OpenWRT Module with breakout board - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: dpape
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2014, 09:18:24 am
content: Hello,I would like to show our crowdfunding campaign on:http://igg.me/at/dptboard/x/8121818We have worked for several months to get to this working prototype and are now finishing the software.Our goal is to make an embedded platform for educational and hobby use.It consists out of a module based on the AR9331 SoC that has a 400MHz MIPS processoron board with WiFi n, an ethernet switch and USB 2.0 High speed. We placed 16MiB flashand 64MiB DDR2 RAM memory on it.De board itself contains IO protection and all the peripherals needed to make it a usefulboard in many projects. We are waiting to do mass production and hoping it will bea success.In te near future we will make more tutorials en sample projects with the product andwe are working together with teachers to get youngsters involved in electronics.I hope you like what we do. Please consider supporting us, even a penny will help. Orjust spreading the world would be very kind of you.Kind regards,Daan Pape

author: Legit-Design
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2014, 10:23:19 am
content: Finally one that has 2 ethernet ports one for in and one for out. How hard can it be to have one extra port to spare? Yes could probably use USB ethernet or something, but since the chip supports one already, then why not?But indiegogo flexible funding makes me want to wait until you guys have successfully delivered these first and I can get one outside IGG, just my personal preference.

author: dpape
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2014, 10:37:39 am
content: Hello,We choose flexible funding because we want to deliver products even when the campaign is busy.We have already delivered early prototype batches and are now busy filming their reactions.You can order the modules in our shop:https://dptechnics.com/shop/?q=product_category/1The prices are higher than on the Indiegogo campaign as it are small batches.Kind regards,Daan Pape

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2014, 01:06:24 pm
content: Nice project, especially the emphasis on education! And the price seems to be fair.PS: I'm involved inthis(Transistortester)

author: dpape
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2014, 01:11:08 pm
content: Thank you for your feedback. We to feel education is very important. I hope we can count on your supportI'm reading up on your project page and it seems very promising to.Kind regards,Daan

author: Legit-Design
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2014, 01:22:38 pm
content: Do you ship with tracking number from your store? All it says ishttps://dptechnics.com/shop/?q=shipping-fees

author: Codemonkey
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2014, 01:23:35 pm
content: Will the module have FCC & CE type approvals ?

author: dpape
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2014, 01:25:28 pm
content: Hello,The module itself (the blue PCB) allready has CE / FCC approval. For the moment the development board will not have CE / FCC approval. Thisis not necessary for it's purpose.I would like to emphasize the AC wall charger will also be an CE / FCC approved model. Not the ultra cheap and dangerous chinese models.We want the education but we also want our users to be unharmed.Kind regards,Daan Pape

author: Fuzzy
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 11, 2014, 01:29:31 pm
content: Whats the difference between this an the Carambola 2 module from 8devices.com?They offer basically the same...Btw, I don't think the AR9331 has a hardware spi port, other then the one connected to the serial flash.

author: dpape
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2014, 01:38:35 pm
content: Hello,The hardware SPI port is indeed used for the flash memory. But you can connect other devices to it and work with the chip select line to control them. Off course it is possible to bitbang I2C and SPI on the GPIO pins.The module (blue PCB) is indeed very similar to the Carambola 2 module from 8 devices. But there are some differences:- Our $20 module is a cheaper ($20 for our module instead of $31 for the carambola)- For only $35 we offer a full development board.- We provide easy to use software to control your board.Kind regards,Daan Pape

author: dpape
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2014, 02:07:48 pm
content: Quote from: Legit-Design on July 11, 2014, 01:22:38 pmHello,To keep shipping costs low there is no option in the shop to ship with tracking number.If you really exist on having a tracking number contact me by email and we will addit to your order.Please note that it is currently a lot cheaper to order on the crowdfunding campaign.Kind regards,Daan

author: Rasz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2014, 08:34:45 pm
content: looks good, might be too late with raspee taking over education sector, on the other hand will be great for network labs, native ethernet and wifi sure beats kludged together raspee mess. People can learn networking, routing, wireless, design own mesh schemes. This has a lot of potential for some good education, I can picture dividing class into teams and assigning 'make a decentralized mesh network' vs 'disrupt that network' tasks. This can be used for lower level stuff too (not only blinking leds by pushing ajax querries), someone (you?) could design whole 'how to write wireless driver' course around this platform (based on BSD licensed ath9k code).You did route external antenna connector, thats nice. Would be even nicer if you routed second antenna connection as well (A68 A69 pins) 1x2 configuration has 3dB better sensitivity.fix: PhythonDo you have any relationship with Qualcomm? NDA with real full documentation and sdk or something?AR9331 has hardware I2S, there is some experimental hacked together, reverse engineered code written by a Bulgarian dude * that can use it, but nothing official. Would be nice to have full documentation and support for digital audio. Would immediately make this board more attractive (you have pins already routed).*http://8devices.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=572&sid=8eb9deac5ee7472db6a80180d6e7279e&start=10#p2828

author: dpape
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2014, 07:22:42 am
content: Hello,Thank you for your suggestions about the module. I'm afraid we won't be making any changes to it soon because we already have CE / FCC certification. But we will keep it in mind for a next revision. At the moment we are finishing the DPT board that uses the module and we are busy writing the software.We have no NDA with Qualcomm, but we have indeed routed the pins. Therefore the I2S feature will be usable on the module in the future as soon as we or someone else has a good driver.We really appreciate your interest in our project. Please help us by funding, even a penny will help, or spread the word.Kind regards,Daan

author: Kean
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 13, 2014, 11:47:50 am
content: OK, as one of the guys involved with the reverse engineering of the TP-Link WR703N (that also used the AR9331), and thus an owner of many of them (plus 8devices Carmabola2's, etc, etc), I really don't need any more of these boards... and as Rasz mentioned the Qualcomm NDA issue put me off them completely.But I backed your project anyway, because I like the concept, and can imagine the hard work you've done - despite my hatred of IGG and flexible funding!I now prefer using Freescale imx series processors in my designs - they are extremely open with their imx series data - even Bunnie seems to like them!

author: dpape
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 13, 2014, 12:01:58 pm
content: Hello,Thank you Kean for funding, we are really greatful. In Belgium we can't use kickstarter, so our choice fell on IGG. And thank you for the magnificent work of reverse engineering the WR703N.Greetings from Belgium,Daan

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 16, 2014, 12:44:50 pm
content: Wow! A good, responsive crowdfunding campaign that actually has a PROTOTYPE(!) and is responsive to criticisms and technically knowledgeable. I might back or purchase simply because of this!

author: dpape
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 17, 2014, 02:12:15 pm
content: Hello,Thank you for your positive reaction. Sharing knowledge and building products people can use to expand their creativity is what we like to do. The only possible way we know how to build this kind of product is by listening to our potential customers.Kind regards,Daan Pape

author: dpape
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 27, 2014, 01:49:13 pm
content: I'm glad to announce we are on hackaday:http://hackaday.com/2014/07/27/a-router-based-dev-board-that-isnt-a-routerNext week we will send an order to the factory. So please if anyone has any suggestions or ideasplease send them to us. This way we can make a product that really makes a difference.Kind regards,Daan

author: JonnyBoats
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 27, 2014, 02:23:35 pm
content: Daan,I just signed up for the $35 DPT board but when I paid for it on PayPal it did not charge me for shipping. How is one supposed to pay for the shipping?John Tarbox

author: dpape
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 27, 2014, 04:00:40 pm
content: Hello,Thank you very much for supporting us. We will send you a request to pay for shipping when we send the board. We only want to charge you with the costs when necessary.Kind regards,Daan

author: dpape
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2015, 01:25:51 pm
content: Hello everyone,I'm very glad to say we have delivered to all our Indiegogo supporters and the first schools in Belgium are using the DPT-Robot as an educational platform. We are also building a community around the product:https://www.dptechnics.com/forum/Again thank you everybody to make this possible.Kind regards,Daan Pape

author: Kean
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 07, 2015, 10:55:52 am
content: Daan, good work on delivery - but a lot more work is needed on documentation. "Coming soon" isn't much good...

author: dpape
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2015, 03:40:57 pm
content: Hello Kean,I am very aware on that and I'm working hard on making the documentation better. In the coming months many guides will be uploaded.Kind regards,Daan