pi Pico provides UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter) pins, which allow serial communication with other devices.
TX
The TX pin is used for transmitting serial data from Pi Pico to external devices.
RX
The RX pin is used for receiving serial data from external devices to Pi Pico.
I2C Pins
Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) pins on Raspberry Pi Pico enable communication with I2C compatible devices.
SDA
The SDA (Serial Data Line) pin is used for bidirectional data transfer in I2C communication.
SCL
The SCL (Serial Clock Line) pin provides the clock signal for synchronizing data transfer in I2C communication.
SPI Pins
Raspberry Pi Pico also offers Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) pins for high-speed communication with SPI compatible devices.
MOSI
The MOSI (Master Out Slave In) pin is used for sending data from the master (Pi Pico) to the slave (SPI device).
MISO
The MISO (Master In Slave Out) pin is used for sending data from the slave (SPI device) to the master (Pi Pico).
SCK
The SCK (Serial Clock) pin provides the clock signal for synchronized data transfer in SPI communication.
CS
The CS (Chip Select) pin is used to enable or disable specific SPI devices connected to Raspberry Pi Pico.
Other Pins
Raspberry Pi Pico offers additional pins with specific purposes:
ADC
The ADC (Analog to Digital Converter) pin allows you to read analog voltages. It can be used to connect sensors that provide analog signals.
DAC
The DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) pin allows you to output analog voltages. It can be used to generate audio signals or control analog peripherals.
Conclusion
Raspberry Pi Pico provides a wide range of pins with various functions, allowing you to connect and control different components as per your project requirements. Understanding the pinout diagram and the capabilities of each pin is essential for successful project implementation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use all the GPIO pins as inputs and outputs simultaneously?
A: Yes, you can configure the GPIO pins as either inputs or outputs based on your project requirements. However, keep in mind the limitations on the number of input and output pins you can use simultaneously.
Q: How many ground pins are available on Raspberry Pi Pico?
A: Raspberry Pi Pico provides multiple ground pins, allowing you to connect multiple components’ ground connections.
Q: Can I power Raspberry Pi Pico using the VSYS pin?
A: No, the VSYS pin on Raspberry Pi Pico is an input pin for an external power supply. You should power the board using the VBUS pin or the USB connection.
Q: Is it possible to use multiple UART, I2C, or SPI devices simultaneously?
A: Yes, you can use multiple devices of each type by utilizing different pins for each device and configuring them accordingly in your code.
Q: How do I program the LED pin on Raspberry Pi Pico?
A: You can program the LED pin to control the onboard LED by toggling its state in your code. You can make it blink, turn on or off based on your requirements.