For some hard-to-explain reasons, Actions Semi S500 processor seems to be a popular choice for makers of boards, although I don’t think it has really been a success with hobbyists and makers so far. After ActDuino S500, LeMaker Guitar, Lemon Pi, Allo SPARKY, and Roseapple Pi boards, here comes another S500 quad core Cortex A9 development board with Aceberry S500 that’s quite inspired by LeMaker Guitar as seen by its baseboard and module design.
Aceberry S500 board preliminary specifications:
- SoC – Actions Semi S500 quad core Cortex A9r4 processor @ 1.6GHz with PowerVR SGX544 GPU @ 500 MHz
- Memory – 1 GB DDR3
- Storage – 8GB eMMC or NAND flash (16 and 32GB optional), SPI NOR flash
- Video Output – HDMI, and LCD connector
- Audio – HDMI, headset jack, digital output (RCA).
- Video Codec – H.265 (HEVC) and Ultra HD (4K*2K) video playback. Encoding up to 1080p@60fps.
- Connectivity – 10/100M Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi + Bluetooth 4.0 (Realtek RTL8723BS)
- USB – 2x USB 2.0 host ports, 1x USB 3.0 OTG port
- Camera – Camera interface
- Expansion Header – 1x header for GPIOs, 1x header for camera, 1x header for external display
- Sensors – G-sensor
- Power Supply – ATC2603C PMU;
- Power Consumption – 0.004 to 2.4 Watts (not sure under what kind of load…)
- Dimensions – 67.6x40x4.5mm (for module)
- Weight – 11 grams (for module)
The module itself using the same 204-pin SODIMM edge connector, but the layout is quite different, and the module integrates WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0, a G-Sensor, and an SPI NOR flash. The board is said to support Linux 3.10, Ubuntu 14.04 and Android 5.0.
The board is made by ShenZhen Steed Technology, and is said to sell for $30. Details are lacking at the moment, and there’s no AceBerry S500 product page on the company website.
[Update: I got some details about price:
$30 is sample price for module itself, MOQ:1000pcs,price is $25. if together with base board,price is $60 for sample. quantity order price can be negotiated
]
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Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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Actions Semi S500 does not support GbE ?… 🙁
Still waiting for a reasonably priced SBC with properly implemented USB3 + GbE
LOL! S500 “@1.6GHz”. I managed to let the LeMaker Guitar power-off at 125°C when clocking the S500 with 1.3 GHz. At least they realised that the ATC2603C PMU also needs a heatsink since this chip is also able to exceed 100°C.
The consumption of LeMaker’s Guitar increases by 5W when running stress on all CPU cores at 1.3GHz compared to being idle. Therefore just CPU utilisation when clocked with 1.3GHz is responsible for ~5W. Add LCD display, Wi-Fi, BT and “@1.6GHz”…
Gone are the days of ‘power on a new SBC on your workbench and forget about it’. The thermal performance of many of these entry-price boards is less than stellar, mostly for mechanical reasons – no proper heatsink and/or much needed airflow. At the same time surface areas are getting smaller and smaller. I expect the picture to be a tad better in the higher price-range, but I still have a 13K RPM non-stock fan ready for the arrival of my geekbox, to keep it below its TSHUT. And I have quite some computational workloads in mind for it, so wish me luck!
@tkaiser
Where is LeMaker Guitar for sale?
I see some on Ebay for $70. Seems the module is $25.
Here is module for $25.
http://lenovator.manufacturer.globalsources.com/si/6008849071009/pdtl/Single-board-computer/1132529153/LeMaker-Guitar-CoreBoard.htm
I can buy complete RK3128 boards with 512MB/4GB for under $15. Even allowing for 1GB/8GB $25 is still too much for the module. But they are better than Firefly who wants $35 for their RK3128 module. These modules should be $15 since they are less complex than the complete boards I am getting for under $15.
@Jon Smirl
No idea where to buy. They sent me a review sample 2 months ago (you’ll find it on armbian.com). I would suspect nearly everything that applies to the Guitar also applies to this Aceberry. But Steed is in a better position now since Actions Semi should’ve done some severy code cleanups in the meantime so they can take the software from LeMaker and Armbian maintainer Igor already started to apply patches to escape from the old 3.10.37 kernel they currently use: https://github.com/igorpecovnik/lib/tree/master/patch/kernel/s500-default
@Jon Smirl
$25 for the module and $20 for the baseboard. And people who registered at the Lenovator shop reported also $26 on top for shipping. And what to do with a SoM when only one single baseboard is available? The whole concept is just weird.
@tkaiser
If the modules were cheaper I’d stop making complete boards and just design simple baseboards. This can be cost effective when only making 500 of something. But with $25-35 modules we might as well make complete boards. I can make the complete board for the same $25-35 and not have to deal with the module vendor. So at $25-35 using the module is a net loss.
The other reason people use the module is because they lack the design capability (and vendor SDK access) to layout the CPU/RAM/flash/PMIC block.
Modules do work, but the pricing has to be right. The CHIP $9 Computer uses two modules – a CPU/Flash/RAM/PMIC one and a wifi one. The Allwinner R8M module does not have the pins we need, so we can’t use it. Plus we can’t seem to get an accurate price for what the R8M costs.
if only they all use the same standard module. its gonna b like the desktop diy, whre u can pick and choose, instead of the cpu and MB, base board and module between diff companies
@Jon Smirl
Nope they changed the final version of CHIP it doesn’t use the module and instead has the huge LQFP R8.
Updated the post with pricing options ($30 is the sample price for the module).
Video, tools, source code, firmware, hardware, document files are available @ http://pan.baidu.com/s/1dDk9HnF password：v9iy