Orange Pi Introduction
What is Orange Pi i96？
It’s an open-source single-board computer. It can run Android 4.4, Ubuntu, Debian, Raspberry Pi image. It uses the RDA8810 SoC, and has 256MB LPDDR2 SDRAM.
What can I do with Orange Pi i96?
You can use it to build...
- A computer
- A wireless server
- Games
- Music and sounds
- HD video
- A speaker
- Android
- Scratch
- ......
Pretty much anything else, because Orange Pi i96 is open source.
Whom is it for?
Orange Pi i96 is for anyone who wants to create with technology– not just consuming. It's a simple, fun, useful tool and you can use it to take control of the world around you.
Hardware Specification
| Hardware specification | |
| CPU | RDA8810PL ARM Cortex-A5 32bit |
| GPU | Vivante GC860 3D GPU |
| Memory (SDRAM) | Integrated 256MB LPDDR2 SDRAM |
| Onboard Storage | TF card / Integrated 500MB 8Bit 1.8V 4K SLC Nand Flash |
| Onboard WIFI+BT | RDA5991, WIFI+BT |
| 2G model | The four frequency single card GSM/GPRS Dedicated acceleratorsSIM card |
| Camera | MIPI CSI-2 Connector for camera sensor up to 2MP |
| Power Source | USB OTG input can supply power Battery input can supply power（Optional） |
| USB 2.0 Ports | One USB 2.0 HOST, One USB 2.0 OTG |
| Buttons | Power Button(SW602) |
| Low-level peripherals | 40 Pins Header |
| GPIO(1x3) pin | UART, ground. |
| LED | Power led |
| Supported OS | Android, Ubuntu, Debian, etc. |
| Interface definition | |
| Product size | 60mm × 30mm |
| Weight | 30g |
| Orange Pi™ is a trademark of the Shenzhen Xunlong Software CO., Limited | |
Interface instructions:
GPIO Specifications
The CSI Camera Connector is a 24-pin FPC connector which can connect external camera module with proper signal pin mappings. The pin of CIS connector can be defined as follows. The connector marked with "CON 1" on the Orange Pi i96 is camera connector.
OrangePi i96-CSI
| CON1-P01 | NC | |
| CON1-P02 | GND | |
| CON1-P03 | TWI2-SDA | PE13 |
| CON1-P04 | VCC-CSI | |
| CON1-P05 | TWI2-SCK | PE12 |
| CON1-P06 | CSI-RESET# | PE15 |
| CON1-P07 | CSI-VSYNC | PE3 |
| CON1-P08 | CSI-STBY-EN | PE15 |
| CON1-P09 | CSI-HSYNC | PE2 |
| CON1-P10 | VDD1V8-CSI | |
| CON1-P11 | VCC-CSI | |
| CON1-P12 | CSI-D7 | PE11 |
| CON1-P13 | CSI-MCLK | PE1 |
| CON1-P14 | CSI-D6 | PE10 |
| CON1-P15 | GND | |
| CON1-P16 | CSI-D5 | PE9 |
| CON1-P17 | CSI-PCLK | PE0 |
| CON1-P18 | CSI-D4 | PE8 |
| CON1-P19 | CSI-D0 | PE4 |
| CON1-P20 | CSI-D3 | PE7 |
| CON1-P21 | CSI-D1 | PE5 |
| CON1-P22 | CSI-D2 | PE6 |
| CON1-P23 | GND | |
| CON1-P24 | AFVCC-CSI |
Using Method
You can configure your Orange Pi in a very short period of time and use it according to the following steps. You need to fulfill the several steps before booting your Orange Pi.
Step 1: Prepare Accessories Needed
The first time you use the Orange Pi, you need at least some parts for the following:
| No. | Items | Requirements and Instructions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | TF card | 8GB or bigger ; class 10. Branded TF cards which are much more reliable are the good choice |
| 2 | Power adapter | At lease 5V/2A high quality power adapter, OTG could use as power supply. |
| 3 | Keyboard and mouse | Any keyboard and mouse with USB port is applicable; Keyboard and mouse are high-power, so a USB concentrator is required. |
| 4 | TTL to USB cable | Support debug log in. |
| 5 | Audio cable (Optional) | You can select an audio cable with 3.5mm jack to feel stereo audio. |
Step 2: Prepare a TF Card
In order to be able to us Orange Pi normally, you must first install the operating system into the TF card or Nand. The following instructions will teach you how to write the operating system image file to the Windows and Linux Platform. For now this board could support boot from TF card with Android and Linux distro, and could support boot from Nand with Android. It will illustrate about how to write image into Nand.
1)Writing image into a SD card on Windows:
a.Inserting the TF card into the computer, the capacity of the card must be larger than the operating system image, usually requires 8GB or bigger capacity.
b.Formatting the TF card.
i.Download tools for formatting TF card, such as TF Formatter, could be download from
https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_4/eula_windows/
ii.Unzip the downloaded files, and run setup.exe
iii.In the options settings option set the format type option to quick formatting. Logical size adjustment option to open "(ON)”
iv.Make sure the inserted TF card codes are in accordance with the chosen codes.
v.Click the "Format"button.
Download the operating system image file from the download page, the page address is as follows: http://www.orangepi.cn/downloadresourcescn/
d.Unzip the downloaded file (in addition to the Android system, this method can be used to burn to write, the Android system need another burn, the following will introduce).
e.Right click the downloaded file, select "Unzip file" to write image to TF card.
i Download tools to write image, such as Win32 Diskimager,
http://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/files/Archive/.
ii Select the path of image file that has been unzipped.
iii Click the "Write" button and wait for the image writing.
iv After the image is written, click the "Exit" button.
2)Writing image into a SD card on Linux:
a.Inserting the TF card into the computer, the capacity of the card must be larger than the operating system image, usually requires 8GB or bigger capacity.
b.Formatting the TF card.
i Run fdisk –l command to make sure TF disk.
ii Run umount /dev/sdxx to uninstall all partitions of TF Card.
iii Run sudo fdisk /dev/sdx command. Use director to delete all partitions of TF Card, and then us n command to add a new partition, finally use w command to save and exit.
iv Run sudo mkfs.vfat /dev/sdx1 command to format the TF card partition set up last step to FAT32 form(according to your TF card disk to replacex ). Or you could skip this step since command in Linux will format TF card automatic.
c.Download the image OS from download page:
http://www.orangepi.cn/`downloadresourcescn/
d.Unzip the downloaded file and right click it, select " Unzip file"
e.Write image into TF card
i Run sudo fdisk –l command to make sure the TF card disk
ii Make sure the image file hash key is the same as download page offered(optional) :
sha1sum [path]/[imagename]
Here will be output some number which should be same as the image page line of "SHA-1"
iii Run umount /dev/sdxx command to uninstall all partitions in TF Card
iv Run the command of sudo dd bs=4M if=[path]/[imagename] of=/dev/sdx to write image file and wait for it finished. You can run sudo pkill –USR1 –n –x dd command to check the procedure.
Step 3: Start your Orange Pi
- Insert the TF card with written image into the TF card slot
- Make sure the toggle switch is showing like the following, booting from SD card.
- Insert the keyboard or mouse into the USB port.
- Connect wifi antenna
- Connect to Camera(optional)
- Connect TTL cable, you could refer to the Debug method in this instruction.
Android and Linux use different Baud rate, please note the Baud rate setting. Android Baud rate is 921600, Linux Baud rate is 921600 Serial port uses TTL to USB cable to connect.
- It is the power input interface on the right side for connecting a 5V and at least 2A or bigger than 2A power adapter. Avoid using smaller power GSM mobile phone charger, it is not able to output 2A even if it marked "5V/2A".
If the above steps are successful, the Orange Pi will start in a few minutes. The monitor Graphical interface of display system. It may take a long time to start the first time, please wait patiently. The next time will boot very fast.