DigiPort is an HDMI computer dongle powered by Raspberry Pi CM4 (crowdfunding)

Shivam Goyal, trading as Geeky Tronics, has developed a DigiPort HDMI computer dongle powered by a Raspberry Pi CM4 system module and designed to connect directly to the back of an HDMI connector or via an HDMI cable.

Since it doesn’t support MHL, DigiPort also needs a USB-C power source. You can add a keyboard and mouse to the two USB 2.0 or Bluetooth ports, and network connectivity is managed via Wi-Fi 5, making it a ready-to-use notebook right out of the box.

DigiPort Specification:

• Supported system on the module – Raspberry Pi CM4
  • SoC – Broadcom BCM2711 Cortex-A72 quad-core processor @ 1.5 GHz
  • System memory – 1 GB to 8 GB LPDDR4-3200 SDRAM
  • Memory – 0 GB (CM4 Lite) or eMMC flash memory with a capacity from 8 GB to 32 GB
  • Wireless – dual-band Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0
• Memory – MicroSD card for the operating system when using the CM4 Lite module
• Video output – HDMI male up to 4Kp60
• USB – 2x USB 2.0 ports
• Different
  • Infrared receiver
  • Heat sink for the CM4 module
  • Built-in antenna switch with the ability to select between an external antenna and a PCB antenna
• Power supply – 5V via USB-C port
• Dimensions – to be determined

We were told that DigiPort supports multiple operating systems, including Raspberry Pi OS, other Linux distributions, and Android. It is clear that it is simply based on existing Raspberry Pi 4/CM4 images and is a purely hardware project, mainly involving the design of the carrier board.

The HDMI computer dongle is probably most interesting for people who already own a Raspberry Pi CM4 and don’t do anything with it. The module could be put to good use by turning it into a computer with all the basic ports and features you need to get started. Unfortunately, it is missing a housing. You can watch a video showing the HDMI dongle in action and its main uses.

Shivam launched DigiPort on Kickstarter a few days ago and the funding target of AUD 5,000 ($3,410) has already been exceeded. Rewards for the DigiPort start at US$70 with backing board and heatsink, which means you’ll need to bring your own compute module 4 and power supply, although you can also add them as options when setting up your rewards. You’ll also need to add about $27 to shipping costs, so a complete system with 4GB RAM and accessories will likely cost close to $200 shipped, making it a tough sell compared to Intel N100 mini PCs or other Alder Lake-N systems, with some of which are already quite portable and cheaper with better performance.

Jean-Luc founded CNX Software in 2010 on a part-time basis, then quit his job as a software engineering manager and began writing daily news and reviews full-time in late 2011.

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