Re: iMX233 Board
Casainho
> Hello ,
>
> my name is Claude . I'm 30 years old Hardware Engineer from Germany. I found
> your PROpendous project while searching for iMX233 on the
> Freescale forums.
Hello :-) and thanks for your contact.
PROpendous is not my project, PROpendous is the Matt project:
- http://code.google.com/p/opendous/
- http://code.google.com/p/propendous/
(I am sending this e-mail to Matt so he receive your message)
I am working instead on Lyre project, portable digital audio
player/recorder, for use with Rockbox firmware:
http://lyre.sourceforge.net/
We at Lyre, we asked Matt help for design (and possible produce and
sell) a board for Lyre, but, Open Hardware. We are seeking also DIY,
and Arduino is a BIG reference :-)
By the way, John is also making a board for imx233!:
http://lyre.sourceforge.net/?q=content/nutshell-imx233-board
> At my workplace we started to design a controller for an beverage machine
> with the iMX233 , but our customer canceled the project before we got
> anything going :(
> We allready stocked up some Chumby Ones as cheap development platforms ...
> But the ease of the iMX233 hardware makes me thinking of possible other uses
> of this processor.
>
> To make it short :) I had a similar idea , something like your PROpendous
> board. I want to build a open,easy to use and cheap ARM platform for
> everybody.
> Something like an Arduino but with serious 'Ummph" :)
>
> But since your project is opensource I'm not sure if a second opensource
> project with an iMX233 would be good thing , too many similar projects often
> get the pace out of
> the the projects.
>
> So my question is : Do you seeking more members for your project? I would be
> happy offering my help :)
Well, as for Lyre project, we really need all the help as possible.
Lyre is a specific project, will be a specific usage for the imx233.
For sure the same board will be able to run Linux and do many other
things, and I think at Lyre we are starting something much more big,
that can continue on other project space.
Even for audio, we see the possibility of an "Audio Arduino"!
> I'm mainly a hardware guy , but sometimes I can force myself to writing some
> lines of (creepy!)code (Linux drivers , lowlevel stuff like bootloaders
> etc.)
I want to start learning using Linux, and I will with this board :-)
Right now, we are 3 developers with PROpendous boards, and we have
them blinking and LED and with parallel JTAG debug working. It boots
from uSDCard. It can be powered from battery or USB. The board have a
bug on USB mux ic, meaning that just USB host or device can be used at
a time.
> Some stuff I did recently / involved into:
>
> http://sites.google.com/site/claudeschwarz/didjhacking2 or
> http://hackaday.com/2010/02/03/leapfrog-didj-followup/
> http://sites.google.com/site/bifferboard/Home/digital-photo-frames/parrot_df3120
> http://kthx.ath.cx/trac/nc600_linux
:-)
hmm, you seem to be a hacker like me, that enjoys hacking the
devices/gadgets :-)
For example, many hackers are doing the same with Rockbox, hacking
Ipods to be able to run Rockbox. Like you did with didj :-) -- but
right now I would prefer to build the systems, in Open Source way :-)
But a big problem/opportunity is to make the system available to
others, as you said on your project:
"Update 12.02.10
I get many request if I ever build a second batch of the Cartridges.
At the moment I'm not planing doing so. I will try to find a manufacturer who
build the Cartridges for me."
WORKING TOGETHER
On actual PROpendous board, we need now to test SDRAM, initialize it
and find if it works - I think is board dependent.
First, do you have OpenOCD working script files for imx233? did you
used JTAG to develop and debug? - because our script files works but
not perfect.
I think that you could help us if you were able to buy and assembly
your board, and then you could help us making the SDRAM working. You
should contact Matt Opendous asking for a kit, with board +
components, which I think costs $50. Or if you can't assembly yours, I
can assembly for you.
Our "mailing list": http://groups.google.com/group/rockboxplayer
Blog/site: http://lyre.sourceforge.net/?q=blog
SVN for actual imx233 code:
http://lyre.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/lyre/propendous-imx233_board/
Would be a pleasure to work with you :-) and thanks for sharing ;-)
Casainho
On Tue, Jun 8, 2010 at 7:41 AM, Claude Schwarz <claude....@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello Matt,
>
> 2010/6/8 Opendous Support <opendous...@gmail.com>
>>
>> Claude,
>>
>> Thanks for your interest in the PROpendous project. The goal of the
>> PROpendous project is a DIY'able platform for portable and embedded
>> computing capable of running Linux.
>
> Cool , as I wrote to Casainho my intention was to design a similar board.
> But why do the same/similar work twice when your board (which btw looks very
> good!) is already working :)
> I noticed you take the Freescale application notes serious , like the ground
> guard ring around the board edges.
>
>>
>> We would appreciate any help possible. We are a small group of
>> prototypers trying to get this project off the ground with a bare
>> minimum of funds.
>>
>> If you are a hardware designer and have access to any higher end
>> test equipment we would really appreciate your help.
>
>
> Yes I have access to to high speed oscilloscopes and logic analyzers at
> work.
> And decent (up to 300MHz) instruments at home.
>
> What I'm also can offer is some basic EMC testing (like radiated emission).
> About 3-4 times a year we rent an EMC lab at work , most times we are
> done after half a day . So I can test my own stuff too , I did this for
> example
> for the http://emqbit.com/free-ecb-at91 .
>
>>
>> If you have the capability to prototype such a board yourself or are
>> interested in learning how then I can send you a bare PCB.
>
> Prototyping should be no problem , a bare PCB would be perfect! Casainho
> mentioned you also sell
> a kit ? I'm asking because most of the german distributors don't stock the
> iMX233 at the moment :(
> And getting DDR chips is also sometimes difficult if you just need small
> quantitites.
>
>>
>> I have
>> filmed and will soon post a DIY manufacturing tutorial for the board.
>>
>> Please contact me if you are interested in helping out in any capacity.
>
> Here we go.
>
> --
> Mit freundlichen Grüßen,
> Best regards,
> Claude Schwarz
> ________________________
>
> import os
>
> while True:
> os.fork()