Raspberry Pi’s Compute Module line has lengthy been underrated. Every Compute Module is a single-board laptop, nevertheless it lacks all the ports (USB, Ethernet, CSI, and many others.) discovered on the traditional full-size Raspberry Pi fashions. The benefit is within the “card” type issue with an edge connector, which you’ll be able to slot right into a customized provider board, leading to a really slim closing product. However Raspberry Pi isn’t the one sport on the town and LattePanda has single-board computer systems, too. Ben, of the Ben Makes Every part YouTube channel, used a LattePanda Mu to create this compact cyberdeck.
Folks flip to LattePanda once they want extra energy than a Raspberry Pi can provide or once they want an x86 processor, slightly than an Arm processor. Whereas Arm has come a good distance lately, compatibility continues to be hit-or-miss in terms of working programs and software program. As a result of it has an x86 processor, like most computer systems, the LattePanda Mu can run Home windows or any widespread Linux distro, together with all the applications supported by these working programs.
As with the Raspberry Pi Compute Module, the LattePanda Mu wants a provider board to truly perform. LattePanda does promote provider boards, however Ben wished a customized provider board with solely the parts and ports he wanted and nothing he didn’t. That ensured that it was as slim and compact as attainable. DFRobot has KiCAD PCB recordsdata able to go as a place to begin and Ben modified these. His design has two M.2 slots (one for an SSD and one for a Wi-Fi module), plus all the different stuff a pc wants, like USB ports (don’t inform Apple).
Ben additionally designed his personal customized ortholinear keyboard (as an alternative of utilizing an Apple Magic Keyboard, as a result of apparently that makes folks mad). Energy comes from a repurposed battery pack and the show is a DFRobot 11.6” touchscreen LCD with full HD decision.
From there, Ben spent lots of time designing the actually nifty enclosure. It’s trendy, with a carry deal with on the left facet. Most of it’s 3D-printable, however the facet panels are CNC-milled and anodized aluminum. There are even arms that fold all the way down to tilt the entire unit up and the keyboard slides out, virtually like on a server rack KVM.
There have been a number of challenges alongside the way in which, however one stood out: audio. Ben’s provider board was alleged to help audio output, however that didn’t work fairly proper. His resolution was to cram a USB sound card into the enclosure and that labored effectively.
The completed machine seems to be incredible. It’s each trendy and purposeful, and isn’t like something you should buy at Greatest Purchase.
