Last Updated on April 11, 2023 by pg@petergamma.org
This review of the MangoPi MQ-Quad:
- shows that the MangoPi MQ-Quad is mostly superior to the Raspberri Pi zero w2 as far as speed as well as power consumption is concerned.
- an issue is the small number of OS images which are available compared to other devices:
- reviewers recommended the Debian OS image which is provided by the manufacturer to use with this device.
- Mango pi has a simple web site with helpful information.
- There is for instance a list of reviews about the MangoPi MQ-Quad, we did mention many of those also in our journal:
- the Debian image can be downloaded the manufacturer:
- gounthar from the Armbian forum wrote on the 26. january 2023 :
“the supplied Debian image boots and starts an X session, but my USB-C hub (with Ethernet) is not recognized (it works with the RISC-V Nezha build from @balbes150), and my WaveShare hat (with USB and Ethernet) neither. I’m kind of stuck, as I would like to add an existing WiFi network and get rid of all cables but the power. 🤷♂️”
- USB-C hub did not work for the tester
- the WaveShare hat (with USB and Ethernet) did not work with the Debian image from the supplier either:
- if someone wants to do some experiments, it could be worth to try for instance usb-c hubs which worked on the Raspberri Pi zero w2 and tests those on MangoPi MQ-Quad:
- it is eventually a driver problem.
- It is eventually worth it to test the newer usb-c hubs which are shown in the demo mentioned above.
- We had problems with older usb2 hubs on the Raspberri Pi zero w2.
- a similar usb-c hub as the one listed in the product list at the link above worked with our Raspberri Pi zero 2w.
- Our usb-c hub we tested had only one usb 3 port.
- since it is only one port, we could only stick in either an usb mouse or a keyboard into the adapter
- but both usb mouse and usb keyboard worked with the Raspberri Pi zero 2w.
- a usb mouse was sufficient to control the device with it to pair a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse to the Raspberri Pi zero 2w.
- as soon as Bluetooth keyboard and mouse are paired, we do not urgently need a usb-c hub anymore for the Raspberri Pi zero 2w, since we can control the mouse by Bluetooth keyboard and mouse.
- This installation method for the Raspberri Pi zero 2w was easier for us personally than the one shown by leepsvideo which requires a remote desktop access to the Raspberri Pi zero 2w.
- It is eventually possible to install the MangoPi MQ-Quad with a usb mouse plugged into the usb-c port of the MangoPi MQ-Quad similar to what we did with the Raspberri Pi zero w2 installation of the Raspberri PI OS.
- We do not know if this works with the Debian image of the MangoPi MQ-Quad, but if pairing of a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse controlled by an usb mouse is possible in Debian then it should work.
- If pairing of a Bluetooth mouse and a keyboard works to the Mango Pi MQ quat then no usb-c hub is necessary to run the MangoPi MQ-Quad.
- In the demo video above which tests it’s performance, the device is controlled by a keyboard and a terminal.
- Unfortunately, we do not know of any demos which show the Debian installation on the MangoPi MQ-Quad, and also if Bluetooth works with Debian.
- We have a MangoPi MQ-Quad review of James A. Chambers:
https://jamesachambers.com/mango-pi-mq-quad-sbc-review/
- James A. Chambers used a Debian image for his review.
- He could do some Performance Benchmarking which he shows in his review.
- James A. Chambers mentioned issues with Bluetooth in his review about the Mango Pi Pro running Ubuntu:.
https://jamesachambers.com/mangopi-mq-pro-d1-ubuntu-preview/
- James A. Chambers mentioned now issues with Bluetooth as he as mentioned in his review about the Mango Pi MW quat running Debian:
https://jamesachambers.com/mango-pi-mq-quad-sbc-review/
- But James A. Chambers also neither said that Bluetooth works nor said that Bluetooth does not work in his review about the Mango Pi MQ quat running Debian, so we don’t know.
- We wrote a comparison table of these devices here:
We suppose for these reasons that Debian should work with a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard without an usb-c hub and can be installed as described. And eventually it is also possible to find an usb-c hub which works with the device.