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-   -   BeagleBoard- Open Source Hardware (http://www.mechmate.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2899)

KenC Thu 08 July 2010 08:38

BeagleBoard- Open Source Hardware
 
Came across a mini computer board call BeagleBoard
I'm idiot when it come to this but genuinely curious to know if we can run EMC2 or Mech3 with it.
It is
1) fan-less
2) Tiny
3) Runs of SD memory...
4) about US150...

Wonder if anyone is interested in this discussion.

May buy one to experiment with if it is suitable...

bradm Thu 08 July 2010 08:44

It would be a very substantial project:

A) It's not a standard PC; it's an ARM processor, not an Intel one. So it won't run standard windows, and thus won't run Mach3. It might run a Linux ARM port, however that Linux would be very unlikely to support the realtime extensions that EMC2 uses, so that's out too.

B) After solving all of the above, by customizing an operating system, you still have to deal with the lack of standard parallel port hardware.

Impossible? Probably not. Impractical? Do you have a spare few years of life? ;)

KenC Thu 08 July 2010 08:53

Arggggeee.... Not as easy huh...

There is a DB9 but not DB15 which we use. 1Ghz with 512M lead me into illussion... LOL

I was day dreaming of running MM on a home made Tablet :o

Thanks for the wake up call!


PS,
Quote:
Originally Posted by bradm View Post
Do you have a spare few years of life? ;)
Not any more, that will be occupied by my MechMate :D

Regnar Thu 08 July 2010 12:27

Ken, You can use SD memory on you computer now. I gave up a long time ago Hard drives in the garage. Heat, Vibration and Humidity just destroys them.

You will want to look of a IDE to CF adapter. Then you will need a Compact Flash card in a size that you need. I am running Emc2 off 4 Gigs with no problems.

Here is the link to the one that I bought. http://cgi.ebay.com/Compact-Flash-CF...item19bbb86c98

Just make sure that it is bootable.

riesvantwisk Thu 08 July 2010 13:47

Ken,

a quick search in google gave me this :
http://www.mail-archive.com/emc-deve.../msg02502.html

I know some people have been fooling around with it, but I don't know he results.
May be this can be used with Robotdig's CAN bus?!?!

Linux will run on there but from what I quickly was reading that the RTAI kernel is behind for these ports. So unless you know your hardware and software well (very well) it's a nice hobby project, but if you really want to produce anything with the MM. I would buy one of these small form factor computers.

Nice board though...

KenC Thu 08 July 2010 19:06

Russel, I'm currently running Ubuntu off 4GB thumb drive on Atom mobo. Yes, I heat & dusty environment just not too friendly to any moving parts.

Ries, Thanks for the link, trying to understand what they are talking about with my limited software & hardware knowledge is really counter productive.... but still trying ;)

Someone installed 10.04 http://elinux.org/BeagleBoardUbuntu

KenC Thu 08 July 2010 19:22

Found this too.
The content reads like alien language to me...
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Specs/Mobile...ArmelToolchain

riesvantwisk Thu 08 July 2010 19:28

Ken,

the beagleboard is a ARM based processor. And to use EMC2, you need to use a realtime kernel so the stepper motors (in our case) can be controlled reliable and predictable.
RTAI (www.rtai.org) is providing a linux kernel with realtime capabilities after it's patched. THis is why there is latency tests to see how the kernel behaves and when running heavy processes like glGears (OPenGL calculations) and doing other time consuming tasks it will give you some values on how the kernel is guaranteed to respond to interrupts and timing.

From what I understood from some threads is that the ARM based patches for RTAI are not in a good shape. On the other hand, when reading the RTAI 3-7 changelog 'upgraded ARM'.

I think, for any Mechmate'r it's best to use a PC based system using known components so you can use EMC2 or Mach3 without writing any code. Unless you are up to it :)

Theer are some nice micro board that available much like beagle in teh same price range.

Ken, It's not so much a issue of getting Linux running, Linux is like weed, it can grow and run everywhere :) but the problem for us is motion controlling in realtime, and for this we need a realtime kernel like Linux + RTAI patches.

KenC Thu 08 July 2010 20:18

Ries,
Thanks for elaborating. Seriously cut down days or even months of learning on this subject.
I like how you describe Linux like weed :D
I am always looking for alternatives to further our MM. and I heard that they are going to stop producing ATOM mobo.... hence pushes me to look for replacement to prepare myself for the unknown.
Yes, there are micro x86's out there but I'm visualising how nice it would be for us MM-ers flying our fingers over our home made Tablet screen standing beside our beloved MM....


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