Orange Pi PC or PINE A64+

[vanjo9800]

Hello, I am wondering what should I buy: an Orange Pi PC for $15 or PINE A64+ for $29.

What I know up to now is that the Orange Pi PC is generally cheaper and can do almost all things the PINE can do. Also if I order it now it will come within 15 to 25 days, while the PINE A64+ will come near May. I want to use it for a desktop computer. Not for a main one, just to be able to have 2-3 tabs open and some basic stuff.


The problem is I don't have experience with something more powerful than a Raspberry Pi Zero, which sadly cannot hold more than 1 tab open, but is brilliant for projects. That is why I am asking people who have experience with both SoC, or have more knowledge than me about them to advice me what should I buy. There remains a possibility for me to buy first an Orange Pi PC and later PINE A64+.

Thank you in advance!!!

[taros]

I think it would be good to buy now the OPi PC and use it, and then consider the Pine A64+.
Both SoCs are quite similar, with the A64 being 64-bit compared to the 32-bit H3 (in the Orange Pi PC).

User "loboris" maintains a list of images for the OPi at http://www.orangepi.org/orangepibbsen/fo...ad&tid=342

[vanjo9800]

Thank you for your opinion. That is what I will do, I will offer an Orange Pi PC and after experimenting with it for a little will consider buying PINE.

Last two questions: What is your opinion for the Roseapple PI? and Is this a good place to buy the Orange Pi PC from?

Thank you in advance!!!

[taros]

Thank you for your opinion. That is what I will do, I will offer an Orange Pi PC and after experimenting with it for a little will consider buying PINE.

Last two questions: What is your opinion for the Roseapple PI? and Is this a good place to buy the Orange Pi PC from?

Thank you in advance!!!

That's the official place to get the Orange Pi PC, so you are fine. 

I am not familiar with the Roseapple Pi. It has a different SoC (main chip), which is 32-bit.
It is very important to go for a SoC that many people are using. In your case I would check their forums
and see how their discussions are going.

[TerryB]

Thank you for your opinion. That is what I will do, I will offer an Orange Pi PC and after experimenting with it for a little will consider buying PINE.

Last two questions: What is your opinion for the Roseapple PI? and Is this a good place to buy the Orange Pi PC from?

Thank you in advance!!!

Just to chime in. I found the OPI sufficient for the uses you mentioned. Also I bought mine via aliexpress and am quite happy with the seller. Only problem is it takes 1 week to ship and then whatever time to clear customs. Here is where I got mine: http://www.aliexpress.com/store/1553371

Hope this helps, have fun.

[peterz]

Thank you for your opinion. That is what I will do, I will offer an Orange Pi PC and after experimenting with it for a little will consider buying PINE.

Last two questions: What is your opinion for the Roseapple PI? and Is this a good place to buy the Orange Pi PC from?

Thank you in advance!!!

Just to chime in. I found the OPI sufficient for the uses you mentioned. Also I bought mine via aliexpress and am quite happy with the seller. Only problem is it takes 1 week to ship and then whatever time to clear customs. Here is where I got mine: http://www.aliexpress.com/store/1553371

Hope this helps, have fun.

"Only problem is it takes 1 week to ship".  well I'm waiting for my PINE since December and hope until end of the March I will have it. 

[vanjo9800]

Hello, I ordered the Orange Pi PC with an additional DC cable. It arrived today, however I have a big problem that the cable is not DC, but is microUSB to USB. I already opened dispute with the seller and I will purchase later the normal DC cable. However, I want very much to try the Orange Pi, but I do not want to wait much because in my country there are no such cables and I must wait another 2-3 weeks for the cable to arrive. Is there any way I can do that? I know about powering it through GPIO, but what current should I have between the two pins?

Thank you in advance for your response!!!

[ssvb]

However, I want very much to try the Orange Pi, but I do not want to wait much because in my country there are no such cables and I must wait another 2-3 weeks for the cable to arrive. Is there any way I can do that? I know about powering it through GPIO, but what current should I have between the two pins?

Regarding powering via GPIO, it is quite easy. You can even use something like a USB-to-UART cable for this if such a cable has an extra +5V wire. For example something like this: http://www.exp-tech.de/usb-to-ttl-serial...spberry-pi The +5V wire is just directly connected to the USB +5V VBUS pin. It is normally not used for UART and is available as an extra bonus feature.

WARNING: you really need to know what you are doing and connect this +5V wire to the right pin on the expansion header! Use a multimeter if in doubt (there should be zero resistance between this pin and the central pin on the barrel power connector). And see http://linux-sunxi.org/Orange_Pi_PC#Tips...2C_Caveats
Naturally, the GND wire must be connected too. If you want to use UART for a serial console, also connect the RX and TX wires to the right pins (that's the primary purpose of this cable after all).

Also be sure that your USB hub can provide enough power. The USB specification only guarantees 500 mA, which is rather low and barely enough to boot the board and run it with very light workloads. However in practice some of the powered USB hubs can handle USB hard drives (which may require up to 1A for spin-up). At the end of the day, your mileage may vary and a proper DC cable with a proper PSU is surely the best option.

[vanjo9800]

Thank you a lot ssvb!!!

I will definitely try that.

Now looking at my Raspberry Pi Zero, I think of an idea. Would you know whether I will be able to power the Orange Pi using the GPIO of my Raspberry Pi, or the current would be low.

Thank you in advance!!!

[ssvb]

Well, "GPIO" is not entirely correct word in this context. What we have is an expansion header with pins, where some pins are connected to the SoC and used for general purpose input/output (GPIO) and some pins are directly connected to the power supply. The real GPIO pins can supply very limited current and are used for just receiving/transmitting data or lighting a LED at best. The power pins are what you are interested in.

Yes, if your Raspberry Pi Zero uses a decent power supply and you use jumper wires to connect a +5V power pin on the Raspberry Pi to a +5V power pin on the Orange Pi PC and also connect a ground pin on the Raspberry Pi Zero to a ground pin on the Orange Pi PC, then both of these boards will be working fine and sharing the same power supply.