Embedded Systems: March 14, 1996

LCD color monitor has sunlight-readable display. Equipped with an active-matrix thin-film-transistor color LCD, the EDI1P3 monitor provides a sunlight-readable display with a resolution of 640×480 pixels and 262,000 colors. Diagonal screen size is 10.4 in. Housed in a rugged aluminum box, the EDI1P3 offers a high-intensity, 120-fL backlight assembly and supports NTSC (National TV Systems Committee), PAL (phase-alternation line), RS-170, SECAM (Systeme Electronique Couleur Avec Memoire), S-video, and VGA interfaces. A touchscreen is optional. The monitor costs $7293 (100). Electronic Designs Inc, Westborough, MA. (508) 366-5151.

Board supplies RS-232C interface for LCDs. Eliminating the parallel ribbon cable to the host system's data bus, the SiµPIX Model 2412 piggyback board replaces a graphic LCD's parallel interface with an RS-232C interface to minimize hardware design-in problems and reduce programming effort. The 56×31-mm board works with 240×128-pixel LCDs that use a Toshiba T6963C control chip. It supports a baud rate of up to 115.2 kbps and a serial format of 8 bits, with odd parity. The 2412 implements two display screens, which can be switched instantly on command.Oceanside Communications, Oceanside, CA. (619) 754-1548.

Embedded CPU board runs as fast as 150 MHz. Aimed at embedded industrial applications, the ISP-586 ISA bus single-board computer employs a 150-MHz Pentium processor and performs at a Landmark V2.0 rating of 863 MHz. The board offers a high-speed PCI expansion bus for connecting to four PCI master peripheral boards, as well as a PC/104 expansion port. A built-in watchdog timer lets you use the board for unattended control of critical processes. The ISP-586 costs $795. Micro Computer Specialists Inc, Vista, CA. (619) 598-2177.

PC/104 controller runs VGA and sub-VGA LCDs. Intended for low-cost embedded systems using the PC/104 bus, the VGA-104 LCD controller operates with both color and monochrome passive-matrix LCD flat panels with resolutions ranging from 320×240 to 640×480 pixels. The 3.775×3.550-in. board renders 64 gray shades for monochrome panels and 4096 colors for passive dual-scan color panels. It comes with 512 kbytes of display memory and generates all display voltages on-board. Prices start at $120 (1000). Communications and Display Systems Inc, Holtsville, NY. (516) 654-1143.

Software simulates I/O in 32-bit embedded designs. Coupled with the SingleStep debugging environment, the SingleStep Peripheral application-programming interface (API) accurately models integrated peripherals in embedded systems based on 32-bit µPs, such as the PowerPC MPC8XX. The simulator generates peripheral interrupts into multiple I/O channels and supports register definition inside the memory map of the simulation environment; exception generation based on clock frequencies; data files; and random timing. Prices for the SingleStep Peripheral API start at $495 for Windows and $3650 for Sun and HP workstations. Software Development Systems Inc, Oak Brook, IL. (708) 368-0400.

VME64 computer board for PowerPC 604 processor. Offered in conduction- and air-cooled versions, the PPC604 family of computer boards combines the processing power of a 100-MHz PowerPC 604 RISC processor with a direct PCI-attached VME64 interface that transfers >70 Mbytes/sec. Onboard memory includes up to 64 Mbytes of DRAM with EDC, plus L2 cache and 1 Mbyte of system flash memory. Family members operate over a temperature range of -40 to +75° or -55 to +85°C. Prices start at $4675 for air-cooled versions. Radstone Technology Corp, Montvale, NJ. (201) 391-2700.

High-resolution touchscreen resists contaminants. The IntelliTouch Ultra touchscreen provides a resolution of 4096×4096 touch points and a response time of <10 msec, and its antiglare screen resists dirt and other contaminants. Based on a proprietary ASIC chip set, the IntelliTouch controller uses algorithms to identify a contaminant (grease, dirt, gum, etc), map around it, and respond to the next touch. Sealing further protects the touchscreen, as does a scratch-resistant solid-glass construction. Prices start at $665 for a 14-in. screen and controller. Elo TouchSystems Inc, Fremont, CA. (800) 356-8682.

ISA adapter card supplies serial and parallel ports. Offered with software support for MS DOS, Windows, Novell, OS/2, Xenix, and SCO Unix, the MAX I/O provides four serial and four parallel ports on a single ISA bus interface card. Parallel ports can be configured for bidirectional operation. You can set each serial or parallel port to one of three addresses or disable them using two DIP switches. The MAX I/O costs $395. Computer Modules Inc, Santa Clara, CA. (408) 496-1881.

PC/AT industrial single-board computer runs at 150 MHz. The PCI-933 single-board computer gives you a choice of Pentium processors, ranging from 75 to 150 MHz in a PC/AT form factor. The board also offers up to 256 Mbytes of DRAM, as well as support for fast SCSI II, enhanced IDE, Ethernet, and SVGA displays. Standard industrial features include a watchdog timer and power-failure and low-battery detection. The PCI-933 complies with ISA P996, PCI Bus Rev. 2.0, and PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group (PICMG) Rev. 2.0 specifications. An entry-level configuration with a 75-MHz CPU costs $2645, not including memory. Teknor Microsystems Inc, Boisbriand, PQ, Canada. (514) 437-5682.

Half-sized PCMCIA-like card adds flash memory. Only 1.830 in. long, the micro FlashLite half-sized flash-memory card meets PCMCIA Type I 68-pin physical-interconnection standards and eliminates the control-circuitry overhead associated with PCMCIA. The card comes in bytewide and wordwide configurations with memory capacities ranging from 128 kbytes to 4 Mbytes in 3.3, 5, and 12V versions. Prices for the micro FlashLite range from $30 to $170, depending on configuration (OEM).Amp Inc, Harrisburg, PA. (717) 564-0100.