About 2 weeks ago, I wrote about F&S Elektronik Systeme armStoneA8 ARM Cortex-A8 Single Board Computer that will be unveiled at Embedded World 2012 at the end of the month, and sell for 49 Euros for one week, before selling for its regular price (119 Euros).
At the time there were notso many technical details, but this has changed with the release of a product brief and hardware documentation. The unnamed Cortex A8 processor is the Samsung S5PV210 running at 800 MHz or 1GHz depending on the model.
Several models of the board are available, but they all share those common specifications:
- Samsung Cortex™A8 with 800MHZ (1GHz)
- 128MB (1GB) Flash, 256MB (512MB)-RAM
- TFT LCD-Controller up to XGA resolution
- 2D/3D and 5-Window Layer
- Multiformat CODEC (MPEG4, H.264, WMV9)
- H.264 1080p@30fps
- 1x (2x) Ethernet 10/100Mbit
- 1x USB2.0 Device, 1x USB2.0 Host
- 1x CAN2.0, 1x I2C, 1x SPI
- 3x Serial (RS232 with 3,3V-level)
- 1x Micro SD-Card
- Audio Line IN/ OUT, MIC, Touch-Controller
- Windows CE 6.0R3/ WCE7/ Linux
- 5V Low Power Design (<4W at operation)
- Standard: 256MB RAM, 128MB Flash, Audio, 1x Ethernet, no CAN, 800MHz, 0°C-+70°C with either Linux or WinCE 6.0.
- Premium: 512MB-RAM, 128MB Flash, Audio, 2x Ethernet, CAN, 1GHz, 0°C-+70°C with either Linux, WinCE 6.0 or 7.0.
- Premium I-Temp.: Identical to Premium with a large temperature range: -25°C-+85°C with either Linux or WinCE 7.0.
There is also a separate starter kit (armStoneA8-SKIT) with connection cables, memory media and access data to documentation and software…
The company has now setup an armStoneA8 Product Page. If you are looking for alternative, Embest has made a development kit based on Samsung S5PV210 with more RAM and Flash that sells for 149 USD (but requires the purchase of 10 boards minimum)
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
Support CNX Software! Donate via cryptocurrencies, become a Patron on Patreon, or purchase goods on Amazon or Aliexpress
FWIW: you can now indeed buy the board via the web shop, and/but shipping is 20 Euro within the EU, and “We don’t sell to private customers.” 🙁
Quote:
Web-price: 58,31 Euro
(w/o VAT 49,00) Quantity:
Please notice, we charge a flat rate for shipping and handling of 20€.
The shipping costs may vary for customers from outside the eu member countrys.
We don’t sell to private customers.
/unquote
@ Sander
Thanks. I had also tried to buy on the 27th, but finally gave up.
Did you manage to order a Raspberry Pi finally ? I think I did, but I’m not even sure if it is an order in the 1st batch or a pre-order, and element14 did not reply my email yet. The Raspberry Pi will eventually cost me around 60 USD including shipping and taxes.
I tried very hard to buy a RasPi, but I finally gave up. FWIW: the Netherlands website of the RasPi distributor says “minimum order of 50 Euro” and/or “we don’t deliver to private people”. 🙁 Hopefully a lot more boards are going to be made and the order & delivery process of those board will be more smooth. There is something I still don’t understand: the Raspi foundation gave the idea the Raspi boards were ready and tested and being shipped to the UK. However, Premier Farnell and RS Components give delivery dates like end of April and May. So,… Read more »
@ Sander
It appears some people will get the board next week (in Raspberry Pi forums). I suppose those who get April/May dates will be receiving the next batches. It takes some time to procure the components and do the manufacturing. Some red tape may be involved in the process as well.