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

3.5-Inch SBC Sports 2.16 GHz Core 2 Duo CPU

Busless, stand-alone SBCs are capturing a growing niche in the defense realm. Avoiding the size, weight and power overhead of a slot-card backplane approach can be very beneficial. With that in mind, Advanced Digital Logic (ADL) announced the release of its ADL945HD 3.5-inch form factor computer board. The ADL945HD is based on the Intel Celeron M / Core Duo / Core 2 Duo and the Intel 945GM chipset processors, with clock speeds up to 2.16GHz. The Intel Generation 3.5 graphics engine is integrated into the chipset, along with the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 (Intel GMA 950), and can drive either a CRT and/or LVDS LCD.

The memory is added by way of a SODIMM200 socket and can accept up to four Gigabytes of DDR2 DRAM. The ADL945HD power management incorporates ACPI/APM functions. The standard ADL945HD also incorporates EIDE, SATA, 4x Onboard External USB 2.0, 4x Internal USB 2.0, 2xRS-232 COM ports, PS/2 Keyboard and Mouse, parallel printer, AC97 Sound, separate 10/100Mbit and Gbit Ethernet LAN, and more.

Advanced Digital-Logic, San Diego, CA.
(858) 490-0597. [www.adl-usa.com].

FPGA Family Marries Low Power with Security

Advanced security features such as anti-tamper capability and design separation have been seen on larger FPGAs. Power-sensitive applications like military radios have been hungry for those security features too, but must shun larger FPGAs because they draw too much wattage. Offering the best of both worlds, Altera has announced a new low-power FPGA family with security features. The new Altera Cyclone III LS FPGAs offer the highest logic, memory and DSP density per board area. These devices are the lowest power FPGAs at less than 0.25W of static power for 200K logic elements (LEs).

The security features of the Cyclone III LS FPGA include a comprehensive information-assurance design suite that offers anti-tamper, design-security and design-separation capabilities. To protect highly sensitive information, the Cyclone III LS FPGAs’ anti-tamper features include JTAG port protection, tamper monitoring and cyclical redundancy check (CRC). Offering another layer of protection, these devices feature a proven industry-standard AES 256-bit encryption key for design security. Where size, weight and power (SWaP) requirements are crucial, the design-separation Cyclone III LS FPGAs allow a single-chip solution for next-generation military applications such as software-defined radio (SDR), crypto-subsystems and crypto modernization equipment where long battery life, density at the lowest power, and small board space are required.

Altera, San Jose, CA. (408) 544-7000. [www.altera.com].

Rad-Hard 3U cPCI Board Does 1 GHz Under 10W

Rugged military requirements are one thing, but outfitting an embedded computer to work in space takes a whole different level of ruggedness. Aitech Defense Systems meets those needs in the S950-02, an enhanced, 1 GHz version of its space-flown S950 3U CompactPCI (cPCI) radiation-tolerant SBC. Using the high-performance PowerPC 750GX running at 1 GHz, coupled with silicon on insulator (SOI) PowerPC technology, the new conduction-cooled S950-02 combines a significantly low overall board power consumption of less than 10W with configurable processor speeds and better radiation tolerance to provide an effective unshielded total ionization dose (TID) greater than 15 krad (Si). The highly reliable SBC provides a low single event upset (SEU) rate of less than one upset per 900 days of operation in LEO with considerations for the worst case solar flare and the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA).

To protect onboard memory resources from radiation effects, the S950-02 incorporates 128 Mbytes of triple-redundant SDRAM with three bits per cell. On the rad-tolerant FPGA, a voting mechanism performed only on the read cycle allows for data correction before sending to the CPU or PowerPC bus. One Mbyte of dual-redundant boot flash stores the onboard Boot firmware and ensures full data integrity in the event of corruption during the boot-up sequence.

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

Virtex-5Q FPGA Version Targets Defense Systems

Xilinx has introduced the Virtex-5Q family of FPGAs for the Aerospace and Defense (A&D) industry. Virtex-5Q FPGAs provide the silicon foundation for a host of applications, including Xilinx’s single-chip cryptography (SCC) targeted design platform aimed at accelerating development of next-generation secure communications systems. The new Virtex-5Q family delivers the highest performance, largest capacity FPGAs with ruggedized packaging and advanced cryptographic capabilities, and is the industry’s most comprehensive portfolio of defense-grade devices that are also available in bare die form for customized form factors.

The inherent re-programmability and SCC technology advances of Virtex-5Q FPGAs overcome the limitations of traditional ASIC and ASSP approaches, making them ideal for secure communications applications, as well as for electronic warfare, aircraft and transport vehicles; C4ISR systems (Command, Control, Communications, Computer, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance); radar; and missiles and munitions.

Xilinx, San Jose, CA. (408) 559-7778. [www.xilinx.com].

65W Open-Frame Power Supply Aims at 1U Apps

The 1U server form factor is creeping into a number of defense applications such as SATCOM on-the-move. Phihong has developed two single-output, 65W, open-frame power supplies designed to fit 1U applications. Available in 12, 24, and 48V output models, the power supplies, designated the PSA065 and PSA065M series, comply with the CE low-voltage directive and feature a low-profile 2 x 4-inch footprint.

Both the PSA065 and PSA065M power supply series operate at more than 80 percent efficiency at maximum load and are extremely reliable, featuring a minimum of 250,000 hours MTBF in standard operating conditions. The power supplies can tolerate temperatures ranging from 0° to +50°C and humidity ranging from 5 to 95%. The series also feature over-voltage and over-current protection with auto-restart. The PSA065M also features a maximum leakage current of 100 uA. Both series measure 4 inches in length by 2 inches in width by 1.11 inches in height and weigh 6.35 ounces. The suggested unit price for the PSA065 is $22.08 in single piece quantities, and the suggested unit price for the PSA065M is $23.98 in single piece quantities.

Phihong USA, Fremont, CA. (510) 445-0100. [www.phihong.com].

VPX Mesh Hybrid Backplane Boasts Seven Slots

The military world won’t switch over to VPX overnight. There’s a lot of legacy VME that needs to be accommodated. Hybrid backplanes are a good way to interface VPX with legacy VME slots. Elma Bustronic now offers a VPX Hybrid Backplane with 5 mesh slots and 2 legacy VME64x slots. The VPX architecture per the VITA 46 specification allows for optional use of the VMEbus. Many applications will reuse existing VME64 extensions (VME64x) cards. This allows legacy cards to be used in conjunction with the performance of VPX’s high-speed differential signals. Bustronic’s new hybrid solution provides two of these slots in addition to 5 VPX slots in a 6U high backplane.

The 5+2 Slot VPX Hybrid backplane features a 16-layer controlled impedance stripline design. The backplane provides RTM support. Bustronic offers other VPX configurations in a 3U 6-slot, 6U 5-slot, 6U 17-slot Hybrid and has developed a wealth of custom configurations. Pricing for the 5+2 slot VPX Hybrid backplane is under $2,500 depending on volume and configuration requirements.

Elma Electronic, Fremont, CA.
(510) 490-7388. [www.elma.com].

288-Port Physical Layer Switch Adds T1/E1/J1 Support

High-density electronic switches can function as essentially an electronic patch panel that provides military network designers with greater flexibility and power. It significantly reduces setup time compared to older, manual patch panel solutions. Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing has announced the availability of a new T1/E1/J1 telecommunications port card, further expanding the capabilities of their 144-port and 288-port GLX4000 series physical layer switch. The GLX 4000, a “4th Generation” Layer 1 switch, offers flexible, expandable crossbar switch performance for industrial, defense and aerospace applications. The GLX4000 is a non-blocking, multi-protocol physical layer switch that enables any serial digital signal input, up to 10 Gbits/s, to connect to any single output.

The new Port Card for the GLX4000 physical layer switch series supports T1/E1/J1 international telecommunication line interfaces. Each T1/E1/J1 Port Card supports 24 bi-directional RJ48C ports, individually configured for T1, E1, or J1 data rates. The T1/E1/J1 Port Card runs at data rates of 1.544 Mbits/s (T1/J1) and 2.048 Mbits/s (E1). The GLX4000 is a non-blocking, Layer 1 switch that enables any of a wide variety of input signals to be connected to any of its 144 or 288 output ports.

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

Rugged Graphics PMC/XMC Supports Dual Displays

The same silicon designed for advanced gaming systems is enabling today’s generation of military graphics electronics. Gone are the days when a graphics controller required an entire system of its own. Today power graphics subsystems can easily fit in a rugged mezzanine solution. Case in point, Extreme Engineering Solutions’s XPort4100 is a conduction- or air-cooled XMC/PMC solution featuring AMD Radeon E2400 graphics processor supporting two independent displays.

XPort4100 includes 128 Mbytes of GDDR3 SDRAM, support for dual independent displays and UXGA 1600 x 1200 DVI resolution. The card provides a PCI Express interface. Operating system support includes Linux LSP and Windows drivers. XPort4100 is shipping today. Pricing starts at $2,995.

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

PC/104-Plus Card Does Multi-Channel Video

Military information requirements are getting even more sophisticated. Instead of static maps and text, the new trend is high graphical blends of video, audio and graphics. Enabling the video portion of the equation, Advanced Micro Peripherals’ new VAC2000 PC/104-Plus multi-channel video annotation and overlay controller board features two real-time analog NTSC/PAL input channels. VAC2000 offers industry leading flexibility in mixing these with one another or with computer generated graphics and text for TV and VGA output.

The VAC2000 accepts either two S-Video inputs, or up to four composite video inputs from video cameras, DVRs, TV broadcasts or other NTSC/PAL sources. Each video input can be alpha blended with another video channel or with graphics using one of 256 translucency levels from opaque to transparent. The VAC2000’s output can simultaneously drive a composite or S-Video TV video monitor (RS170), analog VGA screen and a DVI (PanelLink) flat panel display. A preview output can also monitor the input video channels. Applications include merging of daylight and infra-red video images for military environments, text annotation of video for traffic monitoring, superimposition of crosshair graphics onto battle zone target area video, visible watermarking, command and control consoles, vehicle telematics, medical instrumentation and security installations.

Advanced Micro Peripherals, Witchford, Cambridgeshire, UK.
+44 1353 659 500. [www.ampltd.com].

Portable System Does Wideband Signal Recording and Generation

The emergence of highly portable, sophisticated test instruments has changed the way military system developers can do field work. Along those lines, Signatec released the SIG-PRG series, its portable high-speed data acquisition and waveform generation systems that combine the features of oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers and signal generators with high-speed RAID storage to create advanced turnkey wideband signal test systems.

With two analog signal recording channels at up to 160 MHz sampling rate, two analog I&Q waveform generation channels at up to 1 GHz sampling rate, 16-bit resolution for both the A/D and D/A channels and an analog capture bandwidth from 100 KHz to 600 MHz, the SIG-PRG system enables users to record and play back continuous analog signals with no break in the signal record at its peak 400 Mbyte/s data rate. By embedding compatible high dynamic range signal capture and signal generation channels within a portable, lightweight chassis with terabytes of data storage, customizable real-time data processing and easy-to-use turnkey system software, the system offers engineers a powerful new tool for high frequency wideband signal applications that require significant data storage capabilities.

Signatec, Newport Beach, CA. (949) 729-1084. [www.signatec.com].

PC/104-Plus Board Sports Three GbE Controllers

Ethernet has found its way onto nearly every embedded computing form factor on the market, and PC/104 is no exception. MPL introduces a rugged Gigabit Ethernet Family called TRIGET, which is specially designed for rugged applications. Extended temperature versions for -40° to +75°C are available as well. The TRIGET Family consists of highly integrated, flexible and robust PC/104-Plus-compliant Ethernet modules. With a single PC/104-Plus module, a system can be expanded with up to three Gbit Ethernet interfaces. By using a PCI-to-PCI Bridge on the module, the TRIGET requires only one slot on a PC/104-Plus stack. Therefore, the stack still can be expanded with up to three additional PC/104-Plus cards.

The card features up to three Gigabit LAN controllers using only one PC/104-Plus slot. The card has status LEDs on board, RJ45 or 2 mm lockable headers and an adapter kit for remote connectors. To match different system requirements, two interface options and two mechanical versions are offered. Choose between RJ45 or 2 mm lockable headers as well as different mechanical sizes. If a fiber optic interface is needed, just combine the TRIGET with a TX2FX media converter.

MPL AG, Dättwil, Switzerland. +41 56 483 34 34. [www.mpl.ch].

8-Channel Resistance and RTD Simulator Rides VME

It may be getting old in the tooth, but VME continues to enjoy a huge installed base in the military market. And new products keep rolling out to serve the multitude of tech refresh programs out there. Highland Technology’s V420 is a VME solution that simulates resistors, RTDs, thermistors, strain gages and load cells, and remains accurate for DC, AC, or pulsed excitation. Users directly program resistances or simulated RTD temperatures. Unlike competitive products that switch strings of resistors with mechanical relays, the V420 is quiet and reliable, and resistance changes are fast and monotonic with no contact bounce or transient switching errors.

The V420 simulates eight 2- or 4-wire resistive sensors. Channels are individually programmable in four ranges, from 5 ohms to 65.5K ohms and operate from microvolts to 24V/50mA. Channels are fully isolated with up to 750V common-mode range with overvoltage protection up to 50V. The module provides channel calibration check capability and optional built-in self-test.

Highland Technology, San Francisco, CA.
(415) 551-1700. [www.highlandtechnology.com].

PCI-104 Card Is Relay, Isolated Digital Input Solution

The venerable ISA-bus hasn’t completely gone away, but the PC/104 crowd has a version of its form factor family that puts ISA out of the way, and focuses on PCI. The Industrial Automation Group of Advantech’s latest PCI-104 offering is the PCM-3761I, a form C type eight-channel relay and eight-channel isolated digital input PCI-104 card for machine and production automation. The PCM-3761I’s relay allows operators to retain output values even in the event of an unexpected system reboot. The input channels support 2,500 VDC and a wide input range of 5 to 30V, allowing it to be resistant from surge or noise interference.

Moreover, the PCM-3761I provides a newer variation on the PC/104 standard, PCI-104, which is designed for embedded computing environments. PCI-104 is replacing the ISA bus, which is being phased out of the industry due to speed and compatibility issues with newer processors. PCI-104 is stackable and fast, providing reliable anti-vibration functionality.

Advantech, Irvine, CA. (949) 789-7178. [www.advantech.com].

PICMG 3.1 Board Serves Up 2.4 GHz Quad-Core Opteron

For a lot of military applications, the priority is to have the fastest computing engine possible. Along those lines, Win Enterprises offers a PICMG 1.3 form factor motherboard that supports the low-power 45nm Quad-Core AMD Opteron (Shanghai) processor. This energy-efficient version of the Shanghai processor (2379HE) runs at 2.4 GHz and requires 55 watts per quad-core processor. The MB-60580 can support one or two of the high-performance, low-power processors.

The 45nm Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor draws up to 35 percent less power at idle compared to the previous generation of Opteron processors while delivering up to 35 percent more performance. The MB-60580 is used in both fixed-station and mobile platforms that support field applications. Additional features of MB-60580 include the PICMG 1.3 form factor measuring 13.330 x 4.976 inches (33.86 cm x 12.64 cm), an NVIDIA nForce Professional 2200 chipset and two memory slots with up to 8 Gbytes and optional 4 slots with up to 16 Gbytes. The MB-60580 supports Windows XP, Windows XP 64-Bit Edition, 2000 Server and the following additional operating systems: BSD and Redhat Linux. Pricing for the MB-60580 begins at $834 in OEM quantities.

WIN Enterprises, North Andover, MA.
(978) 688-2000. [www.win-ent.com].

MIL-STD-1553 and CANBus Together on VME, cPCI and PCI

The magic of semiconductor integration has enabled a new generator of I/O boards that feature more than one function on the same card. Exemplifying this trend, North Atlantic Industries (NAI) has announced the availability of MIL-STD-1553 and CANBus functions for its wide range of VME, cPCI and PCI multi-function boards. Known as N7, N8 (MIL-STD-1553) and P6 (CANBus) modules, they join the already extensive list of standard function modules that are available from NAI.

The N7 and N8 modules provide two dual-redundant MIL-STD-1553B Notice two interface channels. Each channel can be configured to act as a Bus Controller (BC), Remote Terminal (RT) or Monitor (MT). Features include 128 Kbyte (64K words) onboard memory per channel, register compatibility with the Summit family of devices from Aeroflex, support for automatic message return and Automatic Health Monitoring (BIT). The P6 module provides four independent, isolated channels of Control Area Network (CAN) serial data bus links, conforming to the ISO 11898 International Standard. Both CAN A and B are supported. The boards have operating temperature ranges of -40° to +85°C and 0° to +70°C. Pricing for 100 pieces of the 64C2 VME Board with the MIL-STD-1553 function starts at $3,300.

North Atlantic Industries, Bohemia, NY. (631) 567-1100. [www.naii.com].

ATCA Quad-Core Node Blade Features Xeon 5500s

ATCA is finding its niche in defense applications. If for no other reason, ATCA is the only advanced form factor in a larger than 6U size. A new AdvancedTCA 10 Gigabit node blade from Kontron is designed with the highly anticipated Intel Xeon 5500 Platform based on the latest 45nm quad-core processors. The Intel Xeon processor 5500 series, based on the latest Intel microarchitecture, includes an Integrated Memory Controller with DDR3 support and Intel QuickPath Technology, Intel Turbo Boost, Technology and Intel Hyper-Threading Technology.

Compliant to PICMG 3.1 Option 9, Option 2, the Kontron AT8050 features 10 + 10 Gigabit Ethernet on the Fabric Interface, plus two 10/100/1000 Mbit/s Ethernet on the Base Interface and two 10/100/1000 Mbit/s Ethernet via the Front Panel or RTM. Expansion features include one AdvancedMC mid-size slot supporting PCI Express x4, and SATA /SAS interfaces. The associated Intel 5520 chipset, which supports up to 36 lanes of PCI Express 2.0 and directly assignable I/O for virtualization (VT-d), offers significant new enhancements to accelerate I/O traffic and lower CPU utilization in both native and virtualized environments.

Kontron, Poway, CA. (888)-294-4558. [www.kontron.com].

Pair of Atom-Based Boards Target Low-Power Apps

Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) has become the new mantra for a variety of mobile military systems. Serving those needs, GE Fanuc offers two boards featuring the Intel Atom processor that provide PC functionality in a broad range of applications where low power consumption and minimal heat dissipation are key requirements, but where the system designer cannot compromise on I/O capability. The bCOM2-L8000 and mITX-945S-ED from GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms are both based on the 1.6 GHz version of the Atom.

The bCOM2-L8000’s I/O capability includes one Gigabit Ethernet port, two Serial ATA interfaces, support for up to two IDE devices and eight USB 2.0 ports, while expansion can be achieved via three PCI Express lanes, with support for up to four devices via the PCI bus—making it a highly flexible choice. The mITX-945S-ED is equally well provided with I/O functionality, and includes two Gbit Ethernet ports, PCI Express and PCI expansion slots, a COM port, two Serial ATA ports, support for up to two IDE devices and four (optionally expandable to eight) USB 2.0 ports.

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

2.0 GHz Xeon CPUs Ride 6U CompactPCI

The demand for compute-density hasn’t slowed at all in the military realm. The need to pack faster, multicore processing in the same space is as strong as ever. One of the first product families to feature the quad core 2.13 GHz Intel Xeon processor L5518 or the dual core 2.0 GHz Intel Xeon processor L5508, is a new family of 6U CompactPCI boards, the PP66x/07, from Concurrent Technologies. Based on 45nm process technology and the new Intel microarchitecture, formerly codenamed “Nehalem,” both processors are from the Intel embedded roadmap, which offers at least seven-year availability. With up to 64 Gbytes of DDR3-1066 ECC SDRAM, two 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports, and several SAS and SATA300 disk interfaces, the PP 66x/071 boards are particularly suitable for CPU-intensive processing applications within the defense market sector.

For high-performance I/O, control and data processing flexibility, the PP 66x/071 supports, via the front panel, a PMC/XMC site as well as optional I/O interconnections via two 10 Gbit Ethernet ports (copper or optical). The rear connectors provide an interface to an optional onboard 8-port hardware RAID Controller supporting SAS and SATA300 drives.

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

Ethernet AMC Delivers 10 Gbit Packet Inspection

The military has warmed to Ethernet in a big way. The V3021 from AdvancedIO Systems is a dual-channel 10GbE Advanced Mezzanine Card (AMC) that includes two front-panel SFP+ ports, a Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGA and SRAM memory. The V3021 is optimized for the type of real-time data flow and processing found in applications such as COMINT, ELINT, situational awareness systems, security, and network monitoring and optimization.

Designed for real-time embedded applications running in MicroTCA and AdvancedTCA platforms, the V3021 facilitates 10 Gbit line-rate packet inspection and manipulation via its high-performance architecture. Its software reconfigurability enables a common hardware platform to be used for multiple missions and applications. The card’s FPGA-based processing engine allows gate-level control to meet the highest requirements for determinism in both packet and signal processing algorithms. Key features of the V3021 include two 10-Gbit Ethernet SFP+ optical ports, the Xilinx Virtex-5 XC5VLX110T FPGA (up to LX330T / FX200T optional) and PCI Express x4 or x8 fat pipes. Optional application acceleration IP and user programmability software kits are also available.

AdvancedIO Systems, Vancouver, Canada.
(604) 331-1600. [www.advancedio.com].

Command Consoles Offer Choice of Configurations

Rugged command and communication consoles that may be used in military applications are available from Optima. Based on standard modules, the rugged console range can easily be modified to suit most applications and ensures optimum access to critical information in command and control systems. The user-friendly design of Optima’s consoles accommodates typical floor layout requirements: straight, L, or U-shaped styles. Optional ergonomically designed laminate writing desks provide a comfortable work surface and maximum leg area. With removable sides, rear and top panels, the installation and accessibility of the equipment is fast and easy.

Optima can ruggedize the consoles in various ways. This includes thicker gauge aluminum frames, extra mounting and supports, cross bracing for enclosures, spot welding, T-frame supports, and more. Optima offers a range of Mil-Spec, Harsh Environment and Seismic cabinets enclosures and racks that are geared for rugged applications. The company also offers ruggedized versions of its products for Mobile environments. This design background gives Optima one of the most experienced teams for rugged enclosure and command center/console designs.

Optima, Tucker, GA. (770) 496-4000. [www.optimaeps.com].

1U MicroTCA Box Provides Powerful 1U Solution

The MicroTCA has a lot going for it that military system developers are attracted to. It’s particularly suited to IP-based communication. Serving those needs, a new member of the IPnexus family from Performance Technologies provides a wide range of flexible options to meet design criteria for telecom and networking, as well as aerospace and defense communication systems. Fully integrated and operational right out of the box, the AMP5071 enables embedded engineers to begin their new product development faster, without all the time spent integrating disparate technologies from multiple vendors into a working prototype. The fully integrated system is ideal for applications such as radar gateways, military VoIP/SIP servers and network equipment.

The AMP5071 comes integrated with a choice of processing Advanced Mezzanine Cards (AMCs). Developers can select an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, or a Freescale MPC8641D dual-core 1 GHz PowerPC processor. Additional AMC modules for I/O, storage and compute functions can be configured and integrated into the system in order to meet a wide range of IP-based communications design criteria. The unit also includes a NexusWare Portal for remote monitoring and management. OEM quantity pricing for the AMP5071 Application-Ready System, configured with a processor AMC, storage and NexusWare, starts at $4,595.

Performance Technologies, Rochester, NY.
(585) 585-256-0200. [www.pt.com].

Core2 Duo cPCI Blades Support Dual Displays

The military’s shift toward net-centric operations is driving demand for more display nodes linked to that network. Serving that need, the 3U cPCI-3965 and 6U cPCI-6965 series from Adlink Technology CompactPCI boards are based on the Santa Rosa platform and feature the Mobile Intel GME965 Express chipset (code name Crestline), low-power Intel Core2 Duo up to 2.2 GHz and up to 4 Gbytes of dual channel capable DDR2 RAM. Both of these blades support integrated graphics with a 3D graphics engine and dual independent VGA/DVI ports offering a 1.5 times graphics performance gain over the previous 945GME chipset.

The cPCI-3965 and cPCI-6965 also provide up to QXGA (2048x1536) resolution and 3 Gbit/s Serial ATA (SATA) bandwidth. They enable greater graphics performance with the integrated Mobile Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3 100 and its 32-bit 3D graphics engine with Microsoft DirectX 9 and SGI OpenGL 1.5 support, and provide dual independent displays through VGA and DVI ports on the cPCI-3965, and two DVI ports on the front panel of the cPCI-6965. With regard to storage and expansion, the cPCI-3965 and cPCI-6965 both have a reserved space for a 2.5-inch SATA hard drive mounted onboard and additional SATA signal connectors for external drives. The cPCI-6965 and cPCI-3965 are priced at $1,699 and $1,499, respectively.

ADLINK Technology, San Jose, CA.
(408) 360-0200. [www.adlinktech.com].

USB Module Offers 96 or 48 Digital I/O Lines

USB was slow at first to catch on as an embedded I/O technology, and slower still to be embraced in military systems. With that in mind, the USB-DIO-96 from Acces I/O Products is a USB device designed for compact control and monitoring applications that features 96 or 48 industrial strength TTL digital I/Os. It can link digital I/O to any PC or embedded system with a USB port. It is a true USB 2.0 device and is fully compatible with both USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 ports. The unit is hot-pluggable, which allows quick connect or disconnect whenever additional I/O is needed on a USB port.

The boards use two or four industry standard 50-pin IDC-type shrouded headers with 24 lines per connector. Utility 5 VDC is available on pin 49 of each connector with grounds on all even numbered pins to reduce crosstalk and maintain industry compatibility. The unit’s size and pre-drilled mounting holes match the PC/104 form factor (without the bus connections). This ensures easy installation using standard standoffs inside most enclosures or systems. The USB-DIO-96 can be integrated into any PCI-104 or PC/104 stack by connecting it to a simple USB port usually included on board with embedded CPU form factors such as EBX, EPIC and PC/104.

Acces I/O Products, San Diego, CA.
(858) 550-9559. [www.accesio.com].