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Compulab Trim-Slice (compulab-trimslice)

From postmarketOS Wiki
Note This device is supported as part of a generic port. Refer to Nvidia_Tegra_armv7_(nvidia-tegra-armv7) for installation instructions and more information.
Compulab Trim-Slice
Compulab Trim-Slice Tegra2 nettop
Compulab Trim-Slice Tegra2 nettop
Manufacturer Compulab
Name Trim-Slice
Codename compulab-trimslice
Model Trim-Slice-D1G
Released 2011
Type desktop
Hardware
Chipset Nvidia Tegra2
CPU 2x 1.0 GHz Cortex-A9
GPU Nvidia Tegra2 GPU @ 300MHz
Display HDMI output
Storage 1x SD slot, 1x microSD slot
Memory 1GB DDR2
Architecture armv7
Software
Original software
The software and version the device was shipped with.
Ubuntu 11.04
Extended version
The most recent supported version from the manufacturer.
Ubuntu 12.04
FOSS bootloader yes
postmarketOS
Category testing
Pre-built images
Whether pre-built images are available from the postmarketOS Installation page.
no
Mainline
Instead of a Linux kernel fork, it is possible to run (Close to) Mainline.
yes
pmOS kernel
The kernel version that runs on the device's port.
6.16
Unixbench score
Unixbench Whetstone/Dhrystone score. See Unixbench.
0.0
Generic port Nvidia_Tegra_armv7_(nvidia-tegra-armv7)
Features
Flashing
Whether it is possible to flash the device with pmbootstrap flasher.
Works
SD card
Also includes other external storage cards.
Works
Screen
Whether the display works; ideally with sleep mode and brightness control.
Works
Multimedia
3D Acceleration
Partial
Audio
Audio playback, microphone, headset and buttons.
Works
Connectivity
Ethernet
Works
Miscellaneous
USB-A
Whether the full-sized USB-A port works.
Works
HDMI/DP
Video and audio output with HDMI or DisplayPort.
Works
U-Boot
Primary Bootloader
Whether it is possible to replace stock bootloader with U-Boot.
Works
Secondary Bootloader
Whether it is possible to chainload U-Boot from stock bootloader.
Untested
Mainline
Whether latest upstream versions of U-Boot are not broken and it is possible to use them.
Works
SD card
Whether it is possible to boot from SD card.
Works
USB Host
Whether it is possible to boot from a USB storage or connect a keyboard.
Works

Contributors

Users owning this device


Upgrading U-Boot

The Trim-Slice uses the U-Boot bootloader. The device originally shipped with U-Boot 1.01, but the manufacturer later released an image to update the bootloader to version 1.03. These versions of U-Boot are extremely outdated and do not support many modern features like booting from extlinux.conf or booting a compressed kernel zImage.

Mainline U-Boot retains support for the Trim-Slice and as such it is possible to compile a version of the most recent code and flash it to the Trim-Slice. Instructions for this exist on the Gentoo Wiki and will involve following the steps outlined in tegra-uboot-flasher-scripts:README-developer.txt.

The Tegra U-Boot flashing scripts require Python2 which most Linux distros no longer package. You may need to compile Python2 from source, or use an unofficial build such as that from the Arch User Repository on Arch Linux.

Installation

Using pmbootstrap

Follow Installation/Using pmbootstrap. When asked for the device's vendor/codename, select Compulab as the vendor and trimslice as the codename.

The Trim-Slice boots from SD card and has no internal storage. To prepare your SD via pmbootstrap run pmbootstrap install --sdcard=/dev/sdX, replacing /dev/sdX with the proper path for your SD card.

If you have flashed a modern U-Boot build onto the Trim-Slice, the SD card as created from pmbootstrap should boot right up.


Troubleshooting

The Trim-Slice does not start the HDMI display output until midway through the boot process. If you need to troubleshoot any boot problems the device has a proprietary mini plug on the front for RS232 serial. If you do not have access to the cable, it is possible to disassemble the device and directly clip on to the pins of the MAX3243 chip used to convert the Tegra's UART to RS232. Refer to the MAX3243 datasheet as to what pins are used for channel 1.

The linux-postmarketos-grate kernel used in the Tegra generic port of postmarketOS currently does not come bundled with the correct drivers to use the RTL8111D Ethernet controller on the Trim-Slice. Until a merge request fixes this, you will have to manually edit the kconfig options to enable the Tegra PCIe bridge and the Realtek r8169 driver module. Additionally, you will have to add the "linux-firmware-rtl_nic" package when running.


See also