How can we get a real Raspberry Pi zero w2 alternative based on the Mango Pi QUATT without usb-c issues? – PETER GAMMA (Director & Physiologist), MEDITATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE SWITZERLAND (MRIS)

Last Updated on April 9, 2023 by pg@petergamma.org

Usb-c adapter problems where the reason why I have let go of the PinePhone and became interested in the Raspberry Pi zero 2 and the Mango Pi QUATT.

1) With the Pinephone running PostmarkedOS (Linux Alpine based) this adapter did not work:

https://de.aliexpress.com/item/1005003033528048.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.39.31fb40f5iVx4bi&algo_pvid=f8acf332-f4a8-4a89-8072-311911b7c96c&aem_p4p_detail=20230409081414603151522051740009033250&algo_exp_id=f8acf332-f4a8-4a89-8072-311911b7c96c-19&pdp_npi=3%40dis%21USD%2111.07%217.75%21%21%21%21%21%40212243c016810532540357131d06cc%2112000023715312835%21sea%21CH%21777421489&curPageLogUid=FYRRCIQs22X2&ad_pvid=20230409081414603151522051740009033250_20&ad_pvid=20230409081414603151522051740009033250_20

but most users say the PINEPHONE Pro USB-C Docking Bar works:

https://pine64.com/product/pinephone-pro-usb-c-docking-bar/

but it says in the shop only for PostmarketOS.

2) A user in the Pine64 forum shared, that the PINEPHONE Pro USB-C Docking Bar does not work for him, but he found a 100 USD usb-c hub on Amazon which worked.

3) The PinePhone Pro seems to be more tolerant for usb-c adapters, since a user shared that most of the 12 usb-c adapter she tested worked with it:

https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=18059

4) The Aliexpress usb-c adapter mentioned above now works also on my Raspberry PI zero w2. But usb-c adapters seem to be difficult to get to work and device, adapter and distro specific, if they work or not.

5) NicoD’s SBCs showed on his YouTube demo that the usb-c shield of the Raspberry Pi zero we can be used for the Mango Pi pro demo. Was this the only option which worked for his review?

6) Some PhonePhone users and NicoD’s SBCs with the Raxda Zero and Manjaro said that usb-c adapter worked after they have turned around by 180 degree.

I am looking since several years for a Linux phone or a single board computer which fits for my needs. I started with the PinePhone and have let it be for the moment. After testing a Raspberri Pi zero w2, the price for it has risen quickly to 105 USD. This is very expensive for the specifications the device has.

Now, I am interested in the Mango Pi Quatt with the Orange PI 2 Debian image, but usb-c is a key feature to get it to work. Without it is very difficult even to connect a keyboard to pair a Bluetooth mouse to use it further.

I suggest to use the usb-c shield for the Raspberry Pi zero w2 for the Mango Pi QUATT, if usb-c hubs to not work with your device. Did NicoD’s SBCs show his adapter by coincidence in his demo video about the Mango Pi Pro, or had he also problems with usb-c hubs?

This all here seems to be a lot of work for testing usb-c hubs and Raspberri Pi zero usb-c shields. But who wants to depend on Raspberry Pi who raised prices for their devices arbitrarily? If the issues with usb-c and the Mango Pi QUATT are solved, then we have a real Raspberri Pi zero w2 alternative.