Hardware for RISC OS ports

This page lists hardware that may be suitable for porting RISC OS to.

Do not list hardware that already has a port under way.

When listing hardware, please list the following:

• What the device is
• Basic specifications (what CPU and/or SoC it uses, memory, storage, display and/or display connections, networking, any other connections, and a price in both the country of origin and UK pounds)
• Pros - what this hardware would bring to RISC OS, relative to other hardware
• Cons - downsides to this particular hardware
• Link(s) for further info

Think about what the hardware really will bring to the platform, or whether it's suitable for the applications that RISC OS is used in. If it's not really suitable, please don't include it. Also, please check the talk page - hardware that has been deemed unsuitable may be moved there.

OpenPandora

Handheld gaming console/netbook-like device

Specifications

• Texas Instruments OMAP3530 @ 600+ MHz
• 256 MiB DDR333 SDRAM
• 512 MiB NAND Flash
• 800x480 4.3" resistive touchscreen, composite and S-Video display outputs
• 802.11b/g Wifi, Bluetooth 2.0
• USB 2.0 OTG and host, dual SDHC, stereo audio in/out
• US$330, approximately UK£207.16 exc. VAT

Pros

• Would provide mobile platform for RISC OS
• Can use existing work from BeagleBoard port
• Has built-in networking hardware

Cons

• May be too small form factor
• Storage could be an issue

More info

• OpenPandora official website

Genesi Efika MX Open Client

Freescale i.MX515-based nettop

Specifications

• Freescale i.MX515 @ 800 MHz
• 512 MiB RAM
• 4 GiB internal SSD
• HDMI display output, maximum of 1366x768 @ unknown (60?) Hz or 1920x1080 @ 30 Hz interlaced
• 802.11b/g/n Wifi, Bluetooth
• 2x USB 2.0 host, SDHC, audio jacks
• US$249, approximately UK£156.31 exc. VAT

Pros

• Desktop machine, fastest Cortex-A8 available
• More on-board storage than other current solutions
• Has VGA port for driving older monitors
• Has built-in networking hardware

Cons

• Would require a new port, to the i.MX515

More info

• Genesi product page for Efika MX Open Client
• Genesi store page

eInfochips OpenRD-client

Small desktop machine called OpenRD-client

Specifications

• Marvell Kirkwood 88F6281 @ 1.2 GHz
• 512 MiB RAM DDR2-400
• 512 MiB Flash
• VGA display output up to 1280x1024 @ 60 Hz
• 2x Gigabit Ethernet
• 7x USB 2.0 host
• SDHC, audio jacks, serial port
• eSATA and internal SATA
• 2x USB 2.0 host, SDHC
• US$249, approximately UK£156.31 or 173.76 € exc. VAT

Pros

• A9home-like, compact machine
• ARMv5 compatible, so existing IYONIX-compatible software runs unchanged
• built-in video, audio, networking, storage, USB

Cons

• Graphics chip (XGI Volari Z11) not very powerful
• No floating point unit
• Higher power consumption than Cortex-A8 solutions of the same performance or better
• Would require a new port

More info

• eInfochips product page
• GlobalScale to buy an OpenRD-client with enclosure

Ubisurfer Netbook

£150 netbook from Maplin.

Specifications:

• WiFi, ethernet
• GPRS modem (900/1800MHz, may be simlocked to Vodafone in UK)
• Samsung S3C2450 ARM 9 CPU at 400MHz [1]
• 128MB RAM, 1GB internal flash
• SD card slot
• 2 x USB
• 800 x 480
• Runs some version of Linux [2].

Pros

• Most of the peripherals you'd want on a netbook.
• GPRS should be fairly easy to drive with existing diallers etc, assuming it's a standard USB-serial device. '30 hours per month for a year' GPRS data bundled with device.
• Linux distro implies some relation to Samsung's SMDK2450 eval board, for which schematics are available.

Cons

• Limited screen resolution
• No VGA output
• No 3G internet, only modem speeds over GPRS.
• 'Embedded' SIM may not be easily replaceable (or perhaps it just needs removing the battery)

More Info

• Ubisurfer at maplin.co.uk

HP t5325 Thin Client

Marvell-based thin client, may work well as a RISC OS desktop

Specifications

• Marvell ARM @ 1.2 GHz (suspected to be Armada 168, aka PXA168, or a Kirkwood 88F6000-series chip)
• 512 MiB RAM
• 512 MiB Flash (probably PATA attached)
• DVI-I display output at up to 1400x1050 24 bpp or 1600x1200 16 bpp
• 4x USB 2.0 host
• 10/100 Ethernet
• Audio in/out
• 3 year warranty
• US$199, approximately UK£119.50 exc. VAT (predicted actual price in UK is £189 exc. VAT based on other models)

Pros

• Worst case is that the CPU is an XScale derivative
• Possibly upgradeable Flash
• High resolution graphics output
• Low price
• Long warranty

Cons

• If the CPU is what's suspected, it'll only be as fast as a BeagleBoard on integer, and has no FPU
• If it's a PXA168, no 3D acceleration. Not that we have that on Beagle yet, either.
• May have higher power consumption
• Would need a new port

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