Able to upgrade not just the speed but manufacturer of CPU?

[second exodous]

I'm just wondering if down the road we decide to use a CPU from another manufacturer would it be possible or are we locked into what Ti makes in the future?

I'm not asking to use a x86 or MIPS, just a different ARM CPU like one from nVidia or Qualcomm provided it doesn't get to warm or uses to much power.

 

[Wrath Of Khan]

I take it it you mean "Are we locked into what Ti make in the future?

 

[Ted]

I'm just wondering if down the road we decide to use a CPU from another manufacturer would it be possible or are we locked into what To makes in the future?

I'm not asking to use a x86 or MIPS, just a different ARM CPU like one from nVidia or Qualcomm provided it doesn't get to warm or uses to much power.

Great, I like Nvidia Tegra K1.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[Eight Bit]

I don't think so, the main board which holds all peripherals like storage keyboard, wi-fi and the likes just interfaces with the cpu board which is the actual computer afaik.
I guess it could be anything as long as it fits on the board and the appropriate traces from the soc go to the appropriate interface lines... right?

 

[Caine]

Yes, but sourcing processors from those companies was unsuccessful in the past. This was due to e.g. the inability to meet the Minimum Order Quantity (MoQ).

 

[rygD]

I am pretty sure that is why it was designed like that, to allow more flexibility with future upgrades.
@Caine beat me to it.

 

[second exodous]

I remember ED going to Qualcomm and nVidia and not having much success I was just wondering if we can use a chip from another manufacturer or not. Is the Pyra locked into upgrades of Ti chips?

 

[TrashyMG]

Great, I like Nvidia Tegra K1.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

Nvidia outrightly refused to work with Evildragon... So I doubt they would have a change of heart any time soon.

 

[Caine]

Is the Pyra locked into upgrades of Ti chips?

No it is not. In theory we could even switch to ATOM, though that seems unlikely given that Intel stopped that line.

 

[TrashyMG]

Is the Pyra locked into upgrades of Ti chips?

No, it's the whole point of the modular design.

 

[Wally]

I wonder if many people actually do research before deciding to hit "submit post"

Perhaps the FAQ needs to be updated..

 

[Ted]

Nvidia outrightly refused to work with Evildragon... So I doubt they would have a change of heart any time soon.

It a shame.
How about get a batch of refurbished CPU from the recalled shield tablet? Due to the battery issue, there are many shield tablets had been recalled previously.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[levi]

Hopefully qualcomm will see, once real units are out there with replaceable CPU boards that there is a market for their chips there. There seem to be one or two interested employees already, but I guess progress keeps getting nixed once it gets further up the chain. Maybe even other companies will take notice once youtube videos start popping up of released units.

 

[TrashyMG]

How about get a batch of refurbished CPU from the recalled shield tablet? Due to the battery issue, there are many shield tablets had been recalled previously.

The issue is the details of their SoCs are closed, without Nvidia sharing the information, there is no way to develop a CPU board. It's also not likely there will be any of these SoC readily available to buy.

 

[Djhg2000]

It a shame.
How about get a batch of refurbished CPU from the recalled shield tablet? Due to the battery issue, there are many shield tablets had been recalled previously.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

You could set the difficulty to "Mental" (Croteam fans will know what I mean) and follow these steps:

1. Get a recalled tablet through eBay
2. Open it up and carefully trace out the pins from the CPU (you will need this information in step 4)
3. Desolder the BGA
4. Manually trace out a new CPU board for the Pyra in a monochrome bitmap
5. Print the layout on an inkjet and etch the board
6. Solder the CPU to your board (important step!)
7. Drop it in your Pyra
8. Install the nouveau driver
9. This step is an excercise for the reader
10. Profit

 

[ible]

speaking of nvidia and gpus and what not.

what sorts of embedded CPU+GPU combos actually have decent linux support? (not necessarily an open-source driver, even a closed source binary that works well with linux?)

 

[Faust]

No it is not. In theory we could even switch to ATOM, though that seems unlikely given that Intel stopped that line.

Actually Intel stopped to make arm mobile chip, LTE, and new iteration of the atom, but they will still sell the current one.

Edit : http://www.computerworld.com/articl...on-despite-smartphone-chip-cancellations.html

So maybe with some luck Intel would accept to sell the current Atom Chips in small quantity to ED.

 

[Klumpen]

The OMAP doesn't get much love here atm.
Maybe you should all just wait and see how it's doing in actual usage.

 

[LoopStar]

One thing to keep in mind about x86 CPUs: you'd still need a BIOS. In one of the older threads ED said that they'd need to write their own since the off-the-shelf modules from Intel would be too big (check here). I don't know if that's still valid with the Cherry Trail CPUs, but I'd be surprised if that problem has vanished into thin air within the last two years. So unless ED & Nikolaus have been cooking up something in their Seckrit Lab it'll take quite some time & effort until a x86 CPU board will be available. Until then I'm pretty sure the OMAP5 will do the job.

 

[Faust]

One thing to keep in mind about x86 CPUs: you'd still need a BIOS. In one of the older threads ED said that they'd need to write their own since the of-the-shelf modules from Intel would be too big (check here). I don't know if that's still valid with the Cherry Trail CPUs, but I'd be surprised if that problem has vanished into thin air within the last two years. So unless ED & Nikolaus have been cooking up something in their Seckrit Lab it'll take quite some time & effort until a x86 CPU board will be available. Until then I'm pretty sure the OMAP5 will do the job.

If someday ED plans to release a x86 module, we can still try to ask if GPD would willing to release is own one.