Raspberry Pi Compute Module

#1

Post by markhemmings » Mon, Apr 07, 2014, 12:05 PM UTC

Raspberry Pi Compute Module
raspberrypi.org

Re: Raspberry Pi Compute Module

#2

Post by Zuph » Mon, Apr 07, 2014, 12:30 PM UTC

I'll be interested to see how this progresses. With any luck, it'll open up a market of cheap, well-distributed SOMs, similar to the Pi opening up a market for cheap, well-distributed ARM/Linux Dev Boards.

The situation's surprisingly similar: Powerful ARM Dev boards existed before the Pi, but the price was steep, they couldn't be found in traditional distribution channels, and the OS/Driver support was poor at best. This is, more or less, the place we're at with embedded SOMs.

Re: Raspberry Pi Compute Module

#3

Post by idlewan » Mon, Apr 07, 2014, 12:35 PM UTC

I could see this being a really interesting way of having a slim and upgradable raspberry-pi-powered tablet.

Year after year, you could upgrade the SoC and memory while keeping your case+screen+screeniopcb+batterypcb+battery.

Re: Raspberry Pi Compute Module

#4

Post by ris » Mon, Apr 07, 2014, 12:37 PM UTC

Isn't the Pi incredibly underpowered for use as a compute node?

Re: Raspberry Pi Compute Module

#5

Post by Maxious » Mon, Apr 07, 2014, 12:38 PM UTC

Kind of like a modern swyft card, eh? http://hackaday.com/2014/04/06/vcf-east-the-swyft-card/

Re: Raspberry Pi Compute Module

#6

Post by kragniz » Mon, Apr 07, 2014, 12:43 PM UTC

ris wrote: post #4

Isn't the Pi incredibly underpowered for use as a compute node?

It depends what you want to use it for. I'm imagining this being used in small embedded projects where the physical size of the current Pi is undesirable.

Re: Raspberry Pi Compute Module

#7

Post by malanj » Mon, Apr 07, 2014, 12:43 PM UTC

Wow - SODIMM form factor is a game changer.

A few years back I built a bunch of robots with the main processing unit a SIMM Java processing module - http://www.systronix.com/tini/tini_simm.htm. Having a standard (and super compact) form-factor for processing was a game changer. It meant I could quickly prototype the main robot board and add in processing module really easily. I wish I had this available then.

Re: Raspberry Pi Compute Module

#8

Post by X-Cubed » Mon, Apr 07, 2014, 12:43 PM UTC

ris wrote: post #4

Isn't the Pi incredibly underpowered for use as a compute node?

That's entirely dependent on what you're trying to achieve.

Sure, if you're trying to mine bitcoins, this hardware alone probably won't be much use.

But if you just want to learn about distributed systems, and how to manage a cluster of hosts and distribute tasks between them, this is a great place to start, eg: http://coen.boisestate.edu/ece/raspberry-pi/