[quote user="Matthew Schuckmann1"]
It all sounds great and it seems like I should be able to pick a direction but I'm really at a loss on what to do going forward. There are just to many options without enough step by step documentation beyond the simple examples.
[/quote]
Hi Matthew,
I'm faced with the same problems like you and have posted some questions too:
http://e2e.ti.com/support/embedded/linux/f/354/p/359271/1261397.aspx#1261397
I try to sum up what i think could help you:
1. Best way to create a custom linux image is to use yocto
2. Following instructions on arago website you will be able to create different images
i use arago-dora-config.txt and could create different arago-xxxx and tisdk-xxxx images.
The available images are listed in ./sources/meta-arago/meta-arago-distro/recipes-core/images.
3. You don't need TI SDK or TI Graphics SDK, because the meta files in directory meta-ti contains informations how to downoad,configure and compile the Bootloader, Kernel and DTB files. As result of creating tisdk-rootfs-image, you should get all needed files to boot linux from your beaglebone black.
4. I think that the version's of kernel, bootloader and all the tools installed into the RFS are depended to the branches of meta-ti, meta-arago, meta-qt und so on, that you are using. The dora branch as example defines in the meta files to use kernel 3.12.y.
5. In the end all the "magic" that will happen during image creation is described in the mass of config files(recipes) in the meta-xxx directories. So it is up to you to understand all the yocto tasks.