Arcom announced the release of a “ready-to-run” embedded Linux kit based on its “Viper” XScale-based PC/104 form-factor single-board computer (SBC) and an Arcom-generated implementation of embedded Linux. The hardware/software kit includes the Viper PC/104 SBC fitted with 64MB DRAM and 16MB Flash memory packaged in a compact industrial enclosure, an uninterruptible power supply, serial and Ethernet… cables, a customized GNU/Linux embedded operating system, a “quick start” manual, and an optional QVGA (320 x 240 pixel) color display and touchscreen. The embedded Linux OS comes preloaded into Flash memory on the Viper SBC, the company said.

The Viper SBC is based on a 400MHz PXA255 XScale system-on-chip processor and offers a comprehensive set of onboard functions including SDRAM and Flash memory, a flat panel display controller for TFT and STN displays, 10/100-BaseT Ethernet, five serial ports, a CompactFlash socket, and a PC/104 expansion bus.

According to Arcom, the customized embedded Linux OS included in the kit is maintained by the company's own development team, and offers a compact, high reliability implementation of Linux for developing and deploying 'C' or Java based embedded control and communication products. It is based on the proven 2.4 kernel and includes read/write and read only support for the onboard Flash memory using the compressed Journaling Flash File System (JFFS2), and also includes support for the PXA255 graphics controller and drivers for many of the onboard peripherals. Open source “RedBoot” provides a simple, fast, reliable mechanism, for initializing the Viper and loading the embedded Linux image from the onboard Flash. Power management support includes variable CPU clock frequency selection and dynamic power control of the internal peripherals. A standard installation of Open-SSH (Secure-SHell) enables a wide range of encryption and authentication techniques via the Viper's communications channels. For those developing with embedded Java, the kit also includes an evaluation copy of IBM's WebSphere Studio Device Developer IDE development tools, Arcom said.

 
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