BeagleBone Black

9 July 2018 - 0 Comments

BeagleBone Black

BeagleBone Black Pinout

Beaglebone Black is no less than a computer. Yes, you read it right. It is packed with everything you find on a desktop or a laptop. A powerful processor, memory, and graphic acceleration, all shrunken down as chips and soldered into a single circuit board. Therefore, it is fair enough to call it a single-board computer.

This powerful microcontroller board can be hooked up with a display, speakers, Ethernet network, keyboard, and mouse. Moreover, it can be used to boot up a LINUX operating system.

It is a powerful tool for hobbyists and researchers to build sophisticated projects and a good approach to learning more about LINUX-based operating systems.

Similar Development Boards

Raspberry Pi, Arduino Yun, ARM LPC2129, Intel Edison, Beagle Bone Green.

Beaglebone Black Pin Configuration

Each digital I/O pin has 8 different modes to choose from, including GPIO. Below are the BeagleBone Black Pinout tables for the P8 and P9 expansion headers of the Beaglebone black.

The PROC column is the pin number on the processor.

The MODE columns are the different mode settings available for each pin.

Please note that the MODE5 is missing because it really just doesn’t do anything. The only pin that works in MODE5 is GPIO0_7 in expansion header P9. It can be set as mmc0_swdp.

Expansion Header P8 Pinout

PIN	PROC	NAME	MODE0	MODE1	MODE2	MODE3	MODE4	MODE6	MODE7
1,2					GND
3	R9	GPIO1_6	gpmc_ad6	mmc1_dat6					GPIO1[6]
4	T9	GPIO1_7	gpmc_ad7	mmc1_dat7					GPIO1[7]
5	R8	GPIO1_2	gpmc_ad2	mmc1_dat2					GPIO1[2]
6	T8	GPIO1_3	gpmc_ad3	mmc1_dat3					GPIO1[3]
7	R7	TIMER4	gpmc_advn_ale		timer4				GPIO2[2]
8	T7	TIMER7	gpmc_oen_ren		timer7				GPIO2[3]
9	T6	TIMER5	gpmc_be0n_cle		timer5				GPIO2[5]
10	U6	TIMER6	gpmc_wen		timer6				GPIO2[4]
11*	R12	GPIO1_13	gpmc_ad13	lcd_data18	mmc1_dat5*	mmc2_dat1	eQEP2B_in		GPIO1[13]
12*	T12	GPIO1_12	gpmc_ad12	lcd_data19	mmc1_dat4*	mmc2_dat0	eQEP2A_in		GPIO1[12]
13*	T10	EHRPWM2B	gpmc_ad9	lcd_data22	mmc1_dat1*	mmc2_dat5	ehrpwm2B		GPIO0[23]
14*	T11	GPIO1_26	gpmc_ad10	lcd_data21	mmc1_dat2*	mmc2_dat6	ehrpwm_tripzone		GPIO0[26]
15*	U13	GPIO1_15	gpmc_ad15	lcd_data16	mmc1_dat7*	mmc2_dat3	eQEP2_strobe		GPIO1[15]
16*	V13	GPIO1_14	gpmc_ad14	lcd_data17	mmc1_dat6*	mmc2_dat2	eQEP2_index		GPIO1[14]
17*	U12	GPIO1_27	gpmc_ad11	lcd_data20	mmc1_dat3*	mmc2_dat7	ehrpwm0_synco		GPIO0[27]
18	V12	GPIO2_1	gpmc_clk_mux0	lcd_memory_clk	gpmc_wait1	mmc2_clk		mcasp0_fsr	GPIO2[1]
19*	U10	EHRPWM2A	gpmc_ad8	lcd_data23	mmc1_dat0*	mmc2_dat4	ehrpwm2A		GPIO0[22]
20*	V9	GPIO1_31	gpmc_csn2	gpmc_be1n	mmc1_cmd*				GPIO1[31]
21*	U9	GPIO1_30	gpmc_csn1	gpmc_clk	mmc1_clk*				GPIO1[30]
22	V8	GPIO1_5	gpmc_ad5	mmc1_dat5					GPIO1[5]
23	U8	GPIO1_4	gpmc_ad4	mmc1_dat4					GPIO1[4]
24	V7	GPIO1_1	gpmc_ad1	mmc1_dat1					GPIO1[1]
25	U7	GPIO1_0	gpmc_ad0	mmc1_dat0					GPIO1[0]
26	V6	GPIO1_29	gpmc_csn0						GPIO1[29]
27*	U5	GPIO1_22	lcd_vsync*	gpmc_a8					GPIO2[22]
28*	V5	GPIO1_24	lcd_pcik*	gpmc_a10					GPIO2[24]
29*	R5	GPIO1_23	lcd_hsync*	gpmc_a9					GPIO2[23]
30*	R6	GPIO1_25	lcd_ac_bias_en*	gpmc_a11					GPIO2[25]
31*	V4	UART5_CTSN	lcd_data14*	gpmc_a18	eQEP1_index	mcasp0_axr1	uart5_rxd	uart5_ctsn	GPIO0[10]
32*	T5	UART5_RTSN	lcd_data15*	gpmc_a19	eQEP1_strobe	mcasp0_ahclkx	mcasp0_axr3	uart5_rtsn	GPIO0[11}
33*	V3	UART4_RTSN	lcd_data13*	gpmc_a17	eQEP1B_in	mcasp0_fsr	mcasp0_axr3	uart4_rtsn	GPIO0[9]
34*	U4	UART3_RTSN	lcd_data11*	gpmc_a15	ehrpwm1A	mcasp0_ahclkr	mcasp0_axr2	uart3_rtsn	GPIO2[17]
35*	V2	UART4_CTSN	lcd_data12*	gpmc_a16	ehrpwm1_tripzone	mcasp0_aclkr	mcasp0_axr2	uart4_ctsn	GPIO0[8]
36*	U3	UART3_CTSN	lcd_data10*	gpmc_a14	ehrpwm0_synco	mcasp0_axr0		uart3_ctsn	GPIO2[16]
37*	U1	UART5_TXD	lcd_data8*	gpmc_a12		mcasp0_aclkx	uart5 _txd	uart2_ctsn	GPIO2[14]
38*	U2	UART5_RXD	lcd_data9*	gpmc_a13		mcasp0_fsx	uart5_rxd	uart_rtsn	GPIO2[15]
39*	T3	GPIO2_12	lcd_data6*	gpmc_a6		eQEP2_index			GPIO2[12]
40*	T4	GPIO2_13	lcd_data7*	gpmc_a7		eQEP2_strobe	pr1_edio_data_out7		GPIO2[13]
41*	T1	GPIO2_10	lcd_data4*	gpmc_a4		eQEP2A_in			GPIO2[10]
42*	T2	GPIO2_11	lcd_data5*	gpmc_a5		eQEP2B_in			GPIO2[11]
43*	R3	GPIO2_8	lcd_data2*	gpmc_a2		ehrpwm2_tripzone			GPIO2[8]
44*	R4	GPIO2_9	lcd_data3*	gpmc_a3		ehrpwm_synco			GPIO2[9]
45*	R1	GPIO2_6	lcd_data0*	gpmc_a0		ehrpwm2A			GPIO2[6]
46*	R2	GPIO2_7	lcd_data1*	gpmc_a1		ehrpwm2B			GPIO2[7]

*some pins are used by internal storage eMMC (11-21) and HDMI (27-46)

Expansion Header P9 Pinout

PIN	PROC	NAME	MODE0	MODE2	MODE3	MODE4	MODE6	MODE7
1,2					GND
3,4					DC_3.3V
5,6					VDD_5V
7,8					SYS_5V
9					PWR_BUT
10	A10	RESET_OUT
11	T17	gpmc_wait0	mii2_crs	gpmc_csn4	rmii2_crs_dv	mmc1_sdcd	uart4_rxd_mux2	gpio0[30]
12	U18	gpmc_be1n	mii2_col	gpmc_csn6	mmc_dat3	gpmc_dir	mcasp0_aclkr_mux3	gpio1[28]
13	U17	gpmc_wpn	mii2_rxerr	gpmc_csn5	rmii2_rxerr	mmc2_sdcd	uart4_txd_mux2	gpio0[31]
14	U14	gpmc_a2	mii2_txd3	rgmii2_td3	mmc2_dat1	gpmc_a18	ehrpwm1A_mux1	gpio1[18]
15	R13	gpmc_a0	gmii2_txen	rmii2_tctl	mii2_txen	gpmc_a16	ehrpwm1_tripzone	gpio1[16]
16	T14	gpmc_a3	mii2_txd2	rgmii2_td2	mmc2_dat2	gpmc_a19	ehrpwm1B_mux1	gpio1[19]
17	A16	spi0_cs0	mmc2_sdwp	I2C1_SCL	ehrpwm0_synci			gpio0[5]
18	B16	spi0_d1	mmc1_sdwp	I2CL_SDA	ehrpwm0_tripzone			gpio0[4]
19	D17	uart1_rtsn	timer5	dcan0_rx	I2C2_SCL	spi1_cs1		gpio0[13]
20	D18	uart1_ctsn	timer6	dcan0_tx	I2C2_SDA	spi1_cs0		gpio0[12]
21	B17	spi0_d0	uart2_txd	I2C2_SCL	ehrpwm0B		EMU3_mux1	gpio0[3]
22	A17	spi0_sclk	uart2_rxd	I2C2_SDA	ehrpwm0A		EMU2_mux1	gpio0[2]
23	V14	gpmc_a1	gmii2_rxdv	rgmii2_rxdv	mmc2_dat0	gpmc_a17	ehrpwm0_synco	gpio1[17]
24	D15	uart1_txd	mmc2_swdp	dcan1_rx	I2C1_SCL			gpio0[15]
25	A14	mcasp0_ahclkx	eQEP0_strobe	mcasp0_axr3	mcasp1_axr1	EMU4_mux2		gpio3[21]
26	D16	uart1_rxd	mmc1_sdwp	mcasp0_axr2	I2C1_SDA			gpio0[14]
27	C13	mcasp0_fsr	eQEP0B_in		mcasp1_fsx	EMU2_mux2		gpio3[19]
28	C12	mcasp0_ahclkr	ehrpwm0_synci		spi1_cs0	eCAP2_in_PWM2_out		gpio3[17]
29	B13	mcasp0_fsx	ehrpwm0B		spi1_d0	mmc1_sdcd_mux1		gpio3[15]
30	D12	mcasp0_axr0	ehrpwm0_tripzone		spi1_d1	mmc2_sdcd_mux1		gpio3[16]
31	A13	mcasp0_aclkx	ehrpwm0A		spi1_sclk	mmc0_sdcd_mux1		gpio3[14]
32					VADC
33	C8				AIN4
34					AGND
35	A8				AIN6
36	B8				AIN5
37	B7				AIN2
38	A7				AIN3
39	B6				AIN0
40	C7				AIN1
41	D14	xdma_event_intr1		tclkin	clkout2	timer7_mux1	EMU3_mux0	gpio0[20]
D13	mcasp0_axr1	eQEP0_index		mcasp1_axr0	emu3		gpio3[20]
42	C18	eCAPO_in_PWM0_out	uart3_txd	spi1_cs1	pr1_ecap0_ecap _capin_apwm_o	spi1_sclk	xdma_event_intr2	gpio0[7]
B12	mcasp0_aclkr	eQEP0A_in	mcasp0_axr2	mcasp1_aclkx			gpio3[18]

Up to 8, I/O pins can be configured with PWM (pulse width modulator) to generate signals to control motors without taking up any extra CPU cycle
Pin number (32-40) in header P9 constitutes a single 12-bit analog-to-digital converter having 8 channels
There are two I2C ports. The first I2C bus is utilized to read EEPROMS. It can also be used for other digital I/O operations without interfering with that function. The second I2C is available to configure according to the need of the user
There are 2 SPI ports for fast shifting of data
For advanced users, the Beaglebone black consists of 25 PRU low latency I/Os. They can make use 2 built-in 32 bit 200 MHz microcontrollers called PRU (Programmable Real-time Unit) in order to perform some real-time task

Beaglebone Black Technical Specifications

Processor	Sitara AM3358BZCZ100 1 GHz, 2000 MIPS
Graphics Engine	SGX530 3D, 20M Polygons/S
SDRAM Memory	512MB DDR3L 800 MHz
Onboard Flash	4GB, 8-bit Embedded MMC
PMIC	TPS65217C PMIC regulator and one additional LDO
Debug Support	Optional Onboard 20-pin CTI JTAG, Serial Header
Power Source	miniUSB, USB or DC jack	5V DC External Via Expansion Header
PCB	3.4” x 2.1”	6 layers
Indicators	1-Power, 2-Ethernet, 4-User Controllable LEDs
HS USB 2.0 Client Port	Access to USB0, client mode via miniUSB
HS USB 2.0 Host Port	Access to USB1, Type A socket, 500 mA LS/FS/HS
Serial Port	UART0 access via 6-pin 3.3V TTL Header. Header is populated
Ethernet	10/100, RJ45
SD/MMC Connector	microSD, 3.3V
User input	Reset button Boot button Power button
Video out	16b HDMI, 1280 x 1024 (MAX) 1024 x 768 x 1280 x 720, 1440 x 900, 1920 x 1080@24 Hz w/EDID Support
Audio	Via HDMI Interface, Stereo
Expansion Connectors	Power 5V, 3.3V, VDD_ADC(1.8V) 3.3V I/O on all signals McASP0, SPI1, I2C, GPIO(69 max), LCD, GPMC, MMC1, MMC2, 7 AIN(1.8V Max), 4 timers, 4 Serial Ports, CAN0, EHRPWM(0,2) , XDMA Interrupt, Power button, Expansion board ID (up to 4 can be stacked)
Weight	39.68 grams (1.4 oz)

Note: More technical information can be found in the Beaglebone Black Datasheet, linked at the bottom of this page.

Difference between Beaglebone Black and Beaglebone


	Beaglebone Black	Beaglebone
Processor	AM3358BZCZ100, 1GHz	AM3359ZCZ72, 720 MHz
Video Out	HDMI	None
DRAM	512 MB DDR3L, 800MHz	256MB DDR2, 400MHz
Flash	4GB eMMC , uSD	uSD
Onboard JT	Optical	Yes, over USB
Serial	Header	Via USB
PWR Exp Header	No	Yes
Power	210-460 mA@5V	300-500 mA@5V

Where is Beaglebone black used?

The Beaglebone Black is a pocket-friendly, compact development platform with excellent support from its fast-growing community. It is a perfect device for physical computing and smaller embedded applications.

The best feature of Beaglebone black which makes it a complete game changer is the feature to add different capes to it. Capes are plug-in boards that are added to Beaglebone black to enhance its functionality. Capes are available for motor control, VGA, camera, LCD, and other functionalities.

The Beaglebone Black can be used when–

When you need to run heavy operating systems with low power

There are many scenarios during a DIY project when Arduino is not enough. For example, during the boot of the operating system and running heavy softwares, Arduino will require extra power. Here, Black comes in handy and does the same operation with low power.

When your project needs a lot of hardware to be connected

In terms of GPIO connectivity, the Beaglebone black knocks out Raspberry Pi. In Pi, we have a single 26-pin header to be used as 8 GPIO pins or serial bus. However, in Beaglebone black, we can find two 48-socket headers using which we can connect virtually n number of I/O hardware. It also features a number of analog I/O pins to connect sensors which out-of-the-box Pi lacks.

When you want your project to start quickly

Beaglebone black takes very less time to get up and running. It comes with pre-installed LINUX distro which saves a lot of time and prevents fuss.

How to get started with Beaglebone Black?

As mentioned earlier also, that getting started with Beaglebone black is a very quick and easy process.

First, plug-in it into your computer using the included mini USB. This will power it up and boot into its LINUX distro, Angstrom
Hook it up to a display and USB peripherals
You can intall driver to connect Beaglebone black to web browser an dcontrol it with your computer
From here, there are no limits. You can get acquainted with the LINUX operating system or write custom softwares for Beaglebone black using Python and libraries to manage all GPIOs