Received my x86 advanced kit a couple weeks ago, can't praise it enough. Wanted to purchase an Ultra Kit to replace my wife's desktop PC, but can only submit email for notification. I see that the banner says orders will be available in a couple days, but that was a few weeks ago. Any estimate on when we can make regular orders on the site?
They were due to be in stock at the start of this week, but now expected in next week. Thank you for all the praise!
I know this may seem counterintuitive and probably somebody gets all fired up, but why? On one hand, I see the argument. The Ultra has a built in PSU, it's got onboard ram, it's a slightly smaller form factor. But, for a desktop PC app, where you are not needing the absolute smallest form factor, you don't need the Arduino Curie side of this, UDOO stops making sense in the price tag of $$ and cents. The ultra is priced at $259. Compare that to this board http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/J3710-ITX/index.us.asp Intel® Quad-Core Pentium® Processor J3710 Solid Capacitor design Supports Dual Channel DDR3/DDR3L SO-DIMM 1600 1 PCIe 2.0 x1, 1 Half-Size Mini-PCIe 1 x TPM Header, 1 x COM Port Header Graphics Output Options isplayPort, DVI-D, HDMI 7.1 CH HD Audio (Realtek ALC892 Audio Codec), ELNA Audio Caps 4 SATA3 6 USB 3.0 (2 Front, 4 Rear) And, if you want to be a diehard and point out J3710 VS N3710 http://cpuboss.com/cpus/Intel-N3710-vs-Intel-J3710 I can actually get that board for $94 to my front door https://www.amazon.com/ASRock-Rack-J3710-ITX-Motherboard/dp/B01E97ZTPA Yes, it needs plug in RAM, yes it also needs a PicoPSU ($25 for an 80 watt) to be equal to an UDOO X86 ultra, but doing the math, you get more SATA ports, you get all the connections not present on the UDOO X86 like optical and full audio breakout. You have more USB ports, and truth be told, a bigger passive heatsink. I've sat here for a month watching these threads on adding an adapter to the m.2 slot to give a hacked out PCIE slot so yet another card could be adapted. In the end, you have this rigged monstrocity to support some of these user application scenarios that would have just been better off, cheaper, and truth be told, better supported for the given purpose. Again, I'm watching these thread where I have no idea how the user will mount the board into an enclosure and properly support this stackup of adapter that they created- all in the hopes of a cheap NAS or media server? I am backer and a fan of UDOO X86- but for the RIGHT reasons. Use it where another board is NOT practical or does not meet the need. Yes, if running Linux and the EMMC onboard makes sense capacity, leg up on the UDOO X86. If size is an absolute consideration and single board wll do everything you need including expansion, then yes, UDOO X86. If price is not a concern and you want to support open source like UDOO X86- then by all means. But at the ultra level specifically, I'm looking at under $200, I can match the board, processor, ram, more powerful PSU, more SATA ports, more USB ports, more audio ports, more traditional video ports (DVI, HMDI, and still one Display port), a real half sized PCIE port. Again, yes, you don't have an M.2 SSD slot, you lose the EMMC, obviously no Intel Curie, but for those not using those functions, again, where form factor is not the most important thing. Again, under $200 at your door, same basic computing specs, same ram, more capacity and ports, and still powered by a single 12v style supply, I just have a harder time saying waiting and then be yet another one of these these threads where people are begging for an update, begging for some special support, some feature, like CEC for example, it may not happen and may not be ideal to force the hand on UDOO X86. Again, I love it as a maker board and for certain applications, there is no equal. But trying to ram it down everyone's throat and say it's perfect for all applications- that's not doing anyone including UDOO any favors.
Please don't take my post the wrong way. I'm not saying the UDOO X86 ultra is overpriced or that it's bad or you shouldn't buy it. I'm not saying that at all. I am saying, do a proper real world evaluation of your chosen project application, decide the "must have" features, the "don't care about features", make a list and then honestly comparison shop. What we want is, and I think UDOO X86 folks would agree, is happy backers. You should feel like you got the right board for your application at the right price. Don't pay for stuff you don't need, and don't spend money and hacking to adapt a board to barely do what you want meanwhile paying more in some of these applications. I've stayed silent on this for a long time, but I think it's in the spirit of what is "right" for both sides of this.
@Jetguy You forgot to mention direct GPIO lines to SoC (not just on Arduino side) which you do not find on almost any "normal" motherboard. Sure as a just a PC UDOO X86 isn't that good option - but if you want integration with electronics then no ITX can come anywhere close to it.
Markus: I think he's agreeing with you here... Seeing people buy these things to use as NAS or Media centers and doing all the whacky mods to shoehorn stuff onto them that are available readily on other boards, and totally ignore things like the GPIO/Adruino stuff seems to be utterly silly on their part is all that he's saying.
Last few posts drifted off the original topic (now including mine.) BTW. My 2 cents: there will never be a perfect PC just for anyone. Yesterday's ideal model may not fit your today's use case. Bottom-line is: all are trade-offs: size, power consumption, performance, how recent the technology is, features like additional x86 CPU's I/O in extension connectors, regular PC I/O (SATA, M.2 - various flavors, IrDA, Ethernet, etc.), additional co-processor (Arduino 101), and InMyOwnOpinion quite importantly, price. Highly flexible is always welcome. P.S. indeed not (yet) many people are using this board as a maker board
Sometimes, we do this because we can. There doesn't need to be a rational reason behind it. For me, I want something small to be my MythTV and Plex box that sits right next to my Apple TV. I don't need 4 SATA ports. I have a 6 drive NAS on the network already. Even a small miniITX form factor PC would be too big for where I'll be putting my UDOO. I ordered another to use for recording security cameras. It'll be in a space barely large enough for a monitor. Since it'll be recording on motion only, I will only need 1 hard drive. Everyone's needs are different. Sometimes, our reasons are completely pointless. It's our money, let us waste it how we see fit.
