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        Module runs Windows CE on i.MX515

        Jonathan Angel | Date: Feb 19, 2010 | Comments: 1



        [Revised, June 14] -- iWave Systems announced a COM (computer module) based on Freescale's i.MX51 SoC (system-on-chip). The Windows CE-ready iW-i.MX51 includes up to 512MB of RAM and 2GB of flash storage, and works with an available iW-Rainbow-G8D development baseboard, the company says.


        iWave's iW-i.MX51 employs Freescale's i.MX51, which began sampling at the start of last year and has already featured in a variety of other COMs. (Examples include the Avalue RSM-MX515, the Digi ConnectCore Wi-MX51, and the Direct Insight Triton-TX51.)

        The iW-i.MX51 measures 70 x 70mm and includes a 230-pin  "golden finger" connector originally designed for laptop graphicscards using Nvidia's MXM (Mobile PCI Express Module) format. In both of these respects, it appears to follow the Qseven COM standard. However, iWave makes no claim that the device implements the Qseven bus.

        The i.MX515 offers an ARM Cortex-A8 core clocked to 800MHz, a Neon floating point unit, a PowerVR graphics engine supporting OpenGL ES 2.0, and a hardware-implemented video codec. These capabilities are said to provide the iW-i.MX51 with D1 (720 x 480 pixel) video encoding at 30fps, and 720p (1280 x 720) decoding.

        According to iWave, the iW-i.MX51 module is available with soldered on DDR2 memory in capacities ranging from 128MB to 512MB, and from 128MB to 2GB of NAND flash storage. The device also includes a microSD slot and a USB On-the-Go port (both visible at the top of the left-hand image below), according to the company.


        iWave's iW-i.MX51 module

        The bottom of the module (above right) has three surface-mount connectors that apparently provide JTAG and debug interfaces, though iWave's product page for the iW-i.MX51 did not make their purpose definitively clear. Other signals pass through the edge-mount connector to an optional baseboard, including 10/100 Ethernet, video, audio, USB, serial, I2C, SPI, SSI, and GPIO, according to the company.


        A block diagram of iWave's iW-Rainbow-G8D
        (Click to enlarge)

        A separately available iW-Rainbow-G8D baseboard (not pictured, but block diagram appears above) measures 8.26 x 5.1 inches (210 x 130mm) and incorporates a seven-inch touchscreen display, iWave says. Accepting the iW-i.MX51, the board provides two SD slots, two serial ports, two USB ports, a 10/100 Ethernet port, plus a composite video output and audio I/O, according to the company.

        Specifications listed by iWave for its iW-i.MX51 module include:

        • Processor -- Freescale i.MX515 clocked at 800MHz
        • Memory -- From 128MB to 512MB of DDR2 RAM, and from 128MB to 2GB of NAND flash storage
        • Expansion -- microSD slot
        • I/O:
          • Via onboard connectors:
            • USB 2.0 On-the-Go connector
            • UART interface for debug
            • JTAG
          • Via MXM connector:
            • 1 x 10/100 Ethernet
            • 2 x SD/SDIO
            • 2 x I2C
            • 1 x USB 2.0 host
            • 1 x USB On-the-Go
            • 2 x serial
            • SPI
            • SSI
            • Display interface
            • Audio interface
            • 1-wire touchscreen interface
            • TV out
            • GPIOs
        • Operating temperature -- n/s
        • Power requirements -- n/s
        • Dimensions -- 2.75 x 2.75 inches (70 x 70mm)

        Further information

        According to iWave, the iW-i.MX51 module and iW-Rainbow-G8D baseboard are compatible with Windows CE, Linux, and Android. Pricing was not detailed, but the devices appear to be available now.

        More information may be found on the iWave website here and here.


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