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Jason,

> 720p MPEG4 has been demonstrated using software-only decode.

Is there any hardware support for MPEG4 decode?

Does the SoC include a DSP?  If so, is it user programmable?

Is there any current or planned support for OpenCL?

One of the nice things about this project is that it's being run very open. The kernel patches to support the new board are already in public repositories! You can see the patch to enable the eMMC and HDMI here:

eMMC: https://github.com/beagleboard/kernel/blob/3.8/patches/capebus/0006-beaglebone-enable-emmc-for-bonelt.patch

HDMI: https://github.com/beagleboard/kernel/blob/3.8/patches/hdmi/0004-Add-capebus-override-and-pinmux-for-da8xx-dt.patch

From those, I extracted the following:

eMMC pins on header: P8_5, P8_6, P8_20, P8_21, P8_24 and P8_25 (gpio1[21:24] aren't on the header)

HDMI pins on header: P8_[27:46]

eMMC interferes with:

UART1 (P8_19, P8_20, P8_24 and P8_26) TX on P8_24

HDMI interferes with:

UART2 (P9_21, P9_22, P8_37 and P8_38) RTS/CTS lines on P8_37 and P8_38

UART3 (P8_34, P8_36 and P9_42) RTS/CTS lines on P8_34 and P8_36 -- though I don't know where the RX line is

UART4 (P8_33, P8_35, P9_11 and P9_13) RTS/CTS lines on P8_33 and P8_35

UART5 (P8_31, P8_32, P8_37 and P8_38) on all lines

That leaves UART2 and UART4 open as long as you don't need hardware flow control, otherwise you'll need to disable one of the interfaces.

All of the design materials will be released, including gerbers, just as with previous BeagleBoard.org releases: http://beagleboard.org/hardware/design.

Next-gen BeagleBone will not include a DSP, though it will have 2 32-bit RISC microcontrollers (PRUs) running at 200MHz to assist with I/O and a Cortex-M3 (only useful for power management functions since it can't access the pins).

Again, this is much more about being a system controller and interfacing the Internet to hardware than it is about being a multimedia device---despite having enough horsepower to play some videos.

Yes, the new Bone will include the PRUSS.

Can I use the old beaglebone to exchange "The Next-Gen BeagleBone"??

Thanks for the feedback on the UARTs. Disabling the HDMI and the eMMC will be no issue for some of my applications (The serial ports are more important)

Looks like the affectedf UARTs are still only a pinmux away, and at worst a patch -R and recompile

Thanks again

Hi,

I am using the original Beaglebone for a app and have issues with the analog inputs, has there been any special care in routing of these sensistive inputs for the new version and use of proper groundplanes for the analog inputs?

Michael

Sorry, there is no "exchange" program for these boards.

Hi Vandana. What could be the approximate cost ? Is it possible to get one now. I would be willing to pay for it.