RasPi CM4 Announced!

[GameBro Advance]

Check it out lads: https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/raspber...-module-4/

Looks like it’s smaller, more powerful, and has a more compact connector for GPIO pins. Who’s ready for a Freeplay CM4?

[Flavor]

I am!

We're definitely looking into it pretty hardcore today. I can't say anything yet, as they're not even available for us to get one to test out. I did pre-order a couple, though!

[GameBro Advance]

It looks like an adapter board is available, allowing a CM4 to be used in a CM3 SODIMM socket:

https://store.gumstix.com/manufacturer/r...uprev.html

Any idea if this would be compatible with the Freeplay board? It looks like all of the pins are routed to the same place, so other than software issues with the Freeplay OS on a CM4, it might be totally feasible to make a large in-place upgrade of existing hardware :0

[Flavor]

I also looked at this yesterday. Physically, I think it wouldn't fit. I did some measurements, and I doubt that it will work in the GBA-Style shell. It may be possible that someone could make a similar board that would fit better, but I doubt it. I think it would stick out. If you got lucky, it might just stick out the cartridge opening and you could 3D print some cover for it. I'm not hopeful, though.

So, I think it would be too thick AND I think it would stick up toward the cartridge opening too much, if that makes sense.

Otherwise, if you just wanted to know if it would work (maybe without a shell), I don't know. I would bet that it would require some changes to the LCD and button drivers, but maybe it would just work.

[GameBro Advance]

Damn, that’s a shame. All the more reason to develop a proper Freeplay CM4 board then. Is it too soon to preorder?

I’m also looking into making a DIY handheld in the form factor of a GBA SP. I’m currently tearing down a Powkiddy V90 and measuring the dimensions on the shell to make a 3D print of it. I like that it has four main buttons and stereo speakers. The plastic feels like a Happy Meal toy though, so I’m planning on starting with a shell replacement, then working my way up to a board fab using the CM4 as the guts. I’m just trying to figure out where to source these new 100 pin connectors, and how to populate them on a board (probably solder reflow oven, which would be a new skill for me to learn).

Pretty exciting stuff.

[Flavor]

We are currently working on how to approach a potential Freeplay CM4. We expect to make an announcement very soon, and we will likely be asking for responses to a survey. That will likely go out in a newsletter to our subscribers.

You can see our newsletter's past issues (and join the newsletter) at: https://us15.campaign-archive.com/home/?...cdaaedbf0f

P.S. If you don't want to buy/use an entire solder reflow oven, you can do a lot of this stuff with a hot air soldering station. Just be careful of overheating any parts that also contain plastic (like connectors often do).

[GameBro Advance]

Excellent news - can’t wait to hear more. I went ahead and subscribed.

And thanks for the soldering tip!

[Ionstorm66]

Any update on this?

[Flavor]

We've had to pivot on this a bit for multiple reasons. Too much going on and we probably had a bit too lofty goals. I think we may be taking a bit more of an incremental (smaller stepped) approach.

[FableGod]

We've had to pivot on this a bit for multiple reasons.  Too much going on and we probably had a bit too lofty goals.  I think we may be taking a bit more of an incremental (smaller stepped) approach.

Any update on the CM4 research? Very keen to see a similar style of build to the Freeplay CM3 but with the CM4. Are you guys working on anything internally right now?