Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3+ Promises Better Performance, Starts at $25 (venturebeat.com)

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Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3+ Promises Better Performance, Starts at $25 (venturebeat.com)

Posted by msmash on Monday January 28, 2019 @02:15AM from the miniature-computers dept.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation is adding a new device to its suite of miniature computers for industrial and enterprise customers. From a report: The charity today unveiled the Pi Compute Module 3+ (CM3+), successor to the two-year-old Compute Module 3 (CM3). The Pi Compute Module 3+ comes in four variants, starting at $25. The Raspberry Pi Compute Module is derived from the CM3 board but offers better thermal behavior under load. That's possible because of the Broadcom's 64-bit BCM2837B0 application processor, which was also used in last year's Raspberry Pi 3B+, and 1GB of LPDDR2 RAM. The difference between the four variants resides in their storage limits. The CM3+ Lite does not offer a built-in eMMC Flash, whereas other variants include 8GB ($30), 16GB ($35), and 32GB ($40) of eMMC Flash. These eMMC flash chips are more reliable and robust than normal SD cards, the foundation claims.

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Impressive by 110010001000 · 2019-01-28 02:28 · Score: 4, Insightful

The Raspberry PI line is the most impressive thing coming out of computing in the last 10 years. Of course, people will say "you can get better specs...Orange Pi...blah blah blah", but Raspberry PI is organized and has the entire chain figured out.
1. Re:Impressive by 110010001000 · 2019-01-28 02:33 · Score: 1
  
  No, it is the most impressive thing to come out of computing in the last 10 years. That is a perfectly cromulent expression.
2. Re:Impressive by 110010001000 · 2019-01-28 02:55 · Score: 1
  
  My mistake. In the future I will only post absolute facts and not opinions here. I will also direct others to do the same.
3. Re:Impressive by jellomizer · 2019-01-28 02:56 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  The best thing about the Raspberry Pi is really the fact that has basic IO communications allowing people with basic Electronics Skills to be able to make rather complex devices. In a world where everything is soldered and shipped as a black box unit. Having a device which will allow us to make such a device ourselves is welcomed.
  Now the Rasberry Pi, is good for a prototype system, I would recommend Arduino microcontrollers for more of a complete job (depending on its complexity) but the microcontrollers are cheaper and often offer the power for a lot of jobs.
  
  --
  If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
4. Re:Impressive by 110010001000 · 2019-01-28 02:59 · Score: 1
  
  Exactly. The reason it is the most impressive thing in computing in the last 10 years is that it brought back a resurgence of learning about electronics that was lost since the early days of personal computing. It is accessible to (almost) everyone.
5. Re:Impressive by gweihir · 2019-01-28 03:04 · Score: 1, Interesting
  
  Not really. The need was clearly there at the time it took off. Unfortunately, it was filled by these people with a really badly engineered joke. I mean, no native Ethernet, sound is crap, critical part of the SoC datasheet is unavailable (gpio characteristics, e.g.), they do not know elementary things like naked chips being sensitive to light, don't even get me started about the insane boot-chain, etc. The whole thing screams "amateurs".
  
  --
  Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
6. Re:Impressive by gweihir · 2019-01-28 03:12 · Score: 1, Insightful
  
  No. It is a demonstration that the designers do not understand what they are doing. Having people "learn" on defective-by-design hardware is about the most stupid idea possible. Especially, when for the same cost you _can_ build good hardware as numerous competitors demonstrate. The people designing the RaspberryCrap just do not have it.
  Incidentally, I am not a "Pi Hater". (What's with the cheap rhetoric tricks?) I have two RaspberryPi that work crappily and where I cannot get good documentation. I have a BananaPi and several OrangePies that work just fine.
  
  --
  Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
7. Re:Impressive by 110010001000 · 2019-01-28 03:36 · Score: 1
  
  And yet....it is being used widely as a low-cost learning and prototyping device. So many critical "experts" on Slashdot. Amazing. No color coded pins? Damn.
8. Re:Impressive by gweihir · 2019-01-28 03:43 · Score: 1
  
  Again, no. You miss the point dramatically. This is not about "high-end" specs. This is about following elementary rules of good electronics design and about making sure the documentation needed to actually learn with this device is available. None of that drives cost up. For example, an SoC with proper Ethernet and several USB ports makes the design _cheaper_ than the mess they made and more reliable. All of that improves learning experience.
  And no, I am not a "hater". The one doing "hating" here is you. And you are doing it without a rational or factual basis. I am a competent professional and I am just realistically evaluating these people. Pushing badly designed hardware on a lot of people is morally reprehensible and not compliant with professional ethics. Doing this to students that want to learn is worse. That they spend a lot of time on the design is no excuse. This time would have better spend if they had worked at McDonalds instead and used the money gained to pay for an actual electronics engineer to do the design. The end-result would have been cheaper, easier to use and better for learning.
  
  --
  Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
9. Re:Impressive by 110010001000 · 2019-01-28 03:54 · Score: 1
  
  It wasn't an accident. They CREATED the "right time". It wasn't just luck. They actually went out and DID IT. Amazing stuff.
10. Re:Impressive by jgtg32a · 2019-01-28 04:28 · Score: 1
  
  I didn't know I needed colored pins until now, why the hell aren't they doing that?
11. Re:Impressive by 110010001000 · 2019-01-28 04:38 · Score: 1
  
  Right. The reality is that they shipped 20 million Raspberry Pis without your expert input.
12. Re:Impressive by 110010001000 · 2019-01-28 04:39 · Score: 1
  
  Maybe they are color blind. Next time, they should ask the Slashdot experts before shipping anything.
13. Re:Impressive by gweihir · 2019-01-28 04:40 · Score: 1
  
  Shipping numbers as an argument for _quality_ and suitability for purpose? Seriously?
  
  --
  Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
14. Re:Impressive by 110010001000 · 2019-01-28 04:55 · Score: 1
  
  20 million units were sold in a previously niche market in order open up technical education. But I am sure you know what is more suitable. Another Slashdot expert who has never shipped anything, but knows the answers. How original. If only the experts visited Slashdot before they embark on their projects. They would learn so much.
15. Re:Impressive by gweihir · 2019-01-28 05:02 · Score: 1
  
  Ah, well. I see you are not accessible for rational argument. I will stop responding now.
  
  --
  Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
16. Re:Impressive by OwP_Fabricated · 2019-01-28 05:09 · Score: 1
  
  The software/hardware support for the rPi even with all of the annoying/dumb shit in its design is leagues better than the aliexpress trash you probably buy bud. That's the source of the success.
  I know I can buy any number of boards for the same or very slightly more with vastly more powerful processors/gpus, a proper ethernet controller, more USB ports, more ram, embedded storage, etc. The software support isn't, and won't be there for them, and I'm not in the mood to janitor a bunch of shit to make them work.
17. Re:Impressive by DigressivePoser · 2019-01-28 05:13 · Score: 1
  
  It really is strange to me how someone arrives at their point of view over something like this - the device can't be used for military grade encrypted communications, therefore it sucks, the people who designed it suck, and their children suck too.
  
  Like you said, "Mission Accomplished" for its intended audience. For me, I've got two of them. One is running my weather station and hasn't been rebooted in over a year. My only beef, and I agree with gweihir here, is the lack of documentation. I like to play around with bare metal systems. Last time I checked on the Pi, there was scant info on the SoC so I didn't want to waste my time with it. Maybe it's been reversed engineered by now or more documentation has been released.
18. Re:Impressive by kenai_alpenglow · 2019-01-28 05:28 · Score: 1
  
  Not necessarily an argument for quality, but if it's shipping that many units w/o a competitor blowing it away, it must be "good enough" and "suitable" for the market they fill.
19. Re:Impressive by spire3661 · 2019-01-28 07:22 · Score: 1
  
  You do get that its spearheaded by a Broadcom employee, right? You do realize that Sony was manufacturing the boards, right? How many amateurs do you know who can get Sony to fab parts for them?
  
  --
  Good-bye
20. Re: Impressive by ichimunki · 2019-01-28 07:41 · Score: 1
  
  If you bought a Pi to surf YouTube... OK. Whatever. It's much more than that. I don't see how it compares to Roku in any meaningful way, except perhaps there are DIYers who prefer to tinker with their media center? Or you could wire up an IR receiver? The Pi Zero W and Pi 3 B+ both have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, so make a remote app for your phone if you want?
  I agree. Arduino brought us a platform for electronics and computing experimentation that really helped the maker movement, but Raspberry Pi took that to its logical progression by making the board more than just a micro-controller. But it's not like you have EOR situation here... they work together.
  What I don't really understand is the use case for these Compute Modules... What does this get you that a "rack" of regular Pis wouldn't?
  
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  I do not have a signature
21. Re:Impressive by ichimunki · 2019-01-28 07:51 · Score: 1
  
  Because wiring directly onto the pins is a pain? I'd guess they expect most people are covering them with a HAT or are using a breakout cable?
  But for the Pi Zero... yeah, I'm going directly to the $2 color-coded headers you can solder on and never looking back.
  
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  I do not have a signature
22. Re:Impressive by LifesABeach · 2019-01-28 07:51 · Score: 1
  
  I'm just curious, which IDE works with Raspberry Pi?
23. Re:Impressive by 110010001000 · 2019-01-28 07:59 · Score: 1
  
  Welcome to Slashdot, where everyone's an expert and the people actually doing things are not.
24. Re:Impressive by mysidia · 2019-01-28 08:02 · Score: 1
  
  I would recommend Arduino microcontrollers for more of a complete job
  Consider the Pi something that can be used together with some Arduinos provide higher level control or management layers or more advanced/flexible business logic, network-enablement, or reporting.
  Microcontrollers are great for interfacing or driving outputs/displays/etc from systematic logic rules or simple Output switching operations,
  but the logic has to be done in a low-level language that requires a compile and reprogramming process to change the configuration --- with a python script in a Pi; reconfiguration to change operation can happen usually by editing a file or even a database entry, or clicking a GUI button.
  So for things that are more advanced... a bit of software on a generic CPU controlling some Microcontrollers can be a very powerful solution.
25. Re:Impressive by ichimunki · 2019-01-28 08:08 · Score: 1
  
  The Pi works as a Linux system running Raspbian distro.... so emacs is there. What else would you want? ;)
  
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  I do not have a signature
26. Re:Impressive by tlhIngan · 2019-01-28 09:05 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  The best thing about the Raspberry Pi is really the fact that has basic IO communications allowing people with basic Electronics Skills to be able to make rather complex devices. In a world where everything is soldered and shipped as a black box unit. Having a device which will allow us to make such a device ourselves is welcomed.
  Now the Rasberry Pi, is good for a prototype system, I would recommend Arduino microcontrollers for more of a complete job (depending on its complexity) but the microcontrollers are cheaper and often offer the power for a lot of jobs.
  No, you can get boards to do all that.
  The biggest reason the Pi is successful as it is is simply down to the community. The Foundation has cultivated a community and maintains that community, which is why they have such longevity.
  You can get better boards easy, but they lack the community around them - software support and others are lacking, so many of these boards simply die on the vine. But a community offers support and a forum for doing "cool stuff" so support remains.
  It's like Arduino - it's popular because it has a huge library and a huge amount of support and coimmunity as well compared to just regular microcontrollers.
  It's these communities that let people take a Pi or an Arduino and get started doing stuff, get help and plenty more.
27. Re:Impressive by amorsen · 2019-01-28 09:42 · Score: 1
  
  The frustrating thing is that the software support for the decent boards does not exist precisely because the Raspberry Pi exists.
  But you are absolutely right about the state of software for everything that isn't either a Pi or PC compatible.
  
  --
  Finally! A year of moderation! Ready for 2019?
28. Re:Impressive by gweihir · 2019-01-28 10:50 · Score: 1
  
  The frustrating thing is that the software support for the decent boards does not exist precisely because the Raspberry Pi exists.
  And there we have one thing that has me pissed at the RPi people: They channeled a lot of energy and enthusiasm into a mediocre product. But things are getting better.
  
  --
  Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
entertainment center by fluffernutter · 2019-01-28 02:30 · Score: 3, Interesting

Has Rasberry Pi upped their game in terms of sound quality yet? Also can you play HECV on a raspberry pi? These are the things that are keeping me from making one into an entertainment center.

--
Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
1. Re:entertainment center by Bobrick · 2019-01-28 02:36 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  Google will tell you in a split-second that the Raspberry pi doesn't have HEVC hardware decoding but the Orange Pi does. Apparently there are good results on the software side with Raspberry up to 720p, not so much with 1080p.
2. Re:entertainment center by fluffernutter · 2019-01-28 02:40 · Score: 1, Offtopic
  
  This was faster than Google. Thanks.
  
  --
  Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
3. Re:entertainment center by LubosD · 2019-01-28 04:47 · Score: 1
  
  I personally chose ODROID-C2 for this, which probably fullfills all of your criteria (except for DRM), runs LibreELEC (Kodi) and costs just $46.
4. Re:entertainment center by AmiMoJo · 2019-01-28 05:31 · Score: 1
  
  The Pi doesn't have sound output, not really. It's got PWM. If you want sound you need to add your own DAC.
  The Compute Module is even more basic. It doesn't have any USB ports even, let alone HDMI. It's basically a CPU card that you need to add to your own system. It's a nice product, with long term availability and decent support which is actually a really big deal for smaller companies. It's a huge improvement of most existing System-on-Module offerings.
  
  --
  const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
  SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
5. Re:entertainment center by fluffernutter · 2019-01-28 06:13 · Score: 1
  
  There are $70 android boxes that can do all of this except perhaps for 4K; which I don't care about anyway since none of my 1080 TVs are broken yet.
  
  --
  Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
6. Re:entertainment center by fluffernutter · 2019-01-28 06:24 · Score: 1
  
  And I should care about some AC troll?
  
  --
  Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
7. Re:entertainment center by ebenupton · 2019-01-28 09:53 · Score: 1
  
  Actually we can now play pretty much all the 8-bit 1080p30 content we can find, and a fair proportion of 10-bit content too. The GPU-accelerated HEVC implementation was a beast to get working, but it runs nicely now. Checkout Milhouse's Kodi 18 nightlies here:
  https://forum.kodi.tv/showthre...
8. Re: entertainment center by fluffernutter · 2019-01-28 11:17 · Score: 1
  
  I've been able to use any wireless USB keyboard on any streaming box I have had, I don't even think I've ever put the batteries in the remote. This is the one I tend to get for the purpose. Maybe there are streaming boxes that are not compatible but I've pretty must understood that they always are.
  
  --
  Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
9. Re: entertainment center by fluffernutter · 2019-01-28 11:21 · Score: 1
  
  Also, I don't know why you are talking about just streaming youtube. Pretty sure any web stream works, but it's a lot better to get the Netflix app or the Amazon Prime app or the app for the TV channel you want to see and use that. I tried to test it just now with Netflix but it automatically opens the app when I go to the website in the browser.
  
  --
  Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
10. Re: entertainment center by fluffernutter · 2019-01-28 11:25 · Score: 1
  
  Just confirmed it, I can stream CNN fine in a browser on my smaller Android box.
  
  --
  Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
11. Re:entertainment center by jrumney · 2019-01-28 17:05 · Score: 1
  
  despite all the patents have already expired on February 13, 2018 and can be used freely.
  The last US patents on MPEG-2 expired then, but there are still other patents valid, potentially up until 2025 if the patent holders bother to keep paying the annual renewal fees. Which is probably why they still can't risk shipping with it enabled since the Raspberry Pi is sold worldwide.
12. Re:entertainment center by Joey+Vegetables · 2019-01-29 07:35 · Score: 1
  
  With GPIO pins, preferably quite a few? That's important for many applications, including mine (adding MIDI capability to old electronic organs).
  
  --
  
  Nonaggression works!
Link to Raspberry Pi website by houghi · 2019-01-28 02:34 · Score: 3, Informative

https://www.raspberrypi.org/bl...
Because linking directly to the original source is hard.

--
Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
1. Re:Link to Raspberry Pi website by Sarten-X · 2019-01-28 02:39 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  Apparently it is. That's the announcement of the original Compute Module in 2014.
  The new post is more recent.
  
  --
  You do not have a moral or legal right to do absolutely anything you want.
industrial temperature range by fred6666 · 2019-01-28 02:35 · Score: 1

Too bad they don't have an industrial temperature range version (-40 to +85C)
1. Re: industrial temperature range by Type44Q · 2019-01-28 03:00 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  How about radiation-hardened models for cubesats?
2. Re: industrial temperature range by spire3661 · 2019-01-28 07:29 · Score: 1
  
  Just NO. Rpi is a great little learning tool, but it has no place in space. Its not worth the rocket fuel to lift it to orbit. Get a real SoC for missions like that.
  
  --
  Good-bye
3. Re: industrial temperature range by ebenupton · 2019-01-28 09:58 · Score: 2
  
  I believe there were five on the station (two of ours, three we only recently found out about) until a couple of weeks ago. Now I think we're down to three (our two plus one other). Ours are used to run the Astro Pi program in partnership with ESA:
  https://astro-pi.org/
4. Re: industrial temperature range by Type44Q · 2019-01-29 02:57 · Score: 1
  
  I don't think that's quite how it works but thanks for your response; your chrome-covered-cardboard trophy should arrive via China Post within twelve years.
5. Re: industrial temperature range by Type44Q · 2019-01-29 03:00 · Score: 1
  
  it has no place in space
  No, of course not. But will it??
  Stop thinking statically; the RPi is evolving.
6. Re: industrial temperature range by spire3661 · 2019-01-29 03:13 · Score: 1
  
  Hello Ebon! I totally forgot about Astro-Pi, and i even looked into building a replica from the plans a while ago...Love RPi Foundation, keep up the good work!
  
  --
  Good-bye
what about better IO? more then 1 usb for all? by Joe_Dragon · 2019-01-28 02:36 · Score: 1

what about better IO? more then 1 usb for all?
1. Re:what about better IO? more then 1 usb for all? by 110010001000 · 2019-01-28 03:43 · Score: 1
  
  Yes. Choose your flavor of multiple incompatible systems. Again, you guys miss the point: this is a learning/prototyping device. It is supposed to be an easily accessible system at a low cost price point. You can't just point a teacher at Aliexpress and say "pick one".
2. Re:what about better IO? more then 1 usb for all? by bobbied · 2019-01-28 03:57 · Score: 1
  
  Personally, I want mill spec storage and operating specs before all that. Heck, I'd settle for automotive spec stuff.
  I have a number of applications where extended temperature operation is pretty much necessary, but I'm not able to use the Pi because it doesn't work very well at say 100 C or at -20 C. What are these applications? Well think automobiles and entertainment for the back seat, providing data service though a small network in the vehicle, one that includes Bluetooth hands free operation of phones and radios and ham radio running digital modes on Packet and HSMM based repeaters while parked out in the Texas sun in August.
  
  --
  "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
3. Re:what about better IO? more then 1 usb for all? by kenai_alpenglow · 2019-01-28 05:34 · Score: 1
  
  It's hot in Texas, but I've never been able to bring a pot of water to boiling water just by putting it in a truck...
4. Re:what about better IO? more then 1 usb for all? by bobbied · 2019-01-28 06:13 · Score: 1
  
  It's hot in Texas, but I've never been able to bring a pot of water to boiling water just by putting it in a truck...
  Yea, but you can get to nearly 180 degrees F in there pretty quick in the Texas Sun on the hotter days. One needs a bit of additional headroom to actually operate in such conditions, which is why the "automobile" standard runs from -40 to 125 C.
  
  --
  "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
5. Re:what about better IO? more then 1 usb for all? by ebenupton · 2019-01-28 10:01 · Score: 1
  
  So...are there any numbers on this? Would the Raspberry Pi still be around if it weren't for the non-educational communities? --- not speculating, just genuinely curious
  I think we'd be around, but our charitable work would be at a much smaller scale. Our estimate is that sales to hobbyists and (especially) industry make up well over half of the total.
flash cards by Kludge · 2019-01-28 02:48 · Score: 2

These eMMC flash chips are more reliable and robust than normal SD cards, the foundation claims.
I have found that SD cards, when used for an OS filesystem, tend to have pretty short life spans. This has led me to
1. Make very regular backups. If I do any significant modifications to a filesystem on an SD card, I dd the whole SD device to a backup file.
2. Recently I have been using Samsung's high endurance SD cards. More expensive, hopefully they survive longer.
1. Re:flash cards by 110010001000 · 2019-01-28 02:56 · Score: 1
  
  The other thing that helps is to use log2ram as it seems to reduce writes quite a bit.
2. Re:flash cards by wierd_w · 2019-01-28 03:02 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  You just need to format them correctly. Throwing "defaults" EXT4 on is bad juju for an SD card. (It does wasteful read-erase-write operations, which kills the card prematurely.)
  What you need to do, is discover what the erase block size is of that SD card, and then abuse the raid features of EXT4 to create aligned disk structures with that erase block size.
  See also this page. It's very informative.
  https://thelastmaimou.wordpres...
  These baked on eMMC cards have smaller erase unit sizes, and so they translate better to "defaults" EXT4 disk structures, and so last longer and give better performance. Removable SDCards have larger erase unit sizes, because they are intended to live inside a camera that throws lots of sequential data down in a huge burst, not tipple at the cup like a traditional disk drive does.
  When you create a filesystem with these extended attributes, the linux caching system changes its behavior so that disk writes are atomic with the stripe and stride. (It *IS* intended for efficiency with a RAID controller, which has to do wasteful stripe reads and writes to accomplish the task. Functionally, a large SDCard is a hardware RAID0 device, where the large erase unit size is derived from the stripe size.) This GREATLY improves throughput on reads and writes, *AND* **VERY GREATLY** improves write life.
  As always, don't be a chump; disable disk swap space, and use zram instead. Your SDCard will thank you.
3. Re:flash cards by wierd_w · 2019-01-28 03:24 · Score: 1
  
  A traditional HDD sector is 512 bytes in size, and the largest "Defaults" EXT4 block structure is 4kb in size.
  The typical erase unit size of a large external SDCard is upwards of 1mb. (usually around 2 to 4mb!!)
  Now, imagine that you are writing a series of 4k length blocks to this device. (we will say it has a 2mb erase unit size). We will write the full size of the erase unit. (2mb.) How may read-erase-modify cycles does that consume?
  512 times.
  If you use the proper formatting?
  ONE TIME.
  I think this should make the point stick.
4. Re:flash cards by EETech1 · 2019-01-28 15:18 · Score: 1
  
  Never had a failure with multiple pi's running in industrial applications.
  https://na.industrial.panasoni...
  a. Powerful error detect and corrective function
  b. Static wear leveling
  c. Data recovery at power failure in writing
  d. Automatic refresh function
  e. Bad block management
  These are the ones I use:
  https://na.industrial.panasoni...
Re:Useless Toy by gweihir · 2019-01-28 02:58 · Score: 1

Obvious troll is obvious.

--
Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
Re:Rock64 or Rock64Pro. by UnknownSoldier · 2019-01-28 03:13 · Score: 1

Thanks for the mention of the ROCKPro64! I wasn't familiar with it.
Looks like the 2 GB version is $60 while the 4GB is $80 for a hexa-core SoC CPU and quad-core GPU.
Specifications for those interested:
- Rockchip RK3399 hexa-core SOC (CPU)
- quad-core Mali-T860MP4 (GPU)
- and up-to 4GB of dual-channel LPDDR4 system memory.
- USB 3.0 and USB type C
- DP1.2 port,
- full PCIe x4
- eMMC module socket.
- 40pin header with I2C, SPI, UARTs and GPIOs.
- ROCKPro64 4GB board designated as LTS (long Term Supply) model, PINE64 committed to supply at least for 5 years until year 2023.
Only thing seems to be missing is an RTC (Real-Time Clock.) Haven't looked if one is available.
Re:Wonder what engineering mess it is this time by 110010001000 · 2019-01-28 03:25 · Score: 3, Insightful

Without the Raspberry Pi those "competitors" wouldn't even exist. That is why they all have "Pi" in their name. People that try to denigrate the efforts of people who worked really hard to bring these types of open learning systems into the world are the worst type.
Re:"Time to grow up" -indeed. by 110010001000 · 2019-01-28 03:31 · Score: 1

Thanks man! I just need the last word here (to feed my ego). I was really stupid to post my opinion as fact here and not clearly mark it as such.
Re:Wonder what engineering mess it is this time by 110010001000 · 2019-01-28 03:53 · Score: 1

Agreed. People should stop posting opinions here, and stick to facts, or clearly mark their opinions as such. It helps the autistics among us.
Re:The Charity?? by nickovs · 2019-01-28 03:55 · Score: 4, Interesting

Perhaps you might want to actually look into the facts before spouting utterly incorrect suppositions. A quick search of Companies House and two minutes reading of the financials show that less than 25% of the staff earn more than £60,000 a year and the highest paid person at the Raspberry Pi Foundation in the 2017 (last year will full published accounts) earned less that £150,000 in the year, on a little over £28,000,000 in turnover. Over at Raspberry Pi (Trading) Ltd. Eben Upton takes no salary and his wife Liz (who runs communications) earned £38,984 in the year and they paid out just over £11.5K in expenses to Dr. Upton. Assuming that "the executives who run it" are the highest paid people there, they hardly seem to be making themselves "rich". In Silicon Valley that would be considered a substance wage.

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If intelligent life is too complex to evolve on its own, who designed God?
If only the could put in battery mgmt by WalrusSlayer · 2019-01-28 04:12 · Score: 1

One thing I loved about the Intel Edison was the seamless support for LiPo batteries. Of course, Intel is as fickle as Google when it comes to killing off good products, so the Edison is no more, much to my disappointment.
With the caveat that I'm a SW guy, and only an amateur HW tinkerer, I tried for a very long time to prototype a decent charging/step-up converter that could be tacked on to the compute module. Never got anything stable, and in the end ran out of time. (I suppose I could have lifted Sparkfun's design, but the chip they used is very difficult to work with, even if you are reasonably comfortable with surface-mount/reflow construction)
Other than that I'd love to have time to tinker more with the CM, but most of my projects involve a battery.
Re:Wonder what engineering mess it is this time by gweihir · 2019-01-28 04:17 · Score: 1

You answer is still stupid. Like you have absolutely no clue what you are talking about.

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Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
Re:Wonder what engineering mess it is this time by gweihir · 2019-01-28 04:19 · Score: 2

Nonsense. There were designs like that _before_ the RaspberryPi. Their accomplishments on the marketing side have some merit, on the tech-side they damaged the field.

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Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
Re:Wonder what engineering mess it is this time by Cito · 2019-01-28 05:54 · Score: 1

Eben who is one of the founders, works for Broadcom
Re:Wonder what engineering mess it is this time by Cito · 2019-01-28 05:55 · Score: 1

you wont ever buy one of those for 25 dollars. hell you can buy the raspberry pi zero for 5 dollars.
raspberry pi has no competition that can come close to that low price.
and the founder works for broadcom so they get a easy discount on cpus
Re:The Charity?? by Cito · 2019-01-28 05:58 · Score: 1

Eben also works for broadcom
Re:Rock64 or Rock64Pro. by fluffernutter · 2019-01-28 06:11 · Score: 1

Yeah I have two Android boxes and one of them is a Mini-X, I like it but I wish I knew how to change the ear-splitting 'chirp' when I click without shutting off the sound altogether.

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Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
Re:Rock64 or Rock64Pro. by fluffernutter · 2019-01-28 06:16 · Score: 1

The ROCKPro64 is already getting into the range of a full Android box. Why not spend an extra $20 and get it in a proper case?

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Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
Re:The Charity?? by ebenupton · 2019-01-28 09:45 · Score: 2

/me checks driveway hopefully for Ferrari
Re:Rock64 or Rock64Pro. by UnknownSoldier · 2019-01-28 14:55 · Score: 1

What would you recommend in the ~$100 price point?
Not everyone wants or needs Android.
Re:Rock64 or Rock64Pro. by fluffernutter · 2019-01-29 03:16 · Score: 1

Touche, but I'm trying to envision what a Linux entertainment system would look like... No Netflix app so you would have to use the browser. No Amazon Prime app so.. can you even use the browser for that? Also the more local channels I watch online are app or.... you got it browser.

Personally I hate using the browser for doing something an app should be doing (I don't use web mail clients either unless I have to). So I guess if that is the kind of experience you like, it makes sense.

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Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.