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 Posted: Apr 16, 2012 - 02:49 AM |
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Joined: Mar 15, 2009
Posts: 35
Location: Indonesia
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Hi All,
Please help in deciding which ARM development board should I choose? I want to learn how to program using ARM processor, dealing with linux, and later I want to build my own hardware for my robot. Using the latest ARM series should be better.
So far, I found Beagleboard but boards from embeddedarm.com also looks good.
Also, if I build my own ARM hardware, do I need to code my own kernel?
Thanks, |
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Posted: Apr 16, 2012 - 03:05 AM |
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Joined: Jul 21, 2005
Posts: 1373
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Once you go linux, you are best off getting a board that is popular even if you have to pay a premium. You could spend a lifetime just writing linux drivers for any custom or oddball hardware you have.
Just plain vanilla Cortex M3 without an OS might be enough to do what you want to do |
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Posted: Apr 16, 2012 - 05:55 AM |
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Joined: Mar 15, 2009
Posts: 35
Location: Indonesia
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I'm afraid Cortex M3 not enough for my robot since I use several 32-bit microcontroller and I need single board computer (OS based) to control them.
Is there open source out there for linux driver? |
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Posted: Apr 16, 2012 - 09:31 AM |
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Joined: Jul 18, 2005
Posts: 62281
Location: (using avr-gcc in) Finchingfield, Essex, England
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Quote:
Is there open source out there for linux driver?
I fear you may have missed the point of Linux with that question. The whole point is that the entire kernel is open source. Under the GPL v2 licenece that covers it any code that is added to it (ie drivers) must also be made public. In fact this can be an issue for the commercial use of Linux because proprietary hardware for which the implementor writes their own drivers then has the requirement that the source of those drivers (which pretty much explains the operation of the hardware must also be made available to the customer.
As for a good Linux platform - if you have an infinite timescale then clearly Raspberry Pi is possibly THE most attractive Linux development board there is - your only issue is actually getting hold of one right now.
Failing that I've used the micro2440 from FirendlyArm and it is a great little board for Linux work. The micro2440 has been superceded by later models but anything from their range would be equally good I think. The SoC used is a Samsung ARM9. The Linux kernel has a lot of support for this already and it's well written, easy to follow code: http://lxr.linux.no/#linux+v3.3.2/arch/ ... h-s3c2440/ |
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Posted: Apr 16, 2012 - 01:47 PM |
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Joined: Mar 15, 2009
Posts: 35
Location: Indonesia
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Hi Clawson, thanks a lot for the info. I get something new from FriendlyArm download site.
Could you tell me more, what is best for the bus communication? Is it VME, PC104, PCIe bus?
Also, do you ever find Linux development board using VME bus or PCIe bus?
Most of the board in EmbeddedArm use PC104, but my friend said it was old version of bus connection, use of VME bus more robust, is that true?
Thanks |
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Posted: Apr 16, 2012 - 02:08 PM |
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Joined: Jul 18, 2005
Posts: 62281
Location: (using avr-gcc in) Finchingfield, Essex, England
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Quote:
what is best for the bus communication?
Personally I find a telephone one of the best devices but that's because I ultimately want a protocol that involves analog voice to analog voice communication. Until you say what form of "communication" you are talking about it is very difficult to say. PC104, PCIe are just types of sub-board interconnects so I guess what you may be asking is what is the best bus to use for a particular device I want to attach to the circuit? When you say what that device is and what bus it is designed to operate on it will be possible to advise.
In systems driven by Linux boards many of the "standard" communication cabling and protocols are used: RS232, RS4845, SPI, I2C, USB, SATA, etc. But these are mechanisms that just use 2,3,4 wires not a full data and address bus. |
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Posted: Apr 17, 2012 - 03:20 AM |
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Joined: Mar 15, 2009
Posts: 35
Location: Indonesia
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yes Clawson, what I mean was sub-board interconnects. It uses slots or racks to connect to the bus. I need to use full data and address bus to expand the board, to make it customizable.
Please advise if you have information about this board? thanks |
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Posted: Apr 17, 2012 - 03:34 AM |
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Joined: Dec 30, 2004
Posts: 8763
Location: Melbourne,Australia
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| I think VME is well dead. In many cases, USB is adequate for expansion - it really depends on the intended application. The push seems to be high speed serial busses like PCIe. |
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Posted: Apr 17, 2012 - 05:32 AM |
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Joined: Jan 09, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Arlington, Texas, U.S.A.
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anh_risn wrote:
... do I need to code my own kernel?
Rarely. Ideally its source code is available; else these should come with source code to create a BSP (Board Support Package = interrupt handlers, timer initialization and use, clocks (calendar, real-time), memory initialization, etc.). An example of an accessible run-time for a robot is Lego Mindstorms (Atmel SAM7 and megaAVR). |
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