[time-nuts] RPi/ beagle bone-like computer without video

Attila Kinali attila at kinali.ch
Wed Nov 30 19:40:33 EST 2016


On Wed, 30 Nov 2016 12:42:51 -0800
jimlux <jimlux at earthlink.net> wrote:

> I'm looking for a small linux single board - similar to RPi or 
> Beaglebone Black, but don't need the HDMI, or video stuff.
> Preferably without weird connectors, and available for wide temperature 
> ranges (it's for a data logger/collector in the field)
> 
> What's out there?

If you can acommodate SO-DIMM connectors, then I probably would go for
modules by Toradex[1] or aries[2]. I know that both companies do a good
job of getting complete support for their SoCs and the modules upstream
(very important if you want it to just work) and I also know people I can
kick if something doesn't. A friend also pointed me at [3], but I don't
know how good they are.

Generally speaking, if you google for "ARM SOM" you will get lots of
results, some of them specially made for industrial environments.
The connectors vary a lot and are too often high density connectors.
Though usually not going below 1mm pitch. SO-DIMM has kind of become
a standard formfactor for a lot of those modules (but all with
different pin-outs!). Outside the ARM sphere, there is very little else.
MIPS processors are mostly networking and video coding SoC's, so probably
overpowered for your application. There are the Intel based Minnowboards,
but they are bascially full fledged PCs with low power consumption.
(I have a Minnow Turbot here, I really like it, tiny as it is, but it's
a heavy handed beast compared to the ARM boards)

HTH

			Attila Kinali

[1] https://www.toradex.com/
[2] http://www.aries-embedded.de/
[3] http://www.variscite.com/products/system-on-module-som/cortex-a8/var-som-am33-cpu-ti-am335x-am3354-am3352

-- 
Malek's Law:
        Any simple idea will be worded in the most complicated way.


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