suggestions for changes to the G2
Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2024 3:13 pm
suggestions for G2 changes:
Mechanical:
The micro-usb and full PCIe connectors on the east side of the Saturn board cannot be used because the 3.5 mm IO and microphone/power PCBs are in the way.
Particularly the micro-USB being blocked is annoying since it can be used to make that USB connector act as a client (OTG), useful to flash the OS.
Saturn PCB a few millimeters higher up, and the microphone/power board somewhat more to the front and all will be ok.
Electrical:
1. An extra connector that allows the power to be switched on remotely from a complete power down, without physical access to the power button. Basically an option to externally short the power button, causing power on.
2. freeing pin # 10 on the 2x20 connector. The G2 uses it to signal power-on to a red LED in the power button. But this pin having been programmed as a GPIO output pulled high by the OS, prevents the UART serial connection to be used which has rx/tx on pins 8 & 10, pretty standard in any Raspberry look-alike.
Serial can be useful to debug, and to have access to u-boot reporting and control. Plenty other unused gpio pins to drive the LED; I now use pin # 32
Mechanical:
The micro-usb and full PCIe connectors on the east side of the Saturn board cannot be used because the 3.5 mm IO and microphone/power PCBs are in the way.
Particularly the micro-USB being blocked is annoying since it can be used to make that USB connector act as a client (OTG), useful to flash the OS.
Saturn PCB a few millimeters higher up, and the microphone/power board somewhat more to the front and all will be ok.
Electrical:
1. An extra connector that allows the power to be switched on remotely from a complete power down, without physical access to the power button. Basically an option to externally short the power button, causing power on.
2. freeing pin # 10 on the 2x20 connector. The G2 uses it to signal power-on to a red LED in the power button. But this pin having been programmed as a GPIO output pulled high by the OS, prevents the UART serial connection to be used which has rx/tx on pins 8 & 10, pretty standard in any Raspberry look-alike.
Serial can be useful to debug, and to have access to u-boot reporting and control. Plenty other unused gpio pins to drive the LED; I now use pin # 32