Bulgarian hardware maker CMHunter has designed a board designed to speed up mass deployment of Raspberry Pi Compute Module computer-on-module (COM) boards — by simultaneously flashing up to seven modules.

"The MultiCM Flasher is a professional device for parallel programming of up to seven eMMC-based Raspberry Pi Compute Modules (CM3, CM3+, CM4, CM4S, CM5 High-Efficiency)," CMHunter explains of the gadget. "It streamlines production, prototyping, and industrial deployment with fast, reliable, and simple operation."

The MultiCM Flasher throws an OS onto up to seven Raspberry Pi Compute Modules at once, and supports every model bar the CM0. (📷: CMHunter)

Designed around the same Broadcom systems-on-chips as their generational single-board computer equivalents, the Raspberry Pi Compute Module range swaps the usual credit card footprint for a more compact modular format — using a SODIMM edge connector in some models, and high-density board-to-board connectors in the more recent variants. Models are available that rely on external storage, identified by their "Lite" suffix, or with on-board eMMC — and it’s the latter targeted by the MultiCM Flasher.

The idea is simple: instead of having to flash an operating system image onto each module individually, or deal with multiple carrier boards, the MultiCM Flasher plays host to up to seven eMMC-equipped Raspberry Pi Compute Modules and programs them all simultaneously — even if you’re mixing and matching different models, so long as they’re all to receive the same image. Each module slots into a vertically-oriented SODIMM socket, with adapters available to convert the board-to-board connector versions to SODIMM for flashing — leaving only the China-exclusive Compute Module Zero (CM0), with its castellated headers for surface-mount installation, as incompatible.

The MultiCM Flasher is available to order on Tindie at $155, plus $110 for a full set of seven of the adapter boards for Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 and Compute Module 5 boards.