Pi vs BeagleBone-Black

I'd like to add another pro for the BeagleBoard Black.

With the exceptions of the integer real time processors PRU-ICSS (not sure at this point why that is), and the PowerVR GPU for

well known reasons, the AM3359 technical documentation from TI is excellent to the point of overwhelming. The Technical Reference

Manual is over 4000 pages. No I did not accidentally add any zeros !

Gary Stewart wrote:

 

With the exceptions of the integer real time processors PRU-ICSS (not sure at this point why that is), and the PowerVR GPU for well known reasons, the AM3359 technical documentation from TI is excellent to the point of overwhelming.

You're right about the proprietary GPU, that seems to be an endemic problem for open source in the industry.  It's not true for the PRU-ICSS though.

The PRU-ICSS is fully documented in the Technical Reference Manual SPRUH73C, with the entirety of chapter 4 (250 pages) devoted to it.  Also, there is a full package of PRU-related materials on Github, including more documentation and source code of the PRU's PASM assembler, a Linux loader, demos, etc.  I've even checked that the assembler compiles and it does.

The BeagleBone materials on Github are at https://github.com/beagleboard/am335x_pru_package

The PRU has been used successfully in quite a number of projects as a quick web search shows, and this long predates the BeagleBone Black since the original BeagleBone uses a slightly different version of the same AM3359 SoC.

Morgaine.

Addendum: Repeating the link to TI's wiki pages on PRU which I gave in my first post on this thread, in case it was missed when looking for docs.  There is a developers' link at the bottom of that first page.

Morgaine

Yes thanks for explaining the KL25z wasn't part of the discussion of Pi v BB.

It was just the size.

John

You have some good reasons ...obviously the Antoid tins are a household item on the other side of the world, hence the inital reason.

I also like your advice on the forums/support.

Morgaine

I think your answer is probably what I expected.

I had to ask though.

Yay, more boards with rounded corners! And cheap too!

Not on topic though, except for the rounded corners and the Element 14 angle.

Morgaine Dinova wrote:

 

Yay, more boards with rounded corners! And cheap too!

 

Not on topic though, except for the rounded corners and the Element 14 angle.

I like the way the Farnell site shows availability as "Awaiting Delivery" -- sounds like we're expecting a "bundle of joy" .  The USA Newark site just says "Availability: 0" -- no poetry at all.

John Beetem wrote:

 

I like the way the Farnell site shows availability as "Awaiting Delivery" -- sounds like we're expecting a "bundle of joy" .

Better not give Marketing ideas, I really don't want to have my boards delivered with nappies and baby powder.

Here in NZ its 4 times the price of KL25z, but with less features.

Maybe nappies and baby powder will help sell it.

Mark

Hehe.

I don't know PSoC4, but a quick glance at Element 14's linked summary suggests that it's along the lines of PSoC5, which John has often described here (in CPLD/FPGA threads) as being a microcontroller SoC with partially documented programmable logic features.

That makes this board rather eclectic and somewhat alienating to those who prefer traditional CPU software programming.  Perhaps the manufacturer is trying to dispell that image by releasing the board at prices that fall below the worry radar ... except in NZ, that is.

For just $10 extra you get more and better hardware with added features such as analog inputs, extra GPIO, a better design power supply and you can boot from the eMMC memory on board. I've got mine early this week (got it from Mouser, Newark didn't show any stock earlier) but didn't have a chance to power it up yet, that btw to get started you can do it just via de USB device port.

I believe that for certain applications and users it will be a much better value proposition than the Raspberry Pi, and I agree that the previous Bbone was kind of pricey.

-J

Morgaine Dinova wrote:

 

I don't know PSoC4, but a quick glance at Element 14's linked summary suggests that it's along the lines of PSoC5, which John has often described here (in CPLD/FPGA threads) as being a microcontroller SoC with partially documented programmable logic features.

 

That makes this board rather eclectic and somewhat alienating to those who prefer traditional CPU software programming.  Perhaps the manufacturer is trying to dispell that image by releasing the board at prices that fall below the worry radar ... except in NZ, that is.

PSoC4 is a low-cost version of PSoC5, replacing PSoC5's Cortex-M3 with a Cortex-M0.   The PSoC line is quite interesting: Cypress integrates a processor, various digital blocks, and analog blocks all onto the same chip with a programmable interconnect to tie everything together and route to the pins.  The idea is to have a single chip provide everything for an embedded product, including the analog circuits.  The functions of the blocks and the routing are all programmed by the CPU through addressable registers, almost all of which are documented.  Cypress has a Windows-based tool called PSoC Creator that lets you select and interconnect the blocks, and it generates a C program that does the register initializations for you so you don't have to read an 1800-page manual.

My beef with the chip has been that I want to be able to use it for teaching logic design using my own tools.  Cypress almost provides enough data to do this, but as far as I can tell the routing control registers aren't documented well enough to use them.  It may be that I'm wrong and the information is now there -- please tell me if that's the case!

PSoC has had limited success, largely because the chips have been rather expensive.  PSoC4 is supposed to change this by providing a highly capable SoC for US$1.

I agree with you - there really isn't much of a price difference when you factor in no SD card or power supply is required.  The out of box experience is quite nice.  You simply connect the BB Black via USB cable to your computer.  It appears as a mass-storage device with a start html page.  Opening that takes you through a tutorial. 

The BB Black also creates a virtual Ethernet network over USB cable, so the HTML-based tutorial can communicate with BB Black.  Right off the bat, you can edit BoneScript (Javascript for BeagleBone) in the starter tutorial page and that code will run on the Bone. 

For a fuller experience, you can also click the link to open the Cloud9 IDE.  All that without any need for power supply, SD card, Ethernet cable, WiFi adapter or serial cable.

I agree with you, Drew and jamodio.

Superior experience for beginners out of the box, superior experience for experts later, with far more extensive hardware interfacing potential, the programming of PRUSS, and the creation and stacking of capes.  We were talking about a simple comparison table between Pi and BBB, but I don't think that's likely to indicate just how much more advanced the BBB experience and potential really is.

The Pi is a nice little gadget if your application can work within its limits and foibles, and it has no same-price challengers yet as a home media center.  What's more, Pi Model A has no directly comparable challengers on price at all.  However, the Pi's range of "Best for application X" has now been reduced very sharply by BBB.  And somewhat embarassingly, BBB has much more education potential than Pi, and most of the Pi educational examples will work just as well or better on BeagleBones because they are typically generic Linux applications.

This is a great time to be involved with ARM, so many excellent choices.

Morgaine.

I agree with you, Drew and jamodio.

Superior experience for beginners out of the box, superior experience for experts later, with far more extensive hardware interfacing potential, the programming of PRUSS, and the creation and stacking of capes.  We were talking about a simple comparison table between Pi and BBB, but I don't think that's likely to indicate just how much more advanced the BBB experience and potential really is.

The Pi is a nice little gadget if your application can work within its limits and foibles, and it has no same-price challengers yet as a home media center.  What's more, Pi Model A has no directly comparable challengers on price at all.  However, the Pi's range of "Best for application X" has now been reduced very sharply by BBB.  And somewhat embarassingly, BBB has much more education potential than Pi, and most of the Pi educational examples will work just as well or better on BeagleBones because they are typically generic Linux applications.

This is a great time to be involved with ARM, so many excellent choices.

Morgaine.