Possible to order Pinebook Pro with 128Gb eMMC?

[KC9UDX]

I read somewhere here that someone had ordered and received their Pinebook Pro with a larger eMMC.  Is it possible to do this?  I would like the 128Gb eMMC, but can't justify buying one separate and then ending up with a spare 64Gb one that I don't need.

[tophneal]

You would have to purchase it separately. What was the date on their post? IIRC initially the PBP was always going to ship with the 64GB emmc, but the very first public batch was offered with the 128GB emmc, as an "early adopter" kind of perk. (The Pine community was much smaller then.)  Every batch after has been 64GB.

If you have any other Pine products, nearly all of them can make use of that same emmc, so it potentially wouldn't have to just sit around.

[KC9UDX]

Ok, that's what I thought. Thanks for confirming this.

I should've saved a link to that post, it probably was pretty old.

I don't have other Pine products, and unfortunately don't foresee that I'll be in the market for any. I have a large surplus of devices except for one more Pinebook Pro.

[bchurchwell]

I have a barely used ANSI Pinebook Pro in Illinois if you are interested.

[LittleWalter]

Ok, that's what I thought.  Thanks for confirming this.

I should've saved a link to that post, it probably was pretty old.

I don't have other Pine products, and unfortunately don't foresee that I'll be in the market for any.  I have a large surplus of devices except for one more Pinebook Pro.

I get not wanting to have unused stuff but I recently decided to pick up a couple of 128GB modules to finally swap out in my PBP from 64GB for about $25/ea via "Best Offer" on fleaBay.  Originally, I was going to do the M.2 SSD thing (I got the adapter) but decided it wasn't worth it as even running an OS is mostly fine as far as speed goes.  Well, to me at least.  It might be too sluggish to regularly run an OS via micro SD for some folks.  Long-term reliability is an issue any wrt these memory cards anyway.

You don't foresee using these modules on another SBC?  I plan on using my mine for some set-top boxes as I eventually move away from Android TV and Roku.  I want more control and transparency and less creepy advertisement-based corporate spying machines.  'Not sure which boards, maybe Hardkernel.  Too bad they all use barrel jacks rather than USB-C but as long as they are stationary it's fine.

[KC9UDX]

I have a barely used ANSI Pinebook Pro in Illinois if you are interested.

Thanks for the offer. I surely would've taken you up on it except that I already ordered a new one last week.

You don't foresee using these modules on another SBC?  I plan on using my mine for some set-top boxes as I eventually move away from Android TV and Roku.  I want more control and transparency and less creepy advertisement-based corporate spying machines.  'Not sure which boards, maybe Hardkernel.  Too bad they all use barrel jacks rather than USB-C but as long as they are stationary it's fine.

I already have four RPis running XBMC. But I don't even watch that much TV; only one really gets used. I've actually got several currently unused RPis if I need something for a project.

I wish the RPis used barrel jacks. I wish everything that didn't use the port for data did. They're better than USB for charging in every way except that barrel jacks are no longer standard, and USB is.

[LittleWalter]

[quote pid='73345' dateline='1595972498']

You don't foresee using these modules on another SBC?  I plan on using my mine for some set-top boxes as I eventually move away from Android TV and Roku.  I want more control and transparency and less creepy advertisement-based corporate spying machines.  'Not sure which boards, maybe Hardkernel.  Too bad they all use barrel jacks rather than USB-C but as long as they are stationary it's fine.

I already have four RPis running XBMC.  But I don't even watch that much TV; only one really gets used.  I've actually got several currently unused RPis if I need something for a project.

I wish the RPis used barrel jacks.  I wish everything that didn't use the port for data did.  They're better than USB for charging in every way except that barrel jacks are no longer standard, and USB is.
[/quote]

Gotcha.  Barrel jacks are more robust/durable but I would rather have the option to run a board off of a battery in the event I decide to re-purpose a board for portability.  (Obviously, I ain't doing much mobile computing in my trainwreck dumpster fire of a country w/ the whole pandemic. So that's not too useful except for camping or RVing or whatever.) 

One of the things I like seeing lately is all of the laptops that have both a barrel jack and USB PD; would rather have both but would choose USB-C power, if I had to choose only one for the flexibility  Just my opinion and preferences, of course.  Different strokes and and all that.

[KC9UDX]

I don't know what kind of batteries you have in mind, but for me, batteries with barrel plugs are kind of a no-brainer. USB plugs (on batteries) are a major hassle. But probably you and I are buying batteries and parts from different places.

[LittleWalter]

I don't know what kind of batteries you have in mind, but for me, batteries with barrel plugs are kind of a no-brainer.  USB plugs (on batteries) are a major hassle.  But probably you and I are buying batteries and parts from different places.

So, again, this is just my preferences.  Since I want to have fun with this stuff for personal use:  I am getting more militant about being a part of the anti-YACE (Yet Another Cable End).  I bought a USB-A to Barrel Jack cord on Amazon and already lost one of the adapters.  I am done with micro-USB gadgets, not interested in carrying different barrel ends.  Heck, these Chinese companies don't seem to label what the dimensions are on the adapter itself anyway.

I am mainly interested in USB PD power banks going forward and that means USB-C.  One of the ways that the updated/fixed RPi 4 in nice is the ability to use it directly with a USB-C port on an iPad Pro.  So that's a little, cheap and portable dev environment and useful depending on what kind of dev you want to do, of course.  Can't do that with a Hardkernel board, I don't think (correct me if I'm wrong). 

Nice benefit is getting away from Apple's proprietary Lightning cables, too.  But I'm still in the Apple ecosystem mostly due to macOS and Macs are still my favorite work/dev machines.