Ndiyo Starter Kit FAQ

What's included in the Ndiyo Starter Kit?: The Starter Kit comprises 5 ethernet Nivos, the appropriate 5V power supplies with US or UK-style plugs, the software needed to drive them from an Ubuntu Linux machine, and support and software updates for a year from the time of purchase.
Can I use Nivos with Windows rather than Linux?: No, not at present, unless you're feeling adventurous - you might be able to run Windows in virtual machines on a Linux box, for example, or you can use an Ndiyo system to provide client terminals to a remote Windows machine - but the core system needs to be Linux-based.
Why are these not being sold commercially? How are the Starter Kit Nivos different from your eventual product?: These are prototype units, not designed for large-scale manufacture. We are producing them in small quantities. This makes the cost rather higher for us, and we will be revising the design before we go to market on any scale.
What will the pricing of the commercial units be?: This has yet to be confirmed but will be highly dependent on the size of the order. Please contact us with details of your requirements for more information.
How does the software work?: Our aim with the Nivos has been to make minimal changes to a standard Linux installation, so that those familiar with Linux will not have much to learn.; A typical configuration will simply add extra terminals to the PC, each with their own login prompt. You can create variations on this, and implement your own user- or session-management solutions as required.; The current software is implemented as a VNC-to-Nivo proxy, allowing Nivos to be connected to an Xvnc session. We plan to offer a direct driver for X11 soon, which should improve the performance even further.; More details of the software and hardware configuration can be found on Ndiyo's Starter Kit wiki.
When will the Nivo support audio/USB/some other peripheral?: Those familiar with the Ndiyo project will understand our desire to keep the Nivo low-cost, simple, and reliable and to avoid the feature-creep that pushes up the price of other thin-client-type devices.; We view the Nivo as a graphics 'core' and would be happy to discuss the creation of custom versions of the board to meet your requirements.
Is the software available as Open Source?: Due to circumstances beyond our control, we are not currently able to release the source code for all of the software which drives the Nivos. We hope and expect this to change in due course, but the timing of an Open Source release is uncertain at present.

To keep up to date with the latest CODA developments, see our 'News from the Shed' blog.