ODROID-C1 – Quad Core ARM Linux computer • Hacker News Board

Re: ODROID-C1 – Quad Core ARM Linux computer

#81

Post by makomk » Mon, Dec 15, 2014, 9:52 PM UTC

pjc50 wrote: post #75

pygy_ wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

Correct. But this is just the first stage bootloader; the GPU boot ROM loads a second stage loader from the SD card, which then loads the kernel and launches the ARM straight into it. None of this is encrypted or signed as is usual on Android devices. http://raspberrypi.stackexchange.com/questions/10489/how-doe...

The license conditions do, however, forbid you from using the first-stage bootloader on anything other a Raspberry Pi. That is, if you somehow manage to get hold of another board with the same Broadcom SoC that's somehow compatible with the bootloader, you're not allowed to boot that with it.

Re: ODROID-C1 – Quad Core ARM Linux computer

#82

Post by narrowrail » Tue, Dec 16, 2014, 1:13 AM UTC

joshbaptiste wrote: post #78

ccwu660601 wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If 100M is enough for you, I'm developing a new board with 2 RJ45 for industrial ethernet, which has a 40 pin connector compatible to that of RPi B+, but the circuit is adapted from beaglebone black. It's scheduled for end of January 2015. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1X9RrbkUpiTQ-S6Acken-5fv7...

I'm very interested in your board as it would probably make for a great *BSD firewall, do you have any contacts? as I cannot find any on that page.

Not sure what your budget (power or $) is, but I use this for an almost identical situation:

AMD fanless barbone w/ dual NIC (Jetway $215) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856107...

SSD 64GB ($62 sandisk) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA4UB22Z51...

4GB RAM (no ECC) ($38 gskill) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231...

So, $315 and ~15W max. I bet this could serve a small office well. Someone should get this down to $200 with minimal specs (and no video or audio).

It has dual Realtek NICs; it runs pfsense and openVPN well, and you can also run squid and snort if you're into it (I haven't learned how to use them yet, but I plan to).

Re: ODROID-C1 – Quad Core ARM Linux computer

#83

Post by ansible » Tue, Dec 16, 2014, 2:09 AM UTC

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...

With eMMC you can have an 8-bit data bus (instead of 4) and higher clock speed.

Re: ODROID-C1 – Quad Core ARM Linux computer

#84

Post by kragen » Tue, Dec 16, 2014, 7:54 PM UTC

joezydeco wrote: post #77

kragen wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While your avoidance is understandable, given Broadcom's thoroughly disreputable history with regard to free software, it's not justified in this case. The Pi GPU is apparently fully enough documented that you can write your own software for it.

I could care less about the state of the GPU driver source and the typical complaints of RPi developers. Open, closed, whatever. I'm more skeptical of a SoC architecture that has the CPU dependent on the GPU for its startup sequence. Or is this a matter of the GPU controlling the ARM's clock tree?

What's wrong with having the CPU dependent on the GPU for its startup? It has to be dependent on something.