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Arduino & Raspberry Pi

Kelly

By Kelly,
in Wheeltappers

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Kelly

Kelly

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Don't know if many people are aware of either of these projects/items?

 

I'm wondering what uses an arduino board could be put to? point control?shuttle module?

 

As for Raspberry Pi - it is a cheap ($25-35) - ARM based board, smaller than a CD jewell case, but with enough power to do HD 1080p video (they've gotten XBMC software running on one).

 

As MS are going to release Windows 8 on ARM, I wonder how well it might run on these boards (they have 256MB (model B)), and the suitability of them for layout computers with small screens connected via HDMI.

 

Of course I'd myself prefer to use Linux on them, and intend to get at least one when they're available to use/test as my HTPC replacement running XBMC.

 

Thoughts?

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Tony_S

Tony_S

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There have been a few articles in the MERG journal. I must admit I only glanced at them. Once upon a time I was quite interested in little control projects but that was in the days of the BBC micro, when you could attach all sorts of things to the 1 MHz bus. Work got in the way and by the time I got back into model railways DCC was here!

Tony

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30801

30801

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As MS are going to release Windows 8 on ARM, I wonder how well it might run on these boards (they have 256MB (model B)), and the suitability of them for layout computers with small screens connected via HDMI.

That's an interesting one. Windows On ARM looks to pitched firmly as a locked down device for consuming things bought from an app store. It does not support developing software on the device itself. Exactly the opposite of what Raspberry Pi is meant for.

That said I'm sure Microsoft would be keen to get Windows 8 into education so they might like to sponsor something.

 

Of course I'd myself prefer to use Linux on them, and intend to get at least one when they're available to use/test as my HTPC replacement running XBMC.

 

By all accounts the hardware accelerated video is great but the CPU doesn't really have the horsepower to be a full blown HTPC.

 

But for the price you might as well buy one or two and just tinker.

Which is the point after all :)

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Guest Dutch_Master

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Yes, as avid Linux user and having studied electronics I know of both projects (and more ;)) and promoted the Pi on the LocoNet hackers group not that long ago. It seems someone on that group has managed to get JMRI running on it (well, the test environment for it anyway ;)) so it might become a cheap(-ish) core for a dedicated digital control system, based on JMRI and DCC sometime in the future and extendible modularly if and when demand dictates. The Arduino is a much more basic device, much closer to "hardware tinkering" then the Pi is. For starters it has to be programmed with a lower logic programming language, unlike the Pi that can use C/C++... Time to start searching for those 8051 books I s'pose ;)

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Ian J.

Ian J.

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As I understand it (and I don't know that much at all) the Pi is really an educational tool for learning about the real nitty gritty of computing - coding at the 1s and 0s level and upwards. The amount of memory isn't relatively very much so getting it to do any of the HTPC work could be a problem. I agree that as a layout control device it could be quite suitable as for that the memory probably doesn't need to be much and once set up even a basic text interface would be enough to understand what's going on on the layout.

 

As far as WoA is concerned MS have no intention of releasing it to the consumer market. You'd probably need to be an MS Partner of some kind to get hold of a copy to do your own install, and again, the memory on the Pi is going to be the limiting factor as I wouldn't be surprised if the minimum required for WoA is likely to be in the order of a gigabyte or more.

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Kelly

Kelly

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As I understand it (and I don't know that much at all) the Pi is really an educational tool for learning about the real nitty gritty of computing - coding at the 1s and 0s level and upwards. The amount of memory isn't relatively very much so getting it to do any of the HTPC work could be a problem. I agree that as a layout control device it could be quite suitable as for that the memory probably doesn't need to be much and once set up even a basic text interface would be enough to understand what's going on on the layout.

 

As far as WoA is concerned MS have no intention of releasing it to the consumer market. You'd probably need to be an MS Partner of some kind to get hold of a copy to do your own install, and again, the memory on the Pi is going to be the limiting factor as I wouldn't be surprised if the minimum required for WoA is likely to be in the order of a gigabyte or more.

 

The Pi is aimed at education and so a full Linux desktop environment will be provided iirc with it.

 

I think with regards memory, you're forgetting it is effectively an embedded device, so any software running on it would be tuned for that. As such less memory is often available. So whilst the memory seems small in comparison to a normal PC, for an ARM device it isn't so bad.

 

They have already shown it running XBMC and decoding HD1080p video. The real question is still what codecs it supports in video. For all other needs such as music it'll cope plenty fine I'm sure. I'll be getting one and giving it a try at some point.

 

For what they are, they are actually a very powerful SoC embedded board. There are I beleive plans to release a future version with more memory, but as the aim is cheap education, less memory is specified presently to keep costs lower.

 

As for WoA, I was really just musing it as an interesting factoid. These devices will never see Windows hopefully!

 

Yes, as avid Linux user and having studied electronics I know of both projects (and more ;)) and promoted the Pi on the LocoNet hackers group not that long ago. It seems someone on that group has managed to get JMRI running on it (well, the test environment for it anyway ;)) so it might become a cheap(-ish) core for a dedicated digital control system, based on JMRI and DCC sometime in the future and extendible modularly if and when demand dictates. The Arduino is a much more basic device, much closer to "hardware tinkering" then the Pi is. For starters it has to be programmed with a lower logic programming language, unlike the Pi that can use C/C++... Time to start searching for those 8051 books I s'pose ;)

 

Yes, thats the sort of thing I think the Pi would be great for. A small 5-10" touchscreen attached to it would be great for layout control software on a layout, especially given:

 

1) its small size

2) the lack of need for a full blown PC+monitor or laptop

3) the lower power needs

4) much greater portability and flexibility.

 

With regards the Arduino, yes it is a very simple device in comparison. However you can program it in C :) theres an IDE available that has skeletal code for various projects you can try with it, and it is programmed via the USB port. For stuff like point control, signal control and the like and perhaps controlling a shuttle device it could be a) cheap B) simple enough to manage.

 

That's an interesting one. Windows On ARM looks to pitched firmly as a locked down device for consuming things bought from an app store. It does not support developing software on the device itself. Exactly the opposite of what Raspberry Pi is meant for.

That said I'm sure Microsoft would be keen to get Windows 8 into education so they might like to sponsor something.

 

 

 

By all accounts the hardware accelerated video is great but the CPU doesn't really have the horsepower to be a full blown HTPC.

 

But for the price you might as well buy one or two and just tinker.

Which is the point after all :)

 

Yes, I doubt WoA will reach the Pi, just a mused point really on my point.

 

Well it depends what you deem to be a HTPC I guess. My needs are for music and video playback, with no need for DVD/Blu-ray playback.

 

It will have plenty of power for what I need it for I'm thinking, but the real question I have over it is the codecs on the hardware chip for the video playback. IIRC it only upports MP4 and h264, so testing and tinkering with it to see if it is viable for my needs with XBMC would be good I think to try. If it did meet my needs then it'd make my front room quieter!!

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Guest Dutch_Master

Guest Dutch_Master

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They're not ready to ship yet, according to the latest I know of... Besides, IIRC the first batch is for educational purposes, not individual buyers (unless you've donated $$$$ ;))

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richierich

richierich

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Its now shipping, but the waiting list is very long! Farnell took orders for 10000 today according to local BBC TV news.

 

Some of the accessories are interesting like the Gertboard, which allows I/O to motors etc.

 

I bet one of these could be built into a very smart DCC control centre . . . .

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Kelly

Kelly

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Its now shipping, but the waiting list is very long! Farnell took orders for 10000 today according to local BBC TV news.

 

Some of the accessories are interesting like the Gertboard, which allows I/O to motors etc.

 

I bet one of these could be built into a very smart DCC control centre . . . .

 

Yep, Farnell and RS, and the Raspberry Pi websites all crashed within minutes of them going on sale!

 

I've registered for a pre-order, but expect a long wait!

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richard_t

richard_t

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RISC OS are also porting to the PI!

 

Could be the cheapest RISC OS box yet!

 

Makes me feel all nostalgic about Acorn ARM based computers and all the exciting developments in the mid 90s!

 

I learnt assembler on an Acorn Archimedes, so I'm in the long queue to get hold of one. Hopefully I can dump linux, and someone cleverer than me has developed a real time OS for it. Tinker tinker tinker :-D

 

Even better would be a FTDI USB interface so I can hook it up to my MERG CBUS system.

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Jonboy

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I am expecting mine from Farnell in around 6 weeks - I intend to tinker and then tinker a bit more purely to see what I can accomplish with it. I may then get a couple more in time to experiment with load balancing whilst running them with server type processes - no real application for it just for fun...

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Guest Dutch_Master

Guest Dutch_Master

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Hopefully I can dump lunix, and someone cleverer than me has developed a real time OS for it.
You can't dump lunix, 'cause that doesn't exist :P But you're free to install another OS if Linux doesn't tick your tinker boxes ;) That's the power of Linux: the freedom to choose. (in contrast to certain, to remain unnamed, OS'es :P)
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Guest Dutch_Master

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Sorry :P

 

Anyway, before replacing Linux, give it a whirl first, you'll notice it's quite familiar if you're used to Unix-clones. And much more powerful then DOS ever was... ;)

http://ss64.com/bash/

 

:D

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