TinyLlama x86 retro computer uses the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W as a MIDI synthesizer

TinyLlama x86 retro computer

The TinyLlama x86 retro computer board is designed to run DOS games on a DM&P Vortex86EX 32-bit x86 processor and integrates a MIDI synthesizer based on Raspberry Pi Zero 2 running MT32-Pi firmware. Growing up playing games on 386/486-era computers, Eivind Bohler looked for similar recent hardware to play DOS games and after discovering the 86Duino x86 Arduino-compatible board, he decided to use the SOM-128-EX module powering the board to create the TinyLlama board with a Sound Blaster Pro-compatible Crystal CS4237B sound chip and a MIDI synthesizer. TinyLlama specifications: D&MP SOM-128-EX system-on-module with Processor – DM&P Vortex86EX 32-bit x86 processor @ 60 to 500 MHz System Memory – 128MB DDR3 Storage – 8MB SPI flash Storage – MicroSD card socket Video Output – VGA up to 1024×768 @ 60 Hz using the Vortex86VGA module running off an x1 PCI-e lane Audio Crystal CS4237B all-in-one audio chip MIDI synthesizer with Raspberry Pi […]

EsPiFF board combines ESP32 module with RP2040 MCU in the Raspberry Pi 4 form factor (Crowdfunding)

Raspberry Pi 4 SBC ESP32 RP2040 MCU

The EsPiFF board may look like a Raspberry Pi 4 Linux SBC but it is equipped with an ESP32-WROVER WiFi and Bluetooth module together with a Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller that acts as a co-processor. The goal here is to provide a Raspberry Pi 4 replacement for applications that require higher reliability and even 24/7 operation without necessarily needing the processing power and multimedia capabilities of the Broadcom BCM2711 Arm processor found in the Pi or the versatility of a Linux operating system. EsPiFF board specifications: Wireless module – ESP32-WROVER module with dual-core ESP32-D0WDQ6 microcontroller with 2.4 GHz WiFi 4 and Bluetooth, 8 MB PSRAM and 16 MB flash Co-processor – Raspberry Pi RP2040 dual-core Cortex-M0+ microcontroller @ up to 133 MHz with 16MB flash used to emulate the Raspberry Pi’s GPIOs on the 40-pin header Additional storage 2 KB of fast FRAM for permanent storage of process data. (faster […]

Radxa E25 modular 2.5GbE router supports WiFi 6 and 4G/5G cellular connectivity

Radxa E25 router

Radxa E25 is a modular router with two 2.5GbE ports based on the Radxa CM3 Industrial (CM3I) system-on-module equipped with a Rockchip RK3568 quad-core Cortex-A55 processor, and optional support for WiFi 6 and 4G or 5G cellular connectivity. I got an early sample of the Radxa E25 carrier board in January, but the company has now refined the design with version 1.4 of the board and will launch the Radxa E25 as a complete router with an enclosure similar to NanoPi R5S and LinkStar H68K we’ve covered previously. Radxa E25 specifications: SoM – Radxa CM3I with Rockchip RK3568 quad-core Cortex-A55 processor @ 2.0 GHz with Arm Mali-G52, up to 8GB RAM, up to 128GB eMMC flash (250MB/s max), optional WiFi and Bluetooth Storage – MicroSD card socket, M.2 SATA 2242 SSD (multiplexed with 4G) Networking 2x 2.5GbE ports via Realtek RTL8125B 2.5 Gbps Ethernet transceiver (Tested by Radxa at 2.2 […]

Elephant Robotics Black Friday 2022 Sales (Sponsored)

MarsCat Discount

Elephants Robotics is selling some of its educational robotic kits and toys as part of the company’s Black Friday Sales event taking place until November 25, 2022. You can get various discounts depending on the total amount of the order: Save $50 On Orders Over $400 Save $100 On Orders Over $800 Save $200 On Orders Over $1500 Save $250 On Orders Over $2500 The company also offers product-specific discounts with the metaCat robotic plush toy / smart cat going for $129 – its lowest price ever – instead of the original price of $219, and the Raspberry Pi 3-powered MarsCat selling for $999, or $400 less than the original price tag of $1,399. Elephants Robotics is also having a Black Friday Sale on Amazon that includes a 10% discount for the myCobot 280 robotic arm that we reviewed last month with a Raspberry Pi 4 and a 30% discount […]

Starfish PnP machine control board combines Raspberry Pi RP2040 MCU with TMC2209 motor drivers

StarFish Raspberry Pi RP2040 PnP control board

We’ve already seen the Raspberry Pi RP2040 MCU in a 3D printer controller board, so it should come as no surprise that the dual-core microcontroller also found its way into a Pick-and-Place (PnP) machine control board. Designed by Thea Flowers, the Starfish board leverages the RP2040 MCU capabilities to control three Trinamic TMC2209 motor drivers, MOSFET drivers to control DC vacuum pumps, two vacuum sensors, and offer RS485 and I2C connectivity for feeders and peripherals respectively. Starfish specifications: MCU – Raspberry Pi RP2040 dual-core Cortex M0+ microcontroller at up to 133 MHz with 264 kB of embedded SRAM Storage – QSPI flash Motor drivers – 3x TMC2209 drivers for X, Y1, and Y2 MOSFETs – 2x MOSFETs to control the 2x vacuum pumps Valve drivers – 2x TI DRV120 single-channel relay, solenoid, and valve drivers to control two pneumatic solenoid valves Sensors – 2x CFSensor XGZP6857D I2C pressure sensor modules […]

Giveaway Week – RAK Developer Kit (Air Quality Kit)

RAK Developer Kit Air Quality Kit

RAKwireless joined CNX Software’s Giveaway Week last year with the WisBlock Kit 2 LoRa-based GPS Tracker with Solar Panel, and the company is back for Giveaway Week 2022 with the RAK Developer Kit (Air Quality Kit) with LoRaWAN connectivity. The kit includes everything to get started to build an indoor air quality monitor and send the air quality information over LoRaWAN to the cloud/LoRaWAN server. It notably comes with a WisGate gateway and a Wisblock Node with an indoor enclosure. The kit contents and main specifications are as follows: RAK7246 WisGate Developer D0 with: Raspberry Pi Zero W board with Broadcom BCM2835 ARM11 processor @ 1GHz, 512MB RAM Storage – 16GB MicroSD card Connectivity 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0 via Cypress CYW43438 module found on RPi Zero W board RAK2246 Pi HAT LoRaWAN concentrator module with SX1308 baseband processor Frequency bands – RU864, IN865, EU868, US915, AU915, KR920, AS923 […]

Giveaway Week 2022 – Pico:ed Smart Cutebot Kit

Picoed Smart Cutebot Kit

The third prize of this year’s giveaway week comes courtesy of ELECFREAKS which offers a Cutebot Pico:ed kit based on the Pico:ed board with a Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller and following BBC Micro:bit form factor. The kit also includes two high-speed motors to drive two wheels, ultrasonic & distance sensors, two RGB LED lights and clearance lamps on the bottom, two line-tracking probes, and an active buzzer used as a horn. It is powered by three AAA batteries. The company initially me asked me if I wanted to review the board/robot, but since I may not have the time to do so, I asked whether they wanted to be included in our yearly giveaway week which they accepted. The company provides instructions to program the robot with “Micro block” visual programming IDE, C++, and CircuitPython. You’ll find resources to get started and eight projects for the robot in the Wiki. […]

Giveaway Week – e-con Systems e-CAM20_CURB camera

e-CAM20_CURB LEGO mount

Today, we’re giving away the e-con Systems e-CAM20_CURB is a 2.3MP color camera with a global shutter that is designed to work with Raspberry Pi 4 SBC. The camera is based on ON Semiconductor AR0234CS CMOS sensor and supports uncompressed video at 1920 x 1200 (2.3MP) up to 60 fps,  1920 x 1080 (Full HD) up to 65 fps, and 1280 x 720 (HD) up to 120 fps. I just completed the e-CAM20_CURB camera review with Raspberry Pi 4 last weekend and found the video smoothness and quality to be much better than most cameras I’ve tried when there is motion, even in relatively dark scenes, since motion blur and artifacts are reduced. The company provides Yocto Linux and Raspbian/Raspberry Pi OS images with V4L2 drivers and Gstreamer tools, and the camera was fairly easy to use with the Yocto image thanks to the useful documentation provided with the kit. […]

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