BeBoPr does Black - modmaker/BeBoPr GitHub Wiki

For hardware hackers it's not hard to get the BeBoPr working with a BeagleBone Black. For normal people there's now also an easier (clean) solution!

The Hackers Solution

Although the BeBoPr works fine with the BeagleBone Black (BBB) (see BeBoPr goes Black), this requires some modifications to both hardware and software. And as downside, the BBB can only be used like a BeagleBone White, missing most of the features that were added to the Black:

pros:

  • You can choose what software distribution to run.
  • With the micro-SD card you're not limited to the 2GB (on-board) size.
  • Control steppers by PRUSS outputs for best performance.

cons:

  • The HDMI output (and sound) on the BBB is disabled because these signals are used by the PRUSS to drive the stepper motors.
  • The on-board FLASH (eMMC) is disabled and can't be used, the BBB boots from a micro-SD card, just like the original BeagleBone.

The Clean Solution

Not into hacking, or you want to connect a display to the BeagleBone Black? Because of the large number of signals that the BBB 'borrows' from the expansion connectors, it is not easy to patch a BeBoPr and make it compatible with a Black. Of course it can be done, but a better solution seemed to be to design a 'bridge'. Instead of cutting traces and adding patch wires to the BeBoPr, a simple adapter was created. This device is called the 'BeBoPr Bridge'.

The photo below shows a BBB (raised by a pair of stacking connectors because of the RS232 cable) on top of an LVDS cape on top of a BeBoPr Bridge stacked on a BeBoPr

BeBoPr with LVDS

With the Bridge, the BeBoPr becomes fully compatible with the BeagleBone Black, and you get some extra benefits when compared to the bare BeBoPr:

pros:

  • No need to modify the BeBoPr (the 'BeBoPr Enable Workaround' is done by the bridge).
  • HDMI stays operational (the LCD signals on P8 are no longer used by the BeBoPr).
  • eMMC stays operational (the MMC1 signals on P8 are no longer used by the BeBoPr).
  • USB & micro HDMI connectors are no longer obstructed (by the limit switch connectors).
  • Easy access to micro SD card (since it's now raised above the thermistor connectors).
  • BeBoPr fully operational with BBB.
  • TSC ADC inputs 1-4 are now free for the TSC (the BeBoPr now uses AIN4 up to AIN6).
  • RS232 connector on the BBB accessible (because of the added height).
  • Backwards compatible (with original Beaglebone).

cons:

  • TBD

See 'BeBoPr Bridge' for details on the bridge and 'Bridge software' for the right software. If you have modified your BeBoPr, you'll have to short P8-5 to P8-7 on the bridge. This modification will then work on both original and modified BeBoPrs.