BeagleBone Black

[angryChineseKahanist]

Anyone ever tried BeagleBone Black?
I just got one to replace a desktop. I plan to use it as a thin client. Save on big hardware and electricity. Its about $50 for this computer, a little more than the $25/35 Raspberry Pi computer.

http://beagleboard.org/

[muman613]

Never heard of such a thing...

What are the specs? For 25 you can't even buy memory these days...

Thin Server? I hope that it has memory and cpu...

[muman613]

Just viewed the specs...

Very interesting... I would not use this for a server though. It seems that this is a 'developers kit' for developing for that processor... I have never heard of the 'Sitara AM3359AZCZ100, 1GHz, 2000 MIPS' and would be interested in it's specs before recommending this for any particular application.


 

Processor   Sitara AM3359AZCZ100, 1GHz, 2000 MIPS
Graphics Engine   SGX530 3d, 20M Polygons/S
SDRAM Memory   512MB DDR3L 400MHz
Onboard Flash   2GB, 8-bit Embedded MMC
PMIC   TPS65217C PMIC regulator and one additional LDO
Debug Support   Optional onboard 20-pin CTI JTAG, Serial Header
Power Source   miniUSB or DC Jack; 5VDC External via Expansion Header
PCB   3.4" x 2.1"; 6 Layers
Indicators   1-Power, 2-Ethernet, 4-User Controlled LEDs
HS USB 2.0 Client Port   Access to USB0, Client mode via miniUSB
HS USB 2.0 Host Port   Access to USB1, Type A Socket, 500mA LS/FS/HS
Serial Port   UART0 access via 6 pin 3.3V TTL Header (header is populated)
Ethernet   10/100, RJ45
SM/MMC Connector   microSD, 3.3V
User Input   Reset Button, Boot Button, Power Button
Video Out   16b HDMI, 1280x1024 (max), 1024x768, 1280x720, 1440x900 w/EDID Support
Audio   Via HDMI Interface, Stereo
Expansion Connectors   Power 5V, 3.3V, VDD_ADC (1.8V); 3.3V I/O on all signals; McASP0, SPI1, I2C, GPIO(65), LCD, GPMC, MMC1, MMC2, 7 AIN (1.8V max), 4 Timers, 3 Serial Ports, CAN0, EHRPWM (0,2), XDMA Interrupt, Power Button, Expansion Board ID (up to 4 can be stacked)
Weight   1.4 oz (39.68 grams)
Power   210-460mA@5V (depending on activity and processor speed)

[muman613]

Upon even further examination it appears that this Sitara chip is a ARM clone... Thus I can see useful application for it.

It may be something I could use in a test farm... I have an automated test system for our development where we regression test our chipset by playing and capturing the decoded YUV data for a video stream and comparing checksums for each frame. A little processor like this could run my application.

http://www.ti.com/product/am3359

Description
The AM335x microprocessors, based on the ARM Cortex-A8, are enhanced with image, graphics processing, peripherals and industrial interface options such as EtherCAT and PROFIBUS. The device supports the following high-level operating systems (HLOSs) that are available free of charge from TI:

* Linux®
* Android™

The AM335x microprocessor contains these subsystems:

Microprocessor unit (MPU) subsystem based on the ARM Cortex-A8 microprocessor.

POWERVR SGX Graphics Accelerator subsystem for 3D graphics acceleration to support display and gaming effects.

The Programmable Real-Time Unit and Industrial Communication Subsystem (PRU-ICSS) is separate from the ARM core, allowing independent operation and clocking for greater efficiency and flexibility. The PRU-ICSS enables additional peripheral interfaces and real-time protocols such as EtherCAT, PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, PROFIBUS, Ethernet Powerlink, Sercos, and others.

[angryChineseKahanist]

I'm using both the raspberry pi and the beaglebone black.
I have one beaglebone black for testing. I need a thin client / remote desktop.
Much cheaper than a full pc.

[muman613]

I'm using both the raspberry pi and the beaglebone black.
I have one beaglebone black for testing. I need a thin client / remote desktop.
Much cheaper than a full pc.

Are you running Ubuntu on it? I am wondering how much software had been pre-built for it, or do you have to make everything yourself?

Do you remember the days of 'X-terminals'?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_terminal

In computing, an X terminal is a display/input terminal for X Window System client applications. X terminals enjoyed a period of popularity in the early 1990s when they offered a lower total cost of ownership alternative to a full Unix workstation.

An X terminal runs an X server. (In X, the usage of "client" and "server" is from the viewpoint of the programs: the X server supplies a screen, keyboard, mouse and touchscreen to client applications.) This connects to an X display manager (introduced in X11R3) running on a central machine, using XDMCP (X Display Manager Control Protocol, introduced in X11R4).[1]

Thin clients have somewhat supplanted X terminals in that they are equipped with added flash memory and software for communication with remote desktop protocols. Due to the existence of free software implementations of multiple protocols, X terminals which do not have this extra flash memory have been made commercially obsolete by more general-purpose thin clients and by low cost PCs running an X server.[clarification needed][dubious – discuss]

[angryChineseKahanist]

I've installed the base install of arm debian. Just the text input. Then I installed LXDE (window manager).

I've also installed rdesktop. Works great. I can watch movies (quarter of the screen of course).
The only annoyance is that the beaglebone black only sends audio via micro HDMI. There's no headphone jack.

And yes, I've used terminals. I've used VAX [? ?] mainframes. I remember four really large guys carrying out the hard drive.

[drlmg]

That is absolutely amazing..... I used to be a really up on new technology and all things computers. Now I am lost.

Am I understanding this correctly? You can use this to build a server? If so, appx. how many clients or how much bandwidth could it handle? Could 3 or 4 people load simple pages with images at the same time?

I have no legitimate use for servers but as a hobby I love to build and set up servers..... I have a home network.... One station set up in the dock house (cam looking out across channel for dolphins... but mainly internet surfing and streaming of music), one station in the work shop/ exercise room (same as previous), one station in office for office and house (wireless router and couple of relay stations), and I have one station at front gate for cameras.

Most of the computers have been put together by mixture of new and salvage parts.

[muman613]

I have a bunch of old machines which I used to use as servers for a Website I used to run. To run a Linux server at home doesn't take a lot of power (cpu & memory). I had my server running in RH5 using LAMP (Linux/Apache/MySQL/PHP) and it ran for several years (I used to own the 'softwaremagic.net' domain)...

I wrote some OpenSource software some years ago, my projects are still catalogued on various sites...

http://gnu.cofman.dk/directory/email/misc/getattach.pl.html

[angryChineseKahanist]

Anything can be called a server now. I have a soc (system on a chip) as a file server.