Intrinsyc has announced a SOM (system on module) and carrier board built around Freescale's i.MX35. The Linux-ready “CerfBoard 35” includes the processor, 256MB of DDR2 RAM, 64MB of NOR flash, and 256MB of NAND flash, while the carrier adds a bevy of ports and a connector for an optional touchscreen display, the company says.

Intrinsyc's new CerfBoard 35 joins a long line of Linux-ready CerfBoard SBCs that date back almost a decade, originally running on a StrongARM processor. In 2005, Intrinsyc released the CerfBoard 270, which was built around Intel (later Marvell) PXA27x processors and provided with Linux or Windows CE board support packages (BSPs).

The CerfBoard 35 represents the product line's initial foray into the Freescale world, starting with the i.MX35, a processor that was introduced in 2008 and is generally associated with automotive applications. (Freescale broadened its market with the related i.MX353 and i.MX357, again based on ARM 1136JF-S cores, earlier this year.)

Intrinsyc says the CerfBoard 35 SOM "eliminates most of the technical and schedule risks associated with developing a complex 32-bit ARM-based solution." A related i.MX35 Development Kit includes both the module and a carrier board, with an extended operating range of -40 to 185 deg. F, according to the company.

The CerfBoard 35 (right) measures 3.0 x 2.32 inches (76.2 x 59.1mm), with a height of 0.3 inches including the headers that connect it to the carrier board. These headers are responsible for conveying all the i.MX35's signals to the outside world, including Ethernet, CAN, USB, serial, and graphics. In addition to the CPU itself, the module includes 256MB of soldered-on DDR2 memory, 64MB of NOR flash, and 256MB of NAND flash, Intrinsyc says.

Meanwhile, the dimensions of the carrier board included in the i.MX35 Development Kit are not cited by Intrinsyc, but its relative size may be gauged via the picture below, which also shows the installed CerfBoard 35 module. Intrinsyc says the carrier includes standard connectors for two serial ports, two 10/100 Ethernet ports, plus USB host and On-The-Go ports.

Intrinsyc Software's i.MX35 Development Kit with the CerfBoard 35 onboard

The carrier board includes a JTAG connector, two CAN 2.0 interfaces, and a connector for an optional NEC touchscreen display, according to Intrinsyc. It's said the device additionally supports an optional 3G cellular modem, connected via USB.

Intrinsyc says the carrier board also sports a video input — composite, presumably — plus line-level I/O for stereo audio. The device accepts 5VDC input power via an onboard connector, the company adds.

Features and specifications listed by Intrinsyc for its CerfBoard 35 and i.MX35 development kit include the following:

• Processor — Freescale i.MX35 clocked at 523MHz
• Memory — 256MB of DDR2 RAM
• Storage — 64MB of NOR flash and 256MB of NAND flash
• Networking — 2 x 10/100 Ethernet
• Other I/O:
  • 2 x serial
  • USB host
  • USB On-The-Go
  • 2 x CAN 2.0
  • LCD touchscreen connector
  • JTAG connector
  • Video input (composite presumed)
  • Audio — line in and line out (3.5mm stereo jacks presumed)
• Power — 5VDC
• Operating range — -40 to 185 deg. F (-40 to 85 deg. C)
• Dimensions (module) — 3 x 2.32 inches (76.2 x 59.1mm)

According to Intrinsyc, the CerfBoard 35 and the i.MX35 Development Kit come with Linux and Windows CE support, including binary images and BSPs, plus a CD that comes with hardware and software documentation. Support for Android is "coming soon," the company adds.

David Manuel, VP and GM of device development solutions for Intrinsyc, stated, "A positive out-of-the box experience with the CerfBoard i.MX Development Kit illustrates the Intrinsyc commitment to providing our customers with effective device development solutions, including all of the accessories required to have a complete solution up and running in a very short time. The modular design of the CerfBoard i.MX SOM allows for quick customization, while the ready-to-run BSPs integrated into a well-known environment dramatically reduce development costs and learning curves."

Availability

According to Intrinsyc, the CerfBoard 35 and i.MX35 Development Kit will be available during the first quarter of 2010, and will be followed by variants that support Freescale's i.MX31 and i.MX51 processors.

The i.MX35 Development Kit is already listed on the company's online store, here, for approximately $1,200.

This article was originally published on LinuxDevices.com and has been donated to the open source community by QuinStreet Inc. Please visit LinuxToday.com for up-to-date news and articles about Linux and open source.