Windows embedded (7) - repurposing a thin client PC

[Doddy]

Experience so far, dry-fitting a LinuxCNC install. Wheezy (Debian 7 based) has the latency test spiking around 130us, and Stetch (Debian 9) around 180us. Looking at the graphs these are frequent large spikes (circa 1-second, short duration - interrupts? but seemingly random in nature) against a baseline of around 20us. I've looked at SMI and power management - no gains there, and similarly with disconnecting Ethernet and WiFi. Under Wheezy I couldn't get WiFi operation (and it's too archaic to be a comfortable installation). Upgraded 4GB ram to 8GB ram under Stretch with no improvement (though general usage feels better).

Beautiful, small form-factor - the T610Plus is a nice, silent and cool running PC (the fan on a Raspberry Pi 4 drowns out the HP), good connectivity, but not good real-time performance out-of-the-box.

Having scrimped on this, I've now had to spend £300 on a 7176e card to support (though that's as much for the I/O that I want for MPGs and spindle encoders) - I don't think there was much mileage in using the PP for this. Of course, for a linux buff, if you can set core-affinities to OS/interrupts onto one core and LinuxCNC onto the second - your results may vary.

[Clive S]

Experience so far, dry-fitting a LinuxCNC install. Wheezy

I think Stretch is the preferred version for Mesa cards.


http://linuxcnc.org/downloads/

[Doddy]

Clive - Cheers - clearly I shouldn't write early in the morning - I meant Stretch (not Squeeze) - I've amended the post above.

[Voicecoil]

Of course, for a linux buff, if you can set core-affinities to OS/interrupts onto one core and LinuxCNC onto the second - your results may vary.

That's cool, didn't realise you could do stuff like that.