EBC Exercise 01 Start Here

Overview
There are three major things that need to be done to have the BeagleBoard ready to run for class:
 * 1) Get your Beagle Hardware together
 * 2) Set up a host computer, running Linux for code development
 * 3) Clone the course git repository on both the host and the Beagle

The Hardware
Here's the hardware you will need and where you get it.

You may have, or will have to buy
We are using the BeagleBone Black this year. Since it's only $65 (or so) I'll have you buy your own. There are a few other things you will need to get before the first day of class.
 * BeagleBone Black. See http://beagleboard.org/black for suggestions of where to buy the Black. I suggest ordering sooner rather than later since it may take a couple of weeks.  Note:  If you already have a different Beagle and want to use it, contact me.
 * At least two 8G micro SD cards. I suggest you have 2 or 3 cards since it's easy to mess up one and it takes some 10 minutes to reload it.
 * micro SD card reader/writer

Books

 * (optional but good) Exploring BeagleBone. Be sure to get the second edition.
 * (optional but good) BeagleBone Cookbook (Not the BeagleBone Black Cookbook, it's a different book.)

What you buy from the Instrument Room

 * various input devices, sensors, displays, etc.

What you borrow from the Instrument Room

 * Proto Plate with full sized breadboard
 * 5V power supply
 * micro HDMI to HDMI adapter
 * FTDI USB to Serial Adapter Must be 3.3V version
 * Bicolor LED Square Pixel Matrix with I2C Backpack
 * Two (2) TMP101 temperature sensors
 * TMP006 Infrared Thermopile Sensor (too small to mount, we won't use this)

The Linux host computer
Since we are doing Linux development, it's generally agreed the host computer should be running Linux. I suggest you run Ubuntu 20.04 (LTS). You want the desktop-amd64.iso if you have a 64-bit machine.

There are options as to how to run Linux.
 * 1) Install in a virtual machine. I've been running Virtual Box recently and it works fine. I suggest using it.
 * 2) Native install

I suggest you use the virtual machine. I run Virtual Box on my laptop. No matter which method you use be sure to have some 30G of disk space. The kernel tools will need at least 6G.

If you do use Virtual Box, do this once you've set things up: You are ready to go.
 * In the VM, go to Devices:Insert Guest Addition CD Image...
 * A box will appear. Click RUN    Wait while it installs.
 * If it says This system is currently not set up to build kernel modules., run sudo apt update and sudo apt install gcc make perl
 * Reboot the VM.
 * In the VM, go to Devices:USB and select the Beagle.