| Windows CE-based panel PCs target HMI |
Aug. 08, 2008
 Janz Automation Systems of Germany has announced two Windows CE-based panel PCs, targeting HMI (human-machine interface) applications. The 6.5-inch emVIEW-6/A400 and 8.4-inch emVIEW-8/A400 feature Intel IXP42x processors, fanless operation, dual 10/100 Ethernet connectors, plus RS232 and CAN (controller area network) ports, the company says.
(Click here for a larger view of Janz's emVIEW-6/A400)
 Designed to form part of an overall factory automation system, the emVIEW-6/A400 and emVIEW-8/A400 are identical apart from their screen sizes. The emVIEW-6/A400 includes a 6.5-inch touchscreen with 640 x 480 resolution and a 300:1 contrast ratio, while the emVIEW-8/A400 has an 8.4-inch display with 800 x 600 resolution and a 250:1 contrast ratio. As the picture at right illustrates, the devices come in at the low end of an emVIEW product line, whose available screen sizes range up to 19 inches.
All the emVIEW products apparently have identical computing capabilities, based on Intel's ARM-based IXP42x network processors. Without naming the specific CPUs, Janz cites a 400MHz clock speed. The emVIEW panels come with 64MB of RAM, 2GB of flash storage -- which houses the Windows CE 5.0 or 6.0 image -- and 32KB of memory that is automatically backed up to an EEPROM.
 Other features of the emVIEW panels include a Type II/III CompactFlash socket, watchdog timer, and battery-backed clock. As a photo of the emVIEW's side shows (see right), the devices have dual 10/100 Ethernet ports, and dual USB 2.0 ports. According to Janz, their other interfaces can be either dual RS232 ports, dual CAN ports, or one of each, depending on the precise model specified.
Janz notes that the emVIEWs' operating system images need to be ordered separately. Available images include Windows CE 5.0, Windows CE 6.0, Linux, and "other operating systems on request."
Features and specifications released by Janz for the emVIEW-6/A400 and emVIEW-8/A400 include:- Processor -- Intel IXP42x clocked at 400MHz
- Memory -- 64MB RAM, 2MB flash, and 32MB of non-volatile RAM
- Display:
- emVIEW-6/A400 -- 6.5-inch touchscreen with 640 x 480 resolution and 300:1 contrast ratio
- emVIEW-8/A400 -- 8.4-inch display with 800 x 600 resolution and 250:1 contrast ratio
- Networking -- dual 10/100 Ethernet ports
- Other I/O:
- 2 x USB 2.0
- 1 x RS232 and 1 x CAN, 2 x RS232, or 2 x CAN
- Power requirements -- 9VDC to 32VDC input, consumption approximately 11 Watts
- Operating temperature -- 0 to 50 deg. C
- Dimensions:
- emVIEW-6/A400 -- 7.6 x 6.2 x 2.8 inches (193 x 158 x 58mm)
- emVIEW-8/A400 -- 9.3 x 7.5 x 2.8 inches (234 x 190 x 58mm)
The emVIEW-6/A400 is available now, and the emVIEW-8/A400 will be "available soon," according to Janz. Pricing was not released, but more information may become available from the company's website, here.
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