Re: This is good.
Passive Power over Ethernet would make the PI easier to use. You don't need that 48v nightmare. Most home routers run off a 12v PSU and have a little buck circuit to bring it down to 5v. These are very sturdy little circuits allowing 7v to 27v power. The advantage against 5v power is you can run some very long wires such as PoE. Many times I have powered 12v routers over Ethernet with no problems. You simply can't do that with 5v because there is no tolerance for volt drop.
I appreciate why the PI runs off 5v and does not have one of these 12v buck circuits. If there were a way to include a sturdy buck circuit as a hat with options for passive PoE, plug connector and screw terminals then it would mean putting PI in industrial locations much easier. Frankly 5v power is too flaky. With the right capacitors the buck circuit could handle 30v.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
