Star64

[Der Geist der Maschine]

Pine64 announced first details on a forthcoming Risc V SBC https://www.pine64.org/2022/07/28/july-u...l-evolved/

Features

• StarFive JH7110 (4 SiFive FU740 1.5GHz cores)
  
• Imagination Technologies BXE-2-32 GPU
  
• 4 or 8GB memory
  
• 2x Gb ethernet ports
  
• 1 x USB 3.0, 2 x USB 2.0
  
• GPIOs
  

I wonder were mass storage is attached?

Usecase

• There is a GPU but the CPU is probably too slow for daily desktop usage.
  
• 2 ethernet ports but no wifi. That rules out a router unless one adds external wifi.
  

I'm thinking of what to do with it. What use cases come to your mind?

[CounterPillow]

I wonder were mass storage is attached?

It has PCIe, so presumably you'd attach a PCIe SATA controller card. It looks like the board layout includes the usual 12V header to power hard drives with for Model A sized boards. eMMC looks to be included again as well, which would mean I'd go for the usual OS+bootloader on eMMC, big storage on HDD setup.

I'm thinking of what to do with it. What use cases come to your mind?

Small NAS with the two ethernet ports bonded and a PCIe SATA card.

Also I still think this would make for a good router, in that case I'd use a PCIe wifi card if I really wanted wifi from it.

The real answer for now though is "use it as a development board", there's a long road ahead.

[Der Geist der Maschine]

VisonFive is coming up with their own SBC around the JH7110 CPU https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sta...escription

VisonFive has already firm prices, a delivery month (Nov 2022) and the SBC is available for everyone.

Pine64 is a little bit vague about the pricing and the shipping dates.

https://www.pine64.org/2022/08/28/august...nd-reward/

"Star64 will be available in a few weeks time, and will initially be available to developers."

The number of available developer boards is not known nor how to qualify as a developer. There are no dates when the SBCs will be made available for the general public.


I think Star64's specs are more appealing. In thinking mode where to put my money on.

[balbes150]

• There is a GPU but the CPU is probably too slow for daily desktop usage.
  

I'm thinking of what to do with it. What use cases come to your mind?

I have StarFive V1 jh7100 and many different models with Allwinner D1 (I am developing and supporting Debian\Ubuntu|Altlinux for the RISC-V platform) and even these models, with proper system configuration with DE ICEWM\XFCE, work acceptably as a minimal "office" device. You can find details on the Armbian forum or in the Discord group, where the development and promotion of RISC-V. is discussed. The or7110 processor is significantly better in performance and I have no doubt that with the correct release (assembly) of images for this platform, it will show very good results.

[tantamount]

• There is a GPU but the CPU is probably too slow for daily desktop usage.
  

I'm thinking of what to do with it. What use cases come to your mind?

 The or7110 processor is significantly better in performance and I have no doubt that with the correct release (assembly) of images for this platform, it will show very good results.

It seems that VisionFive will use the 7110:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sta...escription