Onion Omega2 and Omega2 Plus are MediaTek MT7688 MIPS based WiFi boards for IoT applications that were launched in 2016 for as low as $5. Both boards run OpenWrt (LEDE at the time), and Omega2 Plus included more memory and storage with respectively 128MB RAM, 32MB flash and a micro SD card.
But Onion team found out that many users needed more storage space, and they’ve now come up with Omega2 Pro model with the same processor, 128MB RAM, and large 8GB flash considering we’re talking about a board running OpenWrt 18.06 here.
Onion Omega2 Pro specifications:
- Wireless Module – Onion Omega2S+ with
- SoC – MediaTek MT7688 MIPS processor @ 580 MHz
- System Memory – 128MB DDR2 RAM
- Connectivity – 2.4 GHz 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi 4
- Antenna – 2 dBi directional chip antenna (on mainboard) & u.FL connector for external antenna (on-module)
- Storage – 8 GB eMMC flash
- USB – 1x USB 2.0 host port, 1x micro USB port for power and serial debugging
- Expansion – 30-pin expansion header with GPIOs, USB, I2S, SPI, UART, Ethernet, PWM, I2C, Reset, GND, 5V and 3.3V
- Misc – User button, full color LED
- Power Support
- 5V via micro USB port
- LiPo battery support, JST-PH battery connector
- Dimensions – 73 mm x 44 mm
While running OpenWrt 18.06 Linux you’ll actually see 512 MB of RAM, because the firmware complements the 128 MB RAM with a 384 MB swap file stored in the flash memory.
The board also takes advantage of the hardware and software ecosystem from Omega2 / 2+ boards with various expansion boards for NFC/RFID, ADC, GPS, OLED display, PWM servo, Ethernet, relay, and a prototype board, as well as documentation and support forums.
The OS itself is actually called OnionOS, and while it relies on OpenWrt, it also included a neat web configuration interface accessible from your web browser, and you can easily develop from the browser using the Terminal and Code Editor apps.
The extra storage also means a bunch of packages are installed and Python, GoLang, NodeJS, PHP, C and C++ languages are supported out of the box.
The board launched on Crowd Supply a little while ago, and already raised over $20,000 from about 200 backers. A $49 pledge is required for Omega2 Pro board, and bundles with expansion boards are also available for $82 and up. Shipping is free to the US, but adds $6 to $10 to the rest of the world depending on the selected rewards. Delivery is scheduled for the end of January 2019, and the company already posted an update announcing mass production had started for a batch of 500 units.
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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