Will there be usable GPIO?

[scippie]

Suddenly my job turned around a bit and I went from application software developer to hardware/firmware developer too.

It would be great if the Pyra could be used as a (high-frequency?) measuring device for analog and digital signals.

Will the Pyra have some kind of useful inputs (at acceptable quality and speed) for testing electronics?

 

[slaeshjag]

Depends on what "high-speed" is.
External high-speed interfaces on connectors in the back, you will have eSATA and USB3 OTG on hands, and that's about it. GPIO generally isn't that fast anyway. There's the USB2 logic analysers that can do what, 8 channels at 25 MSps? for 10 dollars from china, those will probably work fine with all opensource software. But when it comes to pure GPIO... hns supposidely have a reputation of never breaking out spare GPIO and the like, so I wouldn't expect anything exposed from the SoC. Preliminary schematics did float around here a while ago, you probably want to look for them to see for yourself.

High-speed data capture is sadly something that is really expensive to get into.

 

[directive0]

I think in this case you're better off getting a stand alone logic analyzer. I keep hoping maybe someone will port the software for the DS Logic Pro to the pandora. That would be awesome.

 

[TrashyMG]

I think in this case you're better off getting a stand alone logic analyzer. I keep hoping maybe someone will port the software for the DS Logic Pro to the pandora. That would be awesome.

Well the "ubuntu" download is just the source code for DSView and the supporting libraries. I could give it a go sometime. The DSLogic Pro has been something I've been eyeing to get.

 

[directive0]

I bought a shoddy cut-rate version off Massdrop. Don't fall for it like I did without acknowledging the following; It works great but it doesn't have the same hardware connector so I can't use any of the addons.

I've been dying to integrate it into more of my hobby projects but I just can't justify moving a big laptop to my electronics bench. The Pandora would be IDEAL. Please do try if you find the time. I would be in your debt!

 

[Bernd]

Even if there would be GPIO's at the Pyra, I wouldn't dare to use them vor electronic testing.
The risk of frying the Pyra would be to high.

For testing an osciloscope / data logger is much better.
Rigol have some good entry level osciloscopes which are nice and hackable.

The Pyra is optimal to automate the measurements with an osciloscope, log the measurements, drive the data logger, send programs to the mikrocontroller,...
And all this absolute isolated from ground.