3 ms·

This board might be a better deal for beginners, it is also open source: https://github.com/MaloufSleep/ME-ESP8266 https://github.com/MaloufSleep/ME-ESP8266

LeifCarrotson 6y ago
Previous discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24509222 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24509222 I think it's a better board for both beginners and advanced users. Some differences: (0) The Olimex board files are in Autodesk's Eagle schematic editor, which is not free software, and Autodesk keeps making it harder to get and to use. Yours is built in KiCad, which is much more OSHW friendly. (1) USB connector and integrated CH340 RS232 driver. The Olimex requires you to configure an external serial device to program it. (2) The genuine Omron relay, neither board has great high-voltage isolation, but I'd be a lot more trusting of Omron than the import relay that's not even available at any of the main US/EU distributors. (3) 5V TTL UART with Max232 driver - the Olimex has 3.3V UART, which is available, and is usually going to be functional with a 5V input, but most of the cheap USB-RS232 drivers and other sensors and devices you'd connect to this send 5V by default. (4) 16 MB SPI Flash vs 2 MB (aka 128 Mb vs 16 Mb). Modern web pages are resource heavy! (5) Micro-USB and screw terminals vs barrel jack for 5V input (or 0.1" pin header) - I have USB chargers up to my ears, no thanks to Apple, but not as many barrel jack connectors. (6) IR sender/receiver and general-purpose red and green T1 LEDs - the Olimex has a single red 0603 SMD power LED and a green activity LED on the TX pin, but the Malouf board has MOSFET-driven large indicators on the GPIO and has IR functionality built-in. (7) Single-board vs daughtercard - The Olimex is two boards in one, a slightly weird choice. (8) Availability - The Malouf board is available on Amazon Prime, the Olimex ships from Turkey for $15 via DHL. With shipping, the Olimex is more expensive; not that it really matters at this price point - users will be spending time worth far more than the cost of the board to get it to do anything interesting. Disclaimer: I'm a customer of the Malouf board, bought it after seeing the previous discussion a month ago and am a happy customer. I'm still at the "Hello World" stage, flicking the relay and LEDs on and off with a socket connection; I'm working on assembling a 3D printer to control/adjust remotely with the board.
- fest 6y ago
  Olimex is Bulgarian company, are you sure it ships from Turkey?
  - LeifCarrotson 6y ago
    No, I'm not, sorry - It's been a couple years since I bought anything from Olimex, I remember one FPGA board that I had to return had a shipping address in Turkey (might have been just a forwarding address?) but I admit I didn't check further than that hazy memory. I only meant to convey that it's shipped by DHL internationally from an eastern European warehouse, while the other board is stocked in the United States and ships USPS/UPS.

LeifCarrotson 6y ago

Previous discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24509222 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24509222 I think it's a better board for both beginners and advanced users. Some differences: (0) The Olimex board files are in Autodesk's Eagle schematic editor, which is not free software, and Autodesk keeps making it harder to get and to use. Yours is built in KiCad, which is much more OSHW friendly. (1) USB connector and integrated CH340 RS232 driver. The Olimex requires you to configure an external serial device to program it. (2) The genuine Omron relay, neither board has great high-voltage isolation, but I'd be a lot more trusting of Omron than the import relay that's not even available at any of the main US/EU distributors. (3) 5V TTL UART with Max232 driver - the Olimex has 3.3V UART, which is available, and is usually going to be functional with a 5V input, but most of the cheap USB-RS232 drivers and other sensors and devices you'd connect to this send 5V by default. (4) 16 MB SPI Flash vs 2 MB (aka 128 Mb vs 16 Mb). Modern web pages are resource heavy! (5) Micro-USB and screw terminals vs barrel jack for 5V input (or 0.1" pin header) - I have USB chargers up to my ears, no thanks to Apple, but not as many barrel jack connectors. (6) IR sender/receiver and general-purpose red and green T1 LEDs - the Olimex has a single red 0603 SMD power LED and a green activity LED on the TX pin, but the Malouf board has MOSFET-driven large indicators on the GPIO and has IR functionality built-in. (7) Single-board vs daughtercard - The Olimex is two boards in one, a slightly weird choice. (8) Availability - The Malouf board is available on Amazon Prime, the Olimex ships from Turkey for $15 via DHL. With shipping, the Olimex is more expensive; not that it really matters at this price point - users will be spending time worth far more than the cost of the board to get it to do anything interesting. Disclaimer: I'm a customer of the Malouf board, bought it after seeing the previous discussion a month ago and am a happy customer. I'm still at the "Hello World" stage, flicking the relay and LEDs on and off with a socket connection; I'm working on assembling a 3D printer to control/adjust remotely with the board.

fest 6y ago
Olimex is Bulgarian company, are you sure it ships from Turkey?
- LeifCarrotson 6y ago
  No, I'm not, sorry - It's been a couple years since I bought anything from Olimex, I remember one FPGA board that I had to return had a shipping address in Turkey (might have been just a forwarding address?) but I admit I didn't check further than that hazy memory. I only meant to convey that it's shipped by DHL internationally from an eastern European warehouse, while the other board is stocked in the United States and ships USPS/UPS.