Product category:
PC-Compatible Boards and Assemblies
News Release from: Sealevel Systems | Subject: R1000
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 07 March 2003
Baseboard puts embedded modules into PCI
systems
Sealevel Systems has been selected to provide baseboard design services for system OEMs using Ampro's EnCore family of embedded processor modules.
Sealevel Systems has been selected to provide baseboard design services for system OEMs using Ampro's EnCore family of embedded processor modules Sealevel, known for its breadth of I/O and connectivity products, is leveraging its I/O expertise and board-level design capability to speed the deployment of custom EnCore-based designs
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 5 Dec 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Adapter adds serial comms options to PC/104
Sealevel Systems has expanded its PC/104 product line with the SIO.104+2, a dual-port RS232/422/485 interface adapter.
Serial adapter fits both PCI slots
The latest addition to the popular PCI product line from Sealevel Systems is the Ultra Comm+2.LPCI, a dual-port low-profile PCIbus serial I/O adapter.
Ampro and Sealevel will work together to supply solutions for system companies who prefer the advantages of EnCore's processor-independent modular approach, but wish to outsource the design and production of their application-specific baseboard.
Sealevel has also released a new Micro-ATX form factor baseboard, the R1000, to allow rapid prototyping of EnCore-based systems and create a starting point for custom baseboard designs.
The R1000 makes available all EnCore module I/O plus four PCI slots for expansion.
Further reading
Serial device drivers provide easy Ethernet
Sealevel Systems reckons its Sealink family of serial device drivers is the easiest way to connect serial devices directly to an Ethernet network.
Adapter squeezes 16 serial ports onto PCIbus
The COMM+16.PCI is a 16-port PCIbus serial I/O adapter that offers the highest serial port count available in a PCI format.
New approach to embedded industrial I/O
Sealevel Systems has released the first four board-level products based on a novel embedded industrial I/O architecture, eI/O.
Using this platform, the embedded developer can immediately begin hardware and software design and testing using the target EnCore module along with commercially available PCI expansion cards to emulate I/O that will eventually be included in a custom baseboard.
Time-to-market for the final system is dramatically decreased since hardware and software development for custom designs can take place simultaneously and immediately.
First articles of the R1000 are available from Sealevel now, with production release and general availability in 45 days.
Together, the R1000 and an EnCore module form an inexpensive system prototype which is affordable enough to put on each OEM hardware and software engineer's desk.
"Sealevel's design capabilities ensure that Ampro's OEM customers can quickly and cost-effectively implement EnCore-based designs even when in-house resources are not available for the baseboard design", said Joanne Williams, President and CEO of Ampro Computers.
"Complete with driver support for the leading embedded operating systems, EnCore modules and Sealevel baseboards combine to meet the I/O and software requirements of a broad base of industrial applications".
"This synergistic partnership with Ampro will allow Sealevel to combine our core competencies of fast, reliable custom I/O design with the power and flexibility of the EnCore computing platform.
The customer will be able to focus on their application software and overall system design while reaping the benefits of a custom-designed embedded computer solution", said Tom O'Hanlan, President and CEO of Sealevel Systems.
EnCore modules are similar in concept to high-integration chips, interfacing directly to a form-factor-independent system baseboard containing application-specific circuitry and I/O connections.
EnCore modules interface to the baseboard through up to 272 pins that provide the PCIbus, I/O signals and power and ground.
A typical EnCore module includes CPU, 10/100-BaseT Ethernet, up to 512Mbyte DRAM, sound, Flash memory, serial, parallel and USB ports with support for IDE compatible devices.
Some modules also include a 3D graphics controller.
EnCore modules are interchangeable, allowing for processor independence, with a 100 x 145mm size allowing wide flexibility in baseboard footprint.
The EnCore product family provides a choice of PowerPC, MIPS and three Intel Architecture processors.
EnCore modules relieve developers of most of the processor-development overhead in creating embedded systems.
The module communicates with a custom baseboard via a PCI interface and standardised I/O signals, essentially without regard to processor architecture.
Ampro has already taken care of processor integration and operating system BSP development, which shortens OEM product development cycles by up to 40 weeks.
• Sealevel Systems: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Electronicstalk email newsletter
• Electronicstalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
