Re: BeagleBoard OMAP35xx
 

Better than windows 7? ;)

Re: BeagleBoard OMAP35xx
 

So, I started hanging around #beagle (Freenode) to hear what sort of things are going on. From the chatter, it all still seems very hackish at the moment. The NAND driver evidently doesn't yet have bad-block management, USB chipset may be changing soon, dropping x-loader, etc, etc. So definitely not for the feint of heart at this point, but still looking to be quite cool.

Not sure how set-in-stone things are, but they seem to be talking July for shipping more boards in larger numbers (after the USB chipset change, I think).

Here's a drool-worthy shot to wet your appetite. Pupnik said he'd try to get some video of a beagle demo with hit hot new HD camcorder, hopefully he's doing just that. :p

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2172/...bfff80.jpg?v=0

Re: BeagleBoard OMAP35xx
 

Seems like a cool board, though I have to say it's not exactly a market unto itself here; the size looks quite nice, but I just built up an ALIX 3c3 for another project and for a slightly larger system you're getting a full 500Mhz 256DDR ram AMD Geode with 2 mini PCIs, 2 USB, built on CF port for your storage/block device, built on serial port VGA and sound card (line in/out). Also fits very neatly into the ALIX aluminum enclosures to make for a very slick and low power little system. The OMAP stuff is very cool especially as far as uber power management and tiny tiny size goes (i.e. in tablets), but for a "mac-mini" type of mobile (or even backpack lug around) style of system there are other better suited solutions in my oppinion (especially since you don't have to cross compile everything). Oh yea, and the 3c3 was only $130 + Wifi cards..

Re: BeagleBoard OMAP35xx
 

No, I don't disagree that there are better solutions out there for the money, but my interest here lies more with the fact that it's OMAP (so a lot of effort put in this could translate nicely to future NITs) and the hacker-aspects involved with it.

It's certainly not the best of anything, but x86 stuff is a dime-a-dozen and not all that interesting in the NIT context.

Re: BeagleBoard OMAP35xx
 

I dunno, but I like that water cooling system!

Re: BeagleBoard OMAP35xx
 

Well, finally got my Beagle last week. Spent the last 4 days getting all the parts to successfully establish a serial terminal. Forgot my DVI-to-HDMI cable back home, though, some I'm still without a display. Booted the Ångstrom demo image, though, and got a serial console from that.

It's a lot smaller than it looks in person. . . .

http://flickr.com/photos/generalanti...s/beagleboard/

Re: BeagleBoard OMAP35xx
 

Congrats! I want one too but I suppose yours is a Rev. B board which have some errata problems, I'll better wait for the next revision.

Anyway is a _very_ capable and powerful board, just wondering if there are GL drivers available for the 3D gfx accelerator?

Re: BeagleBoard OMAP35xx
 

Very interesting. I looked at this a while ago and could very well ending up getting one. The form factor looks a bit square though - presumably it wouldn't fit inside something like an N800 form factor?

What worries me most is wi-fi -- SDIO isn't much of an option the way I see it, I'm not aware of any good SDIO wi-fi cards out there. Compared to the N8x0 wi-fi they're rubbish. They break easily and the power saving mode support tend to be non-existent.
The other spec looks very good though. Could possibly have wished for twice the amount of RAM.

Re: BeagleBoard OMAP35xx
 

If you can wait there will be next revision in November with working EHCI USB host port in addition to curent OTG port.

Tried to advocate for it, it was acknowledged but not determined.

Re: BeagleBoard OMAP35xx
 

I am ogling those Beagles as well. I do have a few Linutops, but they really suxxx for video playback and as such thwart my plans to have a pc in every room (well, sorta) of the house. At least Beagles have HDMI output and can handle HD material.