If you have a Raspberry Pi and want to connect accessories, there’s an array of GPIO pins that you can plug into on the side. Unfortunately, if you need them to stay securely in place, your options are limited. An IDC connector/ribbon cable is one option, but then those wires need to be secured somehow. If there were only a solution that could be tightened down to securely bind wires to each pin as needed…
Well I’m happy to inform you that there is a product that lets you do this — the Pi-EzConnect. This device plugs into your RPi as a HAT, and allows access to all of the Rasbperry Pi’s GPIO pins with glorious screw terminals! If you need to solder a few components for your design, there’s even a breadboarding area built into the middle of this device.
If the RPi Zero is more your style, Alchemy Power Inc. also has a solution with their Pi-Zero-EzConnect. Though slightly more limited due to its small size, it still comes with one row of the 40-pin header broken out as screw terminals, and more can be added as needed (two 2-wire screw terminals are included). Both styles have their own set of 40-pin headers, which can be used to connect HATs, or even a ribbon cable if needed.
