Build Your Own Linux Powered Pda Options

[Tom61]

I've had the idea about rolling my own Linux powered PDA for some time, but I've been busy with another project of mine. So, I haven't posted about this idea, but recently Da_Blitz posted:

the iMX3 is a custom PDA idea as the 2700G chip is VERY hard to get. dont want to hijack this thread anymore so if you want more info then contact me direct or make another post

Definately looking for some more info on that!

Here's some interesting ideas to get the thread started:

GumStix ( www.gumstix.com www.gumstix.org ): Very small, proprietary, stackable modules. Very hobbyist friendly, but current models are still based around the Intel PXA255.

Colibri Module : PXA270 with most of the needed chips built in, and connections for most of the rest, in a formfactor of a DDR SODIMM. Moderately hobbyist friendly, with boards only 119Euros for the 520MHz version, but with a fixed handling fee for Hardware of 100 EUR and shipping of 45 EUR. You'll want to order more than one to be price effective with this supplier.

CM-X270 Computer-On-Module: I stubbled on to this site last night. No idea about this supplier's ablity to handle hobbyists, or even the cost of the module. However, you can configure a pretty impressive COM on that page. Up to PXA270 520Mhz, 128MB of RAM, Intel 2700G with 8MB of its own RAM, audio codec, and 512 MB of NAND flash!


Take a look at the Google Ads when you do a search for 'Arm development board', as quite a few Ads hit the mark for what we would want, if they could be had cheap, and single unit quanties (which most aren't ).

[Da_Blitz]

iMX3 supports 256MB over 4 chips (64MB per chip select)

The NAND is handy, i was aware of the foct of bieng able to switch them, however did you know that if you use it in 8 bit mode then it gets its own bus, if you use 16Bit mode it shares pins with main mem, personally i would rather RAM performance over flash. anyway its pin compatible so just buy as much as you want, me personally i would get as much as i can but its not really high on my list if i can use other storage

for the camera no ones really said much about it so i assume its 2Mpixel however i always think of them as bieng very tall for the optics and i dont really care about it that much i would rather keep stuff out of the screen to reduce cabling, thats also why i prefer the fingerprint reader under thu spacebar (swipe bar style not a full thumb one)

The i300 is exactly what you said and i threw it out ther as an example because they talk about Everything you need to implemnt gsm, but i think we will have to go to another chip manufocterer for phone functionality, there is no way i will replace the iMX3 at this point in time without a good reason, one problem i do have with the iMX3 is the 800x600 max for video out, but thats probelly fine for what i am using it for initally and i can just make a backpack latter if i need to

money wise i would just like to cover my costs plus a bit extra for futre R&D, those dev blades are exactly how you pictured them in my mind but i thoght "pci cards sticking out of a MOBO" was easier to imagine

the board sandwich layout with the headers sounds about right except i was hoping to have the chips on the 2 boards back to back and i cant remeber how thick the connector you want is off the top of my head (or how high SMT chips are)

basically i get the blades to test if my general assumptions about how to hook things up are right (as well as help porting and compiling) then i send off for the pda to be built (hopefully only once as while i do have cash to build the prototypes i dont have an unlimited acount, mabey get red hat as a sponser )

Docking station connector wise i was thinking somthing small and high density (whiich IDC is not), the connector an the bottom of most PDA,s is 20-32 Pin and im thinking most backpacks arent going to need acsess to the mem bus but perhaps the CF slot and USB, i2c, serial

the amount of boards in the final design depends on the hight of the battery, i intend to make the board stack as tall as the battrey used (in the cas of a Z battery) or as thick as the batt + 1 board (in the case af a mobile phone battery)

id love to get a trackball and might in a couple of weeks as i said i think they sound great might program a chip to do trackball to ps2 and plug it into my comp, id love to try quake with that thing, or stratagy on the Z with the trackball for map nav and the touchscreen for selection

by the way anyone got the miltech manufacturing Documents for electronic components, i heard its an intresting read and want to get a copy

the keyboard will be a point of contention as i use a dvorak layout and like having shortcut keys to speed things up, i peronlaly think there are a couple of small things that can be done with the layout of the Z's keyboard to make it better as well as backlit

for the curved case i have my own reasons, mainly for reception and the fact it looks good but i wouldnt mind black aluminium if we can find a place for the antennas