Strategic Test has spun a tiny SBC (single board computer) using Intel's latest embedded processor chip for mobile wireless multimedia applications. The DIMM200-sized Triton-270 will be powered by a 512MHz Intel PXA270 (formerly “Bulverde”) processor, and will come with Linux 2.6 as well as Windows CE 5.0.

(Click for larger view of Triton-270)

Intel announced the PXA270 processor in April, and began shipping the chip in June. According to Strategic Test, the PXA270 is the first in Intel's ARM-based XScale line to include:

• Intel Wireless MMX technology, said to enable high-performance multimedia acceleration based on the Pentium instruction set
• Quick Capture, said to offer a flexible and powerful camera interface for capturing digital images and video

The PXA270 also includes Wireless Intel SpeedStep Technology, which is claimed to deliver exceptionally low-power operation. Strategic Test says it has augmented the PXA270's power saving features with an on-board Programmable Core Voltage Generator that allows the user to vary the PXA270's supply voltage from 1.1 to 1.3V.

The Triton-270 measures 2.6 x 1.2 x 0.16 inches, and will come standard with a 512MHz PXA270 processor, 64MB of low-power mobile SDRAM (1.8V), and 16MB of wireless Flash memory (1.8V). There will be options for 312MHz and 416MHz CPU's, 32MB SDRAM, and 8MB Flash.

The Triton-270 uses a 200-pin DIMM connector to bring out all of the PXA270's internal signals, according to Strategic Test. These include:

• Integrated LCD controller for direct connection to displays
• PCMCIA interface
• Bluetooth UART
• Baseband/Multimedia interface
• USB 2.0 “On the Go” interface
• Memory Stick controller
• MMC/SD/SDIC interface
• I2S and AC'97 interfaces
• Three SSP and three Asynch serial interfaces
• Keypad interface
• GPIO and four PWN interfaces

Additionally, the board offers two 100-pin surface-mounted connectors that “for the first time allow the full 32-bit memory address range to be accessed,” Strategic Test says.

Strategic Test also offers a number of DIMM-shaped SBCs, including the Triton-Eco, that are based on the Intel PXA255. The company says that the new PXA270 offers additional features over its PXA255-based boards, including:

• 256KB internal SRAM
• USB 1.1 host controller
• Baseband/Multimedia Interface
• Memory Stick host controller
• Keypad interface
• Universal SIM interface

The new PXA270 also improves upon various features in the earlier PXA255, according to Strategic Test, including:

• Power management (Wireless SpeedStep)
• Wireless MMX
• More advanced LCD controller
• 3 instead of 1 SSP
• USB 2.0 device controller instead of USB 1.1
• RTC now can be used with a backup battery
• 4 instead of 2 PWM outputs

Strategic Test expects to ship the new Triton-270 in mid-September, priced at $299 in quantities of 1,000. The minimum order for versions with slower processors, less memory, or extended temperature ranges is 100 units.

 
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