Author: Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)

Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 11 Comments on ELLO 2M is a DIY Computer with a Keyboard, a 7″ Touchscreen Display and a Prototyping Area (Crowdfunding)

ELLO 2M is a DIY Computer with a Keyboard, a 7″ Touchscreen Display and a Prototyping Area (Crowdfunding)

ELLO_2M

The traditional way to play with electronics is to get a board (e.g. Arduino), a breadboard to wire components & sensors to the board, and a computer for programming.  ELLO 2M combines all that into a single piece of hardware with a 7″ touchscreen display, a Microchip PIC32 micro-controller board, a solderless prototyping area made of PGA sockets, and a keyboard. ELLO 2M hardware specifications: MCU – Microchip PIC32MX470 32-bit micro-controller @ 120 MHz with 128kB RAM (512kB RAM in the ELLO 2M “hacker” versions) Extra System Memory – Optional on-board serial non-volatile data RAM Storage – 3x micro-SD cards (one permanently built-in and two for removable storage); internal serial FRAM Display – 7″ LCD touch-screen panel with 800×480 pixel resolution Audio – Small speaker and buzzer Keyboard – Replaceable QWERTY keyboard Connectivity – 2.4GHz RF communication module with simple communication protocol Expansion – Expansion receptacle, electronic prototyping space with […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 6 Comments on How to Install PHP 5.6 (and Xibo Digital Signage CMS) in Ubuntu 16.04

How to Install PHP 5.6 (and Xibo Digital Signage CMS) in Ubuntu 16.04

Xibo is an open source digital signage using a client / server architecture, and in the past I wrote a tutorial showing how to use it, and ran Xibo Python client on ARM Linux TV box, but with software handling only so rendering scrolling text was not very smooth at all, and video decoding was not really possible. But now I have Star Cloud PCG02U Intel TV stick which costs just $70 shipped with Ubuntu 14.04, and that I have upgraded to Ubuntu 16.04, and I thought that would be a great low cost Xibo Linux client which should have pretty good performance. I started by installing Xibo server, only to find out that the cross-platform Python client had been phased out, with now only Windows and Android clients available. So I canceled my plan. I still had some challenges installing Xibo server on Ubuntu 16.04, so I’ll report my […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 6 Comments on Zotac PI330 Cherry Trail mini PC Supports Dual Monitor Setups with HDMI and DisplayPort Outputs

Zotac PI330 Cherry Trail mini PC Supports Dual Monitor Setups with HDMI and DisplayPort Outputs

Several low power Intel mini PCs coming out of Chinese manufacturers support dual monitor setups, but usually they combine HDMI and VGA with models such as Vorke V1 or MeLE PCG03. Zotac PI330 mini PC powered by an Intel Atom x5-Z8500 processor offers instead dual independent display support via HDMI and DisplayPort connectors. Zotac PI330 hardware specifications: SoC – Intel Atom x5-Z8500 quad core processor @ 1.44 GHz / 2.24 GHz) with 2M Cache and Intel Gen8 Graphics System Memory –  2GB LPDDR3 Storage – 32GB eMMC flash + micro SD/SDHC/SDXC card reader Video Output – DP1.1a, HDMI 1.4b Audio – DisplayPort, HDMI and 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack Connectivity – Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11ac WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0 USB – 1x USB 3.0 Type-C, 2x USB 3.0 port Misc – Power LED, Power Supply – 5V/3A Dimensions – 115 x 76 x 20.7 mm The fanless mini PC is pre-loaded with […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 3 Comments on ZTE Axon 7 Snapdragon 820 Smartphone To Support Google Daydream VR

ZTE Axon 7 Snapdragon 820 Smartphone To Support Google Daydream VR

Google announced Daydream virtual reality platform at Google I/O 2016 a few days ago, and now ZTE has announced the first phone compatible with Daydream, namely Axon 7 powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor with 4 to 6 GB RAM, and 64 to 128 GB flash. Their will be three versions of the phone: basic, standard and premium editions with the following key features and hardware specifications: SoC – Qualcomm Snapdragon 820  quad core ARMv8 processor with two “Gold” cores up to 2.15 GHz, two “Silver” cores up to 1.6 GHz, Adreno 530 GPU with support for OpenGL ES 3.2, OpenCL 2.0, and Vulkan, and  Hexagon 680 DSP  @ up to 825 MHz System Memory and Storage 4GB RAM, 64GB flash, and micro SD slot up to 128GB OR 6GB RAM, 128GB flash, and micro SD slot up to 128GB Display – 5.5″ 2560 x 1440, WQHD AMOLED, 2.5D; Premium: […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments on 802.11ax WiFi Aims to Deliver Higher Throughput (Up to 10 Gbps), Better Handle High Density Scenarios

802.11ax WiFi Aims to Deliver Higher Throughput (Up to 10 Gbps), Better Handle High Density Scenarios

802.11ax WiFi, also known as High-Efficiency Wireless (HEW), aims to improve the average throughput per user by a factor of at least 4 times in dense user environments, with a total bandwidth of 10 Gbps over 2.4 and 5.0 GHz . The new standard is still work in progress and is expected to be published in 2019. 802.11ax WiFi key features include: Backwards compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Increase 4x the average throughput per user in high-density scenarios, such as train stations, airports and stadiums. Data rates and channel widths similar to 802.11ac, with the exception of new Modulation and Coding Sets (MCS 10 and 11) with 1024-QAM. Specified for downlink and uplink multi-user operation by means of MU-MIMO and Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) technology. Larger OFDM FFT sizes (4x larger), narrower subcarrier spacing (4x closer), and longer symbol time (4x) for improved robustness and performance in multipath fading environments […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 23 Comments on Updating Star Cloud PCG02U to Ubuntu 16.04 with WiFi and HDMI Audio Support

Updating Star Cloud PCG02U to Ubuntu 16.04 with WiFi and HDMI Audio Support

I completed my review of PCG02U Ubuntu TV stick a few days ago, and I was quite satisfied with the device, but since Ubuntu 16.04 was released last month, I thought it might be fun to upgrade to the latest version of Ubuntu. I’m go through the complete steps including building a new kernel for HDMI audio, and the drivers for WiFi, but you should be able to install Ubuntu 16.04 for Bay Trail and Cherry Trail processor with the image made by Linuxium and a USB stick. Star Cloud PCG02U OS Support and Warranty Before I go through the instructions, you may want to read the conditions on MeLE’s Aliexpress PCG02U page. They meant Ubuntu 14.04 instead of 14.0.4, but the important part is that if something goes wrong trying alternative OS, you may lose your warranty. Upgrade Ubuntu 14.04 to Ubuntu 16.04 Upgrading from one LTS version to […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 36 Comments on Enclosure & Battery Kit for Raspberry Pi Boards Sells for $22

Enclosure & Battery Kit for Raspberry Pi Boards Sells for $22

The easiest solution to power Raspberry Pi boards from batteries is to use a USB power bank, and if you want a neater solution, PiJuice HAT board is quite nice, but for something a little cheaper and available right now, Geekworm’s RPi PowerPack kit could be an interesting option with an acrylic enclosure, a battery board with a 3,800 mAh Lithium battery, a fan, three heatsinks, as well as a micro USB to USB cable. Key features of RPi PowerPack board: 3,800 mAh Lithium battery good for around 9 hours on the Raspberry Pi 3. Output current – 1.8A Output voltage: 5.1V ± 0.1V USB – 2x USB output port Standard charging current / voltage – 1.0A/5.0V via 1x micro USB port. Misc – On/Off switch (The battery still charges in off position) The kit with the 3,800 mAh battery is sold for $22.43 on DealExtreme. Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)Jean-Luc started […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 7 Comments on Shenzhen Alpha M009 Smartwatch is Powered by Mediatek MT2503 SoC with Integrated Bluetooth, GSM Modem, and GPS

Shenzhen Alpha M009 Smartwatch is Powered by Mediatek MT2503 SoC with Integrated Bluetooth, GSM Modem, and GPS

Mediatek MT2502 “Aster” SoC for wearables and IoT was released in 2014 with an ARM7 MCU, built-in Bluetooth, PMIC, and GSM/GPRS modem, and support for external WiFi and GPS chips. The upcoming MT2503 integrates functionality even further as GPS is now embedded inside the SoC, and Shenzhen Alpha Telecom Technology demonstrated their  M009 smartwatch based on the latest Mediatek SoC at CES Asia 2016 in Shanghai. M009 smartwatch specifications: SoC – Mediatek MT2503 ARM7 processor with GSM/GPRS modem, Bluetooth 3.0 + EDR 2.1, GPS (MT3333), PMIC Display – 1.22″ or 1.3″ 240×240 resolution TFT display Cellular Connectivity – SIM card Sensors – HRM, pressure sensor Misc – 2x buttons Dimensions – 36 x 32 x 11 mm There will be two version of the processor MT2503A and MT2503D with the former supporting external serial flash. If you’d like to integrate a ready to use module in your design, ATS Link provides […]

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