Introduction
If you are looking for a low-cost and versatile single-board computer (SBC) for your projects, you might have heard of the Raspberry Pi, which is the most popular and widely supported SBC in the market. However, there are also many alternatives to the Raspberry Pi, such as the Orange Pi, which offer different features and specifications at a lower price.
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But choosing a hardware platform is not enough. You also need to choose an operating system that can run on your SBC and provide you with the functionality and performance you need. One of the most common choices for SBCs is Linux, which is a free, open-source, and powerful operating system that can run on various architectures, including ARM.
However, not all Linux distributions are created equal. Some are more suited for certain SBCs than others, depending on their compatibility, optimization, stability, security, and user-friendliness. One of the best Linux distributions for ARM-based SBCs is Armbian, which is specifically designed to provide a simple, light, and fast Linux operating system for development boards.
In this article, I will show you how to install Armbian on an Orange Pi, which is one of the supported boards by Armbian. I will also explain what are the features and benefits of using Armbian over other operating systems for your Orange Pi projects.
What is Armbian and why use it?
Armbian is a Linux distribution that is based on Debian or Ubuntu, but optimized for ARM-based SBCs. It provides various pre-built images for supported boards, as well as a build framework that allows users to create custom images with different kernels and user space configurations.
Armbian has several advantages over other Linux distributions for SBCs:
It is simple: It has a minimalistic design that only includes the essential components and utilities for running your SBC. It can be accessed via serial, HDMI/VGA, or SSH, with optional special utilities available for further customization.
It is light: It has no bloatware or spyware. It uses a compressed image that reduces the size of the system and minimizes SD card wear. It also has a read-only mode that prevents unnecessary writes to the SD card.
It is fast: It has optimized kernels and user space packages that ensure optimal performance across over 30 different ARM and ARM64 Linux kernels. It also has features like DVFS optimization, memory log caching, browser profile memory caching, swap usage tuning, garbage commit delay, etc.
It is secure: It has security level on par with stock Debian/Ubuntu systems and can be hardened with the configuration utility. It also provides regular updates and security fixes for the system.
It is supported: It has a dedicated team of developers and maintainers who provide documentation, user support, bug fixes, and feature enhancements. It also has a large community of users who contribute to the project.
What is Orange Pi and what are the different models?
Orange Pi is a brand of SBCs that are manufactured by Shenzhen Xunlong Software Co., a Chinese company that specializes in open source hardware and software. Orange Pi boards are based on ARM processors, mainly from Allwinner and Rockchip, and offer various features and specifications at a lower price than the Raspberry Pi.
There are many models of Orange Pi boards, each with different capabilities and use cases. Some of the most popular models are:
Model
Processor
RAM
Storage
Network
Other Features
Orange Pi 4B
Rockchip RK3399 (6-core)
4 GB LPDDR4
16 GB eMMC + microSD slot
Gigabit Ethernet + Wi-Fi + Bluetooth
HDMI, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, USB-C, MIPI-CSI, NPU co-processor
Orange Pi 5 Plus
Rockchip RK3588 (8-core)
4/8/16 GB LPDDR4X
microSD slot + M.2 slot
Dual 2.5G Ethernet + Wi-Fi 6 + Bluetooth 5.1
HDMI 2.1, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, USB-C, MIPI-CSI, MIPI-DSI, PCIe x4
Orange Pi 800
Allwinner H6 (4-core)
1 GB DDR3
16 GB eMMC + microSD slot
Gigabit Ethernet + Wi-Fi + Bluetooth
HDMI, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, integrated keyboard and touchpad
Orange Pi R1 Plus LTS
Rockchip RK3328 (4-core)
1 GB DDR4
microSD slot
Dual Gigabit Ethernet + Wi-Fi + Bluetooth
HDMI, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, metal case, mini-router form factor
Orange Pi 3 LTS
Allwinner H6 (4-core)
1/2 GB LPDDR3
8 GB eMMC + microSD slot
Gigabit Ethernet + Wi-Fi + Bluetooth
HDMI, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, MIPI-CSI, PCIe x1
Source:
How to install Armbian on an Orange Pi?
To install Armbian on an Orange Pi, you need to follow these steps:
Choose an Armbian version and download the image. You can choose between three versions of Armbian: legacy, current, and edge. Legacy is based on an old LTS kernel or a vendor-provided kernel and is suitable for older boards or when newer kernels do not work well. Current is based on the current LTS kernel and is considered fully supported and stable. Edge is based on the latest mainline kernel or a third-party development branch and is experimental and unstable. You can download the Armbian images from the official website or from the torrent links provided by the community . Make sure to choose the image that matches your board model and processor.
Flash the image to a microSD card or USB drive. You need a reliable microSD card or USB drive with at least 8 GB of capacity to flash the Armbian image. You can use any tool that can write raw images to storage devices, such as balenaEtcher , Rufus , or dd (Linux/macOS). You can also verify the integrity of the downloaded image using the SHA checksum file provided by Armbian . After flashing the image, you can insert the microSD card or USB drive into your Orange Pi.
Boot the Orange Pi with Armbian. You need to connect your Orange Pi to a power supply that meets the board manufacturer requirements (usually 5V/2A with a DC jack or micro USB connector). You also need to connect your Orange Pi to a monitor or TV via HDMI or VGA, and optionally to a keyboard and mouse via USB. You can also access your Orange Pi remotely via SSH, but you need to know its IP address first. You can find the IP address by scanning your network with tools like nmap or by checking your router's DHCP table. The default username and password for Armbian are root and 1234 respectively.
Follow the first boot wizard and set up the system. On the first boot, Armbian will run a wizard that will guide you through some basic steps, such as changing the root password, creating a new user account, setting the timezone and locale, enabling or disabling the desktop environment, etc. After completing the wizard, you will be able to log in to your Armbian system and start using it.
Features and benefits of Armbian
Armbian is more than just a Linux distribution for SBCs. It is also a platform that offers various features and benefits for users and developers who want to get the most out of their boards. Some of these features and benefits are:
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Simple, light, and fast Linux operating system. Armbian provides a minimalistic and optimized Linux operating system that only includes the essential components and utilities for running your board. It does not have any bloatware or spyware that can slow down or compromise your system. It also uses a compressed image that reduces the size of the system and minimizes SD card wear. It can run on various boards with different processors and memory sizes, from 256 MB to 16 GB.
Optimized for ARM development boards. Armbian is specifically designed to provide optimal performance and compatibility for ARM-based SBCs. It supports over 30 different ARM and ARM64 Linux kernels, from legacy to edge versions. It also has features like DVFS optimization, memory log caching, browser profile memory caching, swap usage tuning, garbage commit delay, etc., that improve the speed and stability of the system. It also has hardware acceleration support for video decoding and encoding, 3D graphics, audio processing, etc.
Secure and stable with regular updates and user support. Armbian has security level on par with stock Debian/Ubuntu systems and can be hardened with the configuration utility. It also provides regular updates and security fixes for the system via apt or armbian-config. It also has a dedicated team of developers and maintainers who provide documentation, user support, bug fixes, and feature enhancements. It also has a large community of users who contribute to the project.
Customizable with configuration utility and special tools. Armbian allows users to customize their system according to their needs and preferences. It has a configuration utility called armbian-config that can be accessed via terminal or desktop menu. It allows users to change various settings such as network, display, sound, hardware, software, security, etc. It also has special tools such as armbian-monitor (for system monitoring), armbian-build (for custom image building), armbian-firmware (for firmware installation), armbian-hardware-optimize (for hardware optimization), etc.
Conclusion
In this article, I have shown you how to install Armbian on an Orange Pi, and what are the features and benefits of using Armbian over other operating systems for your Orange Pi projects. Armbian is a simple, light, fast, secure, stable, optimized, supported, and customizable Linux operating system for ARM-based SBCs. It provides various pre-built images for supported boards, as well as a build framework that allows users to create custom images with different kernels and user space configurations.
However, Armbian is not perfect. It also has some disadvantages and limitations that you should be aware of before using it. Some of these are:
It may not support all the features or peripherals of your board. Armbian relies on upstream kernel development or third-party patches to provide support for different boards and devices. However, some features or peripherals may not be supported or may not work properly due to lack of drivers or firmware. For example, some boards may not have Wi-Fi or Bluetooth working out of the box or may have issues with HDMI output or audio input/output.
It may not be compatible with some software or applications. Armbian is based on Debian or Ubuntu, which are popular Linux distributions with a large repository of software and applications available. However, some software or applications may not be compatible with Armbian due to different architectures (ARM vs x86), libraries versions, dependencies, or licenses. For example, some proprietary software or applications may not be available for ARM or may require a license to run on Armbian. Some open-source software or applications may not be updated or maintained for Armbian or may have bugs or compatibility issues.
It may require some technical skills or knowledge to use or troubleshoot. Armbian is a Linux operating system that requires some basic skills or knowledge to install, configure, use, or troubleshoot. It is not as user-friendly or intuitive as some other operating systems such as Windows or Android. It may require users to use the terminal, edit configuration files, run commands, etc. It may also require users to search for solutions online, read documentation, ask for help in forums, etc.
Therefore, you should weigh the pros and cons of Armbian and Orange Pi before deciding to use them for your projects. You should also do some research and testing to make sure that Armbian and Orange Pi can meet your requirements and expectations.
If you want to learn more about Armbian and Orange Pi, you can visit the following resources and links:
Armbian official website:
Armbian documentation:
Armbian forum:
Orange Pi official website:
Orange Pi wiki:
Orange Pi forum:
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about Armbian and Orange Pi:
What are the minimum requirements for running Armbian on an Orange Pi?
The minimum requirements for running Armbian on an Orange Pi depend on the board model and the Armbian version. However, in general, you need at least 8 GB of storage space (microSD card or USB drive), a power supply that meets the board manufacturer requirements (usually 5V/2A with a DC jack or micro USB connector), a monitor or TV with HDMI or VGA input, and optionally a keyboard and mouse with USB input. You may also need an Ethernet cable or a Wi-Fi dongle for network connectivity.
How can I access the Armbian configuration utility?
You can access the Armbian configuration utility by running the command sudo armbian-config in the terminal. You can also access it from the desktop menu by clicking on System -> Armbian Config. The configuration utility allows you to change various settings such as network, display, sound, hardware, software, security, etc.
How can I update or upgrade Armbian on my Orange Pi?
You can update or upgrade Armbian on your Orange Pi by using the apt package manager in the terminal. You can run the commands sudo apt update and sudo apt upgrade to update and upgrade the system packages. You can also run the command sudo apt dist-upgrade to upgrade to a new distribution release if available. You can also use the armbian-config utility to update or upgrade the system by choosing System -> Other -> Update.
How can I install a desktop environment on Armbian?
You can install a desktop environment on Armbian by using the armbian-config utility. You can choose System -> Desktop -> Install/Reinstall Desktop Environment and select one of the available options. The default desktop environment for Armbian is XFCE4, but you can also choose other desktop environments such as KDE Plasma, GNOME 3, MATE, LXDE, LXQt, etc.
How can I troubleshoot or report issues with Armbian?
You can troubleshoot or report issues with Armbian by using the armbian-monitor tool. You can run the command sudo armbian-monitor -u in the terminal to upload your system logs and diagnostics to an online service and get a URL that you can share with others. You can also use the armbian-monitor tool to monitor your system performance and status by running the command sudo armbian-monitor -m. You can also visit the Armbian forum to ask for help or report bugs.
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