Is it possible to use F200 and Intel RealSense Tech on Intel Compute Stick

[Burak_D_]

Hello,

I just wonder whether Intel Compute Stick allows developer to use F200 Depth Cams with the Intel RealSense Technology. If so, please let me know.

Thanks in advance.

Regards.

[MartyG]

From what I understand, Compute Sticks would not be able to run all of RealSense's functions because they use the older Bay Trail type of Intel Atom processor, whilst RealSense is designed to be compatible with the newer Cherry Trail processor generation.  That's not to say that none of RealSense features would work - people on this forum have managed to use the camera to some extent with a variety of processors that are not officially supported.  The features most likely to not work are hand and face tracking, whilst the ones most likely to work are those involved with streaming raw data from the camera or using basic webcam-level audio and RGB video features.

The Compute Stick info site is somewhat misleading.  If you click on the information button about Intel Atom processors, it takes you to information about the latest Z8000 Intel Atom (Cherry Trail) chip series.  If you scroll down further to the list of tech specs though, the processor number that it states is an older Bay Trail Z3735F chip.

This could be because the link is to a general info page about Atom rather than a Compute Stick specific one and that the info button did originally point to the Bay Trail info when the Compute Stick page was first published (before Cherry Trail came out) but then they updated the general info page to Cherry Trail and forgot that the Bay Trail equipped Compute Stick was still pointing to it.  That's my theory for the discrepancy anyway!

Edit: there are Intel Atom Cherry Trail sticks coming from a company called Meegopad - called the T06 and T07 - that have USB 3.0 and between 2gb and 4gb of ram.

http://www.cnx-software.com/2015/09/21/meegopad-t05-t06-t07-hdmi-tv-sticks-feature-intel-atom-x5-processors-2-to-4-gb-ram/

[Burak_D_]

Thank you for your clear explanation. I'm really appreciated.

[MartyG]

Intel announced the 2nd generation Compute Stick at CES today with the latest Z8400 Cherry Trail and Core M processors in a range of models.

http://www.engadget.com/2016/01/06/intel-compute-stick-core-m3-m5/

[Burak_D_]

I'm very excited about this announcement. Thank you for reply.

[MartyG]

The tech site Ars Technica has posted a very detailed review of the new Intel Compute Stick with USB 3.0 and Intel Core M or Intel Atom Cherry Trail CPUs.

http://arstechnica.co.uk/gadgets/2016/01/better-wireless-helps-intels-new-compute-stick-deliver-on-its-potential/

Edit: another detailed one from Engadget.

http://www.engadget.com/2016/01/22/intel-compute-stick-2016-review/

[CLi37]

Can I power new Computer Stick by battery?

[MartyG]

The Intel Atom Cherry Trail model of Compute Stick uses a Micro USB type of cable for its power.  The USB end plugs into the stick, and the other end plugs into an AC mains adaptor that plugs into the mains electricity supply.  

You can get Micro USB battery packs on stores such as Amazon (search for 'micro usb battery') that you could use as the battery instead of connecting it to the mains supply, but I don't know if the battery packs would provide enough power for the Stick.  You'd have to do some research on that.

Or if you are good at electronics, or know somebody who is, you could maybe get them to adapt a Micro USB cable so it can attach to a battery that is strong enough to power the Stick.

The more powerful model of Compute Stick that uses an Intel Core M processor instead of a Cherry Trail apparently uses a USB-C type cable because it needs more power supplied to it.  You can find USB-C battery packs by searching for 'usb-c battery'.

[CLi37]

Marty G. wrote:

The Intel Atom Cherry Trail model of Compute Stick uses a Micro USB type of cable for its power.  The USB end plugs into the stick, and the other end plugs into an AC mains adaptor that plugs into the mains electricity supply.  

Nice. Is Micro USB of Cherry Trail stick a USB2 or USB3? I know USB2 has only 500mA x 5V = 2.5W it is not enough for many devices. USB3 may allow more than 1000mA so it is 5W. If I attach a RealSense (may be 2W required) the total power requirement may be over 5W. It may have a problem. And there is only one USB3 port how can I use both a battery through USB 3 along with RS be connected in USB 3?  

[MartyG]

The Cherry Trail model has 1x USB 3.0 and 1x USB 2.0, and a Micro USB port for the power supply.  So you could put the camera in the USB 3.0 port and put another peripheral such as a wi-fi dongle in the USB 2.0 port.

The reviews I linked to are for the Cherry Trail model so I'm not certain which ports the Core M model will have, though a mention of that model in the Engadget review suggests it has three USB ports (it doesn't say whether those ports are USB 2 or 3).

Upcoming Compute Stick models will include Core M3 and Core M5 processors for $399 and $499, respectively. They also pack in 4GB of RAM, which means we should expect performance along the lines of slower Ultrabooks, and three USB ports (two on the power adapter).

Regarding the need for two USB 3.0 ports for both the camera and battery: some users on this forum have successfully solved power deficiency issues with the camera on their particular PC by plugging the camera into a powered USB 3.0 hub (one powered by the mains instead of the PC's USB port).  

The official Intel advice is that the camera should not work with hubs, but this seems to only be the case with hubs that draw their power from the USB port ("passive" hubs) rather than mains-powered ones ("powered" hubs).  But if you used a mains hub, you would of course be sacrificing the portability that you were using a battery pack to gain in the first place!

Re-reading your comment above about the battery, I noticed that you thought that the battery would need a USB 3 port.  You can get battery packs like those on Amazon that use the Micro USB port on the Stick.  So even with a Micro USB battery pack and the USB 3.0 camera plugged in to the Cherry Trail stick, you would still have an empty USB 2.0 port left.  :)

The battery packs come in models that use Micro USB or USB.  So read the listing carefully to find out which ones are Micro USB if it does not say so in the product's title.  One way to do this quickly is to bring up a search box on the browser page and search for 'micro USB' to see if it is mentioned in the product listing.

This image below of a battery comparison on Amazon shows how there are both Micro USB and USB models.

I believe though that you are concerned that a Micro USB battery would not be able to deliver enough power to run the camera?  This is a good question.  The Micro USB port supplies the Stick with power, and the USB 3 port draws its power from the Stick (not the Micro USB port).  So I would guess that in theory, as long as the Stick could provide the USB 3 port with enough power then it might not matter if the Stick itself runs on Micro USB.  It just might drain the battery faster as the Stick tries to supply the camera with all the power that the USB 3 port needs.

Even if you had a battery pack that used USB 3.0 instead of Micro USB, this would not help you much as it would still need to be able to be connected to the Stick's Micro USB power connector.  I suppose it is conceivable that you could do this by putting a Micro USB adapter on the end of the battery pack's USB connector.   I have no idea whether it would blow up the Stick though if it received that much juice into its Micro USB port!

An example:

http://amzn.to/1Pmssqw

I suspect that plugging a mains powered hub into the Stick and then plugging the camera into the hub remains the option that is most likely to succeed.

[CLi37]

Excellent reply. It is a good design to have an extra micro-usb port as power input in stick.

I suppose that Cherry Trail stick cost 5W (may be less) and RS 2W, the total is 7W. So the safe power supply is 10W or 15W. The output current needs at least 2 amps. in your list only the last item is be suitable. I guess a USB-A/B to micro-USB cable can work for power only purpose (not sure).

[MartyG]

I cut off the end of the image to fit better on the page.  There were also 10,000 mAh (output 3.4 amps) and 16,100 mAh models too.  These had USB ports though, not Micro USB.

On Amazon you can find a battery pack of a particular mAh by adding the value to your search, e.g 'micro usb battery 10,000 mah'..the options available decline as you go higher.  For instance, on Amazon there were plenty of 5,000 mAH packs, a small number of 10,000 mAH ones, and a single 20,000 mAh pack.

[Fred_B_]

Marty G. wrote:

I cut off the end of the image to fit better on the page.  There were also 10,000 mAh (output 3.4 amps) and 16,100 mAh models too.  These had USB ports though, not Micro USB.

On Amazon you can find a battery pack of a particular mAh by adding the Bathmate value to your search, e.g 'micro usb battery 10,000 mah'..the options available decline as you go higher.  For instance, on Amazon there were plenty of 5,000 mAH packs, a small number of 10,000 mAH ones, and a single 20,000 mAh pack.

Hi Marty, could you recommend a good 20,000 mAh pack?

[MartyG]

I've never bought one of these battery packs for myself so it's hard for me to make a recommendation.  Your best bet is probably to look at the small selection available on Amazon of 20,000 mAh packs and see which are the best-reviewed by ordinary users.  for instance, this one has 575 customer reviews, with a 4.5 out of 5 star rating and 67% of reviewers who gave it 5 stars.

http://amzn.to/22FRzwJ