Raspberry Pi’s Compute Module line has lengthy been underrated. Every Compute Module is a single-board pc, nevertheless it lacks the entire ports (USB, Ethernet, CSI, and many others.) discovered on the conventional 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 service board, leading to a really slim last 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 All the pieces 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, reasonably than an Arm processor. Whereas Arm has come a great distance in recent times, compatibility remains to be hit-or-miss relating to working methods 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 common Linux distro, together with the entire packages supported by these working methods.
As with the Raspberry Pi Compute Module, the LattePanda Mu wants a service board to truly operate. LattePanda does promote service boards, however Ben needed a customized service board with solely the parts and ports he wanted and nothing he didn’t. That ensured that it was as slim and compact as doable. DFRobot has KiCAD PCB information 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 the entire different stuff a pc wants, like USB ports (don’t inform Apple).
Ben additionally designed his personal customized ortholinear keyboard (as a substitute of utilizing an Apple Magic Keyboard, as a result of apparently that makes individuals 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 a whole lot of time designing the actually nifty enclosure. It’s fashionable, 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 service board was purported to help audio output, however that didn’t work fairly proper. His answer was to cram a USB sound card into the enclosure and that labored nicely.
The completed system appears to be like implausible. It’s each fashionable and purposeful, and isn’t like something you should buy at Greatest Purchase.
