Plug computers

[D. Hugh Redelmeier]

| From: Giles Orr <gilesorr-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org>
| Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 21:24:38 -0400

| I'm fascinated by the Plug Computers.  Here's a probably incomplete list:

| Seagate FreeAgent Dockstar - USB drive dock (Seagate drives only?) +
| Pogoplug functionality, probably the least "hackable"

I hadn't noticed the DockStar in the original post.

It turns that those are (were?) really cheap.  I infer that they are
"blowing them out" because they were a failure as a product.

I bought a couple yesterday at Future Shop for $30 each.  I could not
resist.  Mine were the last two at the Empress Walk store (Yonge near
North York City Hall).  Originally they were near the $100 mark;
online FS shows this as $90:
  <http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/seagate-seagate-freeagent-dockstar-network-adapter-stdsb10g-rk-stdsb10g-rk/10137858.aspx?path=4a49a63d95538b77fdf0f90ec2cbd1aben02>
  <http://redflagdeals.pricecanada.com/p.php/Seagate-FreeAgent-Dockstar-Network-STDSB10GRK-635830/>

I have not yet hacked them at all.

Resources:

- 1.2GHz ARM processor (just like the other plug computers)

- 128MB RAM

- 256MB flash.  32MB is uboot, a version that will only boot from the
  rest of the same flash, a barrier to hacking.

- 3 normal USB host sockets

- 1 male Mini USB connector meant to dock a Seagate 2.5" external hard
  disk.  I think that the connector is one of the standard ones so a
  USB extension cable could make it work for a normal USB device.

- 1 ethernet connector.  I assume that it is 100mb/s but it might be
  1G.  Came with an ethernet cable too.

- external "wall wart" power supply.

Summary: much more resources than a normal store-bought router, except
in the ethernet and blinky light departments.

Much of what I know comes from
  <http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r24479163-Other-Own-a-FreeSwitch-on-a-Seagate-DockStar-for-2499>
There are plenty of other things that google finds but I haven't
looked at them.

Here's an older RedFlag Deals page:
  <http://forums.redflagdeals.com/seagate-freeagent-dockstar-29-99-futureshop-932401/>
The age of this suggests that finding DockStars in Future Shop stores
will be hit-or-miss.  You should be able use the web site to find which 
stores have stock.

Warning: if you do buy one of these for hacking, DON'T connect it to
the internet before hacking.  It "phones home" and does a firmware
update that you probably don't want.
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