| PC/104-Plus SBC resists shock |
Apr. 24, 2008
 VersaLogic has announced a PC/104-Plus SBC (single board computer) that targets military, avionics, and medical applications. Running on an AMD LX800 processor, the dual-Ethernet port equipped Cougar operates fanlessly, draws under five Watts, and features high resistance to mechanical and thermal shock.
(Click here for a larger view of the Versalogic Cougar)
The Cougar is rated to withstand up to 2G of constant acceleration from five to 500Hz, tested for 20 minutes per axis. It also has an extended operating range, from -40 to 85 deg. C (-40 to 185 deg. F), and is claimed to withstand thermal shock of up to five deg. C per minute. RoHs-compliant, the SBC operates without a cooling fan. With a keyboard and mouse attached, and running Windows XP, it draws under 4.5 Watts of power, according to the company.
The Cougar uses AMD's 500MHz Geode LX800. Originally named to reflect performance relative to Via's C3 processor, the LX800 also offers "Celeron-equivalent 800 MHz performance" at a low power rating, according to VersaLogic. The LX800 mates with a special companion chip supporting analog and LVDS display interfaces up to 1600 x 1200.
The Cougar comes with 256MB of soldered-on RAM. A "high-retention" Compact Flash socket is included on the board, but for those who need the higher capacity of a rotating disk, the Cougar additionally includes a 44-pin IDE connector that is compatible with UDMA66 drives.
The Cougar's I/O includes two 10/100 Ethernet ports with RJ45 connectors, four USB 2.0 ports and three serial ports. The board's firmware allows booting over a network via PXE (preboot execution environment), NetWare, and BOOTP (bootstrap protocol).
Features and specifications listed by VersaLogic for the Cougar include:- Processor -- AMD LX800 clocked at 500MHz
- Memory -- 256MB of soldered-on RAM
- Display -- supports analog and LVDS, with resolution up to 1600 x 1200 pixels
- Networking -- 2 x 10/100 Ethernet ports
- Other I/O:
- 4 x USB 2.0
- IDE
- 3 x COM (2 x RS232, 1 x RS422/485)
- Expansion -- Compact Flash slot
- Shock resistance:Thermal -- 5 deg. C/min
- Vibration, sinusoidal sweep -- 2G constant acceleration from 5 to 500Hz, 20 minutes per axis (MIL-STD-202G, method 204, modified condition A)
- Vibration, random -- 5.35G rms, 15 minutes per axis (MIL-STD-202G, method 214A, condition A)
- Mechanical shock -- 30G half-sine, 11ms duration per axis (MIL-STD-202G, method 213B, condition J)
Operating temperature -- -40 to 85 deg. C
Dimensions -- 3.8 x 3.6 inches
Power requirements -- 5VDC, less than 4.5WThe Cougar is "compatible with most x86 operating systems," including Linux, Windows CE, XP, QNX, and VXWorks. It will begin shipping in June, priced around $800 in OEM quantities. Customization of the board is also available, involving quantities as low as 100 units. Additional product details may be available here.
Related Stories:
(Click here for further information)
|
|
|
FUEL Database on MontaVista Linux
Whether building a mobile handset, a car navigation system, a package tracking device, or a home entertainment console, developers need capable software systems, including an operating system, development tools, and supporting libraries, to gain maximum benefit from their hardware platform and to meet aggressive time-to-market goals.
Breaking New Ground: The Evolution of Linux Clustering
With a platform comprising a complete Linux distribution, enhanced for clustering, and tailored for HPC, Penguin Computing¿s Scyld Software provides the building blocks for organizations from enterprises to workgroups to deploy, manage, and maintain Linux clusters, regardless of their size.
Data Monitoring with NightStar LX
Unlike ordinary debuggers, NightStar LX doesn¿t leave you stranded in the dark. It¿s more than just a debugger, it¿s a whole suite of integrated diagnostic tools designed for time-critical Linux applications to reduce test time, increase productivity and lower costs. You can debug, monitor, analyze and tune with minimal intrusion, so you see real execution behavior. And that¿s positively illuminating.
Virtualizing Service Provider Networks with Vyatta
This paper highlights Vyatta's unique ability to virtualize networking functions using Vyatta's secure routing software in service provider environments.
High Availability Messaging Solution Using AXIGEN, Heartbeat and DRBD
This white paper discusses a high-availability messaging solution relying on the AXIGEN Mail Server, Heartbeat and DRBD. Solution architecture and implementation, as well as benefits of using AXIGEN for this setup are all presented in detail.
Understanding the Financial Benefits of Open Source
Will open source pay off? Open source is becoming standard within enterprises, often because of cost savings. Find out how much of a financial impact it can have on your organization. Get this methodology and calculator now, compliments of JBoss.
Embedded Hardware and OS Technology Empower PC-Based Platforms
The modern embedded computer is the jack of all trades appearing in many forms.
Data Management for Real-Time Distributed Systems
This paper provides an overview of the network-centric computing model, data distribution services, and distributed data management. It then describes how the SkyBoard integration and synchronization service, coupled with an implementation of the OMG¿s Data Distribution Service (DDS) standard, can be used to create an efficient data distribution, storage, and retrieval system.
7 Advantages of D2D Backup
For decades, tape has been the backup medium of choice. But, now, disk-to-disk (D2D) backup is gaining in favor. Learn why you should make the move in this whitepaper.
|
|
|
|
|
news feed