BeagleBoard

Features

The BeagleBoard is a compact single-board computer, roughly 75 by 75 millimeters, that can function as a basic computer. Its core is an OMAP3530 system-on-chip, which combines an ARM Cortex-A8 CPU, a DSP for speeding up video and audio decoding, and a GPU capable of 2D and 3D graphics with OpenGL ES 2.0 support. For video output, it offers both S-Video and HDMI ports.

Connections include one SD/MMC card slot with SDIO, a USB On-The-Go port, an RS-232 serial port, a JTAG connector, and two 3.5 mm jacks for stereo audio in and out. Storage and memory are handled by a package-on-package chip containing 256 MB of NAND flash and 256 MB of RAM (128 MB on earlier versions). Power consumption is up to 2 watts, and it can be powered via the USB port or a separate 5 V supply.

Rev. C4 specifications

It features a TI OMAP3530 SoC with a 720 MHz ARM Cortex-A8 core, a 'HD capable' TMS320C64x+ core (520 MHz, up to 720p at 30 fps), and an Imagination Technologies PowerVR SGX 2D/3D graphics processor supporting dual independent displays. It includes 256 MB LPDDR RAM and 256 MB NAND Flash memory. Peripheral connections comprise DVI-D (via an HDMI connector chosen for size, maximum resolution 1280 × 1024, no digital audio), S-Video, USB OTG (mini AB), one USB port, an SD/MMC card slot, stereo in and out jacks, an RS-232 port, a JTAG connector, and a 5 V barrel-type power socket. Boot code is stored in ROM, and the board can boot from NAND memory, SD/MMC, USB, or serial, with an alternative boot source button.

BeagleBoard{{Visible anchor|-xM}}

A modified version called the BeagleBoard-xM started shipping on August 27, 2010. It measures 82.55 by 82.55 mm and features a faster CPU core clocked at 1 GHz (compared to 720 MHz), 512 MB of RAM (up from 256 MB), an onboard Ethernet jack, and a 4-port USB hub. The BeagleBoard-xM lacks onboard NAND flash, requiring the OS and other data to be stored on a microSD card; a 4 GB microSD card loaded with The Angstrom Distribution is supplied. It adds a camera port for importing video via Leopard Board cameras.

The processor is a TI DM3730 with a 1 GHz ARM Cortex-A8 core, an 800 MHz TMS320C64x+ core (up to 720p at 30 fps), and a PowerVR SGX 2D/3D graphics processor supporting dual independent displays. Peripheral connections include DVI-D (maximum resolution 1400 × 1050), S-Video, USB OTG (mini AB), four USB ports, Ethernet, a microSD/MMC card slot, stereo in and out jacks, an RS-232 port, a JTAG connector, a 5 V barrel-type power socket, a camera port, and an expansion port. Boot code is stored on the uSD card, and booting is from uSD/MMC only, with an alternative boot source button.

PocketBeagle

Launched in September 2017, PocketBeagle offers identical computing performance to the BeagleBone Black in a physical form factor over 50% smaller and 75% lighter, with a purchase price over 40% cheaper (December 2018 MSRP US$25 vs. US$45 for BeagleBone Black). Miniaturization was achieved by using the Octavo Systems OSD3358-SM, which shrinks all major subsystems of the BeagleBone Black into a single ceramic package attached via ball grid array. This comes at the cost of removing all built-in connectors except a single micro USB port, removing on-board eMMC flash storage, and reducing header pins from 92 to 72, meaning most capes either will not work or need heavy modifications.

The PocketBeagle's PCB is cut to fit snugly in an Altoids Smalls mint tin. Recommended use cases include embedded devices where size and weight are critical, such as quadcopter drones, miniaturized robotics, and handheld gaming applications.

Did You Know?

• The BeagleBone, announced in late October 2011, can fit inside an Altoids tin and was initially priced at US$89.
• The BeagleBone Black Revision C (released in 2014) increased flash memory to 4 GB, enabling it to ship with Debian Linux.
• The BeagleBoard-X15 is based on the TI Sitara AM5728 processor with two ARM Cortex-A15 cores running at 1.5 GHz.