I just wanted to throw this out for contemplation. I have sent this
to DigiKey as well.
If I were to have a wish list for Beagleboard Out-of-Box-Experience
(OOBE) improvement, it would be one item: Digikey should offer a
"Rest of What You Need Kit" (RoWYNK) that would include the below.
- HDMI-A/Male to DVI-D/Female Adapter -- so you can plug your
monitor into Beagle. AE10254-ND
- USB-Standard-A/Female to USB-Mini-A/Male -- so you can plug in
USB peripherals. *
- DB9/Male to IDC10/Female Adapter -- so you can plug in console
terminal. *
- USB-Standard-A/Male to Dual-PS2/Female Adapter -- so you can
plug in Keyboard and Mouse. *
- 5 VDC Power Supply -- so you can turn the board on. T450-P5P-ND
- DB9F to DB9F Null Modem RS-232 Cable -- so you can plug console
into laptop. AE9879-ND
- USB SD Card Reader -- so you can make SD Cards. DA-70310-ND
- A starter pack (maybe 2) 2GB SD Cards. 585-1226-ND
- A pre-programmed SD Card with Angstrom Demo ready to boot. *
* Not currently available from DigiKey.
There are other ways to do this, but this setup allows you to use
things you already have -- e.g. a Monitor with a DVI-D Cable, and
Standard USB Peripherals. Unpack Beagle. Unpack RoWYNK. Plug in
cables. Plug in SD card. Turn on power. And away you go.
I’m planning to offer a kit just as you are proposing, including acrylic case. It would be even better if I’m allowed to buy the DigiKey board in bulk so I can offer fully assembed kits. Unfortunately, the current DigiKey business model prevents this, so we’ill have to wait until we have other board vendors that is more open. The best I can do right now is to have my customers ship me their BeagleBoard in order to get fully assembled kits.
I just wanted to throw this out for contemplation. I have sent this
to DigiKey as well.
If I were to have a wish list for Beagleboard Out-of-Box-Experience
(OOBE) improvement, it would be one item: Digikey should offer a
“Rest of What You Need Kit” (RoWYNK) that would include the below.
Of the list of items below, I really only think the following are necessary
HDMI-A/Male to DVI-D/Female Adapter – so you can plug your
monitor into Beagle. AE10254-ND
USB-Standard-A/Female to USB-Mini-A/Male – so you can plug in
USB peripherals. *
DB9/Male to IDC10/Female Adapter – so you can plug in console
terminal. *
5 VDC Power Supply – so you can turn the board on. T450-P5P-ND
DB9F to DB9F Null Modem RS-232 Cable – so you can plug console
into laptop. AE9879-ND
I just discovered an interesting "money saver" for those willing to
connect wires...
If you have a 5V DC Power Supply, then rather than buying the supply
itself from Digikey, you could buy the barrel connector pig tail from
Digikey (for $1.75 instead of $16). The Pigtail part number is
CP-2185-ND at Digikey and it is for the 5.5mm (OD) x 2.1mm (ID) type M
Barrel from CUI.
Add 4 standoffs and nuts, too. Or were those supposed to come with
the board
It was not completely clear what you did and did no get - Its a bare-bones
board. Certainly DigiKey could update the page that they dedicate to BB and
give a shopping list.
I would expect them to leave off the pre-loaded SD Card as this could
be and exercise left
to the reader.
I've posted a shopping list that does include the spacers and
standoffs and a case (all from specialcomp). Take a look at http://code.google.com/p/beagleboard/wiki/BeagleBoardShoppingList for
a more complete list of things that you might like to go with your BB.
