Assembling Zynthian Kit V5.1 - Revision history

Jofemodo: /* First Boot */

2026-02-02T11:47:59Z

First Boot

Jofemodo: /* First Boot */

2026-02-02T11:47:17Z

First Boot

Jofemodo: /* First Boot */

2026-02-02T11:42:17Z

First Boot

Jawn: /* Plug the flat ribbon cable into the control board */

2025-07-09T15:10:03Z

Plug the flat ribbon cable into the control board

Jawn: /* Plug SD-card adapter */

2025-07-09T15:06:07Z

Plug SD-card adapter

Jawn: /* General Advice */Improve grammar and wording.

2025-06-28T19:00:34Z

General Advice: Improve grammar and wording.

Jawn: /* First Boot */Improve spelling and grammar

2025-06-28T18:52:58Z

First Boot: Improve spelling and grammar

Jawn: /* General Advice */Fix typo ⚡

2025-06-28T18:49:52Z

General Advice: Fix typo ⚡

Jofemodo: /* Install the thermal block */

2025-06-05T23:20:20Z

Install the thermal block

Jofemodo: /* V5 KITS SOLD BEFORE 2025-06-01 - Fixing FFC connectors */

2025-06-05T22:18:00Z

V5 KITS SOLD BEFORE 2025-06-01 - Fixing FFC connectors

@@ Line 670: / Line 670: @@
 First boot could take some time. Don't be impatient and wait until you see the splash screen with the logo. If the display remains black after 1 minute, please, re-check the [[Zynthian Software|instructions]] and re-burn the SD-card again. If this still don't work, try with a different SD-card before reporting in the [https://discourse.zynthian.org forum]. For solving SD-card issues, it could be useful to [https://raspberrytips.com/green-and-red-light-on-raspberry-pi check the RPi5 status LEDs].
-{{NoteBox|Please, be aware that most zynthian booting issues are solved by replacing the SD-card. We recommend '''Sandisk Ultra/Extreme 64GB'''. Avoid 32GB SD-cards. Bigger ones, like 256GB or 512GB, use to be more problematic too.}}
+{{NoteBox|Please, be aware that most zynthian booting issues are solved by replacing the SD-card. We recommend '''Sandisk Ultra/Extreme 64GB'''. Avoid 32GB SD-cards. Bigger ones, like 256GB or 512GB, tend to be more problematic too.}}
 Once you see the splash screen, it could take 1-2 minutes to finish the configuration process. You deserve a beer (hey!! don't abuse if you already took one!!), or at least some tea or coffee. When the first-boot process finishes, the zynthian will reboot and you will be in the main menu, ready to play.

@@ Line 670: / Line 670: @@
 First boot could take some time. Don't be impatient and wait until you see the splash screen with the logo. If the display remains black after 1 minute, please, re-check the [[Zynthian Software|instructions]] and re-burn the SD-card again. If this still don't work, try with a different SD-card before reporting in the [https://discourse.zynthian.org forum]. For solving SD-card issues, it could be useful to [https://raspberrytips.com/green-and-red-light-on-raspberry-pi check the RPi5 status LEDs].
-Please, be aware that most of times, zynthian booting issues are solved by replacing the SD-card. We recommend '''Sandisk Ultra/Extreme 64GB'''. Avoid 32GB SD-cards. Bigger ones (>=256GB) use to be more problematic too.
+{{NoteBox|Please, be aware that most zynthian booting issues are solved by replacing the SD-card. We recommend '''Sandisk Ultra/Extreme 64GB'''. Avoid 32GB SD-cards. Bigger ones, like 256GB or 512GB, use to be more problematic too.}}
 Once you see the splash screen, it could take 1-2 minutes to finish the configuration process. You deserve a beer (hey!! don't abuse if you already took one!!), or at least some tea or coffee. When the first-boot process finishes, the zynthian will reboot and you will be in the main menu, ready to play.

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:42, 2 February 2026
Line 669:		Line 669:

	First boot could take some time. Don't be impatient and wait until you see the splash screen with the logo. If the display remains black after 1 minute, please, re-check the [[Zynthian Software\|instructions]] and re-burn the SD-card again. If this still don't work, try with a different SD-card before reporting in the [https://discourse.zynthian.org forum]. For solving SD-card issues, it could be useful to [https://raspberrytips.com/green-and-red-light-on-raspberry-pi check the RPi5 status LEDs].		First boot could take some time. Don't be impatient and wait until you see the splash screen with the logo. If the display remains black after 1 minute, please, re-check the [[Zynthian Software\|instructions]] and re-burn the SD-card again. If this still don't work, try with a different SD-card before reporting in the [https://discourse.zynthian.org forum]. For solving SD-card issues, it could be useful to [https://raspberrytips.com/green-and-red-light-on-raspberry-pi check the RPi5 status LEDs].
		+
		+	Please, be aware that most of times, zynthian booting issues are solved by replacing the SD-card. We recommend '''Sandisk Ultra/Extreme 64GB'''. Avoid 32GB SD-cards. Bigger ones (>=256GB) use to be more problematic too.

	Once you see the splash screen, it could take 1-2 minutes to finish the configuration process. You deserve a beer (hey!! don't abuse if you already took one!!), or at least some tea or coffee. When the first-boot process finishes, the zynthian will reboot and you will be in the main menu, ready to play.		Once you see the splash screen, it could take 1-2 minutes to finish the configuration process. You deserve a beer (hey!! don't abuse if you already took one!!), or at least some tea or coffee. When the first-boot process finishes, the zynthian will reboot and you will be in the main menu, ready to play.

@@ Line 455: / Line 455: @@
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-{{NoteBox| Please, note that the white JST connector shown on the pictures at left may not be soldered in you control board. Don't worry about it as it's not need it for normal operation. }}
+{{NoteBox| Please, note that the white JST connector shown in the pictures on the left may not be soldered in your control board. Don't worry about it as it's not needed for normal operation. }}
 [[File:capture000086_fixed_wiki.jpg|600px|right]]

@@ Line 327: / Line 327: @@
 '''5.''' Plug the SD-card adapter into the RPI5's SD-card holder. The connector is rotated 90º respect to the cable, so you must softly bend the ribbon cable to get it plugged-in. Check the pictures and proceed slowly, always using the minimum amount of force. Don't force the cable, bend it softly, please.
-'''THIS IS A CRITICAL STEP''' to get the main board SD-card slot working right. Extreme your care because the SD-card adapter's cable is delicate and easy to damage, specially the join between the flat cable and the SD-card plug.
+'''THIS IS A CRITICAL STEP''' to get the main board SD-card slot working right. Use extreme care because the SD-card adapter's cable is delicate and easy to damage, specially the join between the flat cable and the SD-card plug.
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@@ Line 64: / Line 64: @@
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-* '''Read and follow carefully the assembling instructions.''' Don't ignore any guidance or recommendations. We are quite lazybones, so we should have had some important reason to write them.
+* '''Read and carefully follow the assembling instructions.''' Don't ignore any guidance or recommendations. We are quite lazybones, so we should have had some important reason to write them.
-* '''Use the browser's zoom to magnify the details in the pictures.''' They have good resolution and will allow you to see all details you need.
+* '''Use the browser's zoom to magnify the details in the pictures.''' They have good resolution and will allow you to see all the details you need.
 * '''Prepare the working space and the needed tools.''' A clean 120 x 60 cm table will be big enough. More is always welcome. Less is not recommended. Remove all stuff you don't need from the surface and prepare the tools you will need.
@@ Line 80: / Line 80: @@
 <br>
-{{WarningBox| DON'T USE FORCE! NEVER! Some parts are really delicate, especially flat cable connectors (FPC), and you can easily break something if you are brute. Assembling the V5 unit is not difficult at all, but it's a clock-maker work. A beginners one that almost everyone can do, but clock-maker's task anyway. If you are not very used to manipulate this kind of stuff, please, proceed slowly. Thinking twice will let you build it once.}}
+{{WarningBox| DON'T USE FORCE! NEVER! Some parts are really delicate, especially flat cable connectors (FPC), and you can easily break something if you are brute. Assembling the V5 unit is not difficult at all, but it's like a clock-maker's work. A beginner's one that almost everyone can do, but like a clock-maker's task anyway. If you are not very used to manipulate this kind of stuff, please, proceed slowly. Thinking twice will let you build it once.}}
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@@ Line 70: / Line 70: @@
 * '''Prepare the working space and the needed tools.''' A clean 120 x 60 cm table will be big enough. More is always welcome. Less is not recommended. Remove all stuff you don't need from the surface and prepare the tools you will need.
-* '''Ensure you have good lighting in the working area.''' Having good lightning will ease delicate operations, especially those involving smaller parts.
+* '''Ensure you have good lighting in the working area.''' Having good lighting will ease delicate operations, especially those involving smaller parts.
 * '''Please, be extremely delicate when manipulating the flat cable connectors (FPC).''' They are the weakest parts and can be easily broken. Look carefully at the photos/videos and proceed just in the way we recommend. Use 2 hands, one finger from each hand. Avoid manipulating the connectors with a single hand or finger and don't use any tool for this.

@@ Line 168: / Line 168: @@
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-Zynthian V5.1 gets a 20% extra power from the RPi5 by overclocking the CPU up to 3 GHz. For this to work properly, we need to remove the heat generated by the RPi5's components. As we don't want a noisy fan, prone to failure,  pushing dust inside our nice case, we are using the aluminum case as a huge heat-sink. This is achieved by the thermal block, a solid aluminum block that closely contacts with the RPi5's chips and serves as a heat-highway to the aluminum case bottom, and from there, to the rest of the aluminum case. When your zynthian V5.1 is working hard, or when external temperature is high enough, you will note the aluminum case getting hot. This is good because it means the thermal block is doing its job of transferring heat from the inside to the aluminum case body, where it's dissipated to the ambient environment.
+The RBPi5 has a fast CPU that runs at 2.3 GHz and we need to remove the heat generated by its components. As we don't want a noisy fan, prone to failure,  pushing dust inside our nice case, we are using the aluminum case as a huge heat-sink. This is achieved by the thermal block, a solid aluminum block that closely contacts with the RPi5's chips and serves as a heat-highway to the aluminum case bottom, and from there, to the rest of the aluminum case. When your zynthian V5.1 is working hard, or when external temperature is high enough, you will note the aluminum case getting hot. This is good because it means the thermal block is doing its job of transferring heat from the inside to the aluminum case body, where it's dissipated to the ambient environment.
-Having understood all this, you may realize '''this is a key step for getting your V5.1 working at 100%''' of its capacity, so don't be in a hurry and take your time to do a good job. Let's start!
+Zynthian V5.1 could get a 20% extra power from the RPi5 by overclocking the CPU up to 3 GHz. By default overclocking is disabled because not all RPi5 boards support overclocking, but you can try, and luckily, you will get an extra power boost. Obviously, installing correctly the thermal block will increase the chance of overclocking successfully your zynthian.
 <br>

@@ Line 739: / Line 739: @@
 * Control board connection issues, like:
-** Control board not being detected on first boot (see [[Assembling_Zynthian_Kit_V5.1#V5_KITS_SOLD_BEFORE_2025-06-01_-_Fixing_FFC_connectors | section 6]]).
+** Control board not being detected on first boot (see [[Assembling_Zynthian_Kit_V5.1#First_Boot | section 6]]).
 ** Some buttons or knobs behave erratically or don't work.
 * SD-card extender doesn't work or it's not stable enough.