I'm going to prepare my next project : the installation of FreeBSD on the Rockchip RK3399 4GB

Don ZioMario

Don ZioMario

Hello to everyone.

I'm preparing for the next project,the installation of FreeBSD on the ROCKPro64 4GB SBC (powered with the Rockchip RK3399). I'm anxious to test bhyve for arm64 :D

So,I'm going to buy the accessories below :

pine64.com

ROCKPro64 10mm Low Profile Heatsink with Fan - PINE STORE

Low Profile Heat Sink with Fan for ROCKPro64 Single Board Computer Provide Thermal Conductive Silicon pad for effective heat transfer 10mm height low profile heatsink with fan Suitable height for PINE64 acrylic casing, playbox enclosure, ABS enclosure and Aluminum Waterproof Enclosure
pine64.com pine64.com
pine64.com

12V 5A POWER SUPPLY with 5.5mm OD/2.1mm ID DC Jack - EU version - PINE STORE

12V 5A EU Type Power Supply Technical Details: Input: 100V-240V AC Output: +12V DC up to 5A DC Jack: 5.5mm OD/2.1mm ID barrel ‘coaxial’ type "M" Suitable for RockPro64 SBC, Quart64 model-A SBC, SOQuartz with model A baseboard, and SOEdge with model A baseboard. Limit 3 units per order...
pine64.com pine64.com

I would like to know if they are good for my ROCKPro64 4GB,since I'm really not experienced with the electric / electronic components. I'm not sure if the fan is powerful enough or if the power supply has the perfect voltage for the soc. So,please help me.
 
I don't use a fan on any of my RK3399 boards. A heatsink is enough in my opinion.

Be advised many PCIe cards do not work on RockPro64. You need to allow addition time for device scanning. PCIe training errors.
 
5A power should be fine. i think that the detachable eMMC with USB writer might be a worthy purchase depending on your use case.

If you plan on NVMe in PCIe slot than eMMC not needed but if you want to use PCIe slot for other use like networking than eMMC is viable option.
 
The WIFI/BT adapter does not work on FreeBSD so save your money there.

For eMMC I would not spend alot on big drives. The electrical format on the RockPro64 eMMC module is an older style.
It has only one row of connectors. The newer style has two rows of connectors. Found on rockchip >RK3399
They seat nicer with two rows of connectors at each end.
Rock64 and Rock64Pro use the same eMMC module along with other boards like Pine64.

The USB key wrier is like $5 and well worth it if you go the eMMC route.
 
I don't think I would host VM's on the eMMC but for OS use. Use an NVMe card for the VM's.

Do you really have enough memory to pull this off with Bhyve (experimental arm64).
sysutils/u-boot-bhyve-arm64

Maybe Quartz64 (8GB) would be a better choice? Its not supported with a release version though....
 
Phishfry said:
I don't think I would host VM's on the eMMC but for OS use. Use an NVMe card for the VM's.

Do you really have enough memory to pull this off with Bhyve (experimental arm64).
sysutils/u-boot-bhyve-arm64

Maybe Quartz64 (8GB) would be a better choice? Its not supported with a release version though....
Click to expand...

Quartz64 is powered by a Rockchip RK3566 ; on the ML I read that :

The RockPro64 (RK3399) has the right hardware [to try bhyve because it supports GICv3] but see bug 277559.
Click to expand...

So,I've opted for the RK3399. Not sure about RK3566.
 
Phishfry said:
I don't use a fan on any of my RK3399 boards. A heatsink is enough in my opinion.

Be advised many PCIe cards do not work on RockPro64. You need to allow addition time for device scanning. PCIe training errors.
Click to expand...

Phishfry said:
5A power should be fine. i think that the detachable eMMC with USB writer might be a worthy purchase depending on your use case.
Click to expand...

I have some questions to ask you :

1) Can the board runs without the heatsink ?
2) I have a power supply of 5v / 4A,is it as good as the 12v / 5A ?

thanks.
 
before you kill your board:

1. Any voltage supply always must fit the voltage what the device needs exactly,
and deliver at least the demanded max. current.
Example:
If your board requires a 12V/5A input you need to get some power device that delivers 12V(DC), and at least 5A, better a bit more. (old laptop power supply could do the deed.)
Otherwise, with lower voltage, and/or lower current your board will not work, or suddenly black-out,
when there is not the needed the power.
If you set it to too much voltage (e.g. a 14V supply when 12 are needed, or even more)
you will toast your board - and possibly your powersupply, too.

Also if you don't use one that's sold for this board, also test if plus and minus are correct (a cheap 5€ multimeter will do.) Most boards have no probs, but some may react really sensible when voltage is applied reverse.

2. I strongly recommend a heatsink.
If the chip gets hot, shut down immediatly -> heatsink!
Heat kills electroncis.
It may run, but you will shorten life-span significantly!
Check the datasheet, handbook, specs, whatever comes with it;
a passive one (no fan) may be sufficient; get one that's specially sold for the board,
or if you don't mind if it's ugly, get it a big one from an old graphics card.
In electronics shops you also get some rubber-like heat-sink compound like tape;
for the start it's better than to smear with heat-sink-paste, which in most cases is not really healthy, and often used way too much of it.
 
ziomario said:
Is this good ?
Click to expand...

I'm not quite sure.
Output seems good to me, if 12V 5A is what your board needs (it's in its specs.)
Since it seems to be an AC/DC-power-supply, but it's sold as a charger... and "tension 100V" rings my alarm bells - (frankly looks a bit cheap to me...)

This ones looks a bit better to me:
LEDMO 12V 5A
Sorry for amazon, but I didn't find any suitable in euronics or Cipir so quickly. (bad websites)

There are also adjustable ones available, you may set from 9V...20V, so it could be used for something else, too.
But the >=5A ones cost a bit more.

Anyhow,
you need ensure 3 things:

1. Check if it is capable of doing 230VC input voltage.
Some can be switched between US-/Northamerican 110V@60Hz and european 230V@50Hz (that's what you have in Italy)
Some others cannot, but are fixed to one input AC voltage only.
Others are capable of automatic switching, which is mentioned in its specs; those are not the cheap ones.

Asking a guy in the electric section of a Cipir, or an euronics could be a good idea,
since judging such things from websites quickly, only... - I always like to look on the real specs written on the real package.
Also that way it's ensured, you get one suitable for Italy,
but don't accidently buy something for 110V (Nort-America), only.

2. If you get a switchable one ensure it's set to your country's net-voltage (in this case 230V) before you plug it in. Otherwise it will be of no use but to produce smoke, and kick the fuse out. 😁

3. Also ensure, as I said, that the adapter fits - mechanically as electrical (plus/minus)
Especially the adjustable ones often come with an assortment of exchangeable connector-plugs; so chances are good, at least one fits.

P.S.:
I just asked myself if not simply a wall-cube for Raspberry Pi could fit.
But those working at 5V.
You are sure your Rockchip board needs 12V?

P.P.S.:
The one you linked in your first post fits, and has a reasonable price.
Where is the prob?
 
ziomario

Please don't take my word for this but I believe the RockPro64 will boot off the microSD card with only 5V.
Perhaps serial console only. I am pretty sure I tried by accident and it booted.
YMMV....
Give it a whirl. Corruption of microSD is worst that could happen.
 
%pupil -sceptical said:
I'm not quite sure.
Output seems good to me, if 12V 5A is what your board needs (it's in its specs.)
Since it seems to be an AC/DC-power-supply, but it's sold as a charger... and "tension 100V" rings my alarm bells - (frankly looks a bit cheap to me...)
Click to expand...

For that low price,I've bought it. And I have attached the pic of the specs of the adapter. Are they good ?

Untitled.jpg
 
perfect.
Upper right it says "switching pow{er supply}" That's exactly, what you need.
("Charger" is some selling blabla, but you never know...)

Just ensure it's set to 240V.
And the connector suits your board (powersupply's polarity is marked besides the 12V5A - inside it's plus, outside Ground (GND) aka "Minus") That's so common I'm pretty sure it will fit.

Enjoy your new adventure!
 
Hello again to everyone.

I've bought a little fan for my RockPro64. Can someone explain how to mount it ? Into which connector should I connect the cable of the fan ? It's 2 pin,so,the first one or the third one on the left / low corner of the picture ? and do I need to use the thermal paste ?

Untitled.jpg
 
tingo said:
You have a fan, but you are missing the cooler block.
Click to expand...
Exactly.

Thermal paste is used for closing (very) small gaps between the heat sink, and the to be cooled IC ('chip'; e.g. the CPU)
When working with thermal paste always keep in mind that even the best (and most expensive) has higher thermal resistance than direct metal-to-metal connect. It's for to fill the few remaining gaps between the two metal surfaces ('microgaps'; less then a tenth of a millimeter), which are unavoidable by real processing even on polished surfaces.
So what I am saying is: Don't use too much of it. Even in youtube videos made my pros I see way too much thermal paste used. The heat sinks are swimming on a film of thermal paste, but have less to no real contact to the metal of the chip; that's worsen your thermal management (even with best thermal paste like liquid metal.)
So: Use few, very thin touch of thermal paste only!

However:
Don ZioMario said:
yes / no ? thanks...
Click to expand...
This is a link to a german shop; I don't know how well you speak german, but since I am a german native speaker I can tell you this heat sink fits your board, it's ment for it.
And it contains thermal compound; so no need to buy some paste extra.
BUT it's not ment to be used with a fan.
This is even better; since if the heat sink is sufficient, and I'm pretty sure it is, you'll recieve passive cooling, so a fanless board; nice :cool:
...unless you try some stunts like overclocking *cough* then you may improvise to get the fan somehow tinkered on top of the heat sink...

It's always:
IC [<- Heat Sink, if needed/recommended (<- Fan)] - no heat sink, no fan.
The fan reduces the needed size of the heat sink.
You can always use a passive cooling only if the heat sink is big enough.
It's mostly a question of surface exposed to air, and temperature differences.

Don ZioMario said:
Into which connector should I connect the cable of the fan ?
Click to expand...
This should be part of the board's documentation, or maybe it's printed on the board (I cannot read the pcb's silk mask on your foto.)
Take a look into the board's docu:
Those connector sockets could be used for something special, or for general purporse; if the latter check if supplied voltage and current meet the fan's demands)
It also could be that the board doesn't offer any power supply for a fan; it's not a PC's motherboard with thermal management is part of the BIOS.

First I would try with passive cooling first.
If that's not suffiecient, and the board doesn't offer a fan power supply,
you need to do some small soldering job, since you neither need nor want to get an additionaly wall cube just for the fan, only.)

Don ZioMario said:
yes / no ? thanks...
Click to expand...
Si.
Niente.
 
Don ZioMario said:
Into which connector should I connect the cable of the fan ? It's 2 pin,
Click to expand...
You can use a PWM fan on these.

forums.freebsd.org

RockPro64 with PCIe slot

I just bought a RockPro64 with 4GB/64GB removable eMMC module and a nice case. Has anybody used an NVMe on these yet? I see lots of people using SATA controller in the x4 slot. Will stock u-boot from ports boot off an NVMe on this board? Whats the speed look like...
forums.freebsd.org forums.freebsd.org
 
%pupil -sceptical said:
Exactly.

Thermal paste is used for closing (very) small gaps between the heat sink, and the to be cooled IC ('chip'; e.g. the CPU)
When working with thermal paste always keep in mind that even the best (and most expensive) has higher thermal resistance than direct metal-to-metal connect. It's for to fill the few remaining gaps between the two metal surfaces ('microgaps'; less then a tenth of a millimeter), which are unavoidable by real processing even on polished surfaces.
So what I am saying is: Don't use too much of it. Even in youtube videos made my pros I see way too much thermal paste used. The heat sinks are swimming on a film of thermal paste, but have less to no real contact to the metal of the chip; that's worsen your thermal management (even with best thermal paste like liquid metal.)
So: Use few, very thin touch of thermal paste only!

However:

This is a link to a german shop; I don't know how well you speak german, but since I am a german native speaker I can tell you this heat sink fits your board, it's ment for it.
And it contains thermal compound; so no need to buy some paste extra.
BUT it's not ment to be used with a fan.
This is even better; since if the heat sink is sufficient, and I'm pretty sure it is, you'll recieve passive cooling, so a fanless board; nice :cool:
...unless you try some stunts like overclocking *cough* then you may improvise to get the fan somehow tinkered on top of the heat sink...

It's always:
IC [<- Heat Sink, if needed/recommended (<- Fan)] - no heat sink, no fan.
The fan reduces the needed size of the heat sink.
You can always use a passive cooling only if the heat sink is big enough.
It's mostly a question of surface exposed to air, and temperature differences.


This should be part of the board's documentation, or maybe it's printed on the board (I cannot read the pcb's silk mask on your foto.)
Take a look into the board's docu:
Those connector sockets could be used for something special, or for general purporse; if the latter check if supplied voltage and current meet the fan's demands)
It also could be that the board doesn't offer any power supply for a fan; it's not a PC's motherboard with thermal management is part of the BIOS.

First I would try with passive cooling first.
If that's not suffiecient, and the board doesn't offer a fan power supply,
you need to do some small soldering job, since you neither need nor want to get an additionaly wall cube just for the fan, only.)


Si.
Niente.
Click to expand...

Bro,how many languages do you speak ? I can see at least 3 : english,german,italian : not bad :D

I have some further questions to ask you.

1) I didn't understand if I can use the fan that you see on post #19 without using the cooler block

2) In the case I can use only the fan on post #19,should I apply the thermal paste below the fan ?

3) botland.store is a polish shop. I think it is nice. Anyway,the passive heatsink can't be bought there,it is out of stock,so I've ordered it in a different shop,here :

ameriDroid.com: US-Based Distributor of SBCs and Home Automation

ameriDroid.com: United States based distributor of Single Board Computers and Home Automation products. Linux, Android, Windows OS in the palm of your hand. Think it. Create it.
ameridroid.com

this piece of hardware is out of stock in a lot of online shops. I found it on ameriDroid and I bought it for $23.
 
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