Date: Fri, 21 Jul 2000 13:42:51 -0700 From: John Oram <norami@unlimited.net> To: Gunther Schadow <gunther@aurora.rg.iupui.edu> Cc: freebsd-small@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: are there any *inexpensive* SBC with just the right features? Message-ID: <3978B5CB.F920A0DA@unlimited.net> References: <397885FD.40281ADE@aurora.rg.iupui.edu>
next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
Gunther: Try a search for flex pc it is 12 wide 15 deep 3.5 high with 2pci and 1pci/isa about 325.00 bare bones I have not used one myself. But several people on the wireless ISP newsgroup recommend it. John Oram Gunther Schadow wrote: > > Hi, > > in my quest for SBCs for some PicoBSD setup, I ran into difficulties. > Most of these devices are pretty expensive to start with, some aren't > even particularly small, and most are mis-fitted in terms of features. > For my purpose of course. > > What I would *like* to find is: > > - CPU i486 or i586 100 - 200 MHz is just fine > > - VGA is *not* required at all, instead I want > > - on board Ethernet 10/100 at least one interface, > some would even need two > > - one or two SIO ports, one or two LPT ports. > > - CompactFlash ram (PCMCIA type is probably best at > this time for it's easier to interoperate with.) > > - IDE disks are not needed (if CompactFlash works > and can be booted from.) > > - really small form-factor > > - low power consumption > > - low heat production > > - simple power requirements (e.g., 12 V DC only) > (so that it can be fit into a small box with a simple > external AC adapter.) > > - low price <= $300 including i486 CPU, 32 MB RAM > and 8 MB CompactFlash RAM. > > What do you think? Is this list flawed? Any chance to > find something like it? > > My plan is to assemble some set of 20 or more of such > boxes to deploy in an IPv6/IPsec networking project > for gateways, printer drivers, and all kinds of stuff. > Plug and play no maintenance. > > I imagine the following problems: > > - without VGA, debugging of system startup sequence will > be a pain in the butt (nothing happens and you don't > know why...) > > - the PCMCIA-based CF card is not the typical thing found > on SBCs. Most have DiskOnChip kind of setup which is > not too robustly supported by FreeBSD at this point. > > Furthermore DiskOnChip would raises a bootstrapping problem, > i.e., how to get the first image onto the chip without one > of those computers running already... > > - noone will put 2 Ethernet interfaces on board and stacked > PC104 cards turn into an unwieldy form-factor and PC104 > is quite expensive > > - the simple power requirement might be a problem ... I > don't want the AC adaptor be larger than the computer, > don't want to mess with multiple voltage (5V and 12V) > and AC/DC output stuff as is common in desktop PCs. > > - my wishlist looks like custom - and custom is expensive. > > Anyone please offer any thoughts? > regards > -Gunther To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-small" in the body of the message
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?3978B5CB.F920A0DA>