usb

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 4 Comments on SoundSlide capacitive touch USB-C adapter aims to ease volume control on laptops

SoundSlide capacitive touch USB-C adapter aims to ease volume control on laptops

USB-C capacitive touch volume control

SoundSlide is an open-source hardware USB-C adapter that adds a capacitive touch interface to your laptop or keyboard PC in order to control the volume without having to reach out to the volume keys on the keyboard that may require Alt or Fn presses. SoundSlide is meant to be more intuitive than pressing keys and works without drivers with macOS, Windows, and Linux. At just 20.9 x 6.9 x 3.5 mm in size excluding the USB Type-C port, you can leave it connected to your laptop when you move around or put the laptop in your backpack. The SoundSlide relies on the touch interface from the Microchip SAM D11 Arm Cortex-M0+ microcontroller, and the company behind the project – Drake Labs – has made the firmware, schematics (PDF/WebP), and a command-line interface written on Go available on GitHub. You can check out how it works on a laptop in the […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 3 Comments on High-speed data acquisition with Raspberry Pi Pico 2’s HSTX interface and HDMI to USB 3.0 video capture dongle

High-speed data acquisition with Raspberry Pi Pico 2’s HSTX interface and HDMI to USB 3.0 video capture dongle

Raspberry Pi Pico 2 high-speed data acquisition

We previously explained the HSTX high-speed serial transmit interface of the Raspberry Pi RP2350 microcontroller was mostly useful for video outputs and display interfaces since it can only transmit, and not receive data. But Steve Markgraf found another use case for the HSTX interface – high-speed data acquisition – combining a Raspberry Pi Pico 2 board with the DVI Sock board for Pico and one of those cheap MS2130-based HDMI to USB 3.0 video capture dongles. He managed to stream out up to 75 MB/s of real-time data from an overclocked RP2350 to a host computer with a USB 3.0 port. The Adafruit Feather RP2350 HSTX board should also work, but also not been tested. Steve’s “hsdaoh-rp2350” data acquisition over HDMI firmware is based on the dvi_out_hstx_encoder example from Raspberry Pi using the HSTX interface for DVI output and code by Shuichi Takano implementing the HDMI data island encoding required […]

Posted on by Sayantan Nandy - 1 Comment on EDATEC ED-GWL1010: Amlogic S905X4-based PoE-enabled LoRaWAN gateway targets Smart Buildings and IoT applications

EDATEC ED-GWL1010: Amlogic S905X4-based PoE-enabled LoRaWAN gateway targets Smart Buildings and IoT applications

ED-GWL1010 LoRaWAN gateway

The AMLogic S905X4 SoC is typically found in TV boxes, but EDATEC has integrated the quad-core Cortex-A55 SoC into its ED-GWL1010 LoRaWAN IoT gateway designed for smart buildings and industrial IoT networks requiring long-range, low-power connectivity. The ED-GWL1010 is built around the ED-REIMEI1 single-board computer, combining a mainboard and an expansion board. It integrates Semtech’s latest SX1302/SX103 baseband chip and a Microchip ATECC608 security chip for enhanced protection. The gateway offers up to 8GB LPDDR4 and 32GB of eMMC storage. For connectivity, it supports dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, 10/100Mbps Ethernet with PoE, and a mini PCIe slot for a LoRa module compatible with both American and European LoRa frequencies (US915, AU915, AS923, EU868). It also features USB 3.0, an RGB LED indicator, a user button, and flexible power options through a 7-18V DC input or PoE. The ED-GWL1010 operates reliably in temperatures ranging from -25°C to 50°C and is housed […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 1 Comment on Maxtang T0-FP750 review – Part 3: An AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS mini PC tested with Ubuntu 24.04

Maxtang T0-FP750 review – Part 3: An AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS mini PC tested with Ubuntu 24.04

Maxtang T0-FP750 mini PC Ubuntu 24.04 review

We’ve already checked out the hardware of the Maxtang T0-FP750 mini PC with an unboxing and a teardown in the first part of the review, before thoroughly testing the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS mini PC in Windows 11 Pro. The time has now come to report our experience with Ubuntu 24.04, and more exactly Ubuntu 24.04.1 “dot” release, with the Maxtang T0-FT750 mini PC in the final part of the review. This will include a software overview, feature tests, benchmarks, storage and USB performance evaluation, 2.5Gbps Ethernet and WiFi 6 network performance tests, a stress test to check for thermal and/or power throttling, and fan noise and power consumption measurements. We will also compare the results of the Maxtang T0-FP750 mini PC in Ubuntu 24.04 against the ones for the earlier Maxtang MTN-FP750 mini PC using AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS CPU which we tested with Ubuntu 22.04. Ubuntu 24.04 system […]

Posted on by Sayantan Nandy - 1 Comment on Lanner NCA-1050 – A fanless desktop network appliance with Intel Amston Lake SoC

Lanner NCA-1050 – A fanless desktop network appliance with Intel Amston Lake SoC

NCA-1050 Amston Lake Fanless Desktop Network

The Lanner NCA-1050 is a fanless desktop network appliance by Intel Atom Amston Lake processors (X7835RE, X7405C, X7203C) for efficient, low-power performance. Designed for edge deployments, branch offices, and retail environments, it supports up to 16GB of DDR5 4800MHz memory and M.2 SATA storage. With versatile connectivity options, the NCA-1050 features one 2.5GbE RJ45 port, four GbE RJ45 ports, a console port, a USB 3.1 port, DisplayPort, and optional PoE+ support. It also offers two M.2 slots (PCIe/USB3.1), two Nano-SIM slots, and six antenna holes, allowing for flexible expansion and wireless configurations, making it adaptable to various network setups. Lanner NCA-1050 specifications: SoC NCA-1050A – Intel Atom x7835RE 1.3GHz octa-core processor with 6MB cache, 32EU Intel UHD graphics; TDP: 12W NCA-1050B – Intel Atom X7405C 2.2GHz quad-core processor with 6MB cache; TDP: 12W NCA-1050C – Intel Atom X7203C 2 GHz dual-core processor with 6MB cache; TDP: 12W System Memory – […]

Posted on by Tomisin Olujinmi - No Comments on USB Insight Hub is an open-source, ESP32-S2-based tool for testing USB devices (Crowdfunding)

USB Insight Hub is an open-source, ESP32-S2-based tool for testing USB devices (Crowdfunding)

USB Insight Hub testing tool

The USB Insight Hub is a USB testing tool based on the ESP32-S2 wireless SoC made by Ecuador-based company Aerio Solutions SAS and aimed at developers and tech enthusiasts. The Insight Hub connects to a computer via a USB Type-C port and expands it to three downstream ports, each with a 1.3-inch color display screen that displays information about the serial device such as its assigned enumeration name, voltage, and current. The enumeration name displayed helps to identify all virtual ports running through the Insight Hub. This feature is quite handy when multiple devices are connected. Although the hub features a Wi-Fi-enabled SoC, it doesn’t currently support wireless networking. Each downstream port is connected to a dedicated voltage and current meter for real-time feedback. Also, the hub implements configurable short-circuit, over-current, and back-current protection. It also allows you to control the individual activation and deactivation of the D+/D- data lines […]

Posted on by Debashis Das - 4 Comments on CodeCell is a ESP32-C3 mini development board for robots, wearables, smart home projects

CodeCell is a ESP32-C3 mini development board for robots, wearables, smart home projects

CodeCell ESP32 C3 mini development board

Engineer and YouTuber Carl Bugeja recently developed CodeCell, a tiny ESP32-C3 development board designed as the brain for robots, wearables, and smart home devices. This module features a nine-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) for motion fusion and an optional VCNL4040 light sensor. It includes a USB Type-C port for data and power as well as a lithium-polymer battery with a charging circuit. Measuring just 18.5 x 18.5mm this compact board is even smaller than other tiny ESP32 development boards such as Waveshare’s ESP32-S3-Zero and Seeed Studio’s XIAO ESP32S3. However, the Epi C3 is smaller at 23 x 12.75 mm, and so are the Unexpected Maker NANOS3 (25 x 10 mm) and Unexpected Maker OMGS3 (28 x 11 mm). CodeCel ESP32-C3 mini development board specification Microcontroller – ESP32-C3 RISC-V MCU 160MHz 32-bit RISC-V processor core 400kB SRAM, 4MB flash storage Wi-Fi 4 and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connectivity Sensors Vishay VCNL4040 light […]

Posted on by Sayantan Nandy - No Comments on Orbbec Gemini 335Lg 3D depth and RGB camera features MX6800 ASIC, GMSL2/FAKRA connector for multi-device sync on NVIDIA Jetson Platforms

Orbbec Gemini 335Lg 3D depth and RGB camera features MX6800 ASIC, GMSL2/FAKRA connector for multi-device sync on NVIDIA Jetson Platforms

Gemini 335Lg 3D Camera

The Orbbec Gemini 335Lg is a 3D Depth and RGB camera in the Gemini 330 series, built with a GMSL2/FAKRA connector to support the connectivity needs of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and robotic arms in demanding environments. As an enhancement of the Gemini 335L, the 335Lg features a GMSL2 serializer and FAKRA-Z connector ensuring reliable performance in industrial applications requiring high mobility and precision. The Gemini 335Lg integrates with the Orbbec SDK, enabling flexible platform support across deserialization chips, carrier boards, and computing boxes, including NVIDIA’s Jetson AGX Orin and AGX Xavier. The device can operate in both USB and GMSL (MIPI) modes, which can be toggled via a switch next to the 8-pin sync port, with GMSL as the default. The GMSL2/FAKRA connection provides high-quality streaming with synchronized multi-device capability, enhancing adaptability for complex setups. Previously, we covered several 3D cameras from Orbbec, including the Orbbec Femto Mega 3D […]

UP 7000 x86 SBC