your comment please on ARM development board

[electroRF]

Hi,

I'd like to have an Ethernet board which will turn ON/OFF switches (via digital I/O pins) following a command I'll send it over the internet.

What do you think of the following Dev Board?

https://microcontrollershop.com/product_info.php?cPath=154_170_272&products_id=5122

Thank you.

 

[ronsimpson]

I like it.
I am looking at the "beagle bone black".

 

[electroRF]

Hi Ron,
Thank you.

I read the Getting Started Guide of the BBB - https://beagleboard.org/Getting Started

It only says how to download image into the SD Card, but it does not explain how you write your own SW into the board, and for example, how you can send commands over the internet to the board.

Do you know how to work with it?

 

[ronsimpson]

There are many you tube examples. Search I/O BBB.
You can run C or C++or BASIC or FORTH or ............I can't remember.
I don't know how to control form the internet. It can do anything the other board can do and more. I have seen people e-mail with it and I know how to make it have web pages that any computer can see.
The BBB can be a slave to your PC or it can be run stand alone. It will take to a monitor + USB keyboard and USB mouse.

 

[tunedwolf]

It looks like a nice wee module for specific embedded applications, but it's not so useful for your general "hack a quick solution" type of thing. The difference between the likes of these modules and the BBB or even the RPi is that these boards have just about everything you need to be up and running Linux or Android etc in 30mins from out the box. So you can use standard open source tools and have a wealth of community support at your finger tips right from the off. I know which road I would choose

 

[electroRF]

It looks like a nice wee module for specific embedded applications, but it's not so useful for your general "hack a quick solution" type of thing. The difference between the likes of these modules and the BBB or even the RPi is that these boards have just about everything you need to be up and running Linux or Android etc in 30mins from out the box. So you can use standard open source tools and have a wealth of community support at your finger tips right from the off. I know which road I would choose

hi tunedwolf,

I'm looking for the likes you described -
1. a board which you can program in C language
2. can easily understand how you get IP address and set up over-the-internet communiation.

Could you recommend on such board?
(You think that Raspberry Pi is more suitable?)

There are many you tube examples. Search I/O BBB.
You can run C or C++or BASIC or FORTH or ............I can't remember.
I don't know how to control form the internet. It can do anything the other board can do and more. I have seen people e-mail with it and I know how to make it have web pages that any computer can see.
The BBB can be a slave to your PC or it can be run stand alone. It will take to a monitor + USB keyboard and USB mouse.

Hi Ron,
I'm currently reading as many guides as I can find,
I must say that the guides don't seem so user-friendly.
I'm having difficulties to understand how I program the board.
for example, do you burn SW into the ARM processor, or into the SD card?

 

[tunedwolf]

Both the RPi and the BBB are mini Arm based Linux driven boards with loads of I/O and useful peripherals built in. You would write your application in C, install it in Linux on the SD card and run it from within the Linux environment. All the hard work of display handling, USB, TCPIP/ Ethernet etc is all done for you. You only need concentrate on your application. That's the beauty of these types of boards, you can be up and running very quickly producing something useful

Do I think the RPi is better? That's a subjective question, and would really depend on a few factors. In straight "bang for buck" terms I would say the BeagleBone Black probably has the edge hardware wise

 

[electroRF]

Thank you very much TW.

You would write your application in C, install it in Linux on the SD card and run it from within the Linux environment.

Is it possible to have the PI in a remote station, already up and working, and remotely update C progrm code that was installed on its SD Card / or write new programs into its SD - all remotely?

That's the beauty of these types of boards, you can be up and running very quickly producing something useful

Could you please share a code example for something simple in which you use the ethernet for say surfing to google.com?

Do I think the RPi is better? That's a subjective question, and would really depend on a few factors. In straight "bang for buck" terms I would say the BeagleBone Black probably has the edge hardware wise

I tried studying both and decide, and the RPI has much more information on the web, as tutorials and projects, than the BBB.

 

[ronsimpson]

Could you please share a code example for something simple in which you use the ethernet for say surfing to google.com?

The BBB can use many different operating systems. I have only seen one on the PI. It depends some on what operating system you are in.

At an electronics convention they had BBBs connected to monitors and USB keyboards & mice. I moused over and clicked on the picture of Fire-Fox and it opened. I typed in the window google.com. The android BBB looked much like my cellphone. The Linex version had icons for C, browser, note pad, setup etc.

If you want a stand alone "PC" they can do that. If you want a ARM board that is programmed form you PC they can also be that.

I tried studying both and decide, and the RPI has much more information on the web, as tutorials and projects, than the BBB.

The R PI is older and there is more information. If you only need 8 I/O it is good and connects to a standard TV set.
The BBB has MORE I/O. Is dual core. Does not talk "TV". Faster and more memory. $10.00 more
There are many items on the WWW that compare the two.

Is it possible to have the PI in a remote station, already up and working, and remotely update C progrm code that was installed on its SD Card / or write new programs into its SD - all remotely?

I think so but I have not see that. If you know how to make a PC remotely controlled then you can make a BBB that way. It is beyond me.

 

[electroRF]

Hi Ron,
Thank you very much!

I'll go with the R-PI since i'm a beginner in ARM and networking fields, and the online info on R-PI would help.

I have a dilemma.

I'm going to program the R-PI here, and then send it to an office abroad.
It will be connected there to the Router's Ethernet Port, and its GPIO will control RC Servo to press the PC's power button.


I'll also connect the R-PI to the PC's USB Port, in order to be able to fix bugs remotely - However, If I will not be able to fix bugs remotely, then its a major problem.

As you indicated, I WILL be able to connect to that PC remotely.

Do you know if it's possible to do that with the R-PI?

With the BBB, you also need to program the SD Card?

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

ElectroRF

Look at the mbed platform. https://mbed.org/handbook/mbed-Microcontrollers I did purchase one, but it might be a long time before I get to do anything. You can also look at the ARM7 Ethernet board, https://www.coridiumcorp.com/prod-directory.html

 

[ronsimpson]

I think any small computer on the other end will be hard to update/make changes to. It is probably possible. I can't.

If the PC on the far end is working, through it changes can be made easy.

 

[ronsimpson]

Some reading.
http://digitaldiner.blogspot.com/2013/05/quick-hint-for-beaglebone-black-user.html
**broken link removed**
http://beagleboard.org/project/yaler/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB6Rw0Ah1JQ

 

[NorthGuy]

I'm going to program the R-PI here, and then send it to an office abroad.
It will be connected there to the Router's Ethernet Port, and its GPIO will control RC Servo to press the PC's power button?

On your box, you can install a program (if it's not already there) called SSH (or sshd), which will give you secure shell access from any computer on the Internet (given that routing is set up in such a way that your box is accessible). To get access from Windows, I would suggest a program called PuTTY, which will connect to SSH.

With SSH you will get shell access - where you can type unix commands to manipulate your system. SSH also has an SFTP subsystem, which lets you upload (or download) files to your box. You can use to upload your compiled files to your box.

 

[electroRF]

Hi mates,
Thank you very very much!

NorthGuy
I should check this option in my company, whether the Port 22 is blocked by the Router.
If it is, it'd be a problem.
However, if the SSH is not blocked, does the SW update require a Hard Reset?
Because I won't be near the R-PI to power if off and on after SW update through the SSH.

Ron
I'm starting reading again on the BBB, to see if it's clear enough for me to base my project on it.
I have a question please regarding programming the BBB through the USB.
If I connect the BBB to an Abroad Windows PC via USB, and I can remotely access the Windows PC, will I be able to use the USB to program the BBB?
Will I need to Hard Reset the BBB after programming?

BTW - Could you recommend on a good thorough tutorial on the BBB, which really explains it to a beginner - i.e. which OS to use, how to program it, etc.

Thank you very much.

KISS
Thank you, I'll check it out.

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

Yea, I know you said overseas, but would this https://www.amazon.com/Managed-Designed-Manufactured-Synaccess-Networks/dp/B0039OZKPE do you any good?

What about a box that plugs into an IP switched outlet and activates your servo thing?

Take a look at Lantronix,com

Not a bad idea using a Linux box at the other end, You also have an option of using Python on the Pi.

There are plenty of these https://www.mindsensors.com/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=42 I2C to servo devices running around too.

So, other adapters such as RS322 to I2C or USB to I2C might also help.

I'm just presenting other ideas. I like the Linux box one.

 

[electroRF]

Hi KISS
Thank you for these great suggestions!

I think that the IP Switch is not such a good idea, because it "hard" power off the PC - it can eventually cause harm to the PC as happens in power outage.
I think that the Power Button is more friendly to the PC.
Dont you think?

Regarding the Servo controller,
You must use a Servo controller to control an RC servo?
It can't be done directly with the GPIO of the BBB / R-PI?

Yea, I know you said overseas, but would this https://www.amazon.com/Managed-Designed-Manufactured-Synaccess-Networks/dp/B0039OZKPE do you any good?

What about a box that plugs into an IP switched outlet and activates your servo thing?

Take a look at Lantronix,com

Not a bad idea using a Linux box at the other end, You also have an option of using Python on the Pi.

There are plenty of these https://www.mindsensors.com/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=42 I2C to servo devices running around too.

So, other adapters such as RS322 to I2C or USB to I2C might also help.

I'm just presenting other ideas. I like the Linux box one.

 

[ronsimpson]

Regarding the Servo controller,
You must use a Servo controller to control an RC servo?
It can't be done directly with the GPIO of the BBB / R-PI?

There are Utubes showing a BBB/R-PI driving a servo. You can have more than one program running at one time. A very simple program can put a pulse on a I/O pin to control the servo.

BTW - Could you recommend on a good thorough tutorial on the BBB, which really explains it to a beginner - i.e. which OS to use, how to program it, etc.

No I can't. That is like asking for a tutorial for the PC and which OS to put on the PC. (windows or Linux.) Each version of OS has many tutorials. There are many lessons on networking. Before you can learn more than 3% of windows a new version comes out.

Why is the PC crashing? Linux on PC is more stable. Maybe the hardware is no good. Maybe the power is bad and you should battery back you PC.

 

[electroRF]

Hi Ron,
Thank you.

I found good manual which I'm reading now on the BBB.

The PC is crashing due to lots of Hardware connected to it, and lots of applications running on it.

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

ElectroRF

The idea is not necessarily to turn the PC off, but to use the ON/OFF nature of the strip and the control of the strip ti be the interface.

e.g. You make something that when power is applied, the servo does it's thing.

So, check out Moxa or Lantronix: https://www.moxa.com/product/NE-4100T.htm These have a few TTL I/O ports.

So, let's say you have a program on the PC that resets a watchdog timer. The watchdog timer goes off an an email is sent to you. Alternatively, the linux box could use Ping. Then by connecting to the serial server, you could activate a TTL port.

The device you build, just has to look at a TTL

So ask yourself a few questions:

1. How much automation do I want?
e.g. email notification that server is down, automatic

2. How can I tell server is down?
a) Ping and is ping allowed?
b) Watchdog timer. Server talks to device every so often and when it fails, a reset happens.
Boot time + 50% could be the watchdow time.
c) The applications no worky

3) How many do I need? How cost effective using learning curve issues etc.

4) Can I use commercial hardware?

5) Yes, you did mention an RC servo, but you have to convert rotary to linear motion. Why not go linear from the start"
Options:
a) Linear: **broken link removed**
b) Floppy drive linear actuator fitted possibly with a spring.

6) Who is going to use it? How user friendly does it have to be? Is it more like person A discovers server down and makes a phone call to your IT department where 1 or 2 people are allowed to operate the device.

7) How secure does the activation have to be? That's where ssh comes in to play. You can set ssh up so that passwords are not required on machines that use it. Certificates are used instead. They may have to be Linux boxes or Windows boxes using Cygwin.

I once set Cygwin up for a man-in-the middle where an external access via VPN (allowed access to a machine that had access to a secure server), but I wanted to access the secure server via VPN directly. Specifically, I wanted to be able to transfer files from the secure server to my laptap logged in from home via VPN without transferring it to an intermediate machine first. It worked for while until they fixed it.

They are ideas and ideas that may not work, but 99% of the connectivity stuff may be done for you.
It's possible that the only glue might be a small PICAXE program that responds to a TTL port.