VME SBC Boasts Latest Low-Power Core2 Duo Processor

Perhaps the greatest triumph of VME is its capability to maintain backward compatibility while remaining suited to incorporating new computing elements as they evolve. Exemplifying this trend is Aitech Defense Systems’ new 6U VME SBC using Intel’s latest T7500 low-power, high-performance Merom Core 2 Duo dual core processors. The new C160 is designed for rugged, mission-critical mobile applications requiring exceptionally low power and high processing throughput.

The new single-slot C160 now offers clock frequencies up to 2.2 GHz for the high-performance version and 1.67 GHz for the low-power version, which draws only 25W. The new board also uses Intel’s Virtualization Technology (VT), enabling the board to run different applications simultaneously using multiple virtual partitions. The fully featured C160 incorporates a custom metal thermal management frame supporting an array of integral stiffeners for increased resistance against high shock and vibration. The board offers large memory arrays providing extensive volatile and nonvolatile memory resources. These include up to 2 Gbytes fast DDR2 SDRAM operating at 667 MHz and up to 8 Gbytes of onboard flash disk (NAND Flash), with IDE controller eliminating the need for externally attached mass-storage media. OEM pricing for the C160 6U VME SBC starts at $6,050.

Aitech Defense Systems
Chatsworth, CA.
(888) 248-3248.
[www.rugged.com].

Conduction-Cooled DSP/FPGA-Based VXS Card

VXS has found a solid niche as a “here and now” solution for marrying switched fabric performance with legacy VME backward compatibility. BittWare’s latest VXS offering is the GT-6U-VME (GTV6), which features two Altera Stratix II GX FPGAs (2SGX90 or 130), two processing clusters consisting of two ADSP-TS201S TigerSHARC DSPs from Analog Devices, and up to 3 Gbytes of DDR2 SDRAM memory. This conduction-cooled board is optimized for high-end, multiprocessing applications, while also providing complete flexibility for future adaptability, ideal for existing and future military applications requiring embedded signal processing in a VXS/VITA 41 form factor.

The GTV6 implements a dual BittWare ATLANTiS framework to interface between the FPGAs and DSPs. The GTV6 also features two clusters of two ADSP-TS201S TigerSHARC DSPs, which are interconnected by a 64-bit cluster bus running at 83.3 MHz.

BittWare
Concord, NH.
(603) 226-0404.
[www.bittware.com].

1.6 GHz Atom N270 Processor Powers VME SBC

With a power consumption of under 20W, a new ultra-low-power VME single board computer is based on the Intel Atom processor. The VP A45/01x from Concurrent Technologies uses the 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor N270 and the Intel 945GSE Express chipset both from the Intel embedded roadmap, ensuring long-term availability. With 2 Gbyte DDR2-533 SDRAM, this ultra-low-power board also supports a variety of peripheral I/O ports, flash drive, CompactFlash site and PMC/XMC modules.

Commercial and extended temperature versions are now available, and ruggedized, conduction-cooled or air-cooled (to VITA 47) versions will be available shortly. With a wide range of flexible I/O, the VP A45/01x supports a PMC/XMC site with front I/O and P2 rear I/O (VITA35 P4V2-64ac) plus a second 33 MHz PMC site with front I/O and rear I/O via the optional P0. A range of onboard I/O is available to the user: two Ethernet interfaces, a USB 2.0 port and an RS-232 interface via the front panel, whilst the rear panel I/O includes digital 3D graphics (2048 x 1536), keyboard, mouse, four GPIO signals, two USB 2.0 ports, an RS--232/RS422/RS-485 port and two SATA150 interfaces. The optional P0 also supports two Gigabit Ethernet interfaces.

Concurrent Technologies
Woburn, MA.
(781) 933 5900.
[www.gocct.com].

VPX SBC Serves 8-Core Freescale QorIQ CPU

Compute-density has become the watchword in many of today’s military applications, and multicore processors help to feed that need. Along just those lines, Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing has introduced the VPX6-187, its first single board computer based on Freescale’s latest eight-core QorIQ P4080 Communications Processor. This rugged, high-performance 6U VPX general-purpose SBC supports its eight 1.5 GHz Power Architecture processor cores with high-performance datapath acceleration logic, network and peripheral bus interfaces.

Offered in both air-and conduction-cooled rugged configurations, the VPX6-187 is also optionally available in a VPX-REDI (VITA 48) configuration to support applications that require Line-Replaceable Modules (LRMs). The VPX6-187’s high-speed VPX backplane supports connectivity via Gen 2 PCIe and SRIO for multi-Gbyte/s board-to-board data communications. The VPX6-187 also supports a rich I/O complement including four Gbit Ethernet ports, USB, options for multi-function RS-232/422/485 serial ports, MIL-STD-1553, Serial ATA, and TTL and differential discrete I/O to provide connectivity integration with other system elements independent of its two PMC/XMC sites. The board’s dual mezzanine sites are ideal for the acquisition, processing and distribution of high-speed sensor data such as video, radar and sonar.

Curtiss-Wright Controls
Embedded Computing
Leesburg, VA.
(703) 779-7800.
[www.cwcembedded.com].

Ruggedness, Low Power Combine on VME SBC

Packing the most performance possible into a single VME slot, at low power, is now an easy feat. Dynatem has accomplished that with its Core-Duo-based DPD VME SBC. The DPD is a single-slot VMEbus (and VME64)-compatible platform based on the Intel low-power Core-Duo (Yonah) processor. The DPD takes advantage of the Core-Duo’s low 15W power consumption as a rugged SBC. The DPD requires only 5V from the backplane. This enables full functionality in legacy VMEbus backplane systems.

Shock and vibration immunity were major goals in the DPD design. All major components including processor, chipset and memory are BGA-based. The only socketed devices on board are the optional CompactFlash and optional battery, both of which are securely fastened when required. The DPD is available as an IEEE 1101.2-compliant, conduction-cooled VMEbus module with wedge locks and a full-board heat sink for high shock/vibration environments and temperature extremes. The DPD comes installed with 2 Gbyte ECC-compatible DDR2-400 memory. Memory is BGA for the best shock/vibration spec. Two SATA ports, VGA video, two Gbit Ethernet ports, four RS-232 ports, one RS-422 port, an IDE interface, PS/2 mouse and keyboard, and two more USB 2.0 ports are routed to the backplane. Conventional PC I/O is accessible with industry-standard connectors on optional rear I/O modules. The two onboard mezzanine card interfaces include one PMC site based upon the 64-bit PCI-X bus. Pricing for the DPD starts at $4,738 in single quantity.

Dynatem
Mission Viejo, CA.
(949) 855-3235.
[www.dynatem.com].

VME SBC Features 1.3 GHz PowerPC and Rich I/O

VME remains the most widely installed slot-card embedded computer form factor in the military, and it’s living up to its promise as a valuable path for military technology refresh and technology insertion. Feeding just those needs, Emerson Network Power has announced the MVME4100, its fastest single-core, next-gen VMEbus processing blade.

Equipped with expanded processing power for I/O and data-intensive applications, the MVME4100’s 1.3 GHz 8548E system-on-chip PowerPC processor features a double-precision embedded scalar and vector floating-point APU that delivers next-generation, floating-point processing performance for today’s demanding high-precision applications. The board offers a range of storage capabilities including 4 Gbytes of fully programmable NAND flash memory, 2 Gbytes of onboard DDR2 SDRAM and 512 Kbytes of nonvolatile MVRAM memory. The blade’s I/O capabilities include advanced 2eSST protocol availability capable of bandwidth up to 320 Mbytes/s, 4 GigE ports, 3 serial ports, USB 2.0 compatibility and PCI-E expansion options for maximum performance and flexibility. In addition, the board’s I/O and firmware are fully backward compatible with existing MVME3100 and 7100 models to ensure easy interoperability with legacy hardware.

Emerson Network Power
Tempe, AZ.
(800) 759-1107.
[www.emersonnetworkpower.com].

3U VPX SBC Sports Freescale MPC 8640D Processor

There have been only a handful of SBC vendors so far that have rolled out VPX products. The ones that jumped on board have already got several out. Extreme Engineering Solutions’ latest VPX offering is the XPedite5170, a feature-rich 3U VPX (VITA 46) solution targeting Freescale Semiconductor’s dual-core MPC8640D processor. The XPedite5170 delivers enhanced PowerPC performance with AltiVec technology and power efficiency for today’s military customers requiring high performance in small form factors.

The board runs at up to 1.25 GHz and includes two channels of 1 to 4 Gbytes of DDR2-533 SDRAM and up to 4 Gbytes of NAND flash and 256 Mbytes of NOR flash. Interconnects included dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, PCI Express or Serial RapidIO Fat Pipe P1 interconnect. The P2 interconnect includes GPIO, two RS-232/RS-422/RS-485 serial ports, I²C and PMC I/O. XPedite5170 is shipping today with XPand1000 development chassis. Pricing varies from $6,000-$8,000 depending on ruggedization level, memory configuration and quantity purchased.

Extreme Engineering Solutions
Middleton, WI.
(608) 833-1155.
[www.xes-inc.com].

VPX SBC Serves Up 1.86 GHz Core2 Duo

VPX is shaping up to be the favorite next-gen embedded computer architecture for the military. GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms’s latest VPX offering is the SBC620 rugged 6U VPX single board computer. The SBC620 features an Intel 1.86 GHz Core2 Duo (Penryn) processor with 6 Mbytes of L2 cache memory and up to 4 Gbytes of DDR2 SDRAM. The SBC620 is characterized by the flexibility and performance of its I/O subsystem. The onboard Intel 5100 chipset provides four x4 PCI Express lanes to the VPX backplane, with one XMC site supported by x8 PCI Express and a second site supported by x4 PCI Express. I/O flexibility is further enhanced by the provision of six USB 2.0 ports, two Gbit Ethernet ports, two SATA (3 Gbit/s) ports and two RS-232/422 ports.

The SBC620 also features an XGI Volari Z11 graphics processor, enabling the SBC620 to support dual VGA or VGA/DVI output. Available in five ruggedization levels from convection-cooled for development to conduction-cooled extended temperature operation for deployment, and providing optimum performance per watt, the SBC620 can be optionally configured with covers to allow for 2-level maintenance in line with the VITA-48 (REDI) standard.

GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms
Charlottesville, VA.
(800) 368-2738.
[www.gefanucembedded.com].

VME SBC Provides Versatile 2.16 GHz Core 2 Duo Solution

For a lot of military programs—in the Navy in particular—reducing cost is a high priority. Often that means choosing an embedded computing solution that can be applied to multiple systems. Along just such lines, General Micro Systems has introduced the “Maritime” (VS275), a new VMEbus CPU that defies obsolescence by enabling seamless upgrades and complete flexibility with the addition of five different expansion modules. The supreme versatility offered by the Maritime enabled the U.S. Navy to use the VS275 as the common platform in three programs.

Maritime uses the GMS P70 “Nucleus” processor module, a module that supports either the ultra-low-power Core 2 Duo operating at 1.5 GHz or the Core 2 Duo at 2.16 GHz with 4 Mbytes of L2 Cache and 667 MHz FSB. Custom configurations are made possible through one PMC-X and/or 16-Lane XMC-compliant site with rear I/O and an optional workstation I/O module (second VME Site). Other features include two Gbit Ethernet ports with TCP/IP offloading engine and dedicated interrupt; ten USB 2.0 ports; four serial ports with RS232/422/485 options; two PATA ports, one to the rear, one for onboard HDD/SSD/CF; 16 individually programmable buffered user I/O lines, and custom I/O functions such as FireWire or octal SIO via a SAM-III module. Pricing for the standard version of Maritime (VS275) starts at $3,200, in quantities of a 1 unit.

General Micro Systems
Rancho Cucamonga, CA.
(909) 980-4863.
[www.gms4sbc.com].

VME 2eSST Card Provides PMC8640 CPU and XMC

VME’s ability to marry legacy compatibility with new technologies has set it apart from other computing form factors. Along those lines, Interface Concept offers the IC-De6-VMEb, a 2eSST VME board powered either by one or two PMC8640 (or MPC8641), both available in single or dual core version. IC-De6-VMEb is a VME64x board based on the Freescale e600 processor.

Designed for applications requiring a very high level of performance, the IC-De6-VMEb board also provides a very flexible combination of interfaces offering thus the ideal open platform for demanding customers. Its embedded Ethernet switch enlarges the communication skills normally found on such a board, while the two PMC XMC slots enable it to increase the computing power and the range of available I/Os. The 2eSST capabilities of the IC-De6-VMEb provide up to 300 Mbyte/s burst transfer rate across the VMEbus. Moreover, the backward compatibility protects existing investments. The board also features two banks of DDRII DRAM, each up to 1 Gbyte, 256 Mbytes of soldered Mirror Flash and 256 Kbytes of MRAM (non-volatile memory). Also provided is a PPC 64-bit Real Time clock and 32 bit-timers, calendar clock with supercap backup along with a temperature sensor and monitoring.

Interface Concept
Briec de l’Odet, France.
+33 (0)2 98 57 30 30.
[www.interfaceconcept.com].

3U VPU Features Core2 Duo Processor

The ranks of VPX vendors continue to grow. Kontron’s latest offering is the VX3020 based on the Intel Core 2 Duo processor. VPX, a proposed ANSI standard, breaks out from the traditional connector scheme of VMEbus to merge the latest in connector and packaging technology with the latest in bus and serial fabric technology. The boards are available in Rugged Conduction-Cooled (RC) versions that support operational temperatures ranging from -40° to +85°C according to VITA 47 recommendations.

Based on the latest dual core 1.5 GHz Intel Core2 Duo LV processor, the Kontron VX3020 VPX CPU board offers high-end processing performance to meet a wide range of demanding signal and data processing requirements. With the Intel 3100 chipset the Kontron VX3020 supports up to 2 Gbytes of DDR2 SDRAM and features all the high-performance I/Os that are available on the latest laptop PCs such as the UXGA graphics controller with PCI Express, two Gigabit Ethernet network interfaces configurable by software either on the front RJ45 connector or the rear VPX backplane connector, 3 x SATA-150 interfaces and multiple USB 2.0 ports. An onboard USB connector is able to support a standard USB flash disk module. The Kontron VX3020 can also easily run high-demanding PCI-based applications with support for high-performance and PCI software backward-compatible PCI Express, which is configurable either as x4 or quad x1 over the backplane.

Kontron America
Poway, CA.
(858) 677-0877.
[www.kontron.com].

Core2 Duo VME Card Supports Deal PMC/XMC Sites

Combing ruggedness with advanced computing capability is what VME does best. Exemplifying that trend is the new VMEbus SBC from MEN Mikro Elektronik, which supports a multitude of Intel Core 2 types and pairs outstanding reliability in computing with fast data transmission. The A20 single board computer is the latest 6U VMEbus board of MEN’s product range. This SBC was specially designed for industrial applications with the highest reliability in computing and graphics, and is used in the world’s largest particle accelerator of the Swiss research organization, CERN. Being open for any user requirements, the robust card supports a multitude of Intel processors—from the Core Duo or Core 2 Duo with 1.5 GHz down to single-core Celeron M versions.

Due to the Tundra TSI148 bridge controller, the SBC supports fast and reliable data throughput using 2eSST. This protocol doubles the theoretical VMEbus transaction bandwidth to up to 320 Mbytes/s. The A20 is one of only a few 6U computers that provide space for 2 PMC or 2 XMC modules. Its fast 64-bit/66 MHz PMCs give the single board computer particular communication strength. Users with a need for even more speed can make use of four of a total of six PCI Express lanes to connect XMC modules. Standard I/O at the front of the A20 includes graphics via VGA, one Gigabit Ethernet, one USB 2.0 or optionally a COM interface on RJ45. The rear side gives access to the I/O functions of the PMC modules, and also to seven USB interfaces and one SATA port. With a size of up to 4 Gbytes of DDR2 RAM main memory is firmly soldered against shock and vibration.

MEN Micro
Ambler, PA.
(215) 542-9575.
[www.men.de].

VXS Board Serves Up Dual Freescale 8641Ds

VXS has established itself as a “here and now” technology for bringing switched fabric performance into the infrastructure of VME. Mercury Computer Systems offers the Ensemble 5000 Series VXS HCD5220 Dual 8641D Dual-Core Processing Module. The HCD5220 is the first of several new products from the VXS Ensemble 5000 Series product family designed to extend embedded, high-performance computing to a sensor-networked environment, enabling rapid access to critical information from distributed sensors via the Converged Sensor Network (CSN) Architecture.

The Ensemble VXS HCD5220 is rich with architectural innovations and industry firsts. The HCD5220 combines the high-performance computing power of two Freescale 8641D PowerPC processors with dual PMC/XMC mezzanine sites, creating the ultimate balance of I/O and processing per slot. The HCD5220 includes key architectural elements from Mercury’s CSN Architecture. Each PowerPC processor in a large multi-board system is paired with several internal and external Gbit Ethernet interfaces, allowing any processor to communicate with any other processor for system control, as well as with customer-configured external networked resources. The Ethernet network is in addition to the 3.125 Gbaud Serial RapidIO switch topology for application data. The VXS HCD5220 module is available now. Entry-level versions in volume start at under $10,000.

Mercury Computer Systems
Chelmsford, MA.
(978) 256-1300.
[www.mc.com].

Quad-Core Intel Xeon-Based VME SBC

The multicore trend has swept through the military embedded computing industry, and military system developers are embracing it with open arms. Along just such lines, Themis Computer’s XV1 is a VME SBC designed to meet the needs of customers who require quad-core performance for their demanding applications. The Quad-Core Intel Xeon Processor on the board using Intel’s new 45nm process brings workstation and server performance to the VME market.

Themis’ XV1 is based on the low-power Quad-Core Xeon L5408 processor clocked at 2.13 GHz, and Intel’s 5100 chipset used in high-performance Xeon servers. The 5100 chipset memory controller supports ECC to maintain the highest system integrity, and provides the bandwidth necessary to support high-performance I/O. XV1 memory is expandable to 8 Gbytes of DDRII memory. The XV1 base configuration includes two Gbytes of DDR II memory, three Gbit Ethernet ports, two SATA II ports, four USB 2.0 ports and two XMC/PMC slots. An onboard ATI ES1000 video controller is provided with either front or rear panel VGA access.

Themis Computer
Fremont, CA.
(510) 252-0870.
[www.themis.com].

VME Card Is 1 GHz Drop-In Replacement for Predecessor

The longevity of VME in the military is partly thanks to technology updates to legacy slots. Feeding exactly such needs, Xembedded has announced a drop-in replacement for the End of Life SBS VR7, but with much more processor power. The XVME-689-VR7 is a powerful, very low-power single slot 6U single board computer with the same VMEbus P1 and P2 pin outs as the VR7. The XVME-689-VR7 VMEbus processor integrates an Intel Celeron M processor running at 1.0 GHz with up to 512 Kbytes of level 2 cache and a PCI-to-VMEbus interface. It is also available with 512 Mbytes or 1 Gbyte ECC or Non-ECC DDR, 266/333 MHz SDRAM. The XVME-689-VR7 has VGA Graphics out front panel or rear video support (pixel resolution up to 1600 x 1200 at 85 Hz). The EIDE Ultra-100 DMA controller supports up to three EIDE devices, one PMC 32/64-bit 33/66 MHz site (IEEE P1386/P1386.1) with front panel I/O bezel and user I/O on optional P0 rear connector.

Additional options available on the XVME-689-VR7 are EIDE onboard 1.8-inch hard drive, CompactFlash carrier, two Serial ATA150 (SATA150) external devices and a floppy disk interface. SCSI can be added with the use of a SCSI PMC board. PMC expansion for two additional PMC sites is available using the XVME-976/209. This XVME-689-VR7 processor module allows users to take advantage of the low-power, multiprocessing capability of the VMEbus while using standard off-the-shelf PC software, operating systems and VMEbus I/O modules.

Xembedded
Ann Arbor, MI.
(734) 975-0577.
[www.xembedded.com].