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        Cortex-A8 modules get Windows CE 6.0 BSP

        Jonathan Angel | Date: Jun 18, 2009 | Comments: 1


        Adeneo has demonstrated a preview of its Windows CE 6.0 BSP (board support package) for the Gumstix Overo series of computer-on-modules (COMs). Scheduled for beta availability in the second quarter, the BSP runs on 2.3 x 0.7 x 0.2-inch modules (left) that sport ARM Cortex-A8-based processors.



        (Click for larger view of the Gumstix Overo Air COM)

        Gumstix's Overo first made its debut in October of last year with the Earth, and now also comes in models known as the Air, Water, and Fire (see later in this story for details). Measuring just 2.3 x 0.7 x 0.2 inches (58 x 17 x 4.2mm), the modules are 40 percent smaller than the earlier 3.2 x 0.8 x 3.2-inch Gumstix Verdex modules, which were based on the Marvell PXA270 (aka "Bulverde") processor.

        Compared to the Verdex, the Overo modules instead use more powerful Texas Instruments (TI) OMAP35xx system-on-chips (SoCs). Although clocked similarly to the Bulverde at 600MHz, they offer faster performance thanks to their ARM Cortex-A8 superscalar core, which enables instruction-level parallelism within a single processor.

        Unfortunately, while a community-supported Windows CE 6.0 BSP for the Gumstix Verdex has been available on Microsoft's Codeplex website, the Overo modules made their debut with only Linux support. In April, when the Air, Water, and Fire were announced, Adeneo promised it would remedy that situation. This week, the company reportedly delivered, demonstrating its BSP for the Overos at TI's Tech Days 2009 event in Dallas.

        The BSP is now up and running, and will be available to beta customers late in the second quarter of the year, says Adeneo. Full production will begin in the third quarter, the company adds.

        Background

        Overo's Earth module, pictured below, uses TI's OMAP3503 processor, the low-end version of TI's four OMAP35xx processors. The more recent Air, pictured at the top of our story, retains the OMAP3503, but adds WiFi (802.11b/g) and Bluetooth capabilities via an onboard W2CBW003 module from Wi2Wi. The module supports simultaneous WiFi and Bluetooth operation, says Wi2Wi.


        Overo Earth
        (Click to enlarge)


        Meanwhile, the Overo Water and Overo Fire move up to TI's high-end, media-focused OMAP3530. The 3530 adds a C64X+ DSP (digital signal processor) and video accelerator, as well as OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics acceleration via the PowerVR SGX graphics engine licensed by Imagination Technologies. Like the Air, the Fire includes a Wi2Wi WiFi/Bluetooth module, according to Gumstix.

        Gumstix says all four Overo modules are all pin-compatible, and all are equipped with 256MB of low-power DDR RAM and 256MB of NAND flash. In addition, the Overo modules include an onboard microSD adapter, a 24-pin flex ribbon connector for camera control signals, and dual 70-pin AVX 5602-14 connectors for various functional options in expansion board design, says the company. Power consumption is claimed to be less than a single Watt.

        Features offered by the Overo boards include:
        • Processor -- OMAP3503 (Earth and Air) or OMAP3530 (Water and Fire)
        • Memory -- 256MB of low-power DDR RAM
        • Flash -- 256MB of NAND flash
        • Flash expansion -- microSD adapter
        • Display -- 24-bit LCD signals; OpenGL ES 2.0 and video acceleration (Water and Fire only)
        • WiFi/Bluetooth -- 802.11b/g and Bluetooth (Air and Fire only)
        • I/O:
          • 2 x peripheral interrupts, reset, wake, and power-on
          • I2C signaling, 6 x PWM lines, UART, IR_UART port
          • Headset out lines, power, ground, backup, Pseudo-differential mic
          • A/D (6 x 10 bits), 1-wire signaling
          • USB OTG signals (Host or Client mode)
          • EHCI (USB Host)
          • Address-bus chip selects and control lines, address lines 1:10
          • Data lines 0:15, SPI bus with 2 selects, IRQ lines
          • 8-bit MMC signals
          • Camera input (12 bit)
        • Power -- 1.8 Watt supply with 3.3V to 4.2V voltage; 250mA @ 4v power draw; TPS65950 power management IC
        • Dimensions -- 0.7 x 2.3 x 0.2 inches (17 x 58 x 4.2mm)
        • Connectors -- 2 x 70-pin AVX 5602-14 connectors; 24-pin flex ribbon connector for camera signals
        • Mounting -- 4 x #0 mounting holes, one on each corner
        • Operating temperature -- 32 to 185 deg. F (0 to 85 deg. C)
        • Operating system -- Windows CE or Linux
        Expansion boards


        Summit expansion board
        (Click to enlarge)
        The Overo COM modules are offered with a choice of three expansion boards. They all offer USB connectivity, including mini-AB (with OTG), mini-B (with USB Host), and a USB console. Other connectivity, provided via a 40-pin unpopulated standard header, include dual two-wire serial ports, a single 1-wire port, 6 PWM lines, an I2C port, an SPI bus, and six A/D input lines and processor control signals.

        The expansion boards each have 4V to 5.5V power input, and offer dual 70-pin AVX connectors and four mounting holes to match up with the Overo COM modules. Multiple signals are available on 0.100-inch through-holes at 1.8V logic, says the company.

        Differentiating details for the boards include:
        • Summit -- Previously available with the Overo Earth, the Summit board offers DVI-D (HDMI) and audio in/out, and measures 3.1 x 1.5 inches (80 x 39mm).

        • Palo43 -- Claimed to be "LCD-ready for a 4.3-inch Samsung touchscreen," the Palo43 (see below) provides a touchscreen controller with 16 bits-per-pixel display capability. It measures 4.7 x 2.6 inches (118.3 x 67.25mm).

        • Tobi -- Featuring a 10/100 Ethernet port, the Tobi (pictured below) also provides a DVI-D (HDMI) port as well as audio in/out. It measures 4.1 x 1.6 inches (105 x 40mm).

        Palo43 (left) and Tobi expansion boards
        (Click on either to enlarge)

        Warren Lubow, VP Americas at Adeneo Embedded, stated, "Adeneo Embedded has been involved in the development of reference Windows Embedded CE BSPs for silicon vendors and board manufacturers for many years. We significantly reduce development time and secure design success to OEMs basing their development on Gumstix's Overo series."

        Don Anderson, executive vice-president of engineering services at Gumstix, added that the BSP offering "further positions the Gumstix Overo product line as the platform of choice for OMAP 35x designs. Many customers are wanting to have commercial licensing and support for Windows Embedded CE on the Gumstix Overo, which they can now achieve through Adeneo Embedded's software and expertise."

        Further information

        Overo modules are available now, and can be configured starting at $98.50, says Gumstix. Standard pricing is $150 (Overo Earth), $170 (Water), $200 (Air), and $220 (Fire). The Palo43 expansion board is priced at $52, the Summit board runs $50, and the Tobi board is $61.

        More information on the Overo COM modules may be found here, and the Gumstix purchasing page is here. Documentation for the Overo boards is available at the Gumstix Developer's website, here, and schematics may be found here.

        As noted above, Adeneo says its Windows CE 6.0 BSP for the Overos will be available in the third quarter. Pricing was not released, however.


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