[Hedda]

Hardkernel just announced the "ODROID-C1" which is a $35 Development Board powered by AMLogic S805 SoC with Quad-Core Cortex-A5 (ARMv7) ARM CPU @ 1.5GHz :

www.hardkernel.com/main/products/prdt_info.php?g_code=G141578608433&tab_idx=1
http://odroid.com/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=en:odroid-c1
https://github.com/hardkernel/

Could this be the Raspberry Pi killer that many of us tinkers have been looking for that match its price and have much better performance and more RAM-memory?

http://magazine.odroid.com/assets/201412...201412.pdf

At least that what Hardkernel looks to be aiming for judging by the all the comparing they do of ODROID-C1 with the Raspberry Pi.



http://www.cnx-software.com/2014/12/10/h...processor/

Hardkernel ODROID-C1 is a $35 Development Board Powered by Amlogic S805 Quad Core Processor

Amlogic S805 is a quad core Cortex A5 processor which has found it way into low cost devices such as MK808B Plus TV Stick which can be purchased for as low as $30, or full-sized TV box such as MXQ S85 or MINIX NEO X6. All this low cost devices are nice, but the full source code is not available in your want to adapt them to your need. Luckily, Amlogic releases both an Android SDK, and a buildroot for Linux with GPU and Video Processing Unit (VPU) support, so Hardkernel decided to go ahead, designed a board, and has just launched ODROID-C1 quad core development board for just $35, or the exact price of a Raspberry Pi Model B+, but with much greater specs.
ODROID-C1 Board Description



ODROID-C1 specifications:

• SoC- Amlogic S805 Quad Core ARM Cortex-A5 processor with a Dual Core Mali-450MP GPU
  
• System Memory – 1GBe DDR3 (2x Samsung K4B4G1646D)
  
• Storage – eMMC module socket for 8GB/64GB Toshiba eMMC, or 16GB/32GB Sandisk iNAND Extreme, and micro SD slot (UHS-1 SD models supported)
  
• Video & Audio Output – micro HDMI port
  
• Connectivity – Gigabit Ethernet (Realtek RTL8211F)
  
• USB – 4x USB 2.0 host ports (via GENESYS LOGIC GL852G), 1x micro USB OTG port (Cannot be used for power input)
  
• Expansion Headers – 40-pin Raspberry Pi (mostly) compatible header with GPIO, I2C, SPI, UART, and ADC.
  
• Debugging – Serial console header (3.3V)
  
• Misc – 4x Status / Power LEDS, IR receiver, RTC + RTC battery header, solder pads for power switch, boot media selector
  
• Power Supply – 5V/2A DC input (2.5/0.8mm barrel). Typical power consumption: 0.5A @ 5V, up to 2A @ 5V with several USB peripherals.
  
• Dimensions – 85 x 56mm (Same dimensions as Raspberry Pi Model B+)
  
• Weight – 40 gram

It’s the first S805 device I see that actually uses a Gigabit Ethernet port, so that’s good news. You can boot the system from eMMC or micro SD card, using the boot media selector (Open: eMMC, Closed: SD card).



The company will provide images for Ubuntu 14.04 or Android 4.4 KitKat with Linux 3.10. The source code for U-Boot/Linux will be released on December 15, but the Android source code will take a little longer due to license issues, and is expected for February. WiringPi v2 library used to control I/O in the Raspberry Pi with Python or C/C++, has been ported to ODROID-C1. Further information such an expansion header pinout, and instructions to build u-boot can be found on ODROID-C1 Wiki, which is still under construction. The schematics (PDF) and mechanical drawings have also been released.

What makes this platform existing, beside its attractive pricing and source code availability, is Ubuntu support with proper OpenGL ES and video hardware decoding support, which is showcased in the video below in Kodi 14 Helix running in Ubuntu 14.04.

ODROID-C1 is available for pre-order for $35 on Hardkernel website with shipping scheduled for December 16, but if you are based in North America or Europe, you should be better off purchasing from respectively Ameridroid or Pollin Electonic. [Update: Based on comments shipping is only $9]. You’ll also need to purchase storage for booting either from Hardkernel or its distributors which sells 8, 16, 32 and 64GB eMMC modules, or 8 to 16GB UHS-1 micro SD cards preloaded with Android 4.4 or Ubuntu 14.04, or buy it one locally, just make sure you don’t buy the cheapest micro SD card, get at least a Class 10 or UHS-1 micro SD, or your ODROID-C1 will feel as slow, or even slower, than a Raspberry Pi. Further details can also be found in ODROID magazine December 2014 (PDF) including a performance and specs comparison between ODROID-C1 and Raspberry Pi Model B+.

[Jönke]

Maybe if will do true 23,976 fps output (not only 24hz)
Dont know if amlogic supports that on linux ?

[Hedda]

Maybe if will do true 23,976 fps output (not only 24hz)
Dont know if amlogic supports that on linux ?

SoC hardware probably support more output modes but pretty sure that the current drivers and software images only supports 24, 25, 30, 50, and 60 Hz output.


Minix claim to supports true 23,976 output for Android on their latest AMLogic devices with a new beta firmware with a custom kernel

http://www.minixforum.com/forums/neo-x8-...leases.19/

Also checkout this discussion on the OpenELEC forum where they mention 23,976 output running in Linux with XBMC/Kodi on other AMLogic S805 based hardware

http://openelec.tv/forum/90-miscellaneou...d-core-stb


Anyway, I don't think that you can have as high demands on features of a $35 development board as that of a $150 NUC or Chromebook computer as a HTPC.

It is not a fair comparison as you of course have to consider the price first when comparing two products, even if getting more for less is an awesome feeling!


Would suggest that you and others contact Hardkernel or at least post on their community forums if that really is an important feature for the masses.

Aas with any for profit product if the commercial demand is high enough from customers then manufacturer might be able be able to get AMLogic add it.

[noggin]

Anyway, I don't think that you can have as high demands on features of a $35 development board as that of a $150 NUC or Chromebook computer as a HTPC.

Doesn't the Raspberry Pi output 23.976Hz ? If so it's comparing two $35 boards ? Or is the Pi also fixed at 24p?

My big unanswered question for the C1 - which looks really interesting - is what de-interlacing (if any) it does. The Pi is also quite unusual in low-cost solutions in that it does a reasonable 50i to 50p de-interlace for both 576i and 1080i sources, which is great for Live TV and interlaced DVD/Blu-ray content.

Actually I have a second one. Does it do 5.1 PCM multichannel and/or HD Audio bitstreamed? (The Pi does the former not the latter)

[Jönke]

Yes the Rpi does 23,976 perfect so of course do i want this to work here to.
I know mini x supports 23,976 on android but there is no Openelec build for mini x so i cant try. On Openelec builds for m8 there is only 24hz , no 23,976.

[invisable]

This looks interesting, especially for the money, I wonder if it supports HD audio and has CEC, if it does I see this a cheaper alternative then then the cuboxi.

[calev]

This would make a great file server.

[noggin]

This looks interesting, especially for the money, I wonder if it supports HD audio and has CEC, if it does I see this a cheaper alternative then then the cuboxi.

Yep - if it supports the following it could be perfect.

23.976Hz/59.94Hz support
De-interlacing of 50i to 50p/59.94i to 59.94p
Dynamic Refresh Rate Switching
CEC
PCM Multichannel Audio
HD Audio Bitstreaming


The Pi does the first 5 but not that important final one. If the C1 does all of them, and with Open Source software, it's very interesting indeed.

Even if it doesn't - having GigE and a faster CPU would make it very interesting as a TV Headend server. The Pi is limited by Ethernet and DVB- tuners sharing the same USB2 bus (as the Pi's Ethernet is on USB2)

[Hedda]

Didn't the Linux images for Pivos XIOS DS as well as J1nx and his friends also support for hardware de-interlacing on AMLogic devices?

https://github.com/J1nx-Hackable-Gadgets
https://github.com/CoreTech-Development
https://github.com/codesnake

https://github.com/Stane1983

https://github.com/Pivosgroup


Who knowns, they might be working on 23,976 support too, for more information checkout this thread on the XDA Developers forum:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthre...?t=2418029

CNX Software also have several guides on how to download, build, and boot your own Linux kernel for AMLogic Android and Linux
http://www.cnx-software.com/tag/amlogic/


Otherwise the official Amlogic OpenLinux pages is your friend:
http://openlinux.amlogic.com
http://openlinux.amlogic.com:8000/download/ARM/
http://openlinux.amlogic.com:8000/download/ARM/kernel/

[noggin]

Yep - there was hardware de-interlacing on some AMLogic devices, wasn't sure it applied to all VPU/GPU combos. (In some devices the de-interlacing is in GPU, in others the VPU I believe?)

[dschmelzer]

According to the following post on ODROID's forum, it does have CEC. Also, h.265 @ 1080p hardware decoding.

http://forum.odroid.com/viewtopic.php?f=...479#p58825

Oddly, Amlogic's web site appears to indicate that gigabit ethernet is not supported by the s805 board. But ODROID is advertising gigabit ethernet.

http://www.amlogic.com/product05.htm

Would be interested in knowing how MPEG-2 @ 1080i/p would be decoded.

[buckslayr]

Does anyone know if Kodi can be installed on the android version? Is it like a normal android install?

[noggin]

According to the following post on ODROID's forum, it does have CEC. Also, h.265 @ 1080p hardware decoding.

http://forum.odroid.com/viewtopic.php?f=...479#p58825

Oddly, Amlogic's web site appears to indicate that gigabit ethernet is not supported by the s805 board. But ODROID is advertising gigabit ethernet.

http://www.amlogic.com/product05.htm

Would be interested in knowing how MPEG-2 @ 1080i/p would be decoded.

WRT to GigE. Looking at the ODroid PCB there is a separate chip labelled for GigE - so presumably they have implemented it externally independently of any Ethernet built in to the S805? (I assume there is a high speed bus they are using to connect the two?)

[Milhouse]

There's an ODROID Magazine (pdf) article comparing the C1 and Pi, which claims the C1 is capable of achieving network performance of very nearly 600Mbits/s in an iperf test.

I'd be very interested in the C1 as a headless Debian "server", however the huge advantage of the Pi is the very active community and decent OS/kernel/firmware support which seems lacking by comparison at HardKernel. May still be worth a punt though, particularly when it becomes available in Europe.

[Ned Scott]

I hate it when people try to be a "Pi killer". There are reasons for going with a Pi, and there are reasons for going with other stuff, and not everything has to be "better".

That being said, the ODROID-C1, on it's own and not comparing it to any Pi-like-context, looks to be really nice. Hardkernel makes some awesome stuff, and I'm sure this will be a fantastic little board for running Kodi.

Just wish they had full-sized HDMI and lined up the microUSB and HDMI ports so people can reuse Pi B+ cases (why else make it Pi-shaped?).