Allwinner A1X
File:Cubieboard.jpeg based on the Allwinner A10 SoC.]]
The Allwinner A1X is a family of single-core SoC devices designed by Allwinner Technology from Zhuhai, China. Currently the family consists of the A10,{{cite web|url=http://allwinnertech.com/en/clq/processora/A10.html |title=A10_Allwinner Technology |access-date=2015-11-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151122010116/http://allwinnertech.com/en/clq/processora/A10.html |archive-date=2015-11-22 }} A13,{{cite web|url=http://www.allwinnertech.com/en/clq/processora/2014/0223/266.html |title=A13_ |access-date=2014-04-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502013613/http://www.allwinnertech.com/en/clq/processora/2014/0223/266.html |archive-date=2014-05-02 }} A10s{{Cite web |url=http://www.allwinnertech.com/en/clq/processora/2014/0223/268.html |title=A10s_ |access-date=2014-04-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429015930/http://www.allwinnertech.com/en/clq/processora/2014/0223/268.html |archive-date=2014-04-29 |url-status=dead }} and A12. The SoCs incorporate the ARM Cortex-A8 as their main processor{{Cite web|url=https://www.arm.com/company/news|title=News – Arm®|first=Arm|last=Ltd|website=Arm | The Architecture for the Digital World|accessdate=15 April 2023}} and the Mali 400 as the GPU.
The Allwinner A1X is known for its ability to boot Linux distributions such as Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, and other ARM architecture-capable distributions from an SD card, in addition to the Android OS usually installed on the flash memory of the device.
A1x Features
{{clear}}File:AllWinner A13 Tablet.jpg
Video acceleration
- HD video decoding (up to 3840x2160)
- Supports popular video codecs, including VP8, AVS, H.264 MVC, VC-1, and MPEG-1/2/4
- HD Video Encoding (H.264 High Profile)
- Multi-channel HD displays
- Built-in HDMI
- YPbPr, CVBS, VGA
- LCD interfaces: CPU, RGB, LVDS up to full 1080p HDTV
Memory
- DDR2/DDR3 SDRAM, 32-bit
- SLC/MLC/TLC/DDR NAND
Connectivity
- USB 2.0
- CSI, TS
- 10/100 Ethernet controller
- CAN bus (A10 only){{Cite web |url=http://dl.linux-sunxi.org/A10/A10%20Datasheet%20-%20v1.21%20%282012-04-06%29.pdf |title=Datasheet |access-date=2012-09-27 |archive-date=2013-07-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130717065509/http://dl.linux-sunxi.org/A10/A10%20Datasheet%20-%20v1.21%20%282012-04-06%29.pdf |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://dl.linux-sunxi.org/A13/A13%20Datasheet%20-%20v1.12%20%282012-03-29%29.pdf |title=Data sheet |access-date=2012-09-27 |archive-date=2013-07-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130717170250/http://dl.linux-sunxi.org/A13/A13%20Datasheet%20-%20v1.12%20%282012-03-29%29.pdf |url-status=dead }}
- Built-in SATA 2.0 Interface
- I²S, SPDIF and AC97 audio interfaces
- PS2, SPI, TWI and UART
Storage and boot devices
Implementations
Many manufacturers have adopted the Allwinner A1X for use in devices running the Android operating system and the Linux operating System. The Allwinner A1X is used in tablet computers, set-top boxes, PC-on-a-stick, mini-PCs, and single-board computers.
- PengPod,{{cite web |url=http://pengpod.com/pengwiki/index.php?title=Main_Page |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140217105612/http://pengpod.com/pengwiki/index.php?title=Main_Page |url-status=dead |archive-date=2014-02-17 |title=PengPod Wiki}} Linux-based 7 and 10-inch tablets.
- Gooseberry, a board based on the A10 SoC similar to the Raspberry Pi.
- Cubieboard, a board based the A10 SoC.
- Tinkerforge RED Brick, a board based on the A10s SoC {{Cite web|url=http://www.tinkerforge.com/de/blog/2014/4/10/red-brick-leiterplatten-angekommen|title = Blog | Tinkerforge}}
- CHIP (computer), a $9 SoC computer based on the A13
Operating System support
{{see also|Graphics hardware and FOSS}}
= Linux support =
The Allwinner A1X architecture is referred to as 'sunxi' in the Linux kernel source tree. The source code is available at GitHub.{{cite web |title=linux-sunxi |url=https://github.com/linux-sunxi/linux-sunxi |website=GitHub |access-date=2014-06-30}} At the moment, stable and full hardware support is limited to 3.0.x and 3.4.x kernels. Recent mainline versions of the kernel run, but do not offer NAND access and have only limited 3D-acceleration.{{Cite web|url=https://linux-sunxi.org/Linux_mainlining_effort|title=Linux mainlining effort - linux-sunxi.org|website=linux-sunxi.org|accessdate=15 April 2023}}
= FreeBSD support =
There is a work in progress on support Efika on FreeBSD. At the moment, not all on-board peripherals are working.{{cite mailing list |url=http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-arm/2012-December/004446.html |title=Allwinner A10 |date=26 December 2012 |access-date=24 June 2014 |mailing-list=freebsd-arm |author=Ganbold }}{{When|date=May 2014}}
= OpenBSD support =
As of May 2015, OpenBSD's armv7 port supports the Cubieboard and pcDuino boards based on the Allwinner A1X.{{cite web |title=OpenBSD/armv7 |url=http://www.openbsd.org/armv7.html |website=OpenBSD |access-date=2015-05-30}}
= NetBSD support =
Documentation
No factory sourced programmer's manual is publicly available for the A10S CPU.
Allwinner A-Series
Apart from the single-core A1x (A10/A13/A10s/A12), two new more powerful Cortex-A7 Allwinner SoCs have been released by Allwinner, the A10-pin-compatible dual-core Allwinner A20, and the quad-core Allwinner A31.{{Cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2012/12/11/allwinner-a20-a31-arm-cortex-a7-processors/|title = Allwinner throws A20 dual-core and A31-quad-core processors into ARM fray}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://linux-sunxi.org/Cubieboard Cubieboard on linux-sunxi]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160525012103/http://www.allwinnertech.com/en/clq/processora/A13.html A13]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20121201031706/http://www.allwinnertech.com/en/product/a10.html A10]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20121213093212/http://www.allwinnertech.com/en/product/A10s.html A10s]
{{Application ARM-based chips}}