Raspberry Pi 2 Compute Module?

[MikkoM]

Hi evereyone,

I'm working with project where Raspberry Pi Compute Module could be good solution, but my biggest concern is RasPi's computing capacity. I would like to know will there be Compute Module version of Raspberry Pi 2 in future? That would easily meet our needs with computing capacity.

-Mikko

[DougieLawson]

The RPF have said it's possible there will be a CM2, but they don't like to reveal their product plans before a new device is available.

[MichaelL65]

For what it is worth, you can put me down as a very interested party in a Pi 2 CM!

[rpdom]

Every time someone mentions CM2 I think they are talking about postcodes (CM2 is near where I live)

[jussi24]

The RPF have said it's possible there will be a CM2, but they don't like to reveal their product plans before a new device is available.

Not having a public roadmap seems to become popular since Microsoft does so. But in professional environments this is a NO GO.
Here you want to be sure about life cycles and perspectives to estimate if your product delevopments will be profitable.
We all were surprised about the form factor change of the old B model becoming a B+. This never must happen for a professional product. I personally bought four PI1 models just a few day before the PI2 came out: very angry. But angry is no word for those finishing their developments for a CM that changes short time later without long term announcments. Ask the PiCE guys at Elson Designs how that feels.

This is a lesson still to be learned by the CM responsibles.

[mahjongg]

what are you angry about for? If there will ever be a compute module, with the new broadcom quad core SoC, and external 1 MB RAM, be sure that:

1. The old compute module will stay available
2. The new one will be a 100% compatible drop-in replacement

the RPF simply cannot pre-announce a compute module revision 2, as their production/sales partners (element 14 & RS components) would sue them because the sales of the normal compute module would immediately stop!

[gsh]

Plus we guaranteed that the original CM will still be available for volume customers anyway, so just because we bring out a new version doesn't mean we drop the old one

CM2 would be plug in compatible with any current CM boards so you could have an upgrade path without changing the hardware (just rebuilding the software)

Gordon

[jamesh]

The RPF have said it's possible there will be a CM2, but they don't like to reveal their product plans before a new device is available.

Not having a public roadmap seems to become popular since Microsoft does so. But in professional environments this is a NO GO.
Here you want to be sure about life cycles and perspectives to estimate if your product delevopments will be profitable.
We all were surprised about the form factor change of the old B model becoming a B+. This never must happen for a professional product. I personally bought four PI1 models just a few day before the PI2 came out: very angry. But angry is no word for those finishing their developments for a CM that changes short time later without long term announcments. Ask the PiCE guys at Elson Designs how that feels.

This is a lesson still to be learned by the CM responsibles.

The standard Pi isn't, in my view, a professional product in the way you seem to want it to be, in that is is designed for education where form factor changes etc are irrelevant. The CM on the other hand IS intended for industrial/commercial use, and therefore there is, as far as I know, no plan to change its form factor at all.

[adun]

If there is something like a wishlist for the Compute Module 2 it would be very nice if we could have the following improvements

1. Access to the pins of the Host Interface: Would allow us to have a 8/16-bit data bus.
2. Access to GPIO 48-53 (SD0). To be able to exchange/expand the onboard eMMC

The additional connections could be on the spare pins of the SODIMM module and the SD0 access on top of it.
So the new module would still be compatible with the old one.

Greets

[mateli]

the RPF simply cannot pre-announce a compute module revision 2, as their production/sales partners (element 14 & RS components) would sue them because the sales of the normal compute module would immediately stop!

This is a market that prefers long term plans and buy more processor's/boards of the current generation when there are known plans for new compatible hardware. Every time a soon to come product is put on the release schedule; sales of current products goes up. Because we know that upgrading is an option.

What makes you think that sales of this module would drop if you had a road map, when history and logic implies an increase in sales?

This is not the consumer market where lack of plans is widely accepted. This is the embedded market where many of us are buying modules that costs ten tomes what the rasppi costs - because we know that upgrades will be available in the future.

The purchase cost are irrelevant compared to the cost in labour when having to redesign the entire system in order to replace a cpu module.