6 ms·

I'm still missing a normal round power plug, as the ramshackly micro USB draws much more power then the allowed 500mA. Also Ethernet is still connected via USB

by kephra 12y ago

I'm still missing a normal round power plug, as the ramshackly micro USB draws much more power then the allowed 500mA. Also Ethernet is still connected via USB, and horrible slow.

durin42 12y ago
The Ethernet chip is a new one tho - maybe it's a little less terrible? (No idea - my applications for the rpi don't depend on it being a speed demon on the network.)
- jedahan 12y ago
  the ethernet chip seems to just be the 4 usb-port version instead of the 2 usb-port version.
- Alupis 12y ago
  The Ethernet speeds are limited by both the USB bus it's riding on, as well as the slow CPU processing power. Although, for most of my projects so far, it's been plenty fast.
- tlrobinson 12y ago
  Any recommendations for similar small/cheap devices with better Ethernet?
  - fanf2 12y ago
    Have a look at the Beaglebone Black.
- kephra 12y ago
  But as far as I read, the PI can still not boot over Ethernet, which is a requirement for me to boot into backup cycle (Installation = Restore), and it still can not wakeup on LAN.
  - duskwuff 12y ago
    If you load U-Boot onto an SD card, the rPi can be configured to use that to boot over Ethernet. It's not a completely "pure" network boot, but that's impossible given the hardware. (There's simply nowhere for a bootloader to live besides the SD card.)
    - Alupis 12y ago
      You need some sort of bootloader, even in a traditional PXE boot scenario... it's just that your BIOS hands off to the bootloader on your onboard PXE chip instead of to your OS's bootloader, etc. So, it's chain-booting no matter how you slice it. You can setup your SD card to have U-Boot and not much else... just what's necessary for U-Boot to, well, boot. Then it takes over and does it's network boot of your full OS. So you can get a sort-of PXE boot setup.
mrmondo 12y ago
Yes I agree, the Ethernet is the one thing (other than the price in Australia) that stops me from using a pi
morsch 12y ago
Most mobile devices draw much more power than 500mA over micro USB as well, I was assuming this was in-spec now, it certainly seems to work fine. And many people have spare 1A+ chargers lying around as mobile devices tend to break before their chargers (ramshackly plug notwithstanding). Those chargers are usually really tiny, as well. So I think micro USB is a fine choice. It also lets you draw from the fairly rich ecosystem of other USB power gadgets such as external batteries. I'd be really annoyed if they switched to a "normal" round plug.
- kephra 12y ago
  It will work fine in 95% of the cases, but 5% will ruin their computer USB port, because the PI is not within the specs. The PI not only draws 750mA (old) or 600mA (new) when idle, but much more, if you attach SSD, and USB devices. The ramshackle micro USB port is a nogo for me.
  - usbreply 12y ago
    reread the usb spec. it will not ruin the USB port.
    - ajross 12y ago
      I'm not aware of any spec requirements for overcurrent protection on the host ports (devices have strict power behavior per spec), though they may be there. I am aware, however, of countless USB host designs that simply put a 5v regulator rail on the power line and could probably be induced to overheat by a misbehaving device.
      - throwketchup 12y ago
        It's definitely in the USB 1.1 spec, (with some verbiage that excessive current draw on one port is not allowed to affect other ports) though they may have relaxed it later. I have several old Belkin hubs that will terminate (with prejudice) power to any port that draws over 550 mA, until you physically power-cycle the hub. This is annoying for obvious reasons, especially on 7-port hubs with beefy power supplies, so most hub manufacturers don't do that anymore.
edent 12y ago
The whole point is that most people (especially the target market) have a spare USB charger hanging around. The Pi takes exactly the same connector as your mobile phone - it's one less bit of kit to buy.

by kephra 12y ago

I'm still missing a normal round power plug, as the ramshackly micro USB draws much more power then the allowed 500mA. Also Ethernet is still connected via USB, and horrible slow.

durin42 12y ago

The Ethernet chip is a new one tho - maybe it's a little less terrible? (No idea - my applications for the rpi don't depend on it being a speed demon on the network.)

jedahan 12y ago
the ethernet chip seems to just be the 4 usb-port version instead of the 2 usb-port version.
Alupis 12y ago
The Ethernet speeds are limited by both the USB bus it's riding on, as well as the slow CPU processing power. Although, for most of my projects so far, it's been plenty fast.
tlrobinson 12y ago
Any recommendations for similar small/cheap devices with better Ethernet?
- fanf2 12y ago
  Have a look at the Beaglebone Black.
kephra 12y ago
But as far as I read, the PI can still not boot over Ethernet, which is a requirement for me to boot into backup cycle (Installation = Restore), and it still can not wakeup on LAN.
- duskwuff 12y ago
  If you load U-Boot onto an SD card, the rPi can be configured to use that to boot over Ethernet. It's not a completely "pure" network boot, but that's impossible given the hardware. (There's simply nowhere for a bootloader to live besides the SD card.)
  - Alupis 12y ago
    You need some sort of bootloader, even in a traditional PXE boot scenario... it's just that your BIOS hands off to the bootloader on your onboard PXE chip instead of to your OS's bootloader, etc. So, it's chain-booting no matter how you slice it. You can setup your SD card to have U-Boot and not much else... just what's necessary for U-Boot to, well, boot. Then it takes over and does it's network boot of your full OS. So you can get a sort-of PXE boot setup.

mrmondo 12y ago

Yes I agree, the Ethernet is the one thing (other than the price in Australia) that stops me from using a pi

morsch 12y ago

Most mobile devices draw much more power than 500mA over micro USB as well, I was assuming this was in-spec now, it certainly seems to work fine. And many people have spare 1A+ chargers lying around as mobile devices tend to break before their chargers (ramshackly plug notwithstanding). Those chargers are usually really tiny, as well. So I think micro USB is a fine choice. It also lets you draw from the fairly rich ecosystem of other USB power gadgets such as external batteries. I'd be really annoyed if they switched to a "normal" round plug.

kephra 12y ago
It will work fine in 95% of the cases, but 5% will ruin their computer USB port, because the PI is not within the specs. The PI not only draws 750mA (old) or 600mA (new) when idle, but much more, if you attach SSD, and USB devices. The ramshackle micro USB port is a nogo for me.
- usbreply 12y ago
  reread the usb spec. it will not ruin the USB port.
  - ajross 12y ago
    I'm not aware of any spec requirements for overcurrent protection on the host ports (devices have strict power behavior per spec), though they may be there. I am aware, however, of countless USB host designs that simply put a 5v regulator rail on the power line and could probably be induced to overheat by a misbehaving device.
    - throwketchup 12y ago
      It's definitely in the USB 1.1 spec, (with some verbiage that excessive current draw on one port is not allowed to affect other ports) though they may have relaxed it later. I have several old Belkin hubs that will terminate (with prejudice) power to any port that draws over 550 mA, until you physically power-cycle the hub. This is annoying for obvious reasons, especially on 7-port hubs with beefy power supplies, so most hub manufacturers don't do that anymore.

edent 12y ago

The whole point is that most people (especially the target market) have a spare USB charger hanging around. The Pi takes exactly the same connector as your mobile phone - it's one less bit of kit to buy.