People have been able to get it to work with the Pi: http://www.element14.com/community/groups/raspberry-pi/blog/2012/09/08/raspberry-pi-laptop and http://rpidock.blogspot.com/2012/05/raspberry-pi-and-motorola-lapdock.html
Will this work with BeagleBone Black?
Yes if you modify the USB cable so you don’t blow the board up. Disconnect the power conductor in the cable.
Gerald
If you use an external 5VDC power supply (or even just a smartphone power cord), no cable mods are necessary. Just get the proper adapters (HDMI, USB), connect up the BBB and you’re off!
I have a Lapdock and I’ve done it – just as I’ve described – and it worked perfectly. In fact, I already had the Lapdock (got it with my old Motorola Atrix 4G phone), and bought the BBB to get some more use from it as a “travel computer” and general fun & games.
I also run an Ethernet wire to my WiFi repeater and get a bit more portability from the rig.
Can you give me the link to where you described it?
Can you give me the link to where you described it?
LOL. I described in my previous note. How much more description do you need?
Sorry man. I thought you meant something else.
If you use an external 5VDC power supply (or even just a smartphone power cord), no cable mods are necessary. Just get the proper adapters (HDMI, USB), connect up the BBB and you’re off!
Hi Tom,
By “proper adapters …” did you mean the list of parts specified in the links:
http://www.element14.com/community/groups/raspberry-pi/blog/2012/09/08/raspberry-pi-laptop
or
http://rpidock.blogspot.com/2012/05/raspberry-pi-and-motorola-lapdock.html
thanks,
/venkat
Raspberry Pi has all different connectors than BeagleBoneBlack.
By “proper adapters …” did you mean the list of parts specified in the links:
http://www.element14.com/community/groups/raspberry-pi/blog/2012/09/08/raspberry-pi-laptop
or
http://rpidock.blogspot.com/2012/05/raspberry-pi-and-motorola-lapdock.html
I won’t bother to check either of those links because I simply bought a microHDMI-to-microHDMI (female to female) adapter and the USB versions of the same on eBay – you shouldn’t need part numbers or a shopping list: the Beagle is microHDMI (female) and USB-A (female); the Lapdock is microHDMI (male) and microUSB (male). Just buy adapters to convert these to whatever you need – depending on what you already have – and you are set.
Who am I to spend your money for you? Lay out the cables you have, look the connectors involved, and find the appropriate adapters. That’s all I did. [If you’re unwilling to slice open a USB cable – and I certainly didn’t feel like messing with that – then you’ll need a 5VDC power supply (or smartphone charger), too]. Note: a dedicated 5V supply will deliver more current, if you plan to hang a bunch of “capes” (I would have called them “bibs”) on the Beagle, or if you plug in a WiFi dongle, etc. I had several of both in my junk box.
Also note: More elegant solutions also exist. You can buy pre-sliced USB cables that will do the data connection and deliver 5V power both from the Lapdock. I considered them, but ultimately decided they were a bit pricey for a “proof of concept” initial attempt. Now that I know everything works, I may fashion my own, or spend the money – that is as yet undecided.
HTH,
Tom.
For those interested in a complete turnkey solution, Special Computing (https://specialcomp.com/beaglebone/#22601) has exactly that. I would have ordered everything there, but parts I needed were marked as “out of stock” at the time (and still are). I certainly don’t mind giving a plug – I did buy my Beagle’s plastic case there, and it’s excellent. Perhaps if all interested parties ganged up, maybe the torch & pitchfork crowds storming the castle might alter their manufacturing priorities. But there I go, interfering with other people again O_O
So I won’t need the charger that comes with the lapdock, correct?
You will need something to recharge the battery in the Lapdock … no matter what other solution you implement.
Okay thanks.
And should the BeagleBone always be plugged into the 5V adapter, so it
doesn't get any additional voltage from the lapdock, especially if it
is charging?
Okay thanks.
And should the BeagleBone always be plugged into the 5V adapter, so it
doesn’t get any additional voltage from the lapdock, especially if it
is charging?
Don’t make this more complicated than it is. You can charge the Lapdock while it is powering the Beagle, or before, or after – it’s just a battery. It has LEDs to display the level of charge it contains, and even if it’s dead as long as it’s on the charge it will power the BBB at the same time.
It’s not rocket surgery. A car’s battery is the same.
Whether you decide to use a 5V supply for the BBB – or power it from the 'Dock, or a smartphone charger – is entirely up to you, the cables/adapters you’re using, and how fussy you choose to be.
I really don’t have anything constructive to add to this discussion at this point.
Hey man. You gotta calm down. I'm a noob and I just need to make sure
I'm doing stuff right.I'm not being fussy, I just want to make sure
I'm doing this right.
I am having problems with this set up. I have 1 USB going from the phone cradle to the mini USB port on the BBB as well as the hdmi. It will show me the Beagle Bone splash screen but then say "no hdmi input" and go black again. I can still ssh to the BBB so I know it is still functioning. The hdmi & USB work with my old atrix phone.
I see the specialcomp sells a cable that goes from the dock's mini USB to the power and the USB A ports on the BBB. If the mini USB port can do both data and power. Why would I need to split the data & power?
There is a new release coming that will resolve this known issue. You could also try other SW distributions that are listed on the Wiki. I know Fedora for example works.
Gerald
Was this fixed? I got a new Beagle Bone Black this month and I’m having the same problem still – just the splash screen and then no hdmi input.
I think this is the image you want.
I believe it is the one suggested to me by Special Computing: BBB-eMMC-flasher-2013.05.27.img.xz
I am still waiting for my Atrix hardware. So when it arrives I’ll test it and get back to the list.
Bill
http://www.packtpub.com/building-a-home-security-system-with-beaglebone/book