🔟 Reasons Why the Clockwork uConsole CM4 is My Favorite Cyberdeck!

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Producers:
Keven, The Lovely Accountant, & retroKat

Executive Producers:
Boba Fett, Gürçe, Jamie's Hack Shack, Mindrail, Mislav Krleža

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The ClockworkPi v3.14 revision 5 has improved the analog circuitry section to increase the stability of the power supply. CPI v3.14 revision 5 integrates up to 12 interfaces in the ultra-small size of 95x77mm, ensuring sufficient connectivity for your work and entertainment. Following an easy-to-upgrade modular design of CPU and memory, clockworkPi v3.14 revision 5 allows you to freely choose a suitable "Core" for various application scenarios. CPI v3.14 revision 5 is compatible with the Raspberry Pi CM3 and CM4 series (with an adapter board), which means that your work on the Raspberry Pi can be "teleported" to a "fantasy console" in seconds!

#clockwork #uconsole #cyberdeck

Music Credit: Karl Casey @WhiteBatAudio (Thanks for all the great retro tunes, Karl!)

Time Codes:
00:00 - Introduction
00:09 - Video Bumper
00:15 - Setup
00:39 - #1 Form Factor
01:02 - #2 Display
01:31 - #3 Keyboard
01:55 - #4 Ports and Bluetooth
02:35 - #5 RPi Compute Module 4
03:53 - Support More retroCombs Content
04:39 - #6 4G LTE
05:10 - #7 Raspbian OS
05:46 - #8 A Real Browser
06:12 - #9 Retro Computing
07:05 - #10 Cost
07:51 - BONUS #1: You Build It!
08:28 - BONUS #2 (Sort Of): Batteries
09:25 - Summing Up
10:06 - Watch More retroCombs

Music Credit: Karl Casey @WhiteBatAudio (Thanks for all the great retro tunes, Karl!)

[ivan]

I'd just wanted to write about the 18650 form factor, but so many people did it. So, It's a good review. Thanks a lot.

[TheBilgepumper]

18650 batteries have been a standard size for lithium ion rechargeables for decades. The best brands are Panasonic, Sanyo, Samsung, and LG. I usually use Samsung or LG.

It's just that until the past 8 years or so, I only saw them welded inside OEM battery packs. We used to take apart the battery packs of obsolete or broken laptops to get batteries for other projects. It was great when they became popular for flashlights, because we had piles of them ready to go.

[miscme]

As soon as I knew about this device I ordered one for testing and development. For me it is the applications in my work that make it very interesting. This is a much cheaper, robust and less hassle option than laptops that we've been using so far for configuring and field programming machines that we manufacture. I showed this to the guys at work and they were immediately hooked on the idea of simple, small and cost efficient field terminals. I will write custom versions of software tools we have for running them on the uConsole display and we have a nice new tool which is much easier to maintain and carry than how laptops are. Extending the battery life in field conditions is also simple with a power bank, no need for a special one that can charge a laptop. If we need to update something, even the whole OS and set of tools can be updated to a ready-made card image and then just swap the card to the terminal in a few seconds to perform the actual update. The service guys can just pop in, change card and away they go. I'm also loving the possibility for designing a custom board to the expansion port and have that do stuff that eliminates the need for adapters or external devices that we have to use with laptops currently.

[flyingphysics]

I'm really excited to try Mathematica on this great little device. The ultimate pocket calculator! I ordered mine today, now the waiting begins...

[alexbedel]

I just discovered this channel. Im subscribing. I might buy this. Its cool.

[Markste-in]

"those strange 18650" ??? 18650 are quite common, especially when u wanna have swap-able liion batteries (what is great instead of having some weird pouch cells that may be clued in)

[euphanasia]

Wasn’t gonna order until you mentioned the possibility of upgrading to a RPi CM5 module, definitely want to be ready. 😮

[Ucceah]

18650 cells aren't common in consumer electronics, but they have been the most common, de facto standard, LiIon form factor for years.
i would love to see an alternative option, using a pouch cell instead, that makes use of all the available space. that could easily double or even triple the battery life.

[TheRealBigJake]

18650 is my most used battery. Seems everything uses them. 5 hours is good and I bet you could get 8 with some quality cells. I dig it 👍

[adam]

I'm not sure what I would need this for, but I want one anyway. That said (and as another comment pointed out) they would make a great field terminal for configuring or servicing industrial process control or embedded systems. I work a lot in the OT world and these devices would rule in that scenario, especially with the LTE module so you could be completely untethered. It's the best realisation of the cyberdeck that I've seen.

[akdm]

Was that Virtual T running on your DevTerm? I haven't seen it for Arm devices. Where can I get it? Thanks

[DouglasRosser]

Just ordered one. For most things, there are better options - Gaming: SteamDeck, Content Consumption: pretty much any tablet, Dev terminal: any old laptop with a good keyboard and Linux/ChromeOS. For me, I'm going to try it as a handheld music production box. It's cheaper than most of the bespoke units from Roland, Korg, etc. Now I only need to wait FOREVER for it to ship.

[stfanboy]

Just stumbled upon this video because I'm going through reviews of this wonderful little machine. I really want one. It would go great with my Alienware 18 and Macbook Air for traveling. Also, I wouldn't say the power issue is a negative really. The 18650 cells are easily available at most vape and smoke shops. I use two of them in my vape mod. Great review, subbed and hello fellow C64 user!

[DUSTINANGELETTI-bh]

can you use orange pi cm5? or similar modules?

[OleHippy]

Is any terminal emulation software available to run IBM 5250 emulation for remote access to AS/400?

[elektronkim]

I use a lot of 18650 batteries. Find them mostly in old laptop battery packs which failed. They are high amps. I can literally "repair" them from ending up near 0 voltage. A dead one won't. Find them safe so far in many setups.

[beeshepard]

Would the uconsole be capable of running combian?

[grayghost]

Based on your video and Eta primes, I had to order one... Portable pi with a full physical thumb keyboard that's backlit. Also ordered it with the cellular module. Just in case. Its like the pocket chip fused with the retroflag game boy style case. Probably better. And I've been kind of a long time vaper unfortunately so I've got a few 18650s sitting around. They were very common in devices a few years ago.

[AssetBurned]

Those batteries are used in all sorts of equipment. Not only most computer battery packs have them in there, but also vaping shops are selling them.

[soookie]

Great review. I just ordered a Wi-Fi only model as I probably won't use this to work outside often. Hard to choose between silver and black, but I selected black.