System-On-Module

[Bernd Walter]

On Wed, Jan 28, 2015 at 12:27:31PM -0700, Ian Lepore wrote:
> On Wed, 2015-01-28 at 19:32 +0100, Bernd Walter wrote:
> > On Wed, Jan 28, 2015 at 06:52:52PM +0900, Lundberg, Johannes wrote:
> > > Hi
> > > 
> > > Of all the low power, high-spec system/computer-on-modules out there which
> > > have best support for FreeBSD?
> > > 
> > > MEN
> > > Variscite
> > > Technologic system
> > > Adlink
> > > etc.
> > > 
> > > What I am looking for is a system with roughly this specs
> > > ARM or x86, 64bit if possible.
> > > 2-4 cores
> > > 1.5-2.0 GHz
> > > 2 GB RAM
> > > ~16 GB Storage
> > > USB 3.0
> > > PCB size about one to two credit cards.
> > 
> > In that range I would go for a Wandboard.
> > They are 1, 2 or 4 core iMX6 32bit with 512M, 1G or 2G RAM.
> > The 4 core has SATA, which to my knowledge we don't support yet.
> > They come with 2 useable SD-card slots - one on the module and one
> > on a carrier board.
> > Clock rate is 1GHz only IIRC and they only have high speed USB, although
> > the newest carrier boards have some super speed wiring for future modules.
> > 
> > TechNexion, the originator of that module system also has some
> > x86 boards - some may fit your requirements, but those are at
> > a higher price and bigger form factor.
> > Tech Nexion also has iMX6 boards similar to the wandboard with
> > different featuresets, but also at a higher price.
> 
> You do get more for that higher price with the Technexion EDM modules,
> namely 1.2ghz chips instead of 1.0, and parts that are industrial and/or
> automotive temperature-rated rather than consumer grade.  On the other
> hand, you generally can't buy Technexion modules one at a time.  Last
> time I checked they were minimum order 10 pieces even from resellers
> like Mouser and Digikey.

Temperature rating - that can easily justify the higher price.

> Another small-board imx6 possibility is the Hummingboard from SolidRun.
> I now have freebsd running on a SolidRun Cubox-i4, so I expect no large
> drama in getting it working on other SolidRun imx6 products.  Gonzo
> ordered a Hummingboard recently, so we should know for sure some time
> soon.

To my knowledge they come in 3 different sizes.
I own the biggest two versions of them.
Completely forgot that the Hummingboard uses modules as well and the
modules are even very small.

-- 
B.Walter <bernd at bwct.de> http://www.bwct.de
Modbus/TCP Ethernet I/O Baugruppen, ARM basierte FreeBSD Rechner uvm.