New Meteohub hardware: ALIX.1D

[admin]

Probing with an ALIX.1D board during the weekend turned out that this board can be used with the USB x86 installation image that was designed for fit-PC Slim and ebox without any changes :woohoo:

So ALIX.1D was added today to the list of official Meteohub hardware. As the board together with housing and power supply goes for under 150 Euro, this might be an extremely interesting option for users looking for a cheap but effective upgrade for their NSLU2.

Please have a look into the hardware section to get more info about ALIX.1D.

The WLM54G WLAN adapter that NRG-Systems sells as option is not supported by Meteohub at the moment.

[skyewright]

Please have a look into the hardware section to get more info about ALIX.1D.

The UK ALIX suppliers still seem to be advertising the "1C", e.g.
http://linitx.com/viewproduct.php?prodid=11889

I'm assuming that is an earlier variant. So far as I can tell it looks very similar - LX800, 256MB, etc.
Any thoughts on likely suitability?

[admin]

The manual of 1C version states some not so nice limitations:

Linux boot may hang if no monitor is attached. According to customer reports this issue can be
avoided by grounding pin 12 (DDCDAT) of the VGA connector. This seems to be caused by a
VGA BIOS issue, FS and GS segment registers not restored when no monitor present. This can be
worked around by adding push fs / push gs / pop gs / pop fs instructions around the int 10h call
that tries to get the video settings (ah = 0fh).
Sandisk Extreme III CF cards don’t work as master, change jumper J28 to run it as slave.

I have not tried 1C, but this does not sound too promising in regard to what we are using it for. I guess 1C boards are discontinued anyway and will be replaced by now.

[skyewright]

I guess 1C boards are discontinued anyway and will be replaced by now.

I'll try contacting one of the UK supliers and see what they have to say - maybe the website(s) just haven't caught up with the change yet?

[skyewright]

I'll try contacting one of the UK supliers and see what they have to say

I contacted the UK supplier I'd be most likely to use and they have 1D's on order and expected "by the end of the month".

[admin]

BTW, I solved the issue with the wlan adapter WLM54G. This also works now ok, fix will be part of the next Meteohub update.

When going wireless, please don't forget to order a connection cable (15cm is fine) with the WLAN connectors attached and an antenna as separate items. This is not part of the miniPCI WLAN adapter itself. Just a few € more, but nasty if you forget these.

[skyewright]

BTW, I solved the issue with the wlan adapter WLM54G. This also works now ok, fix will be part of the next Meteohub update.

Interesting.
I don't normally use WiFi, but as someone pointed out on another Forum yesterday, if you have a 'wired' weather station, especially a wired anemometer (since that's likely to be high up on a mast), then there may be something to be said for having an RF (i.e. non-conducting) link at some point between the bit most likely to be affected by lightning and the rest of your network!

[admin]

When booting ALIX.1D without a monitor connected the debian boot does hang. Fortunately, this can be easily fixed by connecting pins 12 and 5 on female VGA connector of ALIX.1D. I simply made a bridge from a paperclip (8mm long, at both sides 5mm deep).

When having this bridge plugged in instead of VGA cable, system boots as expected.

[skyewright]

When booting ALIX.1D without a monitor connected the debian boot does hang.

Do you know at what point the hang occurs?

Downstairs in my office the ALIX 1D is fine.

Moved up into the Attic (where the NSLU2, and a few other bits live) and attached to an old CRT VGA monitor[1] the Linux boot sequence stops after a bit less than half a screen, with the last line being something like
[saved default]

Is that where the 'known' hang occurs, or could this be something else?

Any ideas?

[1] Which I'd not expected to even need to turn on - the idea was just that it was an easy way to solve the boot problem, and might come in andy some day if I needed a monitor for diagnostics...

[skyewright]

Moved up into the Attic (where the NSLU2, and a few other bits live) and attached to an old CRT VGA monitor[1] the Linux boot sequence stops after a bit less than half a screen, with the last line being something like
[saved default]

Googling about I have found reports of hangs with some monitors. Apparently not all cables support the relevant pins.
I'll try a different redundant monitor this afternoon. That will mean manouvering a bigger, heavier CRT through an awkward space, which is why I didn't just try it in the first place... :)

[admin]

My ALIX.1D just hangs when no monitor is connected, so I can't say at what screen position that happens, sorry :)

But I have just flat screens here, which will send all monitor identification data the ALIX needs. Did you try with the paper clip? This solved the problem for me. Having booted with the paper clip in, you can remove it and put your old monitor back in. That should work.

[skyewright]

My ALIX.1D just hangs when no monitor is connected, so I can't say at what screen position that happens, sorry :)

With a different CRT monitor attached it boots fine, so that must have been it. Maybe PC Engines need to add an addendum to the "known bug". ;)

Did you try with the paper clip?

The paper clip works fine - and that's how I've left it set up. :)

It is however nice to know that I have a useable monitor up there that I can plug should the need arise...