[Arm-netbook] CoM A10 Module

[jm]

On Fri, 2013-02-08 at 10:39 -0800, cpinc at rogers.com wrote:
>That is very nice.
> >That is 100% where I want to be with KiCAD version :)
> 
> >How much of the design files/datasheets being open sourced? 
> Currently We have NDA with Allwinner so we will clarify once we meet
with them after the holiday.
> We plan to open source as much as possible.

Good. I hope they agree to maximum openness.
The SoM board is just a stepping stone for internet
of things.

I define IoT component as the innards of a tablet sold as a complete
module for under $30. Todays generation think that if
if a product has no capacitive touch screen, then it must be
broken!!!!!!!! Faced with that fact, designers MUST react.

This IoT innards must have replaceable CPU module which is the
SoM module. The motherboard could have anything from relays
to temperature sensors, lighting controllers, alarms,
cameras, SSD storage, wifi, optically isolated controllers,
web server etc.
For the IoT innards to be useful, EVERYONE must have access
to source code and Linux free of charge so that IoT devices can be
manufactured at the fastest possible pace at the lowest cost.
If there is a cost barrier or an access barrier to software
or the hardware, then I for one would be continually
funding until alternatives start to exist.

And its all done in gpl'd KiCAD circuits, so that there is no more
of this rubbish where student's have no access to the best IoT
technology today to start making the most ubiquitous IoTs of tomorrow.


> >Why is the realtek chip on the board and what does it do
> >(I can't read the markings)?
> 
> RTL8201 Ethernet Phyceiver

I was thinking it would be better off on the mboard, but
who am I to judge? :)

> >Do you have one planned with the TF card on the CoM board?
> 
> Original design had micro sd card slot under the NAND but removed on
later revisions.
> 
> One of the carrier board designs. Components on one side of PCB.
> http://postimage.org/image/y2l75mw49/ 

That is just an astonishing!
Total envy! :)

Its very similar to the KiCAD boards SoM1 and SoM2 that have been 
started and hope to have ready later this year.
I am starting with the A10 break out boards, because
engineers need to be thoroughly trained in the
engineering side of commissioning new CPUs and testing
them, and each pin and its functions before they can
fully claim to understand to a CPU.
Without that kind of infrastructure, all the knowledge
is in the factory that made the chip. Testing and debugging
delays will kill projects. NDAs prevent engineers from asking
for help and so problems never get sorted. In the end it
is the the A10 chip factory and Allwinner that become Alloser
by not being able to sell as many chips as they would have,
had they not tied up everything with NDAs. Doh!

I hope you will be able to persuade them to
get rid of their NDA culture for future chips
as an experiment and see the orders take off.
Especially getting them to document a working graphics controller
is very important for IoT. Without that, its likely
we go find another chip that has 100% documentation.

Even as we talk, I am eying up the Freescale iMX6 series
because it has better documentation for most internals
(6000 page user manual!) and the costs are nearly as competitive if not
better
than Allwinner when you factor in the cost of chip,
and developer time wasted trying to do things without
proper documentation.

Lastly, when the system goes on sale with a working Linux
distro (other than Android), let us know, I may buy a few
with the camera to play with.