Followed for a long time, and just ordered

uConsole
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Been following this for a long time, but hadn’t planned on ordering until shipping and orders reached parity. Given batches 2/3 seem to have gone out, I figured I would put in my order.

Ordered the CM4 version because I figure if a CM5 comes out we might be able to use that as a drop in replacement, or another imitation board that has the same pinouts.

I do wish it was slightly smaller or clamshell, but beggers can’t be choosers.

As far as I am aware the following issues exist:

  • Charge while off?
  • Hibernate
  • Wifi (although it looks like setting boot.txt to use the external antenna helps)

I posted a while back about an internal usb port so I could have an rtl-sdr inside that case with an antenna coming out. I am hoping the mini-pcie for the 4G can be used for that at some point.

But regardless, I think this will be a device I really like. Fingers crossed it only takes a few months to get it.

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Just to point out that all uConsoles are the same, the only difference is that with the CM4 version you get the CM4 adapter board (https://www.clockworkpi.com/product-page/rpi-cm4-adapter-for-devterm-cpi-v3-14) and the antenna for it.

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Just be prepared to wait a while I ordered on 6/16 and so far no signs of it being shipped any time soon but I was aware that it would take a while

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Yeah I am aware. The adapter board is key though for potential upgrades

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Until last year I was a preorderer of the Dragonbox Pyra (backed in 2012) canceled last year because it has been 10+ years, the hardware hasn’t aged well, and frankly cmon, he should have gotten it out the door by now (at least I got a refund for that one). I am also sadly stuck as a backer of the Fxtec Pro 1x which is looking more and more like I will never get it, and the money is gone, and even if I did it is far from usable or a replacement for my OG Pro 1.

I don’t really have a problem with waiting, but I certainly didn’t want to lose my money, and I wanted an end in sight…which it seems like clockworkpi is getting there. A couple months is no big deal provided there is tangible progress.

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I was lurking over both Pyra and Clockwork Pi for some time and it broke my heart to realise that people have waited 10+ years for that thing to reach their home. That is outright murder for any enthusiast dream! Clockwork Pi seems to have the resources to build and ship (although slow) so my money goes with Clockwork Pi. I can understand that Pyra was a dream project but the dev(s) should have cancelled the project and refunded the money when it crossed 2-3 years.

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Yeah and I like the use of easily replaceable off the shelf SOC’s that clockwork is using. Make it very easy to replace if needed, the whole thing is very modular which is awesome!

Michael over at Pyra was doing everything from scratch which is part of the issue. I will hand it to him, anyone who wanted a refund was always able to get one. Shame though, I have two Pandoras (precurser to the Pyra) and they were amazing for the time, just underpowered as of now.

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Yeah. I even liked the idea of clockworkpi uconsole using standard lithium cells that can be easily purchased from market.

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18650’s are pretty easy to order. No harder than any lipo pouch.

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Got mine from Digikey.com

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hey look the RPi5 just got released, seems like your hunch may come true!

~now say “money will be falling from the sky! Say it! SAY IT”
-Fender Pinwheeler

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I already ordered a Pi5, well pre-ordered an 8G unit. I am a sucker for that sort of stuff. Wonder when the CM5 will be out and if the same adapter will work with it in the uConsole.

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if it does fit the CM4 adapter it will be on purpose…
their fancy new “designed in house i/o controller”
If it doesn’t, just means a new adapter board?
I am more of a hobbyist so i i am only comparing numbers, but;
the cm4 comes with a clock at 1.5ghz… the Pi5 is 2.4ghz and much hotter…
they said 2-3x performance…
people have stable OC the cm4 to 2.3ghz…(only reliably achieved on 8gb model… 2147 on older and 2275 on others)
Ref. Toms Hardware " Some Raspberry Pi 4s Can Now Overclock to 2.3 GHz. Here’s How."
Pi5 FAQ recommends active cooling solution… it runs so hot…
VideocoreVII at 800mhz Vs VideocoreVI at 500mhz? can OC to 700-750mhz dunno the cores

I wont be doing 4k… or video games… i will be doing some compiling and remote desktop… maybe some WINE for a program or 2 if i can… So i don’t know if i need it… but i will for sure get it for my uconsole… maybe before my uconsole shows up … 223xx Black cm4 Wifi+4g

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There is that heat problem, that will also come at the expense of battery life as that energy needs to come from somewhere. They also say the Pi5 is more efficient, so I wonder what the idle current will be. Yes under full load it takes way more power. I am running the CM4S in my uConsole at the moment. There are only minor issues with needing an external WiFi adapter and I don’t get bluetooth. Haven’t measured power consumption on it yet. One of these days I need to sit down and generate some numbers.