Press Release
19 July 2010
Low Power High Performance Embedded Intel® Core™ i7 Processors Appear on 3U CompactPCI Boards
The TP 702/38x family of 3U 4HP CompactPCI® boards, featuring the Intel® Core™ i7 processor family is available from RedLinX Embedded Solutions and made available by Concurrent Technologies. Depending on the application requirements a choice of processors is supported: the 2.53GHz Intel® Core™ i7-610E, 2.0GHz Intel® Core™ i7-620LE and the 1.06GHz Intel® Core™ i7-620UE.
“Based on 32nm process technology and the Intel® integrated memory/graphics controller architecture, these processors are from the Intel® embedded roadmap which offers at least seven year availability” comments Wayne Kotze, field engineer at RedLinX Embedded Solutions. With up to 8 Gbytes of DDR3-1066 ECC SDRAM, an optional XMC site, two Gigabit Ethernet ports, two SATA disk interfaces and optional graphics, the TP 702/38x offers rear I/O interfaces that are compatible with the popular TP 402/35x family providing a continuing upgrade path. Commercial and extended temperature versions are also available, and a compatible range of ruggedized, conduction-cooled or air-cooled versions will be available shortly. The boards are particularly suitable for CPU intensive processing applications within the defence, homeland security, industrial control, and transportation market sectors.
The TP 702/38x family is based on the combination of the Intel® Core i7 processor and an Intel® Platform Controller Hub (PCH), the Mobile Intel® QM57 Express chipset. This combination benefits from the integration of the graphics controller and the memory controller into the processor, resulting in reduced memory latency and improved performance-per-watt. The Intel Core i7 processors feature Intel® Direct Media Interface Technology and Intel® Flexible Display Interfaces to the PCH to provide simultaneous high-speed non-graphic traffic and video/graphic traffic. The processors feature Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology to allow multiple simultaneous execution threads in each core and Intel® Turbo Boost Technology which elevates performance for specific workloads by increasing processor core frequency on one core when the second core and/or graphics engine utilization level is low.
“The CPU and graphics engines have separate Turbo modes, and by using simple BIOS setup options, the user can disable either or both of the turbo modes, or pre-set a bias towards one or the other feature,” says Kotze.
Mass storage (for the operating system, application software and application data) is provided by the removable 4 Gbytes flash drive and two Serial ATA150 interfaces via J2. An additional removable single or dual channel flash drive module is available, accessed via the onboard XMC connector. As well as being removable, the flash drives also support write protect inputs making them ideal for security sensitive applications.
The TP 702/38x rear I/O provides two high-speed USB 2.0 ports, one RS232/422/485 and one RS232 port, plus two Gigabit Ethernet interfaces with an option for a 2048 x 1536 analog graphics interface. The 32-bit CompactPCI control/data plane throughput can operate at 33/66MHz backplane PCI signaling speeds. Other features provided are PC real-time clock, watchdog timer, long duration timer, up to 8 GPIO signals and a legacy speaker interface. The TP 702/38x-RC conduction-cooled version supports, in a single 3U 4HP slot, an XMC site (via a x4 PCI Express port). All versions can operate as a system controller for up to 7 peripheral slots with hot-swap control, as a peripheral board or as a blade.
VITA 31.1 Gigabit Ethernet on a VME64x backplane enables a tried and tested method of implementing a LAN-based multiprocessor architecture by leveraging readily available Ethernet hardware, TCP/IP software, clustering and other network management tools. Using standard networking techniques offers an efficient method of remote booting boards within the chassis, and simplified intercommunication between boards. It can be used as a method of offloading tasks from the standard VME backplane, thereby improving overall application efficiency. VITA 31.1 is suitable for applications such as data acquisition, radar data processing or those requiring data synchronization across multiple system boards.
Supporting two 100MHz PCI-X PMC or two XMC x8 PCI Express® sites, with expansion for two more PMC sites via an optional expansion carrier the VP 717/08x maintains compatibility with the VP 417/03x and offers an array of rear I/O functions - 2048 x 1536 analog graphics, keyboard, mouse, 2x RS232/422/485, 2x Gigabit Ethernet, 2x USB 2.0, EIDE and SATA interfaces. Adds Kotze; “The front panel supports dual PMC/XMC, 2048 x 1536 analog graphics, keyboard and mouse interfaces, including an additional USB 2.0 interface and an additional RS232 interface.” To cater for embedded applications, there is 64Mbytes of Application Flash memory. For application and data storage there are EIDE and SATA300 rear I/O interfaces, an onboard site for a CompactFlash™ module and an onboard option for a SATA300 2.5-inch disk drive. As well as the industry standard PC interfaces, other features available include a watchdog timer, long duration timer, and LAN boot firmware.
“For ease of integration, the TP 702/38x family of boards support many of today’s leading operating systems, including Linux®, Windows® Server 2008, Windows® Server 2003, Windows® 7, Windows® 7 Embedded, Windows® XP Embedded, Windows® XP, Solaris™, VxWorks® and QNX®,” concludes Kotze.
Note: All Products are available at RedLinX Embedded Solutions.
About RedLinX™
RedLinX™ is a multifaceted specialist engineering technology company, delivering tailor-made technology solutions with excellent technical support and after sales service, ranging from embedded to high-performance computing and related products, open-systems and solutions. RedLinX™ operates in the ICT, Telecoms, Transport, Mining, Industrial, Security and Defence market segments throughout South Africa and Africa and is supported by our own locally based support, production and engineering facilities. RedLinX™ has four operating divisions, namely: Telecoms Systems Division, Embedded Systems Division, High Performance Systems Division and the Production & Engineering Systems Division. With offices in Cape Town and Pretoria, more than 50% of RedLinX's staff and management are PDI/HDI and engendered individuals. RedLinX™ proudly aligns itself with the ICT BEE Charter.
For further information, kindly visit http://www.redlinx.co.za
