News Raspberry Pi computer, is it rational?

Artlav

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Alright, RS finally found Russia on the map, and the PI will be flying in... within 6 weeks.

Farnell's one is on the way for three weeks already, but they managed to send it over regular mail without a tracking number.
I mean, what the heck? I got beagleboard shipped from them by UPS in 2 days flat, and for less money than that!

Logistics...
 

Artlav

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And Farnell's one finally arrived!

Nice piece of hardware, not too much heating.
Recognizes a TV and a HDMI HDTV, recognizes keyboard and mouse.
Hardware FPU support, a GPU and a bunch of pins in one package.

Runs Quake 3 nicely.

Spaceway compiles and runs, but quite slowly (using VFP would need a custom compiler compilation, OpenGLES is a PITA, GPU driver is not synched with X server, etc).

I don't see how you can run Orbiter on this, even with OGLAClient.
Maybe OGLA-thinclient variation, or MFD export stuff, but not the whole thing.
Shortest chain is Qemu_user->Wine->Orbiter_ng->TCP->native OGLA.
Qemu play it tough and so far refuses to just compile.

Summary:
Device awesome, batteries not included, some assembly required.
For the spare change it costs, it certainly delivers a premium.
 

tl8

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Excellent news. I have just ordered mine (Farnell). Expecting it in August. We get stuff from them all the time, so I expect it will be a surprise...
 

Izack

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Just heard a program on the local radio about this not too long ago. The philosophy behind it seems quite grand, though I'm not sure New Brunswick's population has enough pins in their own brains to understand any of it.

"Inside the computer...That's where the files and the folders are, right?" If it's not this, then it's "Steve Jobs tells me computers are run by magic."
 

Notebook

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Just got it today, can't do much, no usb kbd, no video cabling. Got the blank sd card, so need to make it bootable.

RPi recommends the Debian "Squeeze" at :

http://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads

following from the quickstart guide supplied, had a look here:
http://elinux.org/Rpi_easy_sd_card_setup

Seems simple enough, not too happy about item 7) though...

Anyone been through this yet, don't really want to be the first.............. what a wimp!

N.
 

Artlav

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Seems simple enough, not too happy about item 7) though...

Anyone been through this yet, don't really want to be the first
"Copying the image to an SD Card on Windows" option works like a charm.
debian6-19-04-2012.zip image have all you'd need for a start.

Keyboards and cables should be dirt cheap in any civilized locale.
Unfortunately, rpi is not set up for SSH by default, so you'll have to find them.

I suppose a TV/monitor with an HDMI port should be standard issue over there as well.
 

Notebook

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Thanks Artlav, sounds good!

Just waiting for the bits arriving from Maplin, I'm still in the VGA era....!

I'll have a go with the SD card bit.

N.
 

Notebook

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Bit of a disapointment, got all the bits, wrote the card Nothing coming out the HDMI socket.

Red and Green LEDs on.

Could have messed up the SD card I suppose, do you get any video out with no SD card inserted?

N.
 

Artlav

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do you get any video out with no SD card inserted?
No, there is video only when the system starts booting - Rpi have zero onboard storage, everything is on the card.

Check the card - on a linux box it should show three partitions (sizes and positions depend on card size, but boot one is always 75Mb):
Code:
        Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/mmcblk0p1              17        1216       76800    c  W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/mmcblk0p2            1233      503551    32148416   83  Linux
/dev/mmcblk0p3          503552      506607      195584   82  Linux swap / Solaris
 

Notebook

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Thanks Artlav, probably messed up the SD card programming. Haven't got any linux box to look at the card with. This is what it looks like in Windows:

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k207/Notebook_04/RaspSD.png

EDIT
I have a feeling the two kernel .zip files shoudn't be zipped? or is Windows just putting the last type of file it saw onto the .img?
N.
 
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Artlav

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Thanks Artlav, probably messed up the SD card programming. Haven't got any linux box to look at the card with. This is what it looks like in Windows:

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k207/Notebook_04/RaspSD.png

N.
That's boot partition all right, but Windows's vanity won't allow it to accept the existence of multi-partition memory cards, so no one is the wiser.

Two things to check - make sure the card is inserted all the way.
The socket is kind of tight, and it might not get all the way - the spring bar at the end should be pushed into the contact.

Good:
rpi_card_good.jpg


Bad:
rpi_card_bad.jpg


Second, do all the plug-out-of-the-socket level checks - is the tv/monitor set for HDMI, is the right card inserted, is the power supply correct, etc.

With the wrong card the red LED (PWR) is lit, and the green one (OK) is constantly lit (but very dim wrt the red one).
With the right card, it's the same, but the green light would blink with the card activity, like the HDD light on the PC, and in about 5 seconds the image should appear on the screen.

---------- Post added at 19:57 ---------- Previous post was at 19:54 ----------

I have a feeling the two kernel .zip files shoudn't be zipped? or is Windows just putting the last type of file it saw onto the .img?
That's just Windows playing smart, probably WinZip associated img with itself as a floppy image or something.
File sizes look correct.
 

Notebook

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Thanks Artlav.

Checked the card, right way up and the cintact is closed. The power supply came from RS, and its a 1A, so should be OK.

Bad news is the Green LED shows some activity, then comes on full after about 10 seconds.

Can't do any more checks with the video, the only HDMI set is on full SKY TV viewing mode now, and won't be available for 12 hours, or I lose a leg...

N.
 

Artlav

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Can't do any more checks with the video, the only HDMI set is on full SKY TV viewing mode now, and won't be available for 12 hours, or I lose a leg...
The yellow thing opposite to the HDMI socket is the good old video out, which can be hooked up to any TV with the AV sockets (which is any TV made in the last 30 years, i think).
Have you tried that one?
 

Notebook

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Yes, composite PAL, unfortunately I haven't got a set that takes it!

I'm going to have another go with the HMDI, just realised I may have done something incredibly stupid...

EDIT:

Yes, stupidity involved, I basically plugged the RPi into the SKY box...well, that stress tested both of them.

Seems to work ok still:

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k207/Notebook_04/IMGP1212.jpg

Just have to find a cheap HDMI monitor now

N.
 
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Notebook

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http://www.fishpi.org/

Nothing if not ambitious!

FishPi
Design and build an automated trans-oceanic surface vehicle controlled by the Raspberry Pi, and powered by solar energy.

N.
 

Notebook

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Call me Flipper?

N.
 
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