TKJ Electronics

Last week I recieved a new ARM toy. I unpacked it a minute after I got, and started messing with it straight ahead – and that’s why I’m first writing about it now
It’s called mini2440 and it has a Samsung S3C2440A ARM920T chip, clocked at 405 MHz (Max freq. 533 MHz), and a 3.5″ touch screen display on top. There is also 2MB NOR flash, 64MB SRAM, and 128MB NAND flash (you can get up to 1GB) on the board.

 
The mini2440 has alot of connection possibilities, as there is both a USB slave, USB master (OTG), ethernet, RS232, SD card slot and sound output. All these are routed to real connectors, but there is also alot of GPIO’s which is routed to small pin headers and connectors. There is also a microphone soldered to the board!
You can read more about the mini2440 board here: http://www.friendlyarm.net/products/mini2440

 

 
As the ARM920T hasn’t any flash itself, it is connected to a NOR and a NAND chip. In the NOR chip there is a bootloader called Supervivi, which makes it easy to upgrade the NAND chip and set boot-options in the NOR, using the USB and serial (RS232) port.

 
The mini2440 comes preinstalled with Linux 2.6.3 and a graphics layer called Qtopia. But as I haven’t messed alot with Linux I started investigating other opportunities.
Some of the operation systems (also RTOS’s) which can be installed on the mini2440 are for example:

• Linux 2.6.3 and Qtopia (Linux)
• Embedian (Linux)
• Angstrom (Linux)
• Android (Linux)
• Windows CE 5.0
• Windows CE 6.0
• uCos (RTOS)

 
Of course it is also possible to write code for the board without using an OS – this can be done in different ways

• Writing code for the 2MB NOR chip, and then boot from that
• Writing code for the NAND chip – this requires a specific bootloader which is placed in the bottom of the NAND chip

Right now I haven’t tried any of theese, but I have removed the Linux and installed Windows CE 5.0 and afterwards Windows CE 6.0. The great thing about Windows CE 6.0 is the .NET 3.5 Framework. This does the application development much easier, and I’ve already made my first “Hello World” application!

 

 

It took me hours to get started, as the CD which came with my mini2440 only included the Chineese manual.
But then there is two amazing sites:

• http://www.friendlyarm.net
• http://www.andahammer.com/
• And also the IRC channel on Freenode called #mini2440

Theese helped me getting started – but remember, the mini2440 is not for beginners. It requires a clear mind, and alot of time!

 
So to help you who may find it difficult to get started, I’ve uploaded some usefull documents and files.

• A 246 page manual about the mini2440, and how to use it
     – It also includes some guides about creating your own Linux or WinCE image
• A guide for the Supervivi bootloader
     – How to install Linux or Windows CE on the mini2440
• An english Windows CE 5.0 image
     – Follow the guide above to install it
• A backup of the factory installed NAND (with Linux and Qtopiad)
     – Remember this is only for the 128MB version – Restore it using Supervivi’s restore function

In the following weeks I will upload more things, and write a couple of guides to get started… Especially guides about getting started with Windows CE 6.0 development, as I’m doing right now!