Quick start#
What’s In the Box#
BeagleBone® AI comes in the box with the heat sink and antenna already attached. Developers can get up and running in five minutes with no microSD card needed. BeagleBone® AI comes preloaded with a Linux distribution. In the box you will find:
Quick Start Guide
Tip
For board files, 3D model, regulatory docs and more, you can checkout BeagleBona-AI repository on OpenBeagle.
What’s Not in the Box#
You will need to purchase:
MicroSD Card (optional)
Serial cable (optional)
More information or to purchase a replacement heat sink or antenna, please go to these websites:
Fans#
The pre-attached heat sink has M3 holes spaced 20x20 mm. The height of the heat sink clears the USB type A socket, and all other components on the board except the 46-way header sockets and the Ethernet socket.
If you run all of the accelerators or have an older software image, you’ll likely need fan. To find a fan, visit the link to fans in the FAQ.
Caution
BeagleBone AI can run HOT! Even without running the accelerators, getting up to 70C is not uncommon.
Read about Fan update for BeagleBone AI on Forum <https://forum.beagleboard.org/t/fan-update-for-beaglebone-ai/1964>.
Coolerguys 25mm (25x25x10) USB Fan <https://www.coolerguys.com/en-in/collections/usb-fans/products/25mm-25x25x10-usb-fan>
Main Connection Scenarios#
This section will describe how to connect the board for use. The board can be configured in several different ways. Below we will walk through the most common scenarios. NOTE: These connection scenarios are dependent on the software image presently on your BeagleBone® AI. When all else fails, follow the instructions at Upgrade BeagleBone AI software.
Tethered to a PC via USB C cable
Standalone Desktop with powered USB hub, display, keyboard and mouse
Wireless Connection to BeagleBone® AI
Connecting a 3 PIN Serial Debug Cable#
A 3 PIN serial debug cable can be helpful to debug when you need to view the boot messages through a terminal program such as putty on your host PC. This cable is not needed for most BeagleBone® AI boot up scenarios.
Locate the 3 PIN debug header on BeagleBone® AI, near the USB C connection.
Press the small white connector into the 3 PIN debug header. The pinout is:
Pin 1 (the pin closest to the screw-hole in the board. It is also marked with a shape on the silkscreen): GND
Pin 2: UART1_RX (i.e. this is a BB-AI input pin)
Pin 3: UART1_TX (i.e. BB-AI transmits out on this pin)
