NEC Digital Signage Screens Get Pi

[gregeric]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZGKnusGyrw

New models to feature an RPi Compute Module slot, to take a revised CM with 16GB emmc on board from the Farnell custom Pi team.

[RaTTuS]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZGKnus ... u.be&t=450 starts here

[gregeric]

http://www.ravepubs.com/nec-display-sol ... pberry-pi/

CM3?

[Heater]

Frikken awsome.

A major manufacturer building Pi compatible stuff.

A new improved Pi 3 CM module or whatever it will be called.

Did they really mean gigabytes more RAM?

Looks like I'll be putting off getting that new display I want till after Christmas.

[6by9]

Did they really mean gigabytes more RAM?

16GB eMMC, ie Flash storage. Not RAM.

[Heater]

OK. FLASH rather than RAM sounds more like it.

Now did I hear correctly that NEC will be making their own version of a CM with this?

[W. H. Heydt]

Well...that was rather interesting....

The NEC guy is clearly a sales type and not too clear on the tech, since he agreed with the questioner in the audience about the 16GB being "memory", when it's clear--especially from Eben--that it's flash.

It was interesting to see the image of a CM3. The CM1 has the eMMC flash on the same side of the board as the SoC, so I would presume that both RAM and eMMC are on the other side of the CM3. It's unclear from Eben's remarks if the standard CM3 will still have 4GB of eMMC, though I dare say we will know for sure in the relatively near future (I've been hoping that it would be increased to 8GB--enough to run a full install of Raspbian). Also, one wonders if it will be possible to buy 16GB eMMC CM3s (CM3-16?) from NEC, or one of their dealers....and how much they'd charge for it.

In a way, it's a pity that the smallest display he talked about being able to take a CM is 40". A 19" to 22" range monitor (small enough to carry easily) with a CM3 would be pretty fantastic for Jams or other "away from home" uses. Including some interface connectors would be needed...at least 2 USB ports (3 if no WiFi built in) and an Ethernet jack, all accessible to the CM3.

Unless there are still enough unused pins, it will be interesting to see future parts...if a CM4 or CM5 were to include USB 3.0, that might break the forward compatibility...

[W. H. Heydt]

OK. FLASH rather than RAM sounds more like it.

Now did I hear correctly that NEC will be making their own version of a CM with this?

That's what Eben said. I (provisionally) suggest that the NEC version be abbreviated as the "CM3-16".

[gregeric]

There's a higher resolution image of the CM3 here: http://www.inavateonthenet.net/products ... spberry-pi (right-click, open in new tab).

Looks like the core regulator bottom right, GPIO expander top left corner. Carrier board has what appears to be the LAN9514 & 3V3/1V8 regulators.

No thermal management evident. Perhaps the missing door/panel has a protrusion like the FLIRC case which touches the SoC for cooling.

[W. H. Heydt]

There's a higher resolution image of the CM3 here: http://www.inavateonthenet.net/products ... spberry-pi (right-click, open in new tab).

Looks like the core regulator bottom right, GPIO expander top left corner. Carrier board has what appears to be the LAN9514 & 3V3/1V8 regulators.

No thermal management evident. Perhaps the missing door/panel has a protrusion like the FLIRC case which touches the SoC for cooling.

I don't know about "higher resolution", at least for the CM3 itself. The image in the video is face-on, which I would consider better, but there is so little to see on any CM that getting any inferences about it is hard, especially since we already know (from Eben's comments in the video if no other way) what SoC it's using. A good image of the other side of the board has a bigger chance to reveal more interesting data. One can certainly guess that there is 1GB of RAM back there, so the only remaining unknown specification is: How much eMMC?

One might interpret Eben's remarks ("compared to 4GB on a normal CM") to mean that the CM3 will have 4GB of eMMC. Or one might presume that he is referring to the amount of eMMC on the CM1. I remain intrigued by the possibility that it might be possible--somehow--to get ones hands on the special NEC CM3-16 modules (though I'd guess they'll be rather expensive).

I am still left with this question: Will the existing WD SATA Adapter handle the CM3, or will WD have to release a new version of the board? The RPF/RPT may not be able to answer that question, and if they can, almost certainly won't do so. Perhaps someone from WD will notice this thread and supply the answer.

[gregeric]

I don't know about "higher resolution", at least for the CM3 itself.

You ain't doing it right - a focussed 3000x1688 still is way clearer than 720p video ever can be.

Direct link to image: http://www.inavateonthenet.net.s3.amazo ... g?sfvrsn=0

[W. H. Heydt]

A datasheet that covers the CM3 (and--surprise--a CM3L) is linked to in this viewtopic.php?f=98&t=162690 thread. Release of the datasheet suggests that the release of the CM3 (and CM3L) may be imminent.

[Jim Manley]

Direct link to image: http://www.inavateonthenet.net.s3.amazo ... g?sfvrsn=0

Eben mentioned that they've been working with NEC on this for about a year, and it was interesting to see that, in the hi-res photo, the silkscreen on the CM3 features the text, "Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3 © Raspberry Pi 2015 Version 1.0", and in the lower left-hand corner, it says, "Made in PRC". So, they were using a low-cost producer there for a limited number of engineering samples, and/or the volume on these is expected to be too small (not worth the setup costs) or too large (would impact something else on an already-overflowing plate of Model 3As and 3Bs, Zeroes, etc.) for the Sony Pencoed production lines.

Why can't we scourge-of-the-earth saps get a little love in the form of access to cosmetically-blemished, but operational, samples of such gems so we can help proselytize them?

[gregeric]

"Made in PRC". So, they were using a low-cost producer there for a limited number of engineering samples, and/or the volume on these is expected to be too small (not worth the setup costs) or too large (would impact something else on an already-overflowing plate of Model 3As and 3Bs, Zeroes, etc.) for the Sony Pencoed production lines.

Hi Jim!

"Made in PRC" on this one possibly as NEC are using the Premier-Farnell "custom Pi" service for a 16GB eMMC variant. Made by Embest in China, a Premier-Farnell company.

Pencoed has been used in the past for prototype (short run) production, both 2B and 3B. You can tell the source by the style of the serial sticker - the Embest ones are rectangular, Sony square etc.