From: gnmckinney <gar...@gm...> - 2009-03-29 02:10:11
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I would tend to agree with bew003 in terms of the verdex series as they are built more for embedded applications more so than for a more general purpose application. If you are looking to build a small machine then the Overo is probably the better choice, both in terms of CPU and flexibility for more general purpose applications (as in personal portable computer), RAM memory (256-megs DDR-400) and 256-Megs of non-volatile FLASH memory. It comes with a Linux Desktop demonstration system already installed in the on-board FLASH memory and you can add additional packages (applications) to the system using the application manager. If 256-Megs of storage is not enough you can install a bootable image on a micro-SDHC card (currently I am running on a 8-gig micro-SDHC with about 7-gigs still available) which the system will boot before it looks for the on-board bootable factory installed system (nice feature as it saves the factory installation as a fall-back if something goes wrong with the image on the micro-SD card). I have an Overo myself and still in a vertical learning curve on OpenEmbedded (the development environment) but from what I have done with this machine I am impressed - currently it is configured with the Enlightenment Desktop environment and running Apache2, MySQL along with a GPS receiver and a webcam which sends images, using fswebcam, to the web server (Apache2), WiFi (802.11b/g) and running OLSR (optimized link state routing) to allow moving around in a WiFi ad-hoc environment without losing connectivity due to weak-path signals. I also have a 64-Gig Solid-State drive connected through USB for external storage. As far as displays are concerned I am currently using one of my 19-inch 16:9 format displays running 1024X768 at the moment but also have a 10-inch touch screen which is 800X600 native that works with the Overo unit. The Overo has a DVI-D video output with a HDMI connector (actually that is on the Summit Expansion board) so can be directly connected to displays that handle DVI-D input (or, as I have done, you can get a DVI-D to RGB converter to drive RGB displays). If you are not familiar with Linux then bew003's suggestion of getting a netbook machine may make sense but if you are looking to work outside the Windows world and want to play in the linux world this is a pretty good machine to do it with. hope this helps... BTW: You can see my setup I am currently working with here: http://overo-trials.blogspot.com/2009/03/hi-most-are-probably-wondering-what.html gm... bew003 wrote: > > > Leshell Hatley wrote: >> >> 2. Does anyone have any recommendations for larger screens that will >> actually work with gumstix - particularly the sold package on the >> website (just replacing the touchscreen LCD with a larger one)? >> 3. Which distribution of linux works best? *I'm thinking of Ubuntu. >> > > 2. Is there a particular reason you're thinking of the verdex? Because the > Summit board seems like a much more straightforward way to attach a > (larger) screen. Just search 'overo' or 'gumstix' on youtube for recent > demos. > > 3. I'm sure I'll get argument about this but Gumstix isn't really designed > to be a Desktop. Embedded devices are all about putting computers where > they weren't before: think robots or vacuum cleaners or thermostats or > whatever. Gumstix come with a specialized embedded OS (which I'd LOVE to > hear more about). If you just want a small cheap computer, Dell sells > netbooks for $250. > -- View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/New-to-Gumstix...-tp22752260p22763630.html Sent from the Gumstix mailing list archive at Nabble.com. |