Chip - $9 Linux board... Wow!

[Reinhard]

Linux is the operating system, which usually comes with Python as a programming language. These small, inexpensive computers were primarily intended for kids to learn programming on - since neither Windows nor OSX comes with a programming language environment any more. The creator of the Raspberry Pi (which is the model on which all the rest have been built) noted that kids and teens today are very comfortable with computers but we were creating a generation who could not program the apps and programs. Of course, once hobbyists found out about these things...

Neither (desktop) Windows nor OSX were ever an option when the Raspberry Pi was released in early 2012. They were neither compatible to the ARMv6 SoC, nor would it have been possible to license them at this price point (Windows) or at all (OSX).

Reinhard

 

[gpoehlein]

Bit of an update - I got an email a couple days ago that said my C.H.I.P. has shipped! Now all it has to do is make it out of Hong Kong (the tracker has been stuck on crossing the boarder for two days now...). Might still see it this month - pretty close to the promised ship date too! (Which is REALLY good for a tech Kickstarter).

 

[ksaves2]

I had taken a risk on the Pocket CHIP which is a micro handheld version of the Chip. https://getchip.com/pages/pocketchip Supposed to be shipping in July. Will see how it goes with that tiny screen. Will be fun to play with I think. Kurt

 

[gpoehlein]

I had taken a risk on the Pocket CHIP which is a micro handheld version of the Chip. https://getchip.com/pages/pocketchip Supposed to be shipping in July. Will see how it goes with that tiny screen. Will be fun to play with I think. Kurt

That is what I supported - the C.H.I.P., Pocket CHIP, and an HDMI hat for the C.H.I.P. Mine shipped early this past week, but coming from China, who knows when it will actually get here (the tracker is STILL stuck on June 14 with my package in Limbo ("crossing the border and enroute to routing center" it says).

Meanwhile, I ordered a Rasp Pi 3 from Adafruit and got it in two days . Also ordered a very cool case - the C4 Products Belaire. It is laser cut birch ply with a cool 50s styling. Adafruit was out of heat sinks, so I ordered a set from Amazon and got them yesterday. Oh, and Adafruit finally had a few Zeros on stock, but only in the starter set, so I took advantage and ordered one of those as well. I want to mount it in an NES controller and load RetroPi on it for game playing.

Rounded out the order with a $45 roll of blue tape. Yeah, $45 is really expensive for a roll of blue tape, but this roll is six inches wide for my 3D printer platform! Hard to find, but worth it fo not having to put multiple strips on there!

 

[ksaves2]

The Pocket Chip I ordered is coming. For the cost I thought it was worth the risk. I was toying with seeing if Java could be installed and run the tracking program YAAC. I found on a Linux laptop java/YAAC runs beautifully with a bluetooth attached
GPS for local position and the HC-06 EggFinder LCD receiver. YAAC can follow two NMEA streams at the same time which is a first for an APRS program. Java/YAAC doesn't work with bluetooth nicely in a WinBlows environment so running on a tablet
is out of the question for now. Hmmmm, I just did a search and a fellow was able to load Java on a Chip device. This might get interesting. The screen on the Pocket Chip looks a bit small but we'll see what transpires. Kurt

 

[BlazingAngel665]

Having worked on a full stack linux flight computer, dear god no. An OS gives you five hundred thousand ways your computer can break. If your goal is to get your rocket back, stick to bare metal chips with simple, bulletproof code. Build fancy data loggers all you want, but for the parachutes, stick with the simplest functional solution.

The real hot board for flight altimeters is the Teensy 3.2 ARM based dev board. More pins and serial than anyone could want. It has a plugin for the arduino IDE so it's very friendly to use. I'd highly recommend that one.

 

[gpoehlein]

Good points about the limitations of using an OS on a rocket vs the simplicity of an Arduino sketch.

Initial impressions of the Pocket CHIP: the music program and the gaming front end are both clunky. Tried playing a couple of games and couldn't get either to work. I was really disappointed that the CHIP did not come with half the stuff in Rasbian - no web browser, no office, no Python ide, and not easy to add these things to it. It is supposed to be running a stripped down version of Debian Jesse, but it is hard to work with so far.

 

[ksaves2]

Ok,

I pays yer money and gets the item. Sprung for a Pocket CHIP and did a little search.
Figure since a poster their says most of 'em ship with an older firmware, to update to the latest and greatest.
I discovers that they send me the Pocket CHIP PLUS and I mean PLUS! an extra $9.00 CHIP board with a composite connection. Cool extra computer. Too bad's I don't have an old
composite TV I can connect up to it. Am not in the third world.
Well, I goes online and discovers I hasta' download and update to Googlecrap Chrome.
So's I do that plus follow all their instructions to a "T". Am do'in hick talk as this is what this
device is.
I updates to Chrome and installs their "drivers". Ok, fine. I then shutdown, reboot and pull everything back up. Winblows 7 64 bit "perfessional" says Ooooooeeee, I got's that driver installed for yer's device. It's recognized!!
Wells, I goes to the "online" firmware update and click "go to it". Stupid thing locks up and when I reboot the "Next Thing" Pocket "Piece o' S--t", NOTHING! I get a locked logo screen and nothing. I would have expected on an abort, the thing would have sense to go to a recovery mode.
I've posted to "their" bulletin board and see what I get back.
This is the first freak'ing time I have followed instructions "TO THE LETTER" and had such a
flagrant failure. Suffice it to say, I'm ticked off.
I did a search for my Nexus 7 2013 on firmware updates and was made aware of issues with flashing. Just installed and adb Ubuntu utility in minutes and was prepared for a
"bricking". Dorked the Nexus plenty of times and was able to restore in a "flash"!
This postage stamp "Next Thing" piece o' crap is buyer beware!

Kurt Savegnago

 

[gpoehlein]

If I read what you wrote correctly, after receiving your PocketCHIP, you flashed the upgrade to the CHIP. That would be fine unless you are then trying to use the CHIP in the PocketCHIP again. Their website specifically says that the upgrade is NOT compatible with the PocketCHIP. It is only to be used with the HDMI or DVI hats. I believe you can return it to the earlier fermion of the software - check the forum on The Next Thing's website if you need help doing that.

 

[ksaves2]

I used the pocket chip firmware. I tried flashing the CHIP outside of the Pocket CHIP. I have a couple of other tablets I could try. One is a Windows 8.1.
I used several USB cables that I know work with transferring data with other devices. Yes I know one has to use the firmware for the Pocket Chip. I received
an extra CHIP board, popped it in and it was setup for composite cabling. It didn't work. I suspect I'd have to flash it to the Pocket Chip 4.3 firmware.

I was given some resources and will try on a different tablet with no anti-Virus on board.

Kurt

 

[ksaves2]

Got the Pocket Chip to flash on a TW801 Winbook of all things! Stuck the version 4.4 with a GUI on it instead of the Pocket Chip firmware. Pretty neat computer in the palm of the hand. I'll work on some screen issues and see if I can get Java in there
and fire up YAAC. I had to use a USB or Rf mouse to initially navigate but used that to get bluetooth to pair with a B/T mouse. Connected to a network and was able to fire up the IceWeasel browser. A lot more power than
my 3 grand 1994 DX486-100Mhz with a 540mb hard drive and 16mb of memory in the palm of my hand with a 3.7V battery to boot! Kurt