Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 5 Comments on Antmicro ARVSOM offers StarFive JH71x0 RISC-V processor, Raspberry Pi CM4 compatibility

Antmicro ARVSOM offers StarFive JH71x0 RISC-V processor, Raspberry Pi CM4 compatibility

Antmicro AVRSOM-RISC-V CPU Module

The Linux capable BeagleV SBC, now called “BeagleV Starlight”, was announced last January with a StarFive JH7100/JH7110 64-bit RISC-V processor, and developers and beta users have just started to get their hand on the board in recent days. But there’s another StarFive JH71x0 hardware in the works with Antmicro ARVSOM. The system-in-module will feature the dual-core RISC-V processor, and be compatible with Raspberry Pi CM4, and by extension Antmicro’s Scalenode server-oriented baseboard. The company did not provide the complete specifications for the module, but based on public information available, Antmicro ARVSOM should feature the following: SoC – StarFive JH7100 Vision SoC: RISC-V U74 dual-core with 2MB L2 cache @ 1.5 GHz Vision DSP Tensilica-VP6 for computing vision NVDLA Engine 1 core (configuration 2048 MACs @ 800MHz  – 3.5 TOPS) Neural Network Engine (1024MACs @ 500MHz – 1 TOPS) VPU – H.264/H.265 decoder up to 4Kp60, dual-stream decoding up to 2Kp30 JPEG encoder/decoder Audio Processing DSP and sub-system System Memory – […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 1 Comment on DFI EC90A-GH compact AMD Ryzen Embedded R1000 mini PC is Ubuntu-certified

DFI EC90A-GH compact AMD Ryzen Embedded R1000 mini PC is Ubuntu-certified

DFI-EC90A-GH mini PC

Last year, Taiwan-based DFI introduced DFI GHF51 SBC based on AMD Ryzen Embedded R1000 dual-core SoC and roughly the size of a Raspberry Pi. We had the chance to test the Ryzen R1606G model with both Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC and Ubuntu 20.04. The board worked mostly to expectations except for compatibilities issues with one of my USB hard drives, some video playback issues, as well as a 3D graphics glitches in one benchmark in Ubuntu. The single board computer was designed to be integrated into the customer’s own chassis, but DFI has now launched EC90A-GH mini PC based on GHF51 SBC. The fanless system is offered with a choice of AMD Ryzen Embedded R1000-series processor with up to 8GB RAM, dual Micro HDMI output, and has recently been Ubuntu-certified by Canonical. DFI EC90A-GH preliminary specifications: SoC – AMD Ryzen Embedded R1000 Series with Radeon Vega 3 GPU; 6W to 12W TDP System Memory – 2GB/4GB/8GB single-channel DDR4 3200MHz Storage 1x […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments on Xilinx Introduces Kria K26 SoM and vision AI devkit based on Zynq Ultrascale+ XCK26 FPGA MPSoC

Xilinx Introduces Kria K26 SoM and vision AI devkit based on Zynq Ultrascale+ XCK26 FPGA MPSoC

Kria V260 Vision AI Starter Kit

Silicon vendors will usually focus on chip design, and provide an expensive evaluation kit to early customers, leaving the design of cost-optimized boards and system-on-modules to embedded systems companies. But Xilinx has decided to enter the latter market with the Kria portfolio of adaptive system-on-modules (SOMs) and production-ready small form factor embedded boards starting with Kria K26 SoM powered by Zynq UltraScale+ XCK26 FPGA MPSoC with a quad-core Arm Cortex-A53 processor, up to 250 thousand logic cells, and a H.264/265 video codec designed for Edge AI applications, as well as computer vision development kit. Kria K26 System-on-Module Kria K26 module specifications: MPSoC – Xilinx Zynq Ultrascale+ custom-built XCK26 with quad-core Arm Cortex-A53 processor  up to 1.5GHz, dual-core Arm Cortex-R5F real-time processor up to 600MHz, Mali-400 MP2 GPU up to 667MHz, 4Kp60 VPU, 26.6Mb On-Chip SRAM, 256K logic cells, 1,248 DSP slices System Memory – 4GB 64-bit DDR4 (non-ECC) Storage – 16GB eMMC flash, 512 Mbit QSPI flash 2x 240-pin board-to-board […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 5 Comments on SGET OSM (Open Standard Module) compliant SoM features NXP i.MX 8M Mini SoC

SGET OSM (Open Standard Module) compliant SoM features NXP i.MX 8M Mini SoC

Open Standard Module (OSM) i.MX 8M Mini

The SGET (Standardization Group for Embedded Technologies) non-profit organization ratified another system-on-module standard last November, with the “Open Standard Module” (OSM) standard that instead of relying on edge or board-to-board connectors is meant to be soldered on the carrier board as a solder-on module LGA package. F&S Elektronik has unveiled one of the first SGET OSM complaint SoM with “FS 8MM OSM-SF” equipped with an NXP i.MX 8M Mini processor, up to 8GB DDR4, 32GB eMMC flash or 512MB NAND flash on a 30x30mm “Size-S OSM” form factor. FS 8MM OSM-SF system-on-module FS 8MM OSM-SF module specifications: SoC – NXP i.MX 8M Mini single, dual, or quad-core Arm Cortex-53 processor @ 1.8 GHz with real-time Cortex-M4 core @ 400 MHz,  Vivante 2D & 3D GPU, 1080p60 H.265, VP9, H.264, VP8 video decoder System Memory –  Up to 8GB LPDDR4 Storage – Up to max. 512MB SLC NAND flash or up to 32GB eMMC flash 332 balls contact grid with Storage […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 3 Comments on M5Stack UnitV2 Linux AI camera features Sigmastar SSD202D SoC

M5Stack UnitV2 Linux AI camera features Sigmastar SSD202D SoC

M5stack UnitV2 AI camera

We’ve written about SigmaStar SSD201/SSD202 processors several times now. The low-cost dual-core Cortex-A7 processor comes with 64MB or 128MB built-in RAM, and so far have been found in modules, smart displays, an SBC, and a gateway only available from China via stores like Taobao. But with mainline Linux support progressing nicely, it was only a matter of time until others make a product based on the processor, and M5Stack Unitv2 is an “AI” camera combining SSD202D processor with 128MB DDR3, and a  GC2145 2MP camera sensor. M5Stack UnitV2 specifications: SoC – SigmaStar SSD202D dual-core Cortex-A7 processor @ 1.2 GHz with 128MB on-chip DDR3 Storage – 512MB on-chip NAND flash with around 100MB free space, MicroSD card socket Camera GC2145 1080p color sensor with USB UVC support 68° FoV, 60 cm to ∞ depth of field (DoF) Audio – Built-in microphone Connectivity – 2.4GHz WIFi 4 up to 150 Mbps USB – USB-C port connected to Ethernet USB chip Expansion – […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 1 Comment on PinePhone Keyboard to make for a cheaper, albeit slower Cosmo Communicator

PinePhone Keyboard to make for a cheaper, albeit slower Cosmo Communicator

Pinephone Keyboard

Pine64 PinePhone is a popular Linux smartphone among the developers and Linux enthusiasts’ communities and some of the most popular Linux operating systems support by the phone include KDE Plasma Mobile, PostMarket OS, Manjaro, and UBports for an Ubuntu Touch like interface. But soon, you’ll be able to use your PinePhone like a portable Linux computer, a 5.95-inch mini laptop of sorts, that’s similar to the 2-in-1 Cosmo Communicator device, but at a much lower price, albeit with lower performance, thanks to PinePhone Keyboard accessory. The PinePhone Keyboard is not quite ready yet, but Lukasz Erecinski  (aka Luke) has shared the progress of the latest version of the prototype, and almost looks like a finished product, albeit we’re told another revision will be made as the tolerances on the keycaps are not suitable. Here are some of the main features we can expect from the keyboard: QWERTY keyboard (by default). The firmware will be reprogrammable 180-degree angle hinge Battery – […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 3 Comments on MYS-8MMX i.MX 8M Mini SBC runs Yocto 3.0 Linux or Ubuntu 18.04

MYS-8MMX i.MX 8M Mini SBC runs Yocto 3.0 Linux or Ubuntu 18.04

i.MX 8M Mini SBC

MYiR Tech has just launched MYS-8MMX single board computer powered by NXP i.MX 8M Mini Cortex-A53/Cortex-A4 processor with 2GB RAM, 8GB eMMC flash, and designed for embedded applications in areas of consumer electronics, industrial automation, smart healthcare, security monitoring, etc… thanks to its video and graphics capabilities. MYS-8MMX SBC specifications: SoC  – NXP i.MX 8M Mini Quad quad-core Cortex-A53 processor @ 1.6 GHz (industrial temp.) or 1.8 GHz (commercial temp.), Arm Cortex-M4F realt-time core @ 400 MHz, Vivante 2D and 3D GPU’s, and 1080p VPU System Memory – 2GB DDR4 (supports up to 4GB) Storage – 8GB eMMC flash (supports up to 128GB), 32MB QSPI flash, MicroSD card slot, M.2 NVMe SSD support Video Output 40-pin FPC connector for LVDS & capacitive touchscreen interface 1x HDMI output up to 1080p60 Camera I/F – 24-pin FPC connector with MIPI-CSI Connectivity Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 port 2.4GHz/5GHz dual-band WiFi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0 module (Ampak AP6256) plus SMA antenna connector USB – 2x […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 11 Comments on The 5 best Intel & AMD single board computers for makers

The 5 best Intel & AMD single board computers for makers

Best Intel AMD single board computers for makers

A few weeks ago, we wrote a list of what we consider to be the top 5 most powerful Arm SBC’s and development kits, and this time around we’ll cover x86 SBC’s powered by Intel or AMD processors. But this time around, instead of focusing on the most powerful x86 single board computers which would lead to unaffordable, industrial Xeon SBC’s, we’ll be looking into the 5 best boards designed for makers. That means affordable pricing, I/O headers, and community support. The list is in no particular order. Rock Pi X – x86 on the cheap If you ever wanted the cheapest possible x86 board, Atomic Pi SBC $35 price tag was hard to beat, but it was only cheap because it was sourced from a failed robotics project, and not very convenient to use. But now in 2021, the cheapest x86 SBC that can run Windows is clearly Rock Pi X starting at $39… That price tag is for […]