CNX Software - Embedded Systems News

July 15, 2025 by Debashis Das - No Comments

DFRobot FireBeetle 2 ESP32-P4 is a compact board with MIPI DSI/DSI, microphone, WiFi 6, and GPIO headers

FireBeetle 2 ESP32 P4 AI Development Kit

DFRobot FireBeetle 2 ESP32-P4 development board features an ESP32-C6 wireless module, two USB-C ports, GPIO headers, a microphone MIPI CSI and DSI connectors, and is offered with an optional carrier board enabling easy access to all I/Os as part of a development kit for the board. Like many other ESP32-P4 boards, such as the ALIENTEK DNESP32P4M, the Waveshare ESP32-P4-Module-DEV-KIT, or the ESP32-P4-Function-EV-Board, the DFRobot board uses an ESP32-C6 for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. Other features include support for USB 2.0 OTG, a digital microphone header, microSD card slot, programmable buzzer, ADC/DAC, and an onboard CH343 USB-to-serial chip for programming via USB-C. It comes with expansion headers for easy access to I/Os from both the ESP32-P4 and C6, making it suitable for compact AIoT and lightweight machine learning applications. FireBeetle 2 ESP32-P4 dev board specifications: SoC – ESP32-P4NRW32 MCU Dual-core RISC-V microcontroller @ 360 MHz (down from 400 MHz?) with AI […]

July 15, 2025July 16, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

Wio-LR1121 tiny LoRa module supports for sub-GHz, S-Band, and 2.4GHz frequency bands

Seeed Studio Wio-LR1121 is a tiny, multi-band LoRa module based on LR1121 RF transceiver, a low-cost version of LR1120 without GNSS or Wi-Fi scanning capabilities, that supports sub-GHz, S-Band (1.9-2.1GHz), and 2.4GHz frequency bands. We had previously seen the LR1121 used in the MuRata Type-2GT module and a LILYGO module as an option for the T-Eth Elite board. The Wio-LR1121 offers another option that’s easy to solder, thanks to castellated holes and pads. Wio-LR1121 specifications: RF Transceiver – Semtech LR1121 Frequency bands – 863 to 928MHz and 2.4 to 2.5GHz frequencies; Note: The LR1121 also supports S-Band at 2.1 to 2.3 GHz, but it’s not mentioned in the specifications of the module, and only briefly in the title and description Output Power Up to 20.4dBm @ 868/915 MHz Up to 11dBm max @ 2.4GHz Receiver Sensitivity RxBoost ON： -126dBm @ SubG,BW=125KHz, SF = 7 -140dBm @ SubG, BW=125KHz, SF = […]

LattePanda Carrier Board Design Challenge

July 15, 2025July 14, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 4 Comments

Radxa E24C and E54C Rockchip RK3528A/RK3582 network computers features four Gigabit Ethernet ports

Radxa E24C and E54C are mini routers and embedded boxes based on, respectively, Rockchip RK3528A and RK3582 SoCs, and equipped with four Gigabit Ethernet ports, HDMI video output, three USB ports, and an M.2 PCIe socket for NVMe SSD storage. The Radxa E24C builds upon the dual Gigabit Ethernet Raxda E20C mini network Titan, while the Radxa E54C is an “update” to the Radxa E52C mini router with four Gigabit Ethernet ports instead of two 2.5GbE ports. Radxa E24C quad GbE mini router Radxa E24C specifications: SoC – Rockchip RK3528A CPU – Quad-core Arm Cortex-A53 @ 2.0 GHz GPU – Arm Mali-G450 GPU with support for OpenGL ES1.1, ES2.0, and OpenVG 1.1 APIs VPU H.264, H.265, and AVS2 decoder up to 4Kp60 H.264 and H.265 encoder up to 1080p60 Memory – 1GB, 2GB, or 4GB LPDDR4 Storage 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB eMMC 5.1 flash MicroSD card slot (UHS-I) M.2 2280 Key-M […]

July 14, 2025July 14, 2025 by Debashis Das - 4 Comments

Industrial IoT board based on NuMicro M467 Ethernet MCU follows Arduino UNO R4 form factor

Nuvoton NuMaker UNO M4 Cortex M4 industrial dev board

The NuMaker-UNO-M4 is an industrial-grade IoT development board powered by a Nuvoton NuMicro M467 series Arm Cortex-M4F Ethernet MCU and following the Arduino UNO R4 form factor. The board also comes with Ethernet, RS485, CAN FD, and a microSD card slot for data logging. Power options include 5V via USB Type-C, 5–5.5V through a DC jack, and external 3.3V/5V through headers. It also features Arduino-compatible headers, push buttons, status LEDs, and a dedicated high-speed USB for power and programming. Nuvoton NuMaker-UNO-M4 Specifications SoC –Nuvoton NuMicro M467SJHAN CPU – Arm Cortex-M4 @ up to 192 MHz, with FPU and DSP Memory – Up to 512 KB SRAM with 64 KB parity check Storage Up to 1024 KB Flash with dual-bank, FOTA, and XOM support 8 KB LDROM, 3 KB OTP ROM Storage – MicroSD card slot Connectivity – 4-pin 10/100 Mbps Ethernet connector via RealTek RTL8201FI PHY USB – USB Type-C port […]

July 14, 2025July 14, 2025 by Debashis Das - 1 Comment

Waveshare SATA HAT+ adds two SATA 3.0 ports to Raspberry Pi 5

Waveshare PCIe TO 2-CH SATA HAT+ is a dual-channel PCIe FFC to SATA 3.0 HAT+ board for the Raspberry Pi 5, which offers a low-cost alternative to the Radxa Penta SATA HAT with support for up to five SATA drives. The HAT+ is compliant with the SATA Gen3 and PCIe Gen2 standards and features onboard dual LED indicators for monitoring drive activity. Additionally, it includes an EEPROM for storing HAT+ ID and product information. It can be used for simpler DIY NAS setups or Pi-based media servers. Waveshare PCIe TO 2-CH SATA HAT+ specification: Compatibility – Designed for Raspberry Pi 5 Storage – Onboard EEPROM for HAT+ ID and product info SATA Ports – 2x SATA 3.0 (6Gbps) channels via JMB582 PCIe Gen3 x1 to 2x SATA controller Host Interface – PCIe Gen3 x1 via 16-pin PCIe FFC connector Misc 40-pin header with exposed RPi GPIOs (not used directly by the HAT, […]

July 14, 2025July 14, 2025 by Debashis Das - No Comments

Maduino Zero Wi-Fi HaLow – An 802.11ah board programmable with the Arduino IDE

Makerfabs Maduino Zero Wi-Fi HaLow is an Arduino Zero-compatible Wi-Fi HaLow (802.11ah) development board designed for low-power, long-range wireless communication in smart agriculture, industrial automation, and remote monitoring applications. The board is built around the Microchip ATSAMD21G18 Cortex-M0+ MCU to manage I/O, system control, and interface with the TXW83xx-based WiFi HaLow module. It operates in the 730–950 MHz sub-GHz band, features a microSD card slot for storage, and two GPIO headers. The board gets power through a USB Type-C port or a 3.7V LiPo battery (chargeable via USB) and includes an external antenna for long-range connectivity. Maduino Zero Wi-Fi HaLow specifications: MCU – Microchip ATSAMD21G18A Arm Cortex-M0+ microcontroller @ 48 MHz with 256KB flash memory, 32KB RAM Storage – MicroSD card socket Wi-Fi HaLow TXW83xx series based on IEEE 802.11ah Frequency Range – 730 MHz to 950 MHz bands Channel bandwidth – 1/2/4/8MHz Data Range – 150 Kbps to 32.5 […]

Rockchip RK3568, RK3588 and Intel x86 SBCs and SoMs in 2025

July 14, 2025July 13, 2025 by Debashis Das - No Comments

Renesas RA2T1 low-power Cortex-M23 MCUs target BLDC/PMSM motor applications

Renesas RA2T1 microcontroller (MCU) group

Renesas has recently launched the RA2T1 group of low-power motor control MCUs, built around a 64 MHz Arm Cortex-M23, for low-cost single-motor applications like power tools, fans, and home appliances. Designed for Brushless DC Electric Motors (BLDC) and Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (PMSM), the RA2T1 supports both trapezoidal and FOC control techniques, thanks to its integrated 3-channel Sample and Hold (S&H) circuits that enable accurate 3-phase current detection. It also includes PWM shutdown features and various analog and digital peripherals in compact packages as small as 4×4 mm QFN. Previously, Renesas introduced the RA8T1, also a motor control MCU based on the Cortex-M85 core with Helium instructions and DSP extensions. Ideal for AI-enhanced motor control in industrial and robotics applications. Around the same time, Infineon launched the PSOC Control C3x series, with real-time motor control and security features along with fast ADCs, high-resolution PWM, and PSA Level 2 compliance. Renesas […]

July 13, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 10 Comments

Review of GL.iNet Comet (GL-RM1) KVM-over-IP solution and ATX power control board

GL-RM1 Comet KVM review ATX power control board

GL.iNet sent me a Comet (GL-RM1) remote KVM box for review, along with a GL-ATXPC ATX Power Control Board. I’ll start this review with an unboxing and a teardown, then I’ll use the GL.iNet Comet with a Raspberry Pi 4 SBC to control it from a web browser in the LAN and the GLKVM app from the Internet. Finally, I’ll connect the GL-ATXPC and GL-RM1 to an Orion O6 mini-ITX motherboard to test ATX power control. GL.iNet Comet (GL-RM1) unboxing I received a parcel with two retail boxes: one for the GL-ATXPC ATX power control board and the other for the GL-RM1 Comet Remote KVM. The GL-RM1 ships with an HDMI cable, an Ethernet cable, a USB-A to USB-C cable for keyboard/mouse emulation, and a USB-C to USB-C cable for power, as well as a card with a QR code to connect with GL.iNet, and a getting started guide in […]