About Embedded Mini-itx Computer Inside Robots

Question

I was thinking about embedding a computer inside the robot, my concerns are: how do you operate it without a screen? for example if i were putting it inside an R2D2 or WALL-E robot that don't need a screen. Do you all plug in a screen every time you turn it on?

Which mini-itx board/system? i know about the DELL FX160 $40 but then i gotta buy rams, hdd, usb wifi/bluetooth/sound card, which adds up. Looking for the cheapest solution that runs decent and compatible with Windows 7 if possible for speech recognition. Already have a SSD on hand.

Thanks

Algeraist · Answer

the screen issue is easy to solve just use any remote desktop program and control it from another computer. I like splashtop HD it also works with my phone and tablet. There is no need to open ports in your router even if you want to remote in for outside your network.

jstarne1 · Answer

For 50-70 you can get a very small.video transmitter to plug it to your LCD tv/monitor, also get a bluetooth 30ft range mouse and keyboard and its super easy to make changes to your robot , that's what I've done , programming takes time and trial and error you will be way more productive with a direct connection , save remote desktop from a android phone for when your trying to show it off at a convention or impress friends which is AFTER much trial and error.  https://store.mp3car.com/Intel_D410PT_Intel_Desktop_Board_With_integrated_I_p/mtb-064.htm This is a brand new board from reputable company , 55 bucks , just add cheap drive and ram , and 12v pico power supply.

DJ Sures · Answer

I use VNC (https://www.realvnc.com/) it is better than remote desktop because you get the actual screen. Also, most Mini ITX motherboards have a video composite output - so you can connect a small LCD screen to it.

jstarne1 · Answer

I used real vnc for android once worked great.

Louis T · Answer

Thank you everyone! @jstarne1 is that board better than Dell FX160? seen FX160 on eBay for less than $30 w/free shipping at time. @DJ That's awesome, i already have a HP Touchpad hacked with android ICS

jstarne1 · Answer

Yes , DO NOT GET that Dell board , Dell loves charging for drivers, this board has connections for hard drive , more ram and faster ram , beefy processor (larger cache) , I'm not claiming its good as my Asus AMD am3 board but it will serve its purpose better than that Dell , that Dell though its cheaper apparently was not made to boot.from hard drive , it had embedded 512mb ram for the OS so I found later its not ideal , it was my fault for overlooking that. If you want to spend a little more for more horsepower and future upgradeable options , its 79.99 for AMD fusion 1.0ghz or 119.99 w free shipping for AMD fusion 1.8ghz clockable to 2.0 GHz which far outperforms the atom series on the 55 dollar board. https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131843

Louis T · Answer

Ok i'm not getting the Dell board knowing that it can't use SSD and low RAM, im looking out for a few more options, not in a hurry getting one just yet. Just making plan for next project. Thanks

DJ Sures · Answer

There are eBay search links on this page: https://synthiam.com/Tutorials/Hardware.aspx?id=19 It's what i use to locate mini itx boards. They can be very cheap. And booting of SSD is slow, but with lots of ram - it is okay. I would suggest Compact Flash, if you can justify it. For some reason Compact Flash is expensive even though it is a thousand years old - oh well. Or, even better is a small cheap solid state. https://www.memoryexpress.com is down the street from my house, and they have good deals on solid state

Louis T · Answer

DJ...you're kidding right? SSD is the fastest drive on the market, don't think any Compact Flash or the fastest HDD can top it. I have 3 crucial M4 128GB, all my desktop boots to desktop screen in less than 30 seconds. Never heard of SSD being slow before

jstarne1 · Answer

@louis sdhd is what he meant , that's when you use a compact flash , sd card or USB thumbdrive as your bootable drive where your os is installed , your average card is slow as molasses. There are much faster class 10 sd cards and faster compact flash but in performance terms you are right Louis , however he's talking about cheap. I have 450 dollars in my mini board before I bought my video card ,because I want best I could fit in a small package with lower mobile class current draw. For someone on a budget 100 bucks for a working mini OTC to make their bot independent and autonomous is excellent , its even less than ezb itself! Lol

Louis T · Answer

I thought thats what he meant too but I've never heard of SDHD, did you mean SDHC? Can be confusing sometime with all these different formats. I still think its too slow to boot OS even class 10 Sandisk Extreme SD card. Sure i love to get a fully working mini itx pc for $100 but i don't know which board i should get and what ram, i think all i need is a board w/cpu, rams, and pico 12v psu, i have a SSD to use.

jstarne1 · Answer

Let me ask this whats your short and long term plans for the bot? If its simple , just a few sensors maybe 4 to 6 servos buy the 55 dollar board I picked out for you , if you want it to be a bit faster and have the data faster connection for your SSD , grab the 79 dollar AMD board I picked out for you , personally I recommend the 79 dollar board , its 25 more but shipping is free and out performs the cheaper one you will make better use of your SSD, get 4gig ram of whatever the board calls for for best performance , viualaals , mini pc f 100 bucks fr you man

sfoy · Answer

I got this one from newegg. 1.6ghz embedded CPU and will take up to 16gb of ram.

jstarne1 · Answer

Lol wows , 16gb ram for that CPU , overkill for sure. The Hudson is a nice chipset and has double the benchmarks of the much older Atom 1.6ghz . What are you using it for sam? Going to do a omni?

sfoy · Answer

OK but you can't laugh.... I'm doing a franken bot. He's gonna be a hearoid omni body, robosapien torso and ottobot head. Already starting on the robosapien part. He's the sharper image chrome one so I am thinking of black and chrome. IDK He's gonna be my leaf bot. My minion was fun but he has too many limitations with his design. It was more important that it look like a minion for me. Now I need something that functions. Plus everyone is getting tired of hearing my ideas so I need someone to talk to. :o) JK but seriously. Sigh....... I am looking at touch screens.

jstarne1 · Answer

Leaf? So no ezb?

sfoy · Answer

Yeah... Thomas has it working

jstarne1 · Answer

Who is Thomas? Well you have my email and phone

sfoy · Answer

I do not recall exact handle on here but Thomas is the Robots & Androids guy. He in on here. I did not email but did text you earlier.... no response. See I need my robot companion.

jstarne1 · Answer

Oh I didn't get it , email me kandyred@ gmail . Com and give it.number maybe I saved it wrong

Louis T · Answer

@jstarne1 I like it to me a bit more advance, medium size bot 2-3ft tall, has lots of sensors, DOF, autonomous, etc. I just might grab that $79 board, actually shipping is $7, not free. What kind of PSU do i need? isn't this a better deal? same price, has 2.13Ghz dual core, ram only up to 4GB, but i think that's enough for just running ARC. www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157308

jstarne1 · Answer

The reason why it was free shipping was free shipping on orders over 100 , by the time you bought your ram , I haven't used that board but specs are cool.

Louis T · Answer

I shop at Newegg a lot, they don't give free shipping on orders over $100. Free shipping are usually offered on a particular product no matter how much your order is, you still get charge shipping for the item that has shipping charge. Thanks for all the suggestions!

jstarne1 · Answer

You will want a pico 160 watt , there are 90 watt models but.you want to have wiggle room for your drive , USB devices , maybe a DVD drive so I would go for a 160 watt , they are on mp3car.com or eBay.

Louis T · Answer

Thanks again

Randy · Answer

I am currently using a laptop but would like to use a mini-ITX. However, I want the script to automatically run at boot up; can this be done? I would only want to have a button for stopping and starting the script, very simple user interface, do not want a screen, do not want a keyboard. Has anyone done this?

sfoy · Answer

Hi Randy,

Now just to clarify are you talking about EZ-B running at start-up? This is something I want to do as well. I know a few people have been working on this and the bug has even been put in DJ's ear. I am not sure if he's working on it or not but I think eventually someone will work it out.

I will start a thread specifically for this. Maybe someone has done it already.

Samantha

Randy · Answer

My app is a simple talking figure that just repeats over and over. I'm not sure I even need a computer at all. Is there a way to maybe capture to memory (record) the serial data for my script and then have a stand alone serial transmitter over bluetooth perform the function of the laptop? sort of like a repeater but using previously recorded serial data as the input...

sfoy · Answer

Probably but this is out of my realm of expertise.

DJ Sures · Answer

@Louis I was mistaken in my terminology. I was referring to SHDC .. Or what ever that is called - the SD cards used in cameras and such. It's very slow compared to compact flash.

SSD drives are very fast, yes. I was not thinking straight I use SSD in all of my computers. Without SSD drives, i would never be able to live with compiling ARC and the EZ-SDK... Which would take 60 seconds on my I7 extreme with a regular hard drive. It takes 30 seconds or more with SSD

jstarne1 · Answer

Yea you would pull your hair out in that extra 30 seconds lol, did you always use a fast machine like.that or did.you let it drive you nuts till you built something better?

Louis T · Answer

@DJ Yes i figured that's what you meant. lol at your 30 extra seconds, but you need all the time you need right.

DJ Sures · Answer

The 30 seconds is killed when you hit compile, and realize there's a mistake. You have to wait a minute for the compile to complete before you can type again

JT · Answer

"...when you hit compile, and realize there's a mistake." OMG. Did DJ just say he makes mistakes?!? I don't believe it for a second.

Danger! · Answer

Here is an option for a monitor It would be a little small for programing, but if you had the computer all set up, it would be big enough to boot up and keep track of what is going on. It seems that they are out of stock at the moment, but they were only about $80.00.

sfoy · Answer

I got his monitor, haven't hooked it up yet. Monitor $29 isn't bad. It's pretty small. 4.3"

robotmaker · Answer

on my designs i use 1.2 ghz or 1 ghz over clock ,pico computer 3 inches by 4 inch size works perfect with EZB software and more ,it does fit inside the large WALL-E design model is PX10000G by VIA or they have PX11000G AT 1.2 GHZ AND CAN OVERCLOCK THEM TOO every ITX board wont fit inside most robot designs ,mostly 6 inch by 7 inch stand ,only OMNIBOT MODELS,and looking at much higher current ,meens stronger motor and much larger battery my lastest buy,i got 7 of PX10000 with memory for $330 and each one lists for $150 plus have 6 more at home (13 hope a not un lucky #) on SSD thats only drive i use,besides the best speed ,low power,low current,and can really get damaged like regular hard drives (ssd has no moving parts)

Louis T

About Embedded Mini-Itx Computer Inside Robots

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