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ODROID-C1 – Quad Core ARM Linux computer

hardkernel.com

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Re: ODROID-C1 – Quad Core ARM Linux computer

#41

Post by joezydeco »

0x0 wrote: post #38

I wonder what kind of "license issues" are present in the current software? "U-boot/Kernel/Linux source code will be released 15-Dec-2014. Android source code will be published in February after cleaning some license issues." Looks like the biggest problem with most of these ARM boards (raspberry pi included) is the dependency on some closed-source binary blobs, at least for boot, and sometimes even the entire kernel…

I've never dealt with an ARM core that needed some magic object-only blob to boot. They're almost all using Denx U-Boot.

If the GPU needs an object loaded to boot, like the RPi, that's another story. But a decent SoC should be able to start without the GPU getting in the way.

Re: ODROID-C1 – Quad Core ARM Linux computer

#42

Post by morganvachon »

rcarmo wrote: post #22
throwawayaway wrote: post #17

form factor is clever, should be a drop in replacement for most people's pi cases too! http://linuxgizmos.com/35-dollar-quad-core-hacker-sbc-offers...

The power socket is on the side, and the HDMI connector is now a micro. There will be some adjustment required...

I have a RPi B+ case from ModMyPi that is fantastic, I bet they'd be willing to modify it for the ODROID-C1 if enough people asked.

Re: ODROID-C1 – Quad Core ARM Linux computer

#43

Post by pygy_ »

joezydeco wrote: post #41
0x0 wrote: post #38

I wonder what kind of "license issues" are present in the current software? "U-boot/Kernel/Linux source code will be released 15-Dec-2014. Android source code will be published in February after cleaning some license issues." Looks like the biggest problem with most of these ARM boards (raspberry pi included) is the dependency on some closed-source binary blobs, at least for boot, and sometimes even the entire kernel…

I've never dealt with an ARM core that needed some magic object-only blob to boot. They're almost all using Denx U-Boot. If the GPU needs an object loaded to boot, like the RPi, that's another story. But a decent SoC should be able to start without the GPU getting in the way.

IIRC, for the Raspberry Pi, the GPU controls the CPU (or, at least, it boots first), which makes the blob necessary.

Re: ODROID-C1 – Quad Core ARM Linux computer

#44

Post by joezydeco »

pygy_ wrote: post #43
joezydeco wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've never dealt with an ARM core that needed some magic object-only blob to boot. They're almost all using Denx U-Boot. If the GPU needs an object loaded to boot, like the RPi, that's another story. But a decent SoC should be able to start without the GPU getting in the way.

IIRC, for the Raspberry Pi, the GPU controls the CPU (or, at least, it boots first), which makes the blob necessary.

Really? Thanks for the warning.

I avoid Broadcom parts anyway but that's just messed up.

Re: ODROID-C1 – Quad Core ARM Linux computer

#45

Post by monocasa »

biggerfisch wrote: post #36

Their technical details page seems to push eMMC pretty hard but their prices, 64GB for $80 [1], seem really high compared to a microSD card. Can anyone with experience comment on whether the eMMC has anywhere near the value for its price? [1] http://hardkernel.com/main/products/prdt_info.php?g_code=G14...

Yes, it does. SD cards are not really designed for being used as a root file system. They are OK at streaming writes and reads, but once you start getting non sequential they slow down like you wouldn't believe. Which, yes, I know, is super weird for what should just be some glue logic around a NAND.

I was investigating corruption and performance problems with our root filesystem on an SD card. The cards would be great a obvious benchmark style tasks, but when I recorded the block access pattern from our driver and replayed that on a Linux desktop with O_DIRECT, we'd not only get under 200KiB/s average access speed (which matched what we were seeing on the embedded system), but we would also get corrupted sectors (ie. we write it just fine, but we just get an error back from the card when we go to read the sector) in less than a day of sustained writes (once again at only 200KiB/s). And this was with high quality SanDisk cards that were then verified by them to be real cards (for a while we thought that clones had made their way into our supply chain). Using a weird form factor eMMC chip in an SD card got rid of these issues. There's also "industrial" SD cards that are around the same price that I suspect are basically the same thing.

Re: ODROID-C1 – Quad Core ARM Linux computer

#46

Post by skrause »

0x0 wrote: post #37
Rarebox wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This board only has 1GB RAM and no support for fast secondary storage (only USB2) so having 64bit address space would provide little benefit.

I'm sure there are other advantages to AArch64, like a larger set of registers, that could still make it worthwhile. At the very least it might push down the prices on the old armv7 CPUs.

The native AES encryption instruction set on AArch64 might also be really useful if you do any kind of encryption.

Re: ODROID-C1 – Quad Core ARM Linux computer

#47

Post by vld »

mikecarlton wrote: post #19

Anybody make something similar with dual ethernet? I'd like to replace my aging Alix-based home router/vpn ( http://www.pcengines.ch/alix2d3.htm ) with something like this.

I'm using http://tostarcn.en.alibaba.com/product/1955500912-222121763/... and it was worth the $170 I paid, really.

Re: ODROID-C1 – Quad Core ARM Linux computer

#49

Post by joshu »

q3k wrote: post #33
mikecarlton wrote: post #19

Anybody make something similar with dual ethernet? I'd like to replace my aging Alix-based home router/vpn ( http://www.pcengines.ch/alix2d3.htm ) with something like this.

Try the PCEngines APU board! http://www.pcengines.ch/apu.htm The only downside is it uses Realtek NICs instead of Intel ones. Otherwise it's pretty much perfect.

Where can I buy these?

Re: ODROID-C1 – Quad Core ARM Linux computer

#50

Post by shock »

ilaksh wrote: post #48

Is it possible to buy a tablet display without the actual tablet computer? I want something inexpensive and lightweight and efficient to pair with this for display and a regular lcd monitor isn't that.

This might be what you're looking for: http://hardkernel.com/main/products/prdt_info.php?g_code=G14...
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