RP2040-PICO-PC small computer made with the Raspberry Pi RP2040-PICO module first prototypes are ready

These who follow our account in Twitter know our small teaser posted on March 1st.

It’s small base board for RP2040-PICO the $4 module with the Cortex-M0+ processor made by Raspberry Pi foundation.

We were ready with the prototype for a long time but the RP2040-PICO modules were tricky to source 🙂

Raspberry Pi suffer from the same problems the semiconductor industry have now – no enough components to organize production and the PICO modules are hard to obtain.

From the picture above you can see what our idea is:

• Small board taking power from the USB on the right just below the RP2040-PICO module.
• LiPo battery charged for handheld operation and power backup.
• Reset button.
• Micro SD card
• Audio output
• HDMI connector with DVI signals to connect to monitor
• UEXT connector with UART, SPI, I2C, 3.3V and GND to attach different sensors
• JST2.0 4 pin I2C + power supply connector
• Debug connector for Serial adapter

The price of RP2040-PICO-PC including the original RP2040-PICO module from Raspberry Pi with soldered headers all in one ready to use computer will cost EUR 12.00

As RP2040-PICO modules now are not available in production quantities for purchase, we decided that until we wait we could make our own version of RP2040-PICO, which to be pin to pin drop in replacement.

Fortunately some RP2040 processors are available now, so we can make our own DIL40 board, this is how our RP2040-Py board was born:

It’s mechanically same as size, with connector signals like the original RP2040-PICO.

Functionally RP2040-Py is same as RP2040-PICO, but has some imoprovements:

• RP2040 SOC
• 2MB of SPI Flash
• USB micro connector on the right hand
• Power supply DC-DC with 3.3V up to 2A (if the 5V source can provide)
• Reset and Boot buttons
• two 20 pin rows on the side with same signals making it drop pin to pin compatible.
• uUEXT connector on bottom

As the board still had plenty of not used space we decided to add USB JTAG debugger, which will allow you to debug your RP2040 SOC with step by step execution, to watch variables and set breakpoints while you develop your code.

There will be three versions of the RP2040-Py:

Basic: same as RP2040-PICO but with higher current DCDC power supply (3.3V up to 2A output) additional UEXT connector and RESET button. The price of this module will be EUR 5.00

Basic+ same as Basic but with soldered headers and additional left hand side micro USB, which can be used to power the board while the left hand side micro USB can be used as USB device or USB host. The price of this module will be EUR 8.00

Debug: same as Basic+ but with populated JTAG parts, which allow real time programming and debugging. The price of this module will be EUR 19.00 The JTAG debugger is tested to work with OpenOCD/Eclipse/Visual Studio, ARM (Keil) IDE and IAR Systems EW.

S3-OLinuXino Open Source Hardware Linux dual camera board status uppdate April 2021

S3-OLinuXino is small open source hardware Linux computer with Ethernet, dual camera interface, running mainline uboot and Linux Kernel 5.12.

Our hardware went through few iterations, but last Revision.C now is in production and we will have it for sale on our web at the end of the April.

This board has small PoE plug-on top module which adds PoE functionality, so the whole setup board + cameras can be powered via Ethernet.

The camera connectors are made compatible with OV2640 2Mpix camera and Raspberry Pi Camera.

S3-OLinuXino has LCD connector where LCD-OLinuXino displays can be connected.

WiFi/BT module adds wireless functionality.

Open Source Hardware STMP1-OLinuXino-LIME2 industrial grade Linux computer update – Debian Buster and Ubuntu Focal with mainline Kernel 5.10.12 now supports almost everything

• 

STMP1-OLinuXino-LIME2 Industrial grade Linux Computer project took us almost an year of work to build proper software support for our hardware with mainline uboot and kernel.

ST demo board uses Yocto with kernel 5.4, our images use Linux Kernel 5.10.12

These who monitor our Official images at https://images.olimex.com probably nottice that we already have images with Debian Buster and Ubuntu Focal for STM32MP1 where almost everything now work with mainline Linux Kernel 5.10.12.

• We had lot of troubles around the Ethernet, but now it works pretty well!

• CAN-FD – works!

• Two USB High speed hosts with 1A current – works!

• LCD – works

• HDMI – works!

• eMMC Flash boot – works!

• PMU and LiPo charger battery support – works

Two things on this board left not complete:

• low power modes
• USB-OTG

New prototypes rev.B now are in production, the Chinese New Year will delay them to end of February. We hope meantime to solve these two last issues and run production.

UPDATE: As some people wanted to know what was the Ethernet issue we were struggling so long, I posted in the comment section.

For the USB-OTG my guess is that it’s also some silly issue so people may help:

STM32MP1 has two High speed USB hosts and one Full speed USB-OTG, here is snip from their Hardware development document:

Here is our schematic which follows above guide:

The two High Speed USB hosts work as expected, but the USB-OTG has issue summarized here: https://pastebin.com/i6G90kdg

What makes us a little bit suspicious is that STM in their own demo board didn’t follow their Hardware Guide and were wiring one of their High speed USB as OTG and connecting USB hub to the other, ignoring the Full speed USB at all.

PWR-SWITCH is optically isolated EU style power load switch for up to 3500W, 230VAC/16A and can be driven with any microcontroller, Arduino, EPS32, or Linux computers directly with 3-24V

PWR-SWITCH hides the high voltage problems from the Arduino, ESP32, Raspberry Pi, Beaglebone, OLinuXino developers. It has 1500VAC optically isolation and can drive high voltage up to 230VAC / 16A loads safely.

To switch On or Off the loads from 3 to 24VDC can be used, so you can drive the loads with any microcontroller only 1mA is necessary to trigger the switch.

PWR-SWITCH is with EU stype plug and receptacle, so to use it in US or in UK you will need some of these:US to EU adapter, EU to US adapter or UK to EU adapter.

 PWR-SWITCH has CE-EMC and LVD certification.

Green LED show the switch status.

Use Raspberry PI as Iceprog programmer for iCE40HX1K-EVB or iCE40HX8K-EVB

Andreas Seltenreich sent us message how he is using Raspberry PI to program his iCE40HX1K-EVB and we add to the wiki section.

How to get in the News? Tell people that you will make and sell something which cost you $20 for $9!

Probably everybody heard for the next big thing after Raspberry Pi – the C.H.I.P. computer which sells for only $9.

What?? Single board computer with 512MB RAM and 4/8GB Flash and WiFi for only $9?

When Raspberry Pi foundation advertised they will make Linux computer for $25 very few believed this is possible, then after some time hitting rocks on the road they made partnership with Farnell and RS and made this happen. Actually lot of Android TV sticks in this price range were available so the technology was there just nobody from Western world had explored it.

The Rpi got quite successful, so lot of companies followed in the aim to make the next better Raspberry Pi (we at Olimex also 🙂 went to this route with OLinuXino OSHW Linux computers fixing the fact that RPi is closed source design).

The $35 was the magic number if you come close to it more chances to attract people you have.

Then few weeks ago there was the next big thing – computer with the specs of Raspberry Pi for only $9 on Kickstarter.

This blew people’s mind – they start fantasies like how Allwinner produce 1Ghz SOCs for $1 like on this thread on G+.

These guys plan was set for sale of 5000 computers, we purchased more than 150K SoCs chips from Allwinner last year alone and I know the DDR and Flash memory market, so I was quite skeptical this $9 is achievable even for the Bill of Materials not for sale price.

I asked Allwinner for quote and got $4.80/5K order (which is the original Kickstarter goal of Next Thing Co. guys). I assumed this price is for the module they use with the 512MB RAM and 4GB Flash (despite just the DDR and Flash exchange market price is higher than this number, well I hoped Allwinner manufacturing this module have some magic prices not applicable for mortals with the million of units they sell :).

Today I got datasheet of R8M and price of it is $16 including the PMU. Whaaat? Just the module is $16 but these guys sell this module on board with connectors and WIFI for $9 how this is possible?

I asked Allwinner again if there is mistake and they confirmed there is no mistake, R8 price is $4.80, R8M module price $16. Allwinner confirmed R8 just SOC cost $4.80 but this makes not much sense either this is the price of A33 quad core SOC why they price so expensive obsolete A13 Cortex-A8 SOC???

On my question how then Next Thing Co. sell this computer for $9 Allwinner response is:

“CHIP 9$ computer launched a big advertising campaign to promote their new development board, their actual cost is higher than 9$. After the Kickstarter their computer will sell for 39$.”

So, sorry guys to break your dreams for 1Ghz SOCs costing $1, maybe in future this would be possible, but not now.

The C.H.I.P. is just CHEAP marketing. At least for me R8 is not interesting at this price, better use A33 Quad core or H3 for your next design they are in same price range.

EDIT Update 08-06-2015: On the question why R8 cost is same as for quad core processor the response from Allwinner is:

R8 is new IC just published especially on IoT, it is not like A33 this one had used on a large scale forTablet PC.

So R8 is more expensive as produced in lower quantities than A33 which is selling for tablets in big volumes.

Who fears from the competition? RPi Foundation pressed Broadcom to stop selling BCM2835 to competing projects.

On July 29th I blogged about the Raspberry Pi Clones which now exist and the new Odroid project which actually makes better hack friendly module based on BCM2835 including better power supply, LiPo battery support etc features.

This is pure example that no matter if your project is open or closed hardware it could be cloned if there is enough interest to do so.

Also I made speculations that due to the bad financial condition which Broadcom faces due to the Chinese SOC competitors they start selling their BCM2835 to anyone with money.

Well this must have upset RPi Foundation a lot and they should have start to pess Broadcom about stop selling the BCM2835 to others than RPi.

Today Odroid guys wrote on their G+ account: “We have to stop ODROID-W project soon since Broadcom will not supply the SoC to Hardkernel anymore.
When the first trial batch is sold out, you can’t buy the ODROID-W anymore. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

The Raspberry Clones attack

 

I got interesting email this morning:

Hi Mr. Tsvetan Usunov,
How are you?
This is David from XXX which is a professional manufacturer of the credit card sized computer Raspberry Pi .
I find you are doing the business of embedded computers in your website,I guess  you would have the interest in our products.
Now we can provide you the latest version of Raspberry pi (type B+) with the competetive price and good service.and we serve several distributor in your country now.you can see that the companies in your country sell the Pi in their website .http://www.snapdeal.com/brand/raspberry-pi .
If you have the interest in this products ,please kindly let me know.thank you
Best Regards, 
David


Well, I'm definitely not interested to re-sell Raspberry Pi, and far away from India, but out of the curiosity I asked about the pricing, the answer was immediately:


Hi Tsvetan，

Thanks for your reply.
For type B: USD 31 ，
For type B+：USD 32
FCA HK ,Delivery time: 4~7 days.
Please review the attached file for the difference between type B and type B+.
Anything you wanna know ,please feel free to contact me. thank you.
Best Regards,
David

So company in HK is manufacturing and selling clones of Raspberry Pi -> so far about the closed source designs which prevent you from being copied 🙂

No matter if your design is OPEN or CLOSED this do not stop others to copy and clone your design, this is not rocket technology after all, if they have one of your boards they can de-solder all components, then strip the board layer by layer and copy it 1:1.

The real protection for Raspberry Pi was that Broadcom didn’t sell few years their chips to anyone else than the RPF, but with the recent announcement http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1323198 Broadcom seems didn’t resist and start selling these chips to anyone with cash.

There is one more original design which I saw today again with Raspberry Pi based processor:

 

Board which run Linux but have no Ethernet connectivity and cost $30. To me at least seems that Raspberry Pi B+  for $5 more gives you +4 USB hosts and Ethernet to be a better deal. This probably try to compete with the recently announced Raspberry Module as have more sophisticated power supply.

There is an interesting discussion about this board on Raspberry Pi forum

Raspberry Pi project – interfacing Wii-Nunchuk with RPi

Wii Nunchuck  is Wii remote controller with 3-axis accelerometer, joystick and two button combo. Those who have watched old Bruce Lee movies know how dangerous such Nunchaku could be in some hands 😀 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRyDcB7qQFo

Olimex offers Wii-Nunchuck with UEXT adapter board for EUR 6.95 https://www.olimex.com/Products/Modules/Sensors/MOD-WII/MOD-Wii-UEXT-NUNCHUCK/

and now with RPI-UEXT https://www.olimex.com/Products/Modules/Adapters/RPi-UEXT/ you can connect Wii remote to your Raspberry pi

The Python code is on GitHub https://github.com/OLIMEX/raspberrypi when you start it you will see on the console:

the joystick coordinates, accelerometer XYZ values and two button status

Friday Free Board Quiz issue #25 is RPI-UEXT + MOD-IO2

RPI-UEXT allow Raspberry Pi to have access to different modules see original blog post we made about it: https://olimex.wordpress.com/2012/11/21/raspberry-pi-gpio-to-breadboard-and-uext-adapter/

MOD-IO2 allow RaspberryPi to control 2 relays and to read/write 7 additional GPIOs, including Analog inputs. On top of this MOD-IO2 is stackable and addressable so you can stack and connect to Raspberry Pi as many relays as you need for your project.

You have chance to win RPI-UEXT + CABLE26-pin + MOD-IO2 today if you answer correctly our quiz question!

Today at 17.00 o’clock our local Bulgarian time (GMT+2) we will post on Twitter our questions.

You have one hour to reply to our tweet with the correct answer.

At 18.00 o’clock we will count the correct answers and ask random.org to generate random number in range then announce the winner and ship the board by airmail in Monday.

Good Luck!