Specifications
This page documents features from more engineering point of view. For a more user-centric point of view, see Features.
Major Balthazar parts are:
Power Controller and battery
These supply power to the rest of the system, particularly the System on a Module, USB Hub and Display subsytem. It also manages battery.
It should be capable enough to run some USB connected hardware.
See more: Power Supply
System on a Module (SoM)
This is the main system board, the computer. Boards from different makers should be supported.
Minimum of ports is required for wider compaitibility. These are: Power, USB and HDMI.
See more: System on a Module
I/O USB hub
IO-board basically means connectivity with peripheral devices. These can be seen as on-board and out-board. On-board devices include: keyboard + trackpad, webcam and optional audio-card. USB is the usual solution for this.
For more see our I/O USB page.
Unifying-PCB
Single PCB solution for connecting the three previously designed Balthazar modules (I/O, power supply, USB 2.0, 3.0 controllers, keyboard and adding Compute Module compatible FPGA boards. For more info see our Unifying-PCB page.
Display Controller and a screen panel
Provides interface to display panel by HDMI
Panel slim screen.
Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Pixel Pitch(mm): 0.1529 x 0.1529
PPI: 166
Active Area(mm): 294.06 x 165.54
Outline(mm): 299.96 x 186.92
Luminance(nits): 300
View Angle (U/D/R/L): 89/89/89/89
Contrast Ratio: 800:1
Support colour: 16.7M
Colour Depth: 8 bit
Colour Gamut (NTSC): 72%
Response Time(ms): 25
Power consumption: 3.7
Backlight: LED
Weight: 170 g
Frame Rate: (Hz)60Hz
Electrical Interface: DP 1.3
Ultra-slim thickness: 2mm
Test screen on Unifying Board with CM4 module working. Also works in a full configuration.
Case
Initial casing is meant to be made of a recyclable vegetable oil based plastic. Also, the idea of a modular design gave us even more sustainable materials to look at – pressed used clothes in resin, cans recycled pressed aluminium and even resin-ed wood saw.
Here are elements we have been working with so far and slowly shaping the final design and certain materials together.
On our Github page you can look into the print files too.
Chronological pictures and phases of the development, with the newest developments on the top. Below is shown a latest construction of a casing, with all the elements fitting in. This prototype is consisting of 4 cover units and 7 lower units inclusive the hinge. All construction elements are stitched using small orange plastic pegs.
This was a first trial of constructing the case and modular elements below:
Keyboard and Touch-pad
For specific Balthazar keyboard, see: Keyboard
We develop add-on PCB to accommodate well known and basically industry standard keyboard as it is found in ThinkPad x2XX series. This will enable users to use an inexpensive replacement keyboard should they have need for it. Casing design envisage accommodating frame to fix additional keyboard in place.
Touchpad on specific Balthazar's keyboard is connected via I2C bus.
Battery
We did implementation and tests with this battery set:
Brand: Samsung
Battery size: 21700
Battery chemistry: Li-ion
Battery: Rechargeable
Voltage 3.6V
Min. capacity in mAh: 4,800.00
Battery version: Flat top
Discharge current: 9.60
Protection circuit: Unprotected
Height: 70.00
Diameter in mm: 21.00
Up to 6 batteries are proposed to power Balthazar, however an additional Battery Control Monitor should be implemented
or as a separate unit. Also, research into other battery systems is done.
Current battery candidate implementation and tests. Charging and operating.
5V
12V
Those are battery packs we assembled and into the carrier that fits into the case. In our prototype phase, we implemented those without Battery Charger Monitor. Next stage will be with a BCM PCB.
OLED small screen for keyboard
OLED Module: display OLED
3.3÷5VDC
I2C
33x20mm - 0.91"
Software
Software depends on a System on a Module used.
See more: Software
