Alternative Expansion Boards - internal nvme slot? more USB ports?

uConsole
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Hello all!

This post is mostly directed to the uConsole HW team - would it be technically possible to design an m.2 nvme Expansion board?

I have a feeling this option would sell like cakes…

Best Regards!

EDIT:
idea 1: nvme m.2
idea 2: one internal (just pins or pads on the PCB) and 2 USB A ports on the side

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Here’s something I sent to OshPark. Beware it’s unverified, especially mechanically.

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okay, that’s a good start!
If I decipher your schematics pdf correctly it would add two more USB ports, the debug serial port and a bunch of GPIO pins. Then the USB could be soldered internally to a usb-m.2 adapter.

I haven’t studied the official clockwork docs regarding expansion port but I suppose the pci-e bus cannot be accessed directly, only USB is possible. But even an USB expansion would be immensely useful.

Thanks for the info and please drop some updates here if you have the prototype!

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It is also only USB 2 so it would be a bit slower. Still like the idea as the SD cards are really not designed for that many write cycles.

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Correct, the PCIE bus is not hooked up, the lanes are not connected to the DDR2 SODIMM connector.

In theory a custom CM4 adapter board could expose the lanes over an additional ribbon connector. The chip in the A-06 boards support more lanes but but those are not exposed.

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I am going to try and put an Ethernet port as the CM4 has the controller built in from memory.

I have not done any research to see if this is exposed to the Mini-PCI slot however.

Going to wait until it’s delivered

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Onboard Ethernet is N/C on the CM4 carrier. https://github.com/clockworkpi/uConsole/blob/master/clockwork_Adapter_CM4_Schematic.pdf

You could do USB to RNDIS though.

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How about a rotating webcam module?

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Thank you and thanks for that board, you are a legend.

That’ll be the way to go then!

Edit: Deleted and readded because I cannot remember to reply…

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Nice work! Has anybody been able to test or verify this board? I’m keen to have it made for myself :slight_smile:

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Sorry, but I haven’t gotten a shipping notice on my uConsole. I’m 197XX, so hopefully soon. I’ll post something once the designs verified.

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Hope to design with USB, TYPE-C, TF card slot combination mode.

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Any updates on this? I would love to have internal storage on the uConsole, especially for the OS.