Raspberry Pi computers are a great start for electronics projects, but “getting started” does a lot of work in this compliment. Usually, you need a few extras to really flesh it out. If you have a ton of desktop PC components, the new Axzez Interceptor carrier board could be the perfect companion for a small Raspberry Pi 4 compute module.
Plugging a CM4 card into the Interceptor adds a ton of ports to the small machine: four RJ45 Ethernet ports, five standard SATA ports (for hard drives, SSDs, or external media), two USB 2.0 ports, and two full-size HDMIs ports. Other expansion options include a standard set of case controller pins and four cooling fans, along with a 9-pin header for even more USB expansion. Power comes from a standard ATX motherboard power connector, compatible with that dusty power supply you haven’t used since the Pentium 4 was the top of the line.
As stated by Tom’s Hardware, the Interceptor and the accompanying operating system image of Axzez are primarily designed for network storage projects. But with so many expansion options, there are certainly other ways to apply the material. The only real downside is the reliance on relatively old USB 2.0 ports, especially when the full-size Raspberry Pi 4 can handle USB 3.0. So if you are using this thing for storage, make sure you lean heavily on those SATA ports.
The Interceptor is available for $ 99 in the Axzez store, although the pre-order bundle is already sold out. The Raspberry Pi 4 compute module starts at $ 25 for the 1GB version.
Michael is a former graphic designer who has been building and tweaking desktops for longer than he wants to admit. His interests include folk music, football, science fiction, and salsa verde, in no particular order.
