Getting Started for dummies

[theyogre]

Is there a thread that lists the basic things you need to start using your single, parallela board? Something like:

Use this port to hook up your keyboard
this one for your mouse
hook your monitor here
attach one of these kinds of storage here
etc.

Or something like:
hook your parallela board up to another computer, because it really isn't meant to be used as a standalone processor.

I'm too ignorant to really even get going with it, but I wanted to support the project. Now I'm trying to figure out how to use what I bought.

[timpart]

The Quick Start guide gives a picture. Plus there is further reading

Also some tutorials about .

Tim

[theyogre]

I've read through lots of these, and have figured out some things (for example, I know how to hook up a fan). I know it will take me a lot of work to program anything useful for my board. Unfortunately, I don't know things that people who regularly build computers apparently take for granted. Here's another way to ask the question:

If I want to turn my parallela board into a stand-alone computer, what is a simple way to put it together?

Monitor: Attach to HDMI port
Keyboard and Mouse: buy a USB hub and hook it up to one of the USB ports
Memory: buy an external USB hard drive. If it is powered, hook it up to the other USB port. If it isn't powered, buy a conforming powered USB hub (conforming to what?) and hook your hard drive up to that. Make sure both are connected to the same power strip so that they power up at the same time.
Operating System: run it from a microSD card (included with your board, or created following these instructions (http://parallella.org/create-sdcard))
Fan: solder a small fan to the board like this viewtopic.php?f=12&t=1038

Have fun.

I don't know for sure that this set up would work, and I don't know a couple of key points that computer people seem to take for granted. Have I figured out what I need to? Can someone correct my errors and fill in the gaps? Thank you.

[9600]

[theyogre]

Thank you for the replies. I guess I'm ready to dive in and give it a try. Time to start scrounging and searching for the missing components. It's quite the adventure for me.

[Dr.BeauWebber]

I have written a very simple starter's guide at :
A Beginners Guide to getting started with the Parallella.

Hopefully furthur steps will follow as I have the time.
cheers,
Beau