Making Pi - low volt, ARM based ships computer

[CapnK]

I've played with others Pi a very little - a very, very little - but would like to start working on building a ships system with one as it seems that RISC architecture is coming into it's own, poised to surpass Intel x86/64 (if it has not already). It certainly is a better solution energy-wise for small boats. To that end I think I'll be running Arch Linux for ARM64 on a Pi 4 8GB. I know Joe/Cyric has some experience with them. Has anyone else been hacking one of their own? What should I buy to get started? Looking at the Canakits on Amazon, they seem to be the way to go. What say you? Joe?

[Godot]

I've got a bunch of Pis that I play with once in awhile. I buy them at Microcenter. I have a Pi3 currently attached to a little touch screen that runs OpenCPN reasonably well. I'm not happy with the touch screen interface to the program; but it does the job. I just use a wireless mouse and a mini-bluetooth keyboard to interface. I may move this to a Pi4 eventually; but it isn't a priority.

I have found some trouble with driving the Pi3 off of a USB port. It always seems to be a little short on power. It works; but it has the lightening bolt in the upper right of the screen. I think the Pi4 needs 3a, and simply wont run for more than a few seconds off of plugging it to the USB ports on my boat. There are DC-DC converters available for low cost that should fix this problem. I just haven't gotten to it yet.

For just navigation, I'm thinking the easiest solution is to just buy a cheap Android tablet (I have a VANKYO MatrixPad S30 which is 10" with integrated GBS that I think cost $125) and run OpenCPN or another nav package on that. If you want to connect other parts of your boat together, then a Pi might make sense.

Or, if you just want a halfway decent, low power PC onboard, you probably can't go wrong with a Pi4. It really is getting to the point of being a decent PC replacement. Much cheaper and lower power draw then most laptops, too. And if it gets dunked you may not cry as hard. Works pretty good as an entertainment system, too.

[Cyric30]

Hay CapnK and Godot
Sorry for the slow response, i missed this post, my apologies.
I am in fact working with my Pi navigation computer right now.
I don't believe i an really qualified to help over much, i am simply standing on the shoulders of those who came before me to do this project. but i will give as much info and help as i can.

I am currently working with a Raspberry Pi 4-B (The 4 GB memory one), there is a new 8GB Pi out now thought. I believe i would go for that if i where to purchase one now, i purchased mine off ebay fron BerryKu IIRC, but they ARE OUT NOW.

As to a setup, i am using a
1: Raspberry Pi 4-B,
As i said i got mine off ebay, as a kit that came with a Case, Power Supply, and there options for keyboard and other bits and bobs, just do a search on ebay for "Raspberry Pi 4 Model B DIY Kit"

2: (Waterproof DC-DC Converter 12V Step Down to 5V 2 USBs Power Supply Module 3A 15W) from ebay as well to do the power converting, AND IT HAS 2 USB OUTPUTS.

3:  (7 Port USB 3.0 High Speed HUB Splitter Box With ON/OFF Switch AC Power Adapter) this help with the power problem the Pi has that you where experiencing Godot, I also had a USB to 3.5mm power jack from something else that let me do away with the power adapter, and use the 2nd connector on the 12v splitter

4:  (Moitessier HAT) this is by far the easiest way to build you Pi into a navigation computer, i purchased the very first version, but would like to get another one when they get it squared away. this thing does so much stuff i cant list it all, it basically integrates almost every shipboard system. AIS, GPS, Autopilot,..lost of stuff i dont even understand yet....so Ya, kinda cool

https://www.rooco.eu/products/moitessier-hat-2-raspberry-pi-openplotter-ais-receiver/

Useful links
Open Marine (Integrates Pi and OpenCPN, and alot more, you guys will understand more off it than me. (open source with growing community)
https://openmarine.net/openplotter

Moitessier HAT (HAT for Pi that integrates almost everything you could want into Openplotter and Pi)
https://www.rooco.eu/products/moitessier-hat-2-raspberry-pi-openplotter-ais-receiver/

Bareboat Necessities, another Pi based project
https://bareboat-necessities.github.io/my-bareboat/

Sorry this is kind of disjointed im at work and didnt have alot of time to put things out better, but i felt bad for missing it for so long.

Cyric


P.S. I am also playing with a cheap up-converter for RTL-SDR and associated software to download weather files from SSB radio bands. but thats just a side project, we'll see if it is fruitful

CapnK does this have anything to do with the ARM64? if not the forum might have other threads that might help

Raspios 64 bits Raspian

https://forum.openmarine.net/showthread.php?tid=2611&highlight=ARM64

[Godot]

Cyric, what do you use for a display?

[Cyric30]

Hello Godot.

Right Now i am running it on a DC TV in the boat
(RCA 24" 720p HD Home & Travel Portable AC/DC LED TV with HDMI RT2471)
From my experiments so far the TV operates on less than an Amp, which i find a bit amazing in all honesty.

In your other post i seen you had trouble with a touch screen setup.
I would like to also sync it with some sort of tablet with touch screen in the future, But from my rudimentary understanding of the PI IIRC, the Official touch screen that Raspberry sells is the only one that works well with the PI, as it has some kind of proprietary hardware or software for it, but please research that.

Im going to go out and piddle on the boat here in a few and i will try to get a power consumption on the whole setup running. I will edit this msg to give a total with the Pi, USB strip, TV, and SDR-RTL all running together.

[Godot]

The touch screen is OK. Because of a weird manufacturing error, it actually presents upside down. There is a setting to use to fix that; but it is a pain.

My problem with the touch screen is that I don't think openCPN really knows how to work with it. There is no multitouch. I'm not sure if that is a limitation of openCPN or Raspbian. And it just feels really, really clumsy. But I'm not a fan of touchscreen. I use them. Can't avoid them. But don't like them. It does work better under Android.

[CharlieJ]

ROFL- my computer at home has a touch screen. I  found a major draw back once when I accidentally left it on. Came back to find  about 20 things open on the screen. Seems a rather large beetle type bug had been attracted to the bright screen and crawled all over it- i had about 40 things open!!!!":)

[Cyric30]

Hay Again All
im using the Pi to write this as a matter of fact, i am surprised by how well it is runing to tell the truth.

The total power usage on the boat
1.34-1.44 Amps (thats TV, Pi, and powered USB)
1 Amp of this is the Tv

I am having some heat trouble from the Pi, but i knew this was a potential problem as i am not runing a space for the hat and no fan or heat sinks, so that is something to remedy

[Godot]

That is a super low draw for the display.

I have a little fan for my Pi4. Currently it is set up as a media server for Plex. Something strange happened and the Plex interface doesn't start anymore; but the fan definitely had to run while streaming.

[Cyric30]

Godot
Yes i was very surprised by the displays power usage, that being said this was run on DC power, the AC power was quite a bit more when i tested it that way.
Im in a bit of a quandary over the fan situation, with the Moitessier HAT, i lose the ability to use my GPIO pins to hook the fan power up that way, so im trying to figure out how to hook a fan up some other way, the only thing i can come up with is hook the fan up through a USB spot, which seems a bit of a waste. any ideas?

That is a super low draw for the display.

I have a little fan for my Pi4. Currently it is set up as a media server for Plex. Something strange happened and the Plex interface doesn't start anymore; but the fan definitely had to run while streaming.

[Owly055]

Personally I'm hoping to play with the Chrome OS with the same general idea.    With Chrome, you now have the option of running Android apps, and Linux programs.   I've been using Linux SUSE for many years now, having found SUSE to be the best IMHO of the distros.  Unfortunately both KDE and Gnome have gone from fairly decent desktops to garbage.  I currently use the MATE desktop...... I have never figured out why developers have to screw up a good thing every time... they simply cannot leave well enough alone!
    My current system running SUSE only is a Bee Box.  I can run it on 12 volt (with a regulator), my main monitor, and my router also run on 12V.  Monitor is a Samsung Synchmaster P2770.
   My idea is that a ship computer should be "built in".    That means completely enclosed within bulkheads, not a "device" someone can grab and run with.   The main monitor in the saloon designed to swing down from the overhead.... The computer itself  just a board with memory and SSD, not something marketable on the street!
     Tablets are wonderful, and I've had both Android and Apple, mostly Apple.  My current Ipad Air II is at end of life..... or more accurately end of battery life.   It angers me that they build them as throw aways.  It's an expensive item  with LTE and GPS.  You CAN replace the battery, but it involves using heat to soften the glue and special tools to pry the thing apart.  I will do it, but before I do, I will be buying a suitable Android tablet with LTE and GPS.    I use only a fraction of it's capability, but I DO need the GPS capability and the LTE.

                                                     H.W.

[CapnK]

I'll have to read the more detailed posts in more detail before replying... But yes 1Amp for that TV is amazing!, and ARM seems poised to take off, so I'm looking that way...

Owly - I would wager that there is someone you could mail that iPad to for a new battery installation, at a reasonable price. I've seen that sort of service offered on eBay for tablets, my old HiSense can even get one  - and it is a ~10 yr old piece of gear!
Also, you cn run 'droid apps on Linux now, as well as on Chrome - without having Big (Formerly 'Not Evil') Google tracking every thing you do...

Examples:
https://linuxhint.com/android_apps_games_linux/
https://anbox.io/

[Owly055]

Thanks.... I was aware that there are battery replacement services........... I'm not excited about letting my Ipad out of my hands, and would be more inclined to do the job myself, as there are what amount to kits to replace the battery.  I have an additional issue in that the Ipad is bent slightly from being in a folio with a small flap that tucks down behind it.  The thin Ipad air took on a slight bend over time.  I've long since removed the offending tab, but it seems to want to stay in it's new shape....  The Ipad Air II is quite thin, and if I ever buy another full size Ipad, it will not be the Air series..... I could care less about the weight difference or the thinness.   

I was not aware of Android on linux.... I don't have a touch screen, and to my knowledge muiltitouch is not well supported by Linux SUSE... if at all....I could be wrong as I don't keep up on that sort of thing.   Conventional mouse control and multitouch do not easily stand in for each other.   Clearly I need to do some more research or catch up on my reading.   The madness of the last four years has captured my attention above other things it seems.   

It would be great to have a master Linux OS system built in with the option of running regular software and also driving a touch screen for navigation and such.   There is of course no real substitute for a tablet for lounging and reading, etc. 

                                                                H.W.

[Godot]

Replacing the battery yourself is doable, if not easy. I've not done iPads; but I've done enough other mobile devices.

Get a plastic pry kit, or a handful of guitar picks. A blow dryer will help break the glue bond.

Good eyes are required. As is a steady hand.

A little suction cup is helpful.

A calm mind, and peaceful spirit is critical.

There is a chance you will screw up. I've never busted a display during a repair; but know those who have. I have had to redo a repair because I didn't get a tiny antenna wire connected properly to the internal NIC.

Don't sneeze. If you lose one of those tiny screws you will likely never find it again.

Taking pictures of each step will provide a reference just in case you forget how it came apart and can't figure out how to put it back together. If you have a handful of extra parts when you are done, something probably isn't right.

[CapnK]

I've swapped 'em too, heat and patience are key.

Just to see what it was like, I intentionally broke a phone screen once during removal. *Major* pain getting all the bits out. Use clear shipping tape to cover screen before attempting removal, it'll hold the bits together if that does happen. Remove slowly with heat after.