Re: which embedded system?

[Andy Ruhl <acruhl%gmail.com@localhost>]

On Fri, Aug 7, 2009 at 6:28 AM, <reed%reedmedia.net@localhost> wrote:

> I will be ordering one or more lightweight systems for testing and
> benchmarking network server software on low resource systems.
>
> I did a little research and I list a few systems below. Do you have any
> recommendations of hardware to use?
>
> I need to be able to easily host the hardware by plugging into the wall
> power and into the ethernet. I'd prefer to not deal with assembling or
> buying many different components to get a working solution. Also I don't
> have time to test new ports. Also it would probably be good to have a
> non-x86 system for the lightweight system simply for hardware portability
> testing as a bonus. I'd like the system to be low powered and take up
> little physical space. I don't mind using discontinued hardware as long as
> it is inexpensive compared to others.
>
>  NSLU2 (Network Storage Link for USB 2.0 Disk Drives). Note this is
>  discontinued hardware.  133 or 266 MHz ARM-compatible Intel XScale
>  IXP420 CPU, 32 MB of SDRAM, and 8 MB of Flash memory. Add a USB memory
>  stick for more space. Some have 64 MB or more ram and 16 MB flash.
>  Should be less than US$100.
>
>  or:
>
>  Some Soekris system with 133 MHz CPU, 64 MB ram. System with case and
>  power supply and extra flash disk would be around US$150 to $250.
>  A reason I would not purchase this is because it is already x86
>  based CPU.
>
>  or:
>
>  PC Engines ALIX, but I don't know pricing for this with enclosure, power
>  supply, etc. This is also x86-compatible.
>
>  or:
>
>  RouterBOARD, probably US$150 and up for Atheros 300Mhz (or more) CPU and
>  32 MB (or 256) RAM. I think this is a MIPS-compatible CPU.
>
> (I excluded Technologic EmbeddedARM systems since they may cost too much.)
>
> Depending on the cost, maybe it would be good to buy multiple different
> devices so cost may define my choices.
>
> Any suggestions fronm these or others? URLs to ordering pages or "howtos"
> for NetBSD would be appreciated.
>

The NSLU2 isn't very stable right now. Looks like compiler issues to me. And
so far nobody's built a firmware which will auto boot NetBSD.

There's the beagle board, www.beagleboard.org. That one seems nice.

Andy