EPIC SBC boasts data acq, GPS, wireless, embedded Linux
Jun 14, 2004 — by LinuxDevices Staff — from the LinuxDevices Archive — views
Micro/sys has announced a new single-board computer (SBC) in the 4.5 x 6.5 inch EPIC (Embedded Platform for Industrial Computing) footprint. Based on a high-performance 486/586 core, the SBC4495 includes an embedded Linux distribution aimed at simplifying application programming.
Like other Micro/sys boards, the new EPIC SPC features a Linux distribution designed to boot as a precompiled Linux kernel from on-board flash and download its root filesystem from a desktop computer via NFS. This enables standard development tools to be used to create, compile and debug applications — with changes automatically reflected by the target hardware, according to Micro/sys.
The SBC includes eight channels of 14-bit A/D (with simultaneous reads) and eight channels of 14-bit D/A, to provide a highly accurate temperature-compensated data acquisition system, according to the Micro/sys. In addition, the on-board GPS provides timing that can synchronize the data acquisition of geographically distant systems to within 190ns, along with providing location and altitude.
The SBC4495 is based on an STPC Atlas processor with speeds up to 133MHz, on-chip cache, 64-bit DRAM access, hardware floating point, and PC/AT-compatible interrupts, timers, and DMA controllers. It also includes four serial ports, 24 bits of digital I/O, a SuperVGA display controller, and keyboard/mouse ports. Micro/sys says the SuperVGA includes hardware acceleration, and drives CRT monitors and LVDS TFT flat panel displays with resolutions of up to 1280 x 1024.
SBC4495 Block Diagram
The basic SBC4495 starts at $495 in single quantity, and an industrial temperature (-40°C to +85°C) version is available starting at $565. Micro/sys says it also provides a “free development kit” that includes cables, sample software, and full documentation.
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