Hey all,

now that we know the EFIKA will be shipping in November I try to prepare my equipment . First step is to get a sufficiant power supply.

The question is, if the EFIKA requires a standart ATX (2.0?) power supply. Anyone knows?

And regarding the software. Can we use a vanilla linux kernel? Any sample configs available?

Regards,

corsair

Good question. I would also like to know where I could find a tiny power supply...
But maybe Neko is going to tell me that I can see that on some pictures...

I linked a range of PSUs in the EFIKA article, didn't you see?
Maybe Neko should put it somewhere on the front page...
Of course, Genesi could order a batch of 100 and offer them together with EFIKA
though their site since the picoPSU is a bit expensive if bought in small quantities.

I knew I saw them somewhere Searched the forums, but didn't find them...

Thanks a lot!

-corsair

EDIT:

according to this table: http://resources.mini-box.com/online/co ... chart.html you need 6-24 V on input side for the 60W version of the picopsu? That wouldn't be that good for normal use...

Any news about cases? Neko talked about a few
Hammond-cases.

Anyone able to modify such case for the EFIKA
with one Radeon card? Having everything just
lying in a pile on the desk isn't exactly
appealing for outsiders..

>you need 6-24 V on input side for the 60W version of the picopsu?

Yes, but you can see there are two other versions with 80 and 120W.

>That wouldn't be that good for normal use...

Why not, it might even work better in a car when the voltage is not a 100% stable 12V or with a notebook PSU that often delivers a bit more than 12V...

Sigh.

Did we take all those pictures for nothing? Look at the galleries from the EFIKA products page. Is that an ATX connector? I think it is!!

Just pick any power supply from your PC shop. Any PC graphics card for PCI (3.3V) or AGP (3.3V). Any USB keyboard and mouse.

The Linux kernel patches will be released with the general distribution of the first public boards, and not before.

_________________
Matt Sealey

You can see Neko, that I already knew your answer ! (just teasing - Peace & Love ).

More seriously, I think was seems obvious to you while watching pictures is really not for us. I don't know for others but I'm not a hardware expert so I can't guess all the features of a board just by watching it.

For me nothing is better than text specs like this doc : http://www.genesippc.com/files/efika_genesi.pdf

I think it would be nice that the various info you gave in all the thread could added be in this doc.
- 1 PCI or 1 AGP - 3.3V
- ATX 2.0
...
etc...
That would avoid useless discussions and useless "troll"

A list of possible recommended tiny power supplies, graphic card, or others could also help...
That's just an idea [before the EFIKA book ]

thanks tarbos, i hadnt seen that before, i wonder if anyones thought about the EFIKA in wireless community networks?, iv been looking through some old links just now and re-discovered RoofNet http://pdos.csail.mit.edu/roofnet/doku.php using a
generic Netgear WGT634U Wireless Media Router as its base, well now they have started a limited commercial venture and you can now get a self contained wireless mesh unit for $49 (playing card sized)and that, while not as powerful out of the box as the media router would be is well within ordinary peoples price range so could be a good thing to combine with an EFIKA?.

http://www.meraki.net/mini.html
i wonder if you could power the EFIKA from a battery as the meraki can (5.6-18V DC tolerance, for use in developing countries or with batteries) i assume you would need some form of power inverter as the EFIKA doesnt seem to be designed to take direct low voltage DC? (and hence save on wasted inverter convertion and battery life etc).

anyway one more idea for a mass market low cost community/comercial project.

http://pdos.csail.mit.edu/roofnet/doku.php?id=wgt634u
http://www.roofnet.net/index.html
http://www.meraki.net/products.html
"
Product Overview
Meraki provides an integrated package of software, hardware, and management services that make it possible for everyday people to build mesh networks and become Internet service providers. Meraki's platform is an afforable and simple way to connect communities, apartment complexes, or business districts to the Internet at low cost.

We plan to officially launch our products in Fall, 2006. Early adopters are welcome to purchase products now as part of our Summer Beta program. For a limited time the Mini is available at a discounted price of $49.

You can read more about our open platform here."

(pictures can lie.. I have seen quite some electronic components being abused in ways they have not been developed for - mostly by myself )
yea, that's what I wanted to know

Changes are afoot with PPCZone. You saw all that blurb about collaborative environments and the projects program is about to really happen; there is a whole set of all-new wonders we are about to provide.

Indeed, we have discussed buying PicoPSU for sale on the store (and XGI cards, and PCI risers, IDE/CompactFlash adapters, and so on and so forth). However even buying them in some quantity, we would not be able to offer them that much cheaper. We would be thinking of the order of $5-$10. You would get that small price cut, and you would get the convenience of being able to order it in one go.
There was a discussion about this very thing last night on an internal Genesi mailing list.
As long as you supply 3.3V, 5V and 12V lines to the ATX connector, with enough current. It doesn't require much though.

_________________
Matt Sealey

good, thats another tick in the right box then, perhaps massifr ? could do his neat trick and find a url to such a current commercial adaptor as im sure someone somewere will already make these things?, hopefully at a reasonable cost.

if not, then again, i assume a simple DC to DC type circuit an some form of under/over voltage regulator is all thats needed , anyone care to draw one up for the DIY'ers reading?.

im glad your now talking about my idea's internally in a good way matt, LOL.

We talked to the PicoPSU guys. Their pricing is pretty okay. We may start selling them as suggested. We also noticed this;

http://www.mini-box.com/M200-Enclosure_2

This is a very very small ITX box; if you think of the dimensions of the EFIKA even with the height of a graphics card (or a low PCI riser and low profile whatever-card), it all fits WITHIN the ATX backplate.

I even measured a whole 4cm of extra space to the right of the board, just in terms of the backplate size.

With the correct stamped metal backplate, and some little sticky feet for the board to sit on and be secured (there is only one common screw placement for ITX/ATX/EFIKA) this case may well work. There are a few.. niggly problems, but nothing that cannot be solved with a little ingenuity and common sense.

_________________
Matt Sealey

Looks OK, Neko.

hi neko...
could you tell me the required amperage on each power rail because im going through with national semi webbench to find a design for a low power psu