This Compute Module 4 Hunter is set to challenge Official CM4 Carrier Board

Swiss-based founder of Quick-Pick AG, Andreas Eberle, has designed a complete Raspberry system with hardware and software utilizing the power of Raspberry CM4 that lets you use interfaces and industrial communication protocols without the need to buy any additional HATs. This Compute Module 4 Hunter is up for crowdfunding via Kickstarter with the goal of $15,490.

The release of the Raspberry Pi CM4, integrated with the quad-core Broadcom BCM2711 Cortex-A72 chip, lead to the unveiling of the official carrier board to cover all features required. However, the aim of the CM Hunter project is to extend the functionalities through a smaller form factor.

This 4 layered PCB, sizing 79x97mm integrates all the common communication protocols used that include,

• RS485/Modbus isolated
•  CAN 2.0B isolated
•  1-Wire isolated
•  HDMI 2.0
•  ETHERNET Gigabit
•  USB 2.0
•  2.4 GHz, 5.0 GHz IEEE 802.11 b/g/n/ac wireless  /some CM4 versions/
•  Bluetooth 5.0, BLE /some CM4 versions

Supporting all the above protocols gives the user a wide scope of use in various domains.

“You could use this platform for reading sensors, protocols and sharing data files between all communication modules, storing data on USB stick, Cloud servers, etc.”,

the designer notes.

To power the board, the manufacturer provides a 5V USB power adapter like the one you get with your smartphone (delivers at least 2A current). The carrier board is marketed under the highlight of ‘Isolated Communication Modules‘. The integrated MCP2515 CAN controller is used as a serial communication bus for robust and flexible performance in undesired environments.

If you are working on heavy applications there is a high possibility that requires full CPU power. This, however, leads to heating of the hardware and eventually loses its efficiency. To avoid overheating in such scenarios, the hardware gets a fan driving circuit on board. A 5V 30x30x6mm Maglev FAN that is capable of keeping the CPU temperature below 50 degrees Celsius can be attached. Important to note that the cooling fan is not included in the package and needs to be bought separately.

As mentioned earlier, the Compute Module 4 Hunter is listed for crowdfunding on Kickstarter with a pledge level starting at €10 with no benefits. Going forward, you can get the carrier board for €99 and more.

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