[Message Prev][Message
Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Message
Index][Thread Index]
Re: xAP & DreamPlug
--B_3387866791_33961046
Content-type: text/plain;
charset="ISO-8859-1"
Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable
Thanks Patrick that shows promise, do you know the OS it runs on or am I
asking a stupid question.
On 10/05/2011 09:11, "patricklidstone" <patrick@xxxxxxx>
wrote:
>=20=20
>=20=20
>=20=20
>=20=20=20=20
>=20
> The DreamPlug is a new sheeva-plug alike, but packed with a host more
> interfaces including bluetooth, WiFi (client or AP), optical out,
analogu=
e
> audio in and out, a pair of gig ethernet ports, SSD slot and a pair of
US=
B
> ports. Like the sheeva plug, it is ARM based, and draws 5W from the
wall.=
I
> thought it showed promise as a home controller, and ponied up for one
abo=
ut a
> week ago. Distributed by New-IT in the UK for around a =A3100.
> http://www.newit.co.uk/shop/proddetail.php?prod=3DDreamPlug
>=20
> First impressions: docs are really awful, riddled with inconsistencies
et=
c. It
> seems impossible to get validated to join the New-IT forum. But
actually,=
that
> doesn't matter, because the basics are the same as the sheeva plug,
which=
is
> pretty mature.
>=20
> Cross compiling for the ARM is potentially a headache to set up, but
> globalscale (the manufacturers) provide a pre-configured gnu gcc
compiler=
that
> works out of the box - I had my xAP code up and running in under an
hour,
> including the time taken to create a debian VM on my PC in which to
run t=
he
> cross compiler.
>=20
> The hardware appears to do exactly what it says on the tin. Measured
powe=
r at
> the wall is indeed 5W or less. USB-to-serial adapters were
automagically
> recognised when connected - which is handy as a lot of my old HA stuff
is
> serial based. The power supply arrangement is a bit odd, and
potentially =
an
> achilles heel. The main unit takes 5V, which is supplied by a slide on
> cartridge. The cartridge can then be fed with mains power either
through =
a 3
> pin adapter (like those commonly found on mobile phone chargers these
day=
s) or
> via a mains lead using a figure 8 adapter on the cartridge.
Mechanically,=
this
> doesn't all fit together very tightly and may well lead to unintended
pow=
er
> interruptions. The saving grace, and something that's also useful for
> bodgineering, is that with the 5V cartridge removed, a normal barrel
sock=
et is
> exposed, so you can fall back on a conventional wall-wart arrangement
or
> supply 5V from somewhere else (e.g. vehicle battery or similar).
>=20
> All in all, I think it's value for money. I'm looking forward to
playing =
with
> some of the more esoteric stuff like bluetooth, and seeing how far I
can
> stretch the CPU - asterisk and a media player may be a step too far,
but =
it
> has to be worth a go ;-)
>=20
> Patrick
>=20
>=20=20
>=20=20=20=20
>=20
>>>=20
--B_3387866791_33961046
Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
<head>
<style type="text/css">
<!--
/* start of attachment style */
.ygrp-photo-title{
clear: both;
font-size: smaller;
height: 15px;
overflow: hidden;
text-align: center;
width: 75px;
}
div.ygrp-photo{
background-position: center;
background-repeat: no-repeat;
background-color: white;
border: 1px solid black;
height: 62px;
width: 62px;
}
div.photo-title
a,
div.photo-title a:active,
div.photo-title a:hover,
div.photo-title a:visited {
text-decoration: none;
}
div.attach-table div.attach-row {
clear: both;
}
div.attach-table div.attach-row div {
float: left;
/* margin: 2px;*/
}
p {
clear: both;
padding: 15px 0 3px 0;
overflow: hidden;
}
div.ygrp-file {
width: 30px;
valign: middle;
}
div.attach-table div.attach-row div div a {
text-decoration: none;
}
div.attach-table div.attach-row div div span {
font-weight: normal;
}
div.ygrp-file-title {
font-weight: bold;
}
/* end of attachment style */
-->
</style>
</head>
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Re: [xap_automation] xAP & DreamPlug</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<!-- **begin egp html banner** -->
<br><br>
<!-- **end egp html banner** -->
<FONT SIZE="4"><FONT FACE="Calibri, Verdana,
Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'>Thanks Patrick
that shows promise, do you know the OS it runs on or am I asking a stupid
question.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
On 10/05/2011 09:11, "patricklidstone"
<patrick@xxxxxxx> wrote:<BR>
<BR>
</SPAN></FONT></FONT><BLOCKQUOTE><FONT
SIZE="4"><FONT FACE="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica,
Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'> <BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
The DreamPlug is a new sheeva-plug alike, but packed with a host more
interfaces including bluetooth, WiFi (client or AP), optical out, analogue
audio in and out, a pair of gig ethernet ports, SSD slot and a pair of USB
ports. Like the sheeva plug, it is ARM based, and draws 5W from the wall. I
thought it showed promise as a home controller, and ponied up for one about
a week ago. Distributed by New-IT in the UK for around a £100.
<a href="http://www.newit.co.uk/shop/proddetail.php?prod=DreamPlug";>http://www.newit.co.uk/shop/proddetail.php?prod=DreamPlug</a><BR>
<BR>
First impressions: docs are really awful, riddled with inconsistencies etc.
It seems impossible to get validated to join the New-IT forum. But
actually, that doesn't matter, because the basics are the same as the
sheeva plug, which is pretty mature.<BR>
<BR>
Cross compiling for the ARM is potentially a headache to set up, but
globalscale (the manufacturers) provide a pre-configured gnu gcc compiler
that works out of the box - I had my xAP code up and running in under an
hour, including the time taken to create a debian VM on my PC in which to
run the cross compiler.<BR>
<BR>
The hardware appears to do exactly what it says on the tin. Measured power
at the wall is indeed 5W or less. USB-to-serial adapters were automagically
recognised when connected - which is handy as a lot of my old HA stuff is
serial based. The power supply arrangement is a bit odd, and potentially an
achilles heel. The main unit takes 5V, which is supplied by a slide on
cartridge. The cartridge can then be fed with mains power either through a
3 pin adapter (like those commonly found on mobile phone chargers these
days) or via a mains lead using a figure 8 adapter on the cartridge.
Mechanically, this doesn't all fit together very tightly and may well lead
to unintended power interruptions. The saving grace, and something that's
also useful for bodgineering, is that with the 5V cartridge removed, a
normal barrel socket is exposed, so you can fall back on a conventional
wall-wart arrangement or supply 5V from somewhere else (e.g. vehicle
battery or similar).<BR>
<BR>
All in all, I think it's value for money. I'm looking forward to playing
with some of the more esoteric stuff like bluetooth, and seeing how far I
can stretch the CPU - asterisk and a media player may be a step too far,
but it has to be worth a go ;-)<BR>
<BR>
Patrick<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
</FONT></SPAN></FONT></UL><FONT
FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:8.5pt'><FONT
COLOR="#747575"><BR>
</FONT></SPAN></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE>
<!-- **begin egp html banner** -->
<br>
<br>
<!-- **end egp html banner** -->
<div width="1" style="color: white; clear:
both;"/>__._,_.___</div>
<!-- Start Recommendations -->
<!-- End Recommendations -->
<!-- **begin egp html banner** -->
<img src="http://geo.yahoo.com/serv?s=97476590/grpId=9674343/grpspId=1705007709/msgId=4727/stime=1305029039";
width="1" height="1"> <br>
<!-- **end egp html banner** -->
<!-- **begin egp html banner** -->
<br>
<div style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 77%; border-top: 1px
solid #666; padding: 5px 0;" >
Your email settings: Individual EmailTraditional <br>
<a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/xap_automation/join;_ylc=X3oDMTJmMTNqdnZnBF9TAzk3NDc2NTkwBGdycElkAzk2NzQzNDMEZ3Jwc3BJZAMxNzA1MDA3NzA5BHNlYwNmdHIEc2xrA3N0bmdzBHN0aW1lAzEzMDUwMjkwMzk-";>Change
settings via the Web</a> (Yahoo! ID required) <br>
Change settings via email: <a href="mailto:xap_automation-digest@xxxxxxx?subject=Email
Delivery: Digest">Switch delivery to Daily Digest</a> <a
href = "mailto:xap_automation-fullfeatured@xxxxxxx?subject=Change
Delivery Format: Fully Featured">Switch to Fully Featured</a>
<br>
<a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/xap_automation;_ylc=X3oDMTJkYzRoamJhBF9TAzk3NDc2NTkwBGdycElkAzk2NzQzNDMEZ3Jwc3BJZAMxNzA1MDA3NzA5BHNlYwNmdHIEc2xrA2hwZgRzdGltZQMxMzA1MDI5MDM5";>
Visit Your Group
</a>
<a href="http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/";>
Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use
</a>
<a href="mailto:xap_automation-unsubscribe@xxxxxxx?subject=Unsubscribe";>
Unsubscribe
</a>
<br>
</div>
<br>
<!-- **end egp html banner** -->
<div style="color: white; clear:
both;"/>__,_._,___</div>
</BODY>
</HTML>
--B_3387866791_33961046--
xAP_Automation Main Index |
xAP_Automation Thread Index |
xAP_Automation Home |
Archives Home
|