Product category:
Embedded Computing and Control
News Release from: Ampro Computers | Subject: CoreModule 420
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 21 January 2004
Embedded board adds new life to legacy
486 designs
The CoreModule 420 PC/104 single board computer is the next step in Ampro's roadmap to keep 486-based embedded systems in production through 2010.
The CoreModule 420 PC/104 single board computer (SBC) is the next step in Ampro's roadmap to keep 486-based embedded systems in production through 2010 Manufacturers of medical, military, transportation and industrial systems are not forced into expensive redesign and qualification projects for high-performance CPUs now that Ampro has a simple resolution to their 486 end-of-life (EOL) notices
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 21 May 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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The Little Board 700 single board computer aims to address the needs of demanding and power-sensitive embedded applications.
The new CoreModule 420 is the best value for space-constrained embedded applications that require four serial ports (two of which support RS485), 10/100Base-T Ethernet, and video on a single board.
"The PC/104 market continues to demand long lifecycle embedded PCs compatible with processors that left the desktop 10 years ago", said Paul Rosenfeld, CTO of Ampro.
"Because of the wave of 486 EOL notices from SBC vendors, thousands of embedded OEMs worldwide must requalify a new CPU solution or redesign systems that they had expected to build unchanged for years.
Further reading
PC/104 expansion modules add standard interfaces
Three new MiniModule PC/104-Plus expansion boards bring high-speed industry standard I/O capabilities to the PC/104 market for the very first time.
SBC brings new life to legacy 486 designs
The CoreModule 410 is a PC/104 CPU module designed to extend the life of headless 486 systems through 2010.
The CoreModule 420 addresses the 486 PC/104 SBC demand with extra serial ports and general-purpose I/O normally not found in a single PC/104 module".
The CoreModule 420 is specially designed to be a migration product.
The I/O addresses and IRQ mappings allow it to be easily configured to match the setup of many different legacy solutions.
The memory hole is configurable to enable the use of legacy PC/104 (ISA bus) peripheral cards originally used with 386 and 486 systems having very small memory configurations.
Ampro has also designed in 768Kbyte of onboard Flash memory which is accessible to the user and bootable, which means that some types of applications do not require additional Flash memory in the system in the form of CompactFlash or DiskOnChip.
Finally, with onboard Ethernet and video, two RS232/485 ports, and two more RS232-only ports, the CoreModule 420 also replaces up to three cards in a PC/104 stack.
The CoreModule 420 PC/104 single board system is based on ST Microelectronics' STPC Atlas microprocessor running at 133MHz.
CoreModule 420 provides four RS232 serial ports, two of which support RS485, along with eight general-purpose I/O (GPIO) pins, EPP/ECP parallel port, one USB 1.1 port, PS/2 keyboard and mouse interfaces, floppy and Ultra/DMA 33 IDE disk interfaces, 10/100Base-T Ethernet interface, and a high-resolution 2D video controller with CRT and TFT flat panel interfaces.
CoreModule 420 provides 64Mbyte soldered SODIMM DRAM along with a bytewide socket for a DiskOnChip 2000 bootable Flash drive and Type II CompactFlash socket.
The CoreModule 420 is priced at under $400 in single quantities, and under $300 each in moderate volumes.
The CoreModule 420 is available today for evaluation and qualification, with production volumes available in 60 days.
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