Quad-Core Stick PC Runs Ubuntu

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Quad-Core Stick PC Runs Ubuntu

Posted by timothy on Thursday January 3, 2013 @03:36AM from the these-are-getting-awesome dept.

New submitter asola writes with this cool piece of small (ha!) news from Liliputing: "This Freescale i.MX6-quad based stick will officially support Ubuntu in addition to Android. This is a first among the newfangled category of ARM-based stick PCs. This Ubuntu may very well have the hw accelerated Gstreamer plugins created by Freescale for the i.MX6 so full HD video playing will be available under Ubuntu as well."

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I can almost see the product behind the watermark by Anonymous Coward · 2013-01-03 03:41 · Score: 5, Insightful

...in the picture.
Re:cores?` by h4rr4r · 2013-01-03 03:51 · Score: 3

This is a PC on a stick, there is no display and the input is likely just a USB port. You provide display and input devices yourself, like pretty much all non-laptop computers.
Re:The singularity approaches by eksith · 2013-01-03 03:53 · Score: 1

First Post!
What is this? YouTube?

--
If computers were people, I'd be a misanthrope.
Render farms by koan · 2013-01-03 03:56 · Score: 1

Wondering if anyone has tried making a mini render farm out of these small scale units, for 3D rendering, video effects rendering or even cracking passwords.
The only reason I see doing it is price point, GPU's these days kick ass on all of the above but typically can be more expensive.

--
"If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
1. Re:Render farms by Phreakiture · 2013-01-03 04:56 · Score: 2
  
  I had been tinkering with the idea of implementing HPC tasks in Javascript so that the compute nodes can be anything with a web browser. It wouldn't be the most efficient thing in the world, mind you, but I think it would be an amusing way to structure distributed computing. A popular enough site might be able to overcome not using GPUs just by sheer brute force of its viewership.
  
  --
  www.wavefront-av.com
2. Re:Render farms by jbeaupre · 2013-01-03 06:49 · Score: 2
  
  I'm waiting for these SoCs to be packaged a dozen at a time on a DIMM-style board. Slap a hand full of these on a motherboard for flexible expansion.
  There's minimal demand for this. It's just my prediction of how computers might evolve as power and price drop to levels that make adding computing power as simple as adding RAM.
  
  --
  The world is made by those who show up for the job.
3. Re:Render farms by Anonymous Coward · 2013-01-03 07:32 · Score: 1
  
  Why wait? See if you can come up with a rendering solution that's effective but cheap and market it, there is more demand than you might think.
Re:I can almost see the product behind the waterma by ArsenneLupin · 2013-01-03 04:16 · Score: 1

Mess of cables is helping as well to hide the "stick"...
TUTORIALS?!? by mosel-saar-ruwer · 2013-01-03 04:23 · Score: 1

Got any URLs for good tutorials on how to get the thing up and running? [Yeah, "Google is your friend", blah blah blah...] Thanks in advance!
1. Re:TUTORIALS?!? by mosel-saar-ruwer · 2013-01-03 04:25 · Score: 1
  
  wtf? no WYSIWYG carriage returns at /.? 1995 just called - it wants its Web 1.0 formatting back...
2. Re:TUTORIALS?!? by afidel · 2013-01-03 04:35 · Score: 1
  
  Change your preferences, slashdot used to make you choose between HTML markup and WYSIWYG but the WYSIWYG editor now support HTML code =)
  
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  There are 4 boxes to use in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, ammo. Use in that order. Starting now.
3. Re:TUTORIALS?!? by nightgeometry · 2013-01-03 04:42 · Score: 1
  
  Wow - when did they change? (Not that I post that often, but i didn't realise it had changed).
  
  --
  The best is the enemy of the good
4. Re:TUTORIALS?!? by Phreakiture · 2013-01-03 04:51 · Score: 1
  
  I think this is probably as close as you are going to get, though it is not specific to this particular machine; YMMV. Essentially, you get an image that is compiled for ARM and stick it on a USB device or SD card and plug it in before booting.
  
  --
  www.wavefront-av.com
5. Re:TUTORIALS?!? by AvitarX · 2013-01-03 06:59 · Score: 1
  
  I don't know what you mean, is there a WYSIWYG editor on /.?
  the code option looks new to me, but the other three are the same as from as long as I remember.
  
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a new connection format by Charliemopps · 2013-01-03 04:27 · Score: 3, Interesting

What these stick PCs need is a new connector that carrys full HD, 7.1 audio, power to the stick, mouse, keyboard, and remote control commands. Then TVs could include this format, you plug in your CPU stick and viola... your TV can run anything you want. Anyone could write their own TV OS or whatever. Ok kickstarter, kickstart this.
1. Re:a new connection format by Anonymous Coward · 2013-01-03 04:36 · Score: 1
  
  And I want a pony. Wish in one hand and shit in the other and see which fills up first.
2. Re:a new connection format by afidel · 2013-01-03 04:45 · Score: 2
  
  Nah, having used one of these you just plug it into HDMI and USB for power (both are on the back of most TV/displays today) and use Bluetooth for keyboard/mouse and WiFi for networking. We got a couple to use as the drivers for a digital signage project, plug it into the back of any tv and turn it into a digital sign that you can update over the web. The things we found missing for that application were GPS for inventory management and cellular for updates at sites that lack WiFi coverage. We could have used a USB cellular card but that kind of defeats the elegance of a stick computer with two cables.
  
  --
  There are 4 boxes to use in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, ammo. Use in that order. Starting now.
3. Re:a new connection format by stickystyle · 2013-01-03 04:46 · Score: 1
  
  Well, it's my understanding that MHL (on the newer Android phones) already has specs for all of that.
  
  --
  Pluralitas non est ponenda sine neccesitate
4. Re:a new connection format by CyberKnet · 2013-01-03 04:50 · Score: 2
  
  You're proposing to plug the mouse and keyboard into the TV .... instead of the stick? It sounds like you want to have the TV act as a KVM switch, which seems a bit odd unless you plan on having multiple sticks installed... I'm guessing you're in the very far minority that would want that.
  Aside from that, TVs really do need a new connector. HDMI already supports full HD, 7.1 audio, ethernet, and CEC. There's enough there to let the stick control the TV, and get network service from the TV.
  The power want is pretty reasonable in the general case, and I've wondered about it in the past... but do take a closer look at this stick in particular. It wants power from a 5V micro-usb. If your TV has a USB port for firmware updates, it can probably already power the thing. For TV's manufactured in the last 5 years, the odds are pretty likely.
  Cheers!
  
  --
  Video meliora proboque deteriora sequor - Ovidius
5. Re:a new connection format by jedidiah · 2013-01-03 05:13 · Score: 1
  
  You can already do this with low profile machines and have been able to do so for quite a long time already. The idea of extending that to a PC on a stick is not really that far of a stretch really.
  The main problem is that your USB ports will take up more volume that what's taken up by one of these thumb PCs.
  
  --
  A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
6. Re:a new connection format by needsomemoola · 2013-01-03 05:39 · Score: 1
  
  Screw the keyboard and mouse. Someone needs to take this and integrate it with LeapMotion's motion control sensor. Mount it to your coffee table or put it on your couch and just control the TV with your hands. That's a bit of work, and the controller hasn't shipped yet.... Small set back. Maybe an app for your phone or tablet even would be far better than a keyboard or mouse for a TV interface.
  Even cooler would be to (in addition to an app or motion controller) add voice control, maybe something that integrates with Google's Knowledge Graph tech.
  Maybe combine the functionality of the two. The problem with voice control is if it's active, you don't want it to respond to everything you say in your living room. Maybe you could have a hand gesture that the leap sensor recognizes where Google's KG starts listening. You could just wave your hand, say "play Fringe" and have the latest episode start playing.
  Oh the possibilities. I can't wait for the future.
  
  --
  "That'll never compile."
7. Re:a new connection format by CyberKnet · 2013-01-03 05:43 · Score: 1
  
  Aside from that, TVs really do NOT need a new connector.
  FTFM.
  Epic fail completely changes post intent.
  
  --
  Video meliora proboque deteriora sequor - Ovidius
8. Re:a new connection format by Charliemopps · 2013-01-03 06:15 · Score: 1
  
  That's my point. It should have a single connector that the Stick PC plugs into and then you're done with it. The TV would have its own controls, and maybe USB hub. The TVs remote could have buttons that affect the PC via USB... etc... Monitor/HID/Audio should be in the TV realm and then whatever processing power you want to plug in should be your own. Apple TV sucks? unplug it, plug in Google TV... dont like that? Go with a media portal stick. Etc...
9. Re:a new connection format by White+Flame · 2013-01-03 07:40 · Score: 1
  
  Any new connection standard that's limited to the paltry "full HD" resolution should be aborted before it sees the light of day. It's okay for movies, but not for computing displays.
10. Re:a new connection format by ourlovecanlastforeve · 2013-01-03 10:11 · Score: 1
  
  I've been doing this for years. My TV is a 30" Planar touchscreen monitor. Plug it into the HDMI port on my laptop: Instant touch screen home theater system. Plug it into my Galaxy S3: Instant giant Android tablet. Plug it into my Roku: Instant Netflix box. I predict that eventually televisions and monitors will merge into a single appliance because there's really no point in having a TV with its own internal logic components that will be outdated in a year. Oh yes, Sony and other manufacturers are fighting the good fight. They LOVE to make people replace their televisions every year or to so they can watch TV in the newest format. But they will lose that battle.
11. Re:a new connection format by n7ytd · 2013-01-03 12:13 · Score: 1
  
  What these stick PCs need is a new connector that carrys full HD, 7.1 audio, power to the stick, mouse, keyboard, and remote control commands. Then TVs could include this format, you plug in your CPU stick and viola... your TV can run anything you want. Anyone could write their own TV OS or whatever. Ok kickstarter, kickstart this.
  How about an HDMI connector with Ethernet? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI#Version_1.4. The connector is the easy part.
xbmc and hardware acceleration by kinocho · 2013-01-03 04:55 · Score: 1

There are many of this so called sticks pc's, minipc's or whatever. But none of them have full support (for now) for hardware accelerated drivers. The first of them that has open drivers and support for XBMC is going to sell millions. What I don't understand is why manufacturers do not see it yet. (replied to myself 'cos I was not logged in...)
Re:I dont... by Phreakiture · 2013-01-03 04:59 · Score: 1

Then you would have two 700MHz cores on two boards, not four 1.5 GHz cores on one.

--
www.wavefront-av.com
Re:I can almost see the product behind the waterma by interkin3tic · 2013-01-03 05:24 · Score: 4, Funny

It's a real shame too: the product is beautiful to gaze at. A real work of art. Here is a -slightly- lower resolution image of the product with no watermark.
Elimination of clutter? by asylumx · 2013-01-03 05:25 · Score: 4, Funny

What a great idea! Let's get rid of the machine and JUST have a nest of cables!
GPUs are cheaper by mangu · 2013-01-03 05:28 · Score: 1

You'll probably get much more bang for the buck, for the watts, and for the physical space, if you use GPUs.
There are video cards with 4000 processing cores available for under $400, look for HD7970x2. That is $0.10 for each core. No way a cluster of small computers will beat that.
1. Re:GPUs are cheaper by afidel · 2013-01-03 16:36 · Score: 1
  
  Except GPU's suck for any code that needs branching.
  
  --
  There are 4 boxes to use in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, ammo. Use in that order. Starting now.
Re:I can almost see the product behind the waterma by hattig · 2013-01-03 05:49 · Score: 3, Informative

Pictures: http://liliputing.com/2012/12/zealz-gk802-tv-stick-packs-quad-core-freescale-cpu-onto-a-99-pc-on-a-stick.html
http://www.geekbuying.com/item/Unii-GK802-Fresscale-i-MX6-Quad-Dure-Cortex-A9-DDR3-1GB-RAM-8GB-ROM-TV-Box-Dongle----Black-312807.html
http://blog.geekbuying.com/index.php/2012/12/12/quad-core-tv-stick-gk802-finally-stock-in-geekbuying/
Wonder what the Vivante quad core graphics is like, performance wise, compared to its peers.
Re:cores?` by hattig · 2013-01-03 05:50 · Score: 1

4 Cortex A9s at 1.2GHz
8GB + MicroSD slot
No screen, it's HDMI 1.4 capable
Use your own favourite Bluetooth input devices
802.11n wifi - 150mbps in theory
Re:Too expensive and no real market. by hattig · 2013-01-03 06:01 · Score: 1

The RPi is based around a video SoC, the CPU is really a microcontroller to drive the video capabilities - hence it can do 1080p easily, even though it's a 700MHz ARM11.
However these other SoCs are far more general purpose, and are more balanced towards the CPUs. The video decode can probably do more than 1080p to be honest, even the A10 can do 2160p allegedly!
Re:xbmc and hardware acceleration by kinocho · 2013-01-03 06:08 · Score: 1

They may be working on it, but right now not only xbmc does not have hd acces on them, it doesn't even boot...
So no. There aren't.
Re:Also Quad-Core but for $89 by lobiusmoop · 2013-01-03 06:19 · Score: 1

Also saw this one today, dual-core 1.2GHz Cortex-A9, 1G RAM, 4G flash, wifi for $20, crazy.

--
"I bless every day that I continue to live, for every day is pure profit."
Re:Also Quad-Core but for $89 by White+Flame · 2013-01-03 07:43 · Score: 1

That's an Allwinner A10, thus a single-core Cortex A8, not a dual A9. The A10 is in everything that's curiously cheap.
Re:Similar to Android TV dongles? by White+Flame · 2013-01-03 07:47 · Score: 1

The processor, and officially supported Ubuntu. Have you even read TFS?
Now if only by alphaminus · 2013-01-03 07:49 · Score: 1

Netflix supported Ubuntu.
Usage Scenarios, Retardation of Linux Community by ilikenwf · 2013-01-03 07:58 · Score: 4, Insightful

Were it me, I'd want one for a media center on the TV, running Android for the native Netflix support and XBMC, and then I would keep the other in my backpack or pocket or something for a go-anywhere backup machine. That said, it would have Debian or Archlinux arm installed, since Ubuntu is a steaming pile.

I really wish that bloggers and promoters would stop saying something "runs Ubuntu" without regard to other Linux distros. No device is exclusive to Ubuntu. If it runs a Linux kernel, it can run any Linux distro compiled for it's given architecture. This blind devotion to Canonical's sub-par distro is why we have so many retards clogging up Slashdot, various mailing lists, and forums with stupid questions beginning with "my Ubuntu is broken," or "Help me fix my Ubuntu." These people think Ubuntu is the end-all, be-all Linux without having tried anything else.

These ignorant people need mentors and education so that they can grow and evolve, trying other distros, and maybe even go back and improve Ubuntu to make it a bit less of an abortion than it is now. If you're a Linux vet, you've already gone through that circle, and need to pay it forward by helping educate the n00bs so that we don't get so many retarded questions - or over simplified crap - from Ubuntu and it's users.
1. Re:Usage Scenarios, Retardation of Linux Community by afidel · 2013-01-03 16:46 · Score: 1
  
  Just run Debian under chroot on Android, that way you only need to maintain one image and you can use it for both purposes. The only downside is X is a little lacking running that way so Linux GUI tools aren't it's forte.
  
  --
  There are 4 boxes to use in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, ammo. Use in that order. Starting now.
2. Re:Usage Scenarios, Retardation of Linux Community by markdavis · 2013-01-03 17:59 · Score: 1
  
  +1 I could not agree more. I wanted to barf when I saw this article and comment:
  "Gosh, I just wish it would run Linux instead of Ubuntu"
Re:But... by jones_supa · 2013-01-03 08:37 · Score: 1

This is a pure engineering site, no art allowed.
Thanks! by mosel-saar-ruwer · 2013-01-05 13:11 · Score: 1

Thanks!