6 ms·

Making an embedded Linux computer

243 points by thomasjames 12y ago

cskau 12y ago
Site seems overloaded, cached version: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:deo-53h8218J:hforsten.com/making-embedded-linux-computer.html+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:deo-53h...
- gizmo686 12y ago
  You want to add "&strip=1" to the url, or else it will still try to load resources from the downed site http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:deo-53h8218J:hforsten.com/making-embedded-linux-computer.html+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&strip=1 http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:deo-53h...
- imrehg 12y ago
  This is way too good, saved to the Wayback Machine too, just in case: https://web.archive.org/web/20140713061753/http://hforsten.com/making-embedded-linux-computer.html https://web.archive.org/web/20140713061753/http://hforsten.c...
analog31 12y ago
Thank you for a clear and detailed description of your design process, especially how you made it work with basic tools and techniques. Maybe I won't be so scared of BGA now.
- thomasjames 12y ago
  I shared this from Henrik Forsten's blog. It is worth reading all his other articles, too, if you are interested in computer architecture, electronics, programming or math. He has a very wide range of interests.
paulannesley 12y ago
So good. Highlights: toaster oven with custom controller, and learning about http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UBIFS http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UBIFS for raw NAND access.
- dmpatierno 12y ago
  More info on the toaster oven: http://hforsten.com/toaster-oven-reflow-controller.html http://hforsten.com/toaster-oven-reflow-controller.html
ChuckMcM 12y ago
Nicely done. I did not realize that OSH Park could be made to work with BGA devices. And I'm really impressed he got it into a 4 layer board rather than a 6 or 8 layer board.
mng2 12y ago
Wow, I had mistakenly assumed that you couldn't do 0.8 mm BGAs on a hobbyist-level PCB. The solder lands are actually within recommendations. The author mentioned that this is a test board without much hooked up. That really helps, since not every pin needs to be broken out. On a more complex design with higher pin coverage you'd need more layers to be able to route it all.
- Gracana 12y ago
  This is actually new, OSH Park has made a couple big improvements in the last year or so; it wasn't possible the last time I looked into it, and even then OSH Park was a bit of an outlier in terms of the small process sizes they could do.
- jesuslop 12y ago
  I underwrite that wow also, I have fantasies about my own custom FPGA designs, looks that it could be done with garage-like resources following this workflow!
  - deleted 12y ago
    [deleted]
- tcas 12y ago
  OSH Park is what I would expect form a high level board house, the 4 layer boards are 5/5mil with a good substrate as well
  - adestefan 12y ago
    They're also looking at adding 6 or 8 layer boards, too.
neurotech1 12y ago
This was also featured on hackaday http://hackaday.com/2014/07/11/an-amazing-diy-single-board-arm-computer-with-bga/ http://hackaday.com/2014/07/11/an-amazing-diy-single-board-a...
GutenYe 12y ago
awesome, how much does it cost totally?
cyounkins 12y ago
Could anyone tell me what PCB/schematic software that is?
- DanBC 12y ago
  KICAD? http://www.kicad-pcb.org/display/KICAD/KiCad+EDA+Software+Suite http://www.kicad-pcb.org/display/KICAD/KiCad+EDA+Software+Su... (from the submitted site, clicky the cct diagram to get a PDF, in lower right corner KICAD is mentioned)
- mikepurvis 12y ago
  It's definitely KICAD— I've had a good experience with it. The OS X port has some nasty crashing bugs, unfortunately, and the library management leaves a lot to be desired. But for basic boards, it's terrific.
gonzo 12y ago
How difficult would it be to add 1 or (better) 2 Ethernets to this? (commenting to be able to find this later.)
- stephen_g 12y ago
  One is pretty simple (you just need an Ethernet PHY and a connector with magnetics built in (or connector + separate magnetic transformer). Two would be harder, because the chip only has one Ethernet MAC built in. You'd need another controller chip and a fair bit of supporting circuitry. But it could be done.
akramhussein 12y ago
Really impressed with this. More posts on Henrik's blog show that he has quite a breadth of knowledge in H/W. Quite the hacker!

243 points by thomasjames 12y ago

cskau 12y ago

Site seems overloaded, cached version: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:deo-53h8218J:hforsten.com/making-embedded-linux-computer.html+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:deo-53h...

gizmo686 12y ago
You want to add "&strip=1" to the url, or else it will still try to load resources from the downed site http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:deo-53h8218J:hforsten.com/making-embedded-linux-computer.html+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&strip=1 http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:deo-53h...
imrehg 12y ago
This is way too good, saved to the Wayback Machine too, just in case: https://web.archive.org/web/20140713061753/http://hforsten.com/making-embedded-linux-computer.html https://web.archive.org/web/20140713061753/http://hforsten.c...

analog31 12y ago

Thank you for a clear and detailed description of your design process, especially how you made it work with basic tools and techniques. Maybe I won't be so scared of BGA now.

thomasjames 12y ago
I shared this from Henrik Forsten's blog. It is worth reading all his other articles, too, if you are interested in computer architecture, electronics, programming or math. He has a very wide range of interests.

paulannesley 12y ago

So good. Highlights: toaster oven with custom controller, and learning about http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UBIFS http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UBIFS for raw NAND access.

dmpatierno 12y ago
More info on the toaster oven: http://hforsten.com/toaster-oven-reflow-controller.html http://hforsten.com/toaster-oven-reflow-controller.html

ChuckMcM 12y ago

Nicely done. I did not realize that OSH Park could be made to work with BGA devices. And I'm really impressed he got it into a 4 layer board rather than a 6 or 8 layer board.

mng2 12y ago

Wow, I had mistakenly assumed that you couldn't do 0.8 mm BGAs on a hobbyist-level PCB. The solder lands are actually within recommendations. The author mentioned that this is a test board without much hooked up. That really helps, since not every pin needs to be broken out. On a more complex design with higher pin coverage you'd need more layers to be able to route it all.

Gracana 12y ago
This is actually new, OSH Park has made a couple big improvements in the last year or so; it wasn't possible the last time I looked into it, and even then OSH Park was a bit of an outlier in terms of the small process sizes they could do.
jesuslop 12y ago
I underwrite that wow also, I have fantasies about my own custom FPGA designs, looks that it could be done with garage-like resources following this workflow!
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]
tcas 12y ago
OSH Park is what I would expect form a high level board house, the 4 layer boards are 5/5mil with a good substrate as well
- adestefan 12y ago
  They're also looking at adding 6 or 8 layer boards, too.

neurotech1 12y ago

This was also featured on hackaday http://hackaday.com/2014/07/11/an-amazing-diy-single-board-arm-computer-with-bga/ http://hackaday.com/2014/07/11/an-amazing-diy-single-board-a...

GutenYe 12y ago

awesome, how much does it cost totally?

cyounkins 12y ago

Could anyone tell me what PCB/schematic software that is?

DanBC 12y ago
KICAD? http://www.kicad-pcb.org/display/KICAD/KiCad+EDA+Software+Suite http://www.kicad-pcb.org/display/KICAD/KiCad+EDA+Software+Su... (from the submitted site, clicky the cct diagram to get a PDF, in lower right corner KICAD is mentioned)
mikepurvis 12y ago
It's definitely KICAD— I've had a good experience with it. The OS X port has some nasty crashing bugs, unfortunately, and the library management leaves a lot to be desired. But for basic boards, it's terrific.

gonzo 12y ago

How difficult would it be to add 1 or (better) 2 Ethernets to this? (commenting to be able to find this later.)

stephen_g 12y ago
One is pretty simple (you just need an Ethernet PHY and a connector with magnetics built in (or connector + separate magnetic transformer). Two would be harder, because the chip only has one Ethernet MAC built in. You'd need another controller chip and a fair bit of supporting circuitry. But it could be done.

akramhussein 12y ago

Really impressed with this. More posts on Henrik's blog show that he has quite a breadth of knowledge in H/W. Quite the hacker!