[HH] Cubieboard update
The Cubieboard was mentioned here last October: http://www.mail-archive.com/hardwarehacking@blu.org/msg00528.html back when this Indiegogo funded project was about halfway to reaching their goal. Apparently they've since met and exceeded the funding threshold, and the boards are now available for purchase for $50: http://www.element14.com/community/community/knode/single-board_computers/blog/2013/05/03/cubieboard-offers-hackers-another-low-cost-high-performance-arm-board-option This board, designed by Tom Cubie and friends who almost doubled up on their crowd-funding goal last year, offers DIYers a completely hackable board capable of running Android, Ubuntu, and other Linux distributions. [...] To begin the list of specs, the Cubieboard contains a Cortex-A8 ARM processor operating at 1 GHz speed with a Mali400 OpenGL ES GPU. [...] The Cubieboard comes with 1080P HDMI output support, 10/100M Ethernet capability, 2 USB hosts, 1 microSD slot (with SDHC support), 1 SATA connection, an IR [receiver] interface, and a 2x48 extend pin for external headers. [...] Some of the team's Cubieboard project suggestions include: an Android TV multimedia powerhouse, a home network file server, a lightweight Linux desktop, and a network accessible home automation device. It distinguishes itself from most SBC by including a SATA port, and apparently one that actually works, as they ship it with a SATA cable, and the unboxing video at the above pages shows it being hooked up to a laptop drive. They do answer the question of whether the SATA port supports port multipliers: http://linux-sunxi.org/Cubieboard/FAQ#Does_the_Cubieboard_support_SATA_port_multipliers_and_what_is_the_max_limit_of_a_SATA_hard_disk_drive.3F and the answer is no. So not exactly a cost effective NAS, unless you only need one drive. The Indiegogo page claimed it was an open design, but didn't back it up with anything. I see their site now has links to the board schematic: http://cubieboard.org/download/ software tools and OS images can be found on the same page. But I don't see board layout files. Manufacturer: http://cubieboard.org/ Store: https://cubieboard.myshopify.com/products/cubieboard-1gb A $30 expansion board is also available from another vendor: http://www.iotllc.com/joomla/index.php/what-is/72-what-is-a-baseboard which adds VGA, LCD, and touch screen connectors, voltage regulator, audio amp, and easier access to the Cubieboard's I/O pins. -Tom ___ Hardwarehacking mailing list Hardwarehacking@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/hardwarehacking
[HH] Cubieboard
Cubieboard is a Kickstarter project by a Chinese company for a Raspberry Pi-class single board computer. http://www.indiegogo.com/cubieboard Specs: 1G ARM cortex-A8 processor, NEON, VFPv3, 256KB L2 cache Mali400, OpenGL ES GPU 1GB DDR3 @480MHz HDMI 1080p Output 10/100M Ethernet 4GB Nand Flash 2 USB Host, 1 micro SD slot, 1 SATA, 1 ir 96 extend pin including I2C, SPI, RGB/LVDS, CSI/TS, FM-IN, ADC, CVBS, VGA, SPDIF-OUT, R-TP.. Running Android, Ubuntu and other Linux distributions Aside fro the I/Os, I'm not seeing much here that distinguishes it from RPi (which recently boosted its RAM to 512 MB). It's described as an open ARM box but they never elaborate on what they mean by open. One of the listed uses is: NAS - Cubieboard can drive 2.5 inch hard disk, you can use it as a home network file server. If it is port multiplier compatible, then it might be useful. (Or per an earlier thread, use it as an AOE-to-SATA converter.) If you infer pricing from the perks, it looks like it'll sell for around $50. This is one of the most bare-bones Kickstarter pages I've seen. Not much info. They've raised a bit less than half of their $50K goal. The campaign ends December 7. -Tom ___ Hardwarehacking mailing list Hardwarehacking@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/hardwarehacking
Re: [HH] Cubieboard
Big differences: MALI graphics vs. Broadcom No CSI or DSI SATA connector 1Gbyte memory vs. 512 Mbyte 4Gb NAND Flash Better/More extender pinouts uSD vs. SD 1Ghz vs. 700Mhz $59 vs. $35 It'll all come down to if they can deliver, and what kind of support the dev community generates. On Fri, Oct 26, 2012 at 1:28 PM, Tom Metro tmetro+hhack...@gmail.comwrote: Cubieboard is a Kickstarter project by a Chinese company for a Raspberry Pi-class single board computer. http://www.indiegogo.com/cubieboard Specs: 1G ARM cortex-A8 processor, NEON, VFPv3, 256KB L2 cache Mali400, OpenGL ES GPU 1GB DDR3 @480MHz HDMI 1080p Output 10/100M Ethernet 4GB Nand Flash 2 USB Host, 1 micro SD slot, 1 SATA, 1 ir 96 extend pin including I2C, SPI, RGB/LVDS, CSI/TS, FM-IN, ADC, CVBS, VGA, SPDIF-OUT, R-TP.. Running Android, Ubuntu and other Linux distributions Aside fro the I/Os, I'm not seeing much here that distinguishes it from RPi (which recently boosted its RAM to 512 MB). It's described as an open ARM box but they never elaborate on what they mean by open. One of the listed uses is: NAS - Cubieboard can drive 2.5 inch hard disk, you can use it as a home network file server. If it is port multiplier compatible, then it might be useful. (Or per an earlier thread, use it as an AOE-to-SATA converter.) If you infer pricing from the perks, it looks like it'll sell for around $50. This is one of the most bare-bones Kickstarter pages I've seen. Not much info. They've raised a bit less than half of their $50K goal. The campaign ends December 7. -Tom ___ Hardwarehacking mailing list Hardwarehacking@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/hardwarehacking -- -Bennett (from GMail) ___ Hardwarehacking mailing list Hardwarehacking@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/hardwarehacking
Re: [HH] Cubieboard
Bennett Marks wrote: Tom Metro wrote: http://www.indiegogo.com/cubieboard Specs: 1G ARM cortex-A8 processor, NEON, VFPv3, 256KB L2 cache Mali400, OpenGL ES GPU 1GB DDR3 @480MHz HDMI 1080p Output 10/100M Ethernet 4GB Nand Flash 2 USB Host, 1 micro SD slot, 1 SATA, 1 ir 96 extend pin including I2C, SPI, RGB/LVDS, CSI/TS, FM-IN, ADC, CVBS, VGA, SPDIF-OUT, R-TP.. Running Android, Ubuntu and other Linux distributions Aside fro the I/Os, I'm not seeing much here that distinguishes it from RPi (which recently boosted its RAM to 512 MB). Big differences: SATA connector Better/More extender pinouts $59 vs. $35 I mentioned those. 1Gbyte memory vs. 512 Mbyte 1Ghz vs. 700Mhz I seem to have glossed over those. Thanks for pointing them out. Those are notable differences. MALI graphics vs. Broadcom What do you think is the practical consequence of that? I don't know enough about either GPU to know how they compare. I'm guessing the Mali GPU might be more openly documented. Perhaps has an open source driver? No CSI or DSI What's that? 4Gb NAND Flash Good point, though built-in Flash just adds complication for hobby-scale use. Now you've got to go through some hoops to load code onto it. Cheaper in volume, but for one-off projects easier to load code onto an SD card. And never a problem with bricking a unit. uSD vs. SD Not much practical difference there. The smaller cards are a bit trickier to handle and usually need an adapter to be mounted on your desktop/laptop. It'll all come down to if they can deliver, and what kind of support the dev community generates. The Kickstarter campaign so far doesn't suggest it is going to go over big, but we'll see. I'm sure there will be a half dozen others like this trying to ride on the coattails of the RPi's success. Eventually one of them will hit on the right combo of features and price point, while offering better openness than the RPi. -Tom ___ Hardwarehacking mailing list Hardwarehacking@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/hardwarehacking
