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Questions about using the Pocket Beagle with Model Railroading, specificly using LCC OpenLCB and OpenMRN

Robert Heller edited this page Mar 3, 2019 · 1 revision

I am interested in using the Pocket Beagle as part of a model railroad control system, specificly using LCC/OenLCB (see http://www.openlcb.org) and OpenMRN (see https://github.com/bakerstu/openmrn). Specificly, I am looking to design an addon board that brings out the CAN interface. Looking at the pinouts, there appears to be three possiblities: CAN0 on P1-26 and P1-28 (hides I2C2), CAN1 on P2-9 and P2-11 (hides I2C1), and CAN1 on P2-25 and P2-27 (hides part of SPI1). I know that whatever I do, one of the Click board locations becomes unavailable (I'm fine with that). What I want to know is which of these three possiblities is least disruptive overall?

I am also interested in possibly bringing out a wired Ethernet connection. I presume this would involve finding a USB<=>Ethernet chip. In a model railroad application, tethering won't be an option. Ethernet is something I could live without. Wireless may or may not be an option (for various reasons).