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Feel the sound!!

Posted on by neal.kim

The nostalgic 20 year-old Macintosh analog amplifier meets 21st century audiophile.

The C1+ HiFi Shield is a high-resolution Digital to Analog Converter(DAC) for the ODROID-C1+. This is a special sound card for the C1+, that is optimized for the best fidelity audio playback quality. It delivers a nicely balanced sound, solid, deep, wide and nicely layered.

We’ve analysed the the audio quality of the HiFi Shield DAC output with the famous industry standard equipment, Audio Precision. The Audio Precision is a high performance audio analyser optimized for the digital audio product.

The analog output of the HiFi Shield is connected to the equipment and measurement data shows on the host PC.
This picture shows a basic configuration of the set-up. Note that I disconnected the external amplifier when we measured the line-out audio quality.
The Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR)
The Noise Level in dBm
The Frequency Response and RMS output level in dBV
The Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise Ratio  (THD+N)
The FFT spectrum analyzer for 1Khz signal

This is a great idea if you want an audiophile set-up with ODROID-C1+. Enjoy a variable output connecting directly into a power amp or active speakers.
Blog

Good Bye ODROID-U3

Posted on by neal.kim

Exynos4412 platform has been the most loved products for the last 3 years. The ODROID-X was the first on 11th of July, 2012. And the family models of the ODROID-X2, U2 and U3 followed it. The ODROID-U3 was the latest model with Exynos4412 processor.

We have got the notice from Samsung that Exynos4412 will be discontinued soon. Because their SoC semiconductor production line is upgraded to the next generation like 28nm and 14nm. The Exynos4412 was made with the slightly old 32nm process. The more critical reason is that Samsung DRAM memory production has moved to the LP-DDR3/DDR4 technology while Exynos-4412 can use only the old LP-DDR2 memory which must to be pre-assembled on the SoC (Package-on-Package). So there is no way to keep buying the key component securely anymore to make the U3.

The ODROID-U3 was the most loved model by Hardkernel members. We have tried to keep this model even the price increases. The price of ODROID-U3 was $65.00 and we had to increase it to $69.00 this year due to material cost increase. But, we cannot make the ODROID-U3 even at higher price now.

We are really sorry that we couldn’t expect this situation earlier, and that caused any inconvenience who needs more U3 boards.

Now, the ODROID-XU4 will replace the position with the next generation processor, Exynos5422 Octa-core. The ODROID-XU4 has better performance and better connectivity with similar price range. We will make a long term plan with ODROID-XU4 supporting for a couple of years.

Thanks,

from Hardkernel members.

Blog

Moving to new office

Posted on by neal.kim

We have just moved to new place. It’s a two-story building. Our new address is below;

[English] 475-1 Mananro, Manangu, Anyang, Gyeonggi, South Korea ZIP:430-852
[Korean] 경기도 안양시 만안구 만안로 475-1 우:430-852

The first floor is duplex type warehouse. We need more time to organise it.

The second floor is our main office. The developers are working here.

A garden on the rooftop. We can have lunch here when the weather is good.

Following the Korean traditional shamanism, we prepared some food and bowed preying for people’s safe and for being Hardkernel forever.
Blog

Volumio Audiophile Music Player for Odroid C1 released

Posted on by neal.kim

Time to enjoy the great Volumio audiophile music player on the ODROID-C1.

Michelangelo Guarise (The creator of Volumio) has announced the Volumio OS image for the ODROID-C1 today.

We have a 1.5 Ghz quad Core CPU, which on paper is faster than many competitors (not only the PI). I’m not able to say how those figures are actually a sensible improvement, as I just started looking at the Amlogic SOC ( which seems quite ubiquitous in embedded multimedia appliances).

But what makes it really interesting for Volumio based scenarios are the Gigabit Ethernet, the eMMC memory slot (sold separately) and the integrated IR receiver. Add that Hardkernel seems to have the widest range of accessories for their boards, and you get that we can consider the C1 one of the best candidates to power a Volumio system.

Talking about real-world performances: the Odroid C1 delivers one of the smoothest Volumio experiences. It boots faster, and loads faster than the high-specs comparable quad-core boards (UDOO, Cubox-i).


More exciting news.

ODROID-C1+ is coming with a native I2S interface to support the HiFi DAC add-on boards. It will be available in the middle of August.
Volumio 2 is coming with four exciting key words Speed, Modularity, High Fidelity and Future Proof.

For those of you with an ODROID-C1, grab the image from the DOWNLOADS page as usual, and drop your feedbacks on this thread !

Setup

Setting up your C1 as a Volumio music player is dead easy, and the project’s website has documentation to guide you though the steps.

– Download Volumio image for C1 from http://volumio.org/get-started/
– Install the image on an SD card (2GB or larger). Installation guide is here.
– Connect the C1 and a USB-DAC to your amplifier and the network
– Boot the C1
– On any PC/Mac/Phone/Tablet, browse to http://volumio.local
– Configure NAS locations, Samba shares, etc,
– Add file to the playlist, sit back and listen !

First impressions

On the C1+, 192Khz/24bit FLAC/WAV files in a NAS server could play back flawlessly thanks to the 1.5Ghz quad-core processor and Gigabit Ethernet connectivity of ODROID-C1.
We could control the full features of Volumio with iPhone or Android smartphones. The Web UI does well on mobile.

Blog

Android for the Embedded System

Posted on by neal.kim

Do you want to control various GPIO/ADC/PWM/I2C/UART/1-Wire devices on Android?
Quick & Easy to make a nice GUI application with Java on Android ?
Can we call it “Embedded Android” ?

We’ve prepared 5 examples with some proper Kernel drivers for the ODROID-C1.
It is very basic and essential to learn the Embedded Android.
Note that you must update the Android OS image to enjoy below examples.

LED on GPIOs control with ADC input

PWM Duty control GUI

I2C sensor access and Display temperature, pressure, humidity, UV index, illumination and so on.

UART read/write access. You can test Tx and Rx signals.

1-wire access example can read the DS1820 sensor values from two nodes.

Source code and how-to guide are available now!
http://odroid.com/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=en:c1_enhancement_gpio40_on_android

Android OS image v1.5 for C1 is here.
http://odroid.com/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=en:c1_android_release_note_v1.5

Blog

$35 Quad core ARMv7 PC : ODROID-C1

Posted on by neal.kim
Quad Core Linux computer is now $35.00.

Don’t put up with the slow single core computer anymore.
If you are considering a tiny computer for general purpose computing, software development or as a project platform,
the ODROID-C1 will give you a lot more satisfaction and fun with incredible performance for a very low price.

* Amlogic Cortex-A5(ARMv7) 1.5Ghz quad core CPUs
* Mali-450 MP2 GPU (OpenGL ES 2.0/1.1 enabled for Linux and Android)
* 1Gbyte DDR3 SDRAM
* Gigabit Ethernet
* 40pin GPIOs
* eMMC4.5 HS200 Flash Storage slot / UHS-1 SDR50 MicroSD Card slot
* USB 2.0 Host x 4, USB OTG x 1,
* Infrared(IR) Receiver
* Ubuntu 14.04 or Android KitKat

for more detail >>

 odroid-C1.jpg
OpenGL ES and XBMC on Ubuntu
Blog

ODROID Magazine for November 2014 is now available!

Posted on by neal.kim

This month, we demonstrate how to enable virtualization on the XU3 with KVM, setup dual monitors with the XU3, install NativeBOINC, evaluate the DOSBox and Fake86 applications for DOS and X86 emulation, install Node.js and Open Media Vault, program a GPS navigation system for an unmanned ground vehicle, and much more!

– KVM Virtualization on the ODROID-XU3: A Brave New World of Computing
– Installing NativeBOINC: A Pictorial Guide
– Infographic: History of Ubuntu
– Building a BOINC Monster: 96 Cores for Only 135 Watts
– Microsoft-Free Mining with Freeminer: Now that Mojang has Set Sail for Redmond, How About An Open Source Game?
– Fake86: An Extremely Fast 8088/8086 Virtualizer
– Linux Gaming: DOSBox Emulator – Play Your Original DOS Games in HD
– Using Dual Monitors with an ODROID-XU3
– OS Spotlight: Code Monkey – Hardware and Software Developer’s All-In-One Operating System Image
– Easily Rotate Your Screen on Android: Defeat Your Virtual Enemies Without Rotating Your Entire Monitor
– Build An ODROID-Powered Off-Road Unmanned Ground Vehicle: Part 3 – GPS Navigation Programming
– Building a Weather Board Application: Create a Miniature Weather Data Collection System
– How to Install Node.js: A Modern Java-Based Web Application Platform
– Open Media Vault: Open Source Network Attached Storage for Debian GNU/Linux
– Meet an ODROIDian: Alexey Guseynov (@kibergus), Software Engineer Extraordinaire

Blog

ODROID Magazine – October Issue Available Now!

Posted on by neal.kim

This month, we show off the new ODROID-XU3, walk through setting up your Xbox 360 controllers with RetroArch, compare the performance of the PPSSPP PlayStation Portable emulator between Linux and Android, get started with building a custom Android application, find out how to use I2C with an Arduino to connect with an ODROID-U3, and much more!

6 Inter-Integrated Circuit Communication (I2C): Establishing a Connection between U3 and Arduino
9 Android Development: Creating a Custom Android Application
14 8-Bit Computing Bonanza: Have Fun Playing Your Favorite MSX Games
15 Linux Gaming: PSP Emulation Comparison Between Linux and Android
20 OS Spotlight: Quiet Giant – A Lightweight LAMP, Samba and Minecraft Server
22 ODROID-XU3: The Fastest Computer Made by Hardkernel So Far!
24 RetroArch: Configuring Xbox 360 Controllers with RetroArch v1.0.0.2+
25 Smartpower: Use and Protocol Analysis
32 All About Debian: An Epic Infographic
33 Tune Your Linux Desktop to Monitor Performance and Weather: Using Conky and Harmattan 3
7 Hardkernel at ARM TechCon 2014: Showing Off the XU3
38 Meet an ODROIDian: Bruno Doiche, Art Editor of ODROID Magazine

Blog

ODROID @ ARM TechCon 2014

Posted on by neal.kim

Please visit our booth and talk together.

Expo Hours : The ARM TechCon Expo floor is open on Wednesday, October 1, from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm, and on Thursday, october 2, from 10:30 am to 5:30pm.
Location : Santa Clara Convention Center
Booth number : #216
Conference discount code : IfINUc69

You can see and feel this demo on our booth !

2 x 1080p monitors are connected to XU3 via HDMI and DisplayPort cables. Yes, we call it “dual-head”.
A few OpenGL ES 3.0 and OpenCL demos run in parallel on Ubuntu X11 desktop.
It also shows a running Android OS on a Cortex-A15 core by KVM. Nice virtualization example!

See you soon!!

 

Blog

Find out the most latest ARM technology from ODROID Magazine, a free m…

Posted on by neal.kim
june.jpg SEPTEMBER ISSUE

– Playing Sega Games in HD 1080p: A Blast from the Past
– Linux Gaming: Playing Native Games on the ODROID – Part 1
– Building an All-In-One DIY Laptop: Take Your U3 Anywhere
– Bash Basics: Shebangs and Shebangs
– Installing Freedomotic: A Building Automation Framework
– Installing WICD: A Network Connection Manager
– 3Dponics: An Open Source ODROID-Powered Gardening System
– Wall-E: Building Your Own Robot At Home – Part 1
– Weather Forecast on the Desktop: What Chance Is There to Catch Fish Next Weekend?
– Digging (Into) the ODROID-SHOW: Part 2 – Making Connections
– Headless 10-Node ODROID-U3 Cluster: The Ultimate Affordable Home Supercomputer
– Android Development: Inside the Android APK
– Meet an ODROIDian: Tobias Schaaf, Linux Ninja and ODROID Enthusiast
june.jpg AUGUST ISSUE

– Android Development: Using the Linux Kernel – A Guide to the Android-Specific Drivers
– Mount Your Internal SD Card When Booting from eMMC in Linux
– Introducing the ODROID-W: A Miniature Raspberry Pi-Compatible Wearable Computer
– Search with Google BBS: What if Google Were Invented in the 1980’s?
– Fixing Android Overscan: A Simple App to Change the Desktop Resolution
– All About Hardkernel’s eMMC Modules: The ODROID Advantage
– Linux Kernel Compilation: Get Full Control of Your Operating System Like a Linux Jedi
– Youtube Player Alternative: Use Tampermonkey to Watch Videos
– Interesting Linux Commands Part 1: Cute Programs For Your Next Coffee Break
– ODROID-U3 vs. ODROID-U3+: The Next Generation in the ODROID-U Series
– Install a Home Web Server: Using Lighttpd and Nginx to Publish Your Websites
– Interesting Linux Commands Part 2: Cute Programs for Your Next Coffee Break
– ODROID-VU Affordable 9” USB HDMI Touch Screen: A Portable Multitouch Screen for Android, Linux and Windows
– PepperFlash Chrome Plugin for Lubuntu 14.04: An Easy Way to Watch Adobe Flash on Your ODROID Linux System
– Android Gaming: Mupen64Plus – Turn Your ODROID Into a Nintendo 64 Retro Gaming Console
– IO Shield Demystified: How to Create an Intermediary Between the Hardware and the Human
– Digging (Into) the ODROID-SHOW: Unlock the Arduino Hardware’s Full Potential
– OS Spotlight: Pocket Rocket and Couch Potato – Android 4.x Prebuilt Images for the Ultimate Set-Top Box, Now Available in KitKat
– Meet an ODROIDian: Bo Lechnowsky, Expert Maker and Inspirational Inventor
june.jpg JULY ISSUE  

– High Performance Computing at Home: Cluster User and File Management
– Bash Bang! Because Command Line Never Gets Out of Fashion
– Find What You Need With Grep: The Quick Way to Look for Content
– Using Xbox 360 Controllers with Android: Configure Them With Retroarch and Play Thousands of Games
– Convert an OS Image to Run on an ODROID-XU: Upgrade Your Linux Software to Match Your Shiny New Hardware
– Control Your Bandwidth: Know Your Interface I/O Status
– Security: Control Your User Access
– OS Spotlight: GameStation Turbo, An Inside View of the Popular Gaming and Media Center Image
– Fractal Generators For Linux
– Portable Solar Computing: Power Your ODROID Using Free Energy From the Sun
– Building Native Android Applications with Red: Part 2 – Compiling an Android App
– Easy ODROID-X/X2 Dual Boot Switch: Boot From Android or Linux with a Flick of a Button
– Liquid Cooled ODROID-XU
– Remote Desktop for ODROID-U3: Using VNC & XRDP Protocols
– ODROID Powered Off-Road Unmanned Ground Vehicle! Part 2: Interfacing with Motors and Sensors
– Change Your Heartbeat: Controlling the Alive LED on the U3
– ODROID Weather Board: Intelligent Weather Monitoring on Your ODROID
– Meet an ODROIDian: Denis Odintsov (@Oversun), Black Belt Programmer and XBMC Expert
june.jpg JUNE ISSUE  

– Programming Your ODROID-SHOW: Using the Rebol Programming Language to Improve the Hardware Interface
– Recompiling Mali Drivers: Updating to the Latest Release (R4P0-00Rel1)
– Got Wiimote? Make Yourself An Awesome Gyroscopic Mouse
– Package Your Compiled Software for Installation: Compiling Doom – Part 2
– Describing the Mathematical Function Atan2: A Useful Tool For Programming Applications That Require Real-Time Trigonometry
– Framebuffer Terminal Console For Those Gui-Less Moments
– Installing Mathematical Tools From the Ubuntu Software Center: Create Beautiful 3D Graphs For Your Office and Impress Your Colleagues
– Android Image Files: A Peek Into the Compressed Files That Make Android Portable and Lightweight
– Resizing Android Partitions: Make Full Use Of Your Large SD Card Or eMMC
– Quick Pictorial Guide For Resizing An Android SD or eMMC
– How to Feed Your Cat Over the Internet: A Guide For Attaching Step Motors to the ODROID-U3
– Make a Custom Lego Case For Your U3
– How to Enable Multi-Channel Audio Output with XBMC: Using the USB-S/PDIF Peripheral to Deliver Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
– Travel Back in Time with Telnet: Dust Off That Old 1200 Baud Modem
– OS Spotlight: Dream Machine and Whisper
– Meet An ODROIDian: Ruppi Kim, One of the Founding Members of Hardkernel
may.jpg MAY ISSUE  

– Android Booting Process: Understand the Innards of How Your ODROID Boots Up to Android

– Pipe Viewer: Get More Interactive With Your Data Progress Tools
– The Force is Strong with Traceroute
– How to Compile Doom on Your ODROID: Play this Timeless Classic Custom Compiled for Your Machine
– Recompile the Mali Video Drivers: Fixing the “Blank Screen” and “Slow Windows” Issues when Upgrading to Ubuntu 14.04
– 2 Systems, 1 ODROID, Pure Fun! How to Make a Dual Boot System with Android and Ubuntu
– Getting Started with Your ODROID: How to Copy an Image File to an SD Card or eMMC
– Get Yourself a Little More Personality on Your Sudo
– Find Your Larger Files on Your Directory
– Split a Huge File
– On the Thermal Behavior of ODROIDs: The Performance Difference Between the XU and U3 in Greater Detail
– Indiegogo Campaign Promises ODROID Compatibility With Stretch Goal
– ODROID-SHOW: A Powerful Mini LCD Screen for the U3
– ODROID-UPS Kit: The Zero-Downtime Solution For the Rest Of Us
– OS Spotlight: Fully Loaded Ubuntu 12.11 With Unity 2D Desktop Environment
– Monitor Your Linux with Nmon
– Build an ODROID-Powered Off-Road Unmanned Ground Vehicle: Part 1 – Overview, Platform Assembly, and Power Distribution
– Meet an ODROIDian: Simone (@Sert00), A Long-Time ODROID Enthusiast and Helpful Computer Expert
apr.jpg
APRIL ISSUE 

– Build Android on ODROID-U3: From Scratch to Smash, Take Total Control of Your Android System
– Shairport: Turn Your ODROID to an iTunes Airport Audio Station
– Portable Image Backup: Creating a Recovery File for Your Favorite Operating System
– Rename Your Files from Uppercase to Lowercase in One Command Line
– Protected Yourself from Superuser Accidents
– Build Your Own Ubuntu From Scratch: Using Linaro’s RootFS To Compile Linux Like a Pro!
– How to Install the Oracle Java Development Kit (JDK) Version 8: Save Time with Java’s “Code Once, Run Anywhere” Architecture
– Using ODROIDs in High Performance Computing: What a Difference a Kernel Makes
– Android Gaming: Vector, Parkour Packed Action
– How to Setup a Minecraft Server: Creeeepers!
– Download Youtube Videos to Watch Offline
– Create a Papercraft Doll to Go Alongside Your Minecraft Server
– Learn Rebol: Writing More Useful Programs with Amazingly Small and Easy-To-Understand Code
– Be Heard With Ubercaster: A Real-Time Audio Broadcaster Hotspot
– ODROID-U3 I2C Communication: Inter-Integrated Circuits for the Rest Of Us
– Heavy-Duty Portable Linux Tablet with LTE Router
– How I Built a Truck PC with my ODROID: Nevermind the Products on the Market, Get the Most Bang for Your Buck!
– Meet an ODROIDian: Marian Mihailescu One of Our Top Forum Contributors
mar.jpg
MARCH ISSUE

– Booting a Linux Distribution from an External USB Drive: The most popular article request from our user forums
– Use Your ODROID as a Playstation 3 Media Server: Chill Out in Style Between Gaming Sessions
– Android Development: Inspecting the Android Source Code Under a Microscope
– Keep Your ODROIDs Up To Date: Don’t Miss the Chance to be Running the Latest and Greatest Kernel Release
– High Performance Computing in the Home: Setting up an HPC Head Node
– Flappy Bird: Installing the Original Game
– How to Know When Your Cat is Napping: A Guide for Attaching Sensors to the ODROID-XU
– Ubuntu 14.04 Trusty Tahr: Now Available for the ODROID Platform!
– Learn Rebol: Writing More Useful Programs with Amazingly Small and Easy-To-Understand Programs
– Learn Red: The Next Evolution of Rebol – Part 1
– Web Development with Code Monkey and Quiet Giant: Using ODROIDs to Build a Successful Business
– Reboot Your Ubuntu after Installing CPUFreq
– Resize Your Partition
– Meet an ODROIDian: Rob Roy, Chief Editor of ODROID Magazine
feb.jpg
FEBRUARY ISSUE

– Converting a Monitor to a Giant Android Tablet
– Installing Android on an ODROID: The Mad Scientist Chronicles Continue
– High Performance Computing in the Home: Compute Like You Never Did Before
– Fine-Grained Power Control on ODROID Clusters: 24 High Performance Cores for 35 Watts
– USB Gadget Drivers: Make Your ODROID Communicate with Your Oldschool PC
– Linux Gaming on ODROID: The Right System for Your Games
– Estimating Radio Network Interference With Multi-threaded Java
– Vi/Vim Graphical Cheat Sheet
– How to Install Rebol: A Beginner’s Guide
– Programming with Rebol: Reducing Complexity in Development
– I/O Shield Access: Using the C/C++ Language for ODROID-U3
– Using an ODROID-XU as a WiFi Router: Get to 802.11AC With Style
– The Art of Multi-boxing: 1080p Home Media Center Using Pocket Rocket and Whisper
– Meet an ODROIDian: Mauro Ribeiro, the Software Genius Behind ODROID’s Linux Kernels
jan.jpg
JANUARY ISSUE

– Getting Started with the ODROID-U3
– Using ODROIDs in High Performance Computing (HPC): ARM Head and Shoulders Above the Competition
– Installing an OS on an ODROID: Chronicles of a Mad Scientist
– Linux Gaming on ODROID: The Next Evolution in Gaming
– Using ODROIDs in Commercial Applications of High Performance Computing (HPC)
– Real-Time Mobile Eye Tracking on the ODROID Development Platform
– Running Linux Programs Under Android: A Guide to Linux Chroot
– IO Ports on ODROID-U3: Get Started with Tinkering
– On the Performance of SD Cards: Know More About Your Storage Options
– Playing Youtube Content on Linux
– ODROID-U3 vs. ODROID-U2: Check the Difference from the Last Year Hardware
– ODROID-U3 vs. Raspberry Pi: Need More Bang for Your Buck? U3 Will Get You There!
– Meet an ODROIDian: A Personal One-On-One With Justin Lee, CEO of Hardkernel
Blog

Android KitKat 4.4 for ODROIDs

Posted on by neal.kim

Thanks for the long waiting. We have released Android KitKat 4.4 for ODROIDs.

ODROID-U3/U2 : http://com.odroid.com/sigong/nf_file_board/nfile_board_view.php?keyword=&tag=&bid=214

– Android 4.4.2 KitKat AOSP (Build ID : KOT49H), API Level 19
– Kernel 3.0.51
– Mali400 GPU Driver version r3p1-01rel1 is merged
– Android RenderScript API support (high-performance computation across heterogeneous processors)
– 2D acceleration Driver for the Google Maps compatibility
– WiFi RTL8188CUS & RTL8191SU chipset support
– Ethernet LAN9730 chipset support
– USB GPS support
– USB HID Touchscreen support
– ODROID Utility to set the CPU governor and HDMI resolution
– Mouse “right-click to ESC” and “wheel to zoom” mapping
– USB Webcam(UVC) support

ODROID-XU series : http://com.odroid.com/sigong/nf_file_board/nfile_board_view.php?keyword=&tag=&bid=213

– Android 4.4.2 KitKat AOSP (Build ID : KOT49H), API Level 19
– Kernel 3.4.5
– OpenGL ES 1.1/2.0 (GPU acceleration)
– OpenCL 1.1 EP (GPU acceleration)
– Android RenderScript API support (high-performance computation across heterogeneous processors)
– 2D acceleration bug is fixed. Google Maps is working now.
– Mouse “right-click to ESC” and “wheel to zoom” mapping
– On board Ethernet and external USB 3.0 Gigabit Ethernet support
– RTL8188CUS and RTL8191SU Wireless USB dongle support

ODROID-X/X2 : Please wait one more week. We will update the link next week.

If you have any question, ODROID community is always open. http://forum.odroid.com/