[App_rpt-users] RPi2 V1.0 Released!!!

Sat Apr 11 16:56:34 UTC 2015

I downloaded and installed the new release for the Pi 2. It works perfectly!

Thank you,

Fred McLean

832-906-9793

From: Doug Crompton [mailto:doug at crompton.com] 
Sent: Saturday, April 11, 2015 1:23 AM
To: app_rpt-users at ohnosec.org
Subject: [App_rpt-users] RPi2 V1.0 Released!!!

We are very happy to announce the release of Allstar on the Raspberry Pi 2.

The code has undergone many alpha and beta releases and we feel confident
that it is ready for production use. Although the look and feel is very
similar there are several changes from the BBB 1.2.1 release most of which
are documented below.

A BBB version 1.3 update is in the works and should be out in a few weeks.

What has not changed -

   The RPi2 Allstar image is mostly modeled after the BBB. It has the same
scripted setup and operation will look the same except for the changes noted
below.

What has changed or is new from the BBB 1.2.1 image -

   First of all the RPi2 is computationally faster than the BBB. It boots
damn fast. You should have Allstar running and radio messages in 10-15
seconds after power on. It should handle two simplesusb radio nodes.
usbradio is still NOT recommended and may never be in its current form. See
future notes below.

   We are using the newest ArchLinux kernel and different networking and
timesync functions then were used on the BBB. No difference should be noted
at the user level but there are many behind the scene improvements.

   There are several new scripts which are described in the scripts how-to
on the hamvoip.org web page. 

   The setup routine now also configures simpleusb. There is a small radio
database that will be expanded with user input in the future. Make sure you
understand the configuration parameters before changing them
indiscriminately. If you are moving a radio from another Allstar simpleusb
configured system the settings including audio levels would be the same on
the RPi2. So make a note of them before you switch. 

   simpleusb now includes two new commands, preemphasis to go along with the
long existing deemphasis and rxaudiodelay to eliminate squelch tails.
rxaudiodelay takes a value from 0-24. 0 or commenting the line results in no
delay. Values 1 to 24 are the number of 20ms frames of delay. Typical values
are from 5-10. Listen on iaxrtp or another local node to hear your own
squelch tail. It is the tail the node radio creates when you immediately
unkey not when your radio squelches. Experiment and use the minimum value
that consistently eliminates the squelch tail. 

   Allmon2 is pre-installed. See the how-to on the hamvoip.org web page.

   The RPi2 does not have a shutdown switch. See the how-to on the web page
for information on how to add a switch. Software support for a switch is
built-in to the distribution but it needs to be turned on in
/usr/local/etc/allstar.env  Other methods of shutdown are sending a shutdown
command using ssh or a HDMI monitor and keyboard or activating DTMF control
in the rpt.conf functions section. When you halt the processor you will need
to power cycle to restart. So this is generally not something you would want
to do remotely. It is a good idea to always properly shutdown your system.
Unless absolutely necessary don't just pull the power.

   GPIO works and the wiringpi GPIO C library and command line functions are
included. See /usr/src/examples/GPIO/wiringpi for examples.  

   The weather scripts have been updated. See the weather howto on the web
page for updates.

   All other features except those noted below that are now on the BBB 1.2.1
version should work fine on the RPi2.

What does not yet work on the RPi2 -

   Automated Wireless Ethernet is not yet implemented. It will be on the
next version which should be out fairly quickly after the v1.0 release. It
could be done manually and we may make a script or how-to available in the
next few weeks.

   GPIO control of PTT and COS are also not implemented but will be very
soon. See future development below.

Future development -

   Development is under way to write new channel drivers specifically for
the BBB and RPi2 using the ALSA rather than the obsolete OSS sound interface
that is used in the current Allstar. If will be multi-threaded with a
separate manager thread to handle telemetry. This will allow interface to
virtually any audio device that can be hooked to the board. We also feel
that the current usbradio type commands will have a high likelihood of
working on the RPi2 with the new code and it will also make GPIO interfacing
for COS, PTT, etc. much easier. It also opens the door to use better DSP
software packages using the floating point capability of the RPi2. Audio
noise floor and quality could be even better than it is now. We are very
excited about the possibilities. You should see test versions of these
drivers in the next few months.

   We will continue to update the BBB code but I can see much more
development effort going into the RPi2 in the future. For that reason I
would recommend that any future purchases for new servers be the RPi2 rather
than the BBB. It is also likely we will see the BBB's availability go down
and cost go up in the future as sales go down. It is hard to predict a time
line on this so just be aware it could happen. That being said if your BBB
board is working well and serving your needs there is no reason to replace
it.

   More updates on the web page will happen over the next few weeks, so be
patient. Some of the updates mentioned above are not yet complete. Also be
sure to reload web pages and how-to's to make sure you have the current
version. The RPi2 like the BBB is extremely easy to setup using the
automated scripts. Just be sure to have all your information together before
you start - node#, Node PW, IP address and gateway if static, etc.

The direct download link for the RPi2 V1.0 release is:

http://www.hamvoip.org/RPi2/RPi2_V1.0_Allstar.zip

This link also appears on the hamvoip.org website.

Thank you for your patience. 

   Have fun,  the RPi2 Allstar Team, WA3DSP, KB4FXC, W0AMN

Visit  http://hamvoip.org for more information.

73 Doug
WA3DSP
http://www.crompton.com/hamradio

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