What SBC are you using on your bench? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: retrev
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2019, 03:50:59 pm
content: I'm looking to replace an old PC with a much smaller SBC for use on my bench. It'll be used for reading data sheets, web browsing, control and capture of bench equipment (oscope, sig gen, etc.), compiling software for MCUs (Arduino, bare C, some FORTH) and some prototyping and interfacing. I'd like to add a basic logic analyzer to the system as well. Should run Linux, have HDMI, ethernet or wifi, and preferably USB3. Price point is <$100 and preferably <$50 for just the SBC (it's ok if power supply, adapters, etc. push the price higher)I'm, of course, looking at a raspi 3 b+, as one does. But I'm strongly considering a Beaglebone Black for the massive number of expansions, and the ODROID XU4 for the performance. I'm not sure if the limited I/O on the odroid will be an issue or not. Also not sure if the lower performance of the BB will make compiling horrible.So, what do you use on your bench? Am I missing some good options?

author: German_EE
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2019, 09:27:57 am
content: I use a Fujitsu desktop system that lives underneath the bench. I bought this because of the massive number of USB ports with 2 x USB 1 and 4 x USB 2 on the back plus 2 x USB 2 and 2 x USB 3 on the front. I run a lot of USB based test instruments as I like the idea of a single screen.Is it an SBC? No, but it's quiet and damn powerful.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2019, 09:51:01 am
content: My laptop is an SBC

author: capt bullshot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2019, 09:56:13 am
content: Wouldn't recommend to do so. All of these SBCs are slow in comparison to a "real" PC. You might think it wouldn't matter, but try browsing some recent web pages on a real PC and such a SBC - you'll notice the difference.For my part, I've got a very small ThinkCentre at my workbench, consumes very little space, (anything else is larger e.g. keyboard, mouse and screen), runs quiet, compiles fast, works fine with Linux (there's no such thing as M$ Windows in my lab) and serves two screens.

author: wilfred
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2019, 10:32:44 am
content: Don't forget they aren't X86 so you may have to do more to get some things (ie the things YOU want) to run. Not so simple as download and install.I'd go with the RPi3 and see how you go. It only has to be good enough to do the tasks you do most of the time. Any more and you should stick to a regular PC. I do like the Odroids though.

author: Miti
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2019, 01:00:50 am
content: I have an Intel NUC, I'm not sure exactly what model it is but it serves me well. It attaches to the back of the monitor.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2019, 01:23:14 am
content: The Beaglebone Black makes a great basic logic analyzer (for when the FX2 is just not quite fast enough) and USB analyzer (USB host and device at the same time), but isn't that stellar for other stuff.On that budget, the ODROID N2 would probably be the fastest as far as new hardware goes.

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2019, 01:49:01 am
content: I have a variety of SBC, but I still use a real computer to get real work done. An SBC just isn't a substitute, especially if you're going to be running compilers. A laptop sitting on one of its edges uses very little bench space.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 13, 2019, 02:01:30 am
content: If you don't consider that your time costs money, go on. You'll waste a ton of it trying to get things done on something like this. Simply browsing web would be slow and tiring exercise compared with a cheap PC. Don't forget that even cheap modern smartphones have way more oomph than raspberry pi 3, and somewhere on par with XU4.

author: OwO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2019, 03:54:20 am
content: If you want to do any serious work on the SBC you will want at the very least 2GB of ram, and 4GB is preferred. The other thing that you will not see on spec sheets is how fast the processor really is, and you need to look at benchmarks for that. I did some research on SBCs not too long ago and the conclusion was: rPi 3 is awful bang for buck (no surprises there), very weak processor that is worse than some variants of the cheaper orange pi.For a low budget I would go for at least an odroid C2 or XU4. Some benchmarks:https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2016/review-odroid-c2-compared-raspberry-pi-3-and-orange-pi-plusIf I was buying a SBC now I'd probably go for the odroid N2 with 4GB ram.

author: L_Euler
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2019, 01:15:30 pm
content: I have two of these if your interested. Still in original boxes and never used. Let me know. You may get them REALLY cheap.4 GB RamIntel Atom E3845 Processor

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2019, 02:16:06 pm
content: Quote from: bitseeker on May 13, 2019, 01:49:01 amYou could leave the compiling to a server on the network. If you're really lucky, you might even be able to find a cheap Dell server with the built in IP KVM option. (Read up on Reddit's homelab group if you're interested in going that route.)Quote from: wraper on May 13, 2019, 02:01:30 amA higher end SBC like the ODROID N2 would not have a difficult time at all beating a similarly priced new PC. Might be possible to get a faster used PC for cheap, if you happen to find a deal on one still in decent condition.Reading up on the N2 a bit more, it has a USB 2.0 OTG port that can work simultaneously with the USB host ports, so it can operate as a USB analyzer. (If they release a newer version with USB 3.0 OTG, they'll have a really cheap option for USB 3.0 analysis!) No I/O accelerator that can be used as a logic analyzer, however - that remains unique to the Beaglebone.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2019, 04:05:38 pm
content: For datasheets I use an older iPad, it's the only use I've ever found for a tablet. Whenever I need more I just use my laptop. I use RPis for embedded things but it's rather pointless to use one as a desktop.

author: retrev
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2019, 04:26:38 pm
content: I think a lot of you miss the point. A regular computer isn't what I'm looking for (I have a couple on the other side of the room). The SBC is there for quick access to the web and some MCU compilers but a big part is the I2C, SPI, etc. Sure, I can hang an arduino off a laptop (which is mostly what I'm doing now), but the extra layer makes things a bit more difficult to work with than a Linux machine with beaucoup GPIO.

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2019, 06:12:55 pm
content: Quote from: retrev on May 13, 2019, 04:26:38 pmUltimately, you're the best person to determine what will best fit your needs. All we can do is share our experience and what does or doesn't work for us.QuoteFor me, tablet or laptop.QuoteFor me, laptop.QuoteJust about any SBC with GPIO will work here.QuoteMaybe your best bet is to get one SBC, whichever one seems to be the best fit right now, and see what works and what doesn't. Then, you'll be in a better position to know if it really is good enough (win!) or what more you need from an SBC.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2019, 06:43:27 pm
content: What about a laptop and a bus pirate or something?I find the laptop valuable because perhaps 75% of the time I don't need it on the bench at all.

author: Zbig
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2019, 07:17:37 pm
content: I don't see a point either and I too think it's a poor idea. Any SBC in such role is useless without a monitor anyway, so there goes your compactness - it loses with any random laptop (that you could close and move away) right there, not to mention tablets. Imagine the real use scenario where you have a heavy, stiff HDMI cable, power lead and other cables and a tiny SBC dangling from them, being dragged all over the place as soon as you move anything. You'll have a hard time just keeping it sitting flat on your desk. Then you have the issue of either risking shorting things out all the time or stuffing the thing into some kind of case that probably makes accessing the IO less than convenient. The argument of having GPIO right on your PC doesn't resonate with me either - not once had I thought "Gee, I whish I could just stick those loose wires right into the PC I'm reading this datasheet on". To me - a solution in search of a problem. You couldn't force me to work like that even if you paid me. But it seems you've made up your mind already and it really looks good in your headThere's no harm at all in trying so just go ahead and give it a shot, just set your expectations low.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2019, 03:06:26 am
content: Quote from: Zbig on May 13, 2019, 07:17:37 pmMount the SBC on something with enough weight to stop it moving around. Micah Elizabeth Scott uses a piece of wood for that purpose, which also has a breadboard next to it for prototyping.QuoteI use a MCP2221 breakout and a FX2 as more or less "GPIO" attached to a PC. As long as what you're working on is not timing critical, it's much easier to write a Python script to figure out how to communicate with a device than it is to start by programming a microcontroller. The FX2 is especially useful for debugging, although its speed limitation often is problematic when dealing with some SPI buses. (Sigrok really needs to get FX3 support!)

author: capt bullshot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2019, 05:30:16 am
content: Quote from: Zbig on May 13, 2019, 07:17:37 pmMy typical SBC running linux doesn't have HIDs (monitor, keyboard, mouse) connected. Just ssh into it from your linux desktop / laptop to use it

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2019, 05:53:56 am
content: Quote from: capt bullshot on May 14, 2019, 05:30:16 amBut that's not the sort of use that's being asked about here, which was specifically using a SBC as a desktop computer.

author: bingo600
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2019, 07:16:26 pm
content: I use an Asus eee PC w. linux & a 15" TFT, as my "Datasheet/Schematic" PC @my soldering station table.My "real" lab PC is an i7 workstation/Bingo

author: ttt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2019, 07:39:07 pm
content: Quote from: retrev on May 13, 2019, 04:26:38 pmMy recommendation would be to stay away from 'hobby' SBCs. I've used the BeagleBone(s), ODROID and similar ARM boards in the past and they are just not up to the task for non-dedicated purposes. Most of them fail in the I/O performance department which makes booting and especially compiling an incredible exercise in patience.I would go even further in saying to especially stay away from the BeagleBone series as documentation is a complete mess when you google it. The Linux kernel has seen many changes over the last few years regarding to device overlays; the BeagleBones had to go through 3 generations of this non-sense which means most online documentation contradicts itself.Something like a MIO-5350N-S1A1E board for instance will be way better for something like you are looking for. Any 'industrial' x86 based motherboard out there will be better IMO. Challenge as always will be to extract the required info on GPIO and I2C hardware from the vendors. But at least you have a real BIOS you can boot into any Linux version, no custom kernel garbage required.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2019, 07:49:36 pm
content: I run my Plex server on a little eGlobal i7, it's not a whole lot larger than a Raspberry Pi, it draws about 4W idle which is not much power at all and it absolutely blows away any of those ARM SBCs in terms of performance. They have cheaper i3 and i5 options for less demanding applications.