Product category:
PCs and Embedded Systems
News Release from: Eurotech | Subject: SBC-MediaGX Windows CE Development Kit
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 11 February 2000
Pentium Performance Windows CE Solution
As engineers look to port Windows CE to embedded applications, Arcom offers a simple and ready to run Development Kit
As engineers look to port Windows CE to embedded applications, Arcom offers a simple and ready to run Development Kit Arcom, a leading provider of embedded control boards and systems announces a new Pentium performance Windows CE Development Kit for embedded systems designers
The Windows CE Kit is based on Arcom's newest processor board the SBC-MediaGX, which is a National 233MHz MediaGX CPU with PC/104-Plus expansion capabilities.
The kit contains a complete set of components to enable the rapid development of new Windows CE applications.
"We have taken the time to match hardware and software so that the engineer can spend their time developing application code and not worry about the hardware platform and OS working together," states Glen Middleton, Engineering Director at Arcom.
The SBC-MediaGX Windows CE Development Kit contains the Windows CE 2.11 kernel pre-loaded into an on-board Flash-based drive that resides on Arcom's SBC-MediaGX Single Board Computer (SBC).
Also supplied is a PS/2 mouse and connection cables for interfacing the SBC-MediaGX to: Reader, VGA-CRT display, standard 102 key keyboard and serial comms cable for downloading and debugging new builds of the Windows CE kernel to SBC.
An optional NEC 6.5" TFT colour LCD module is available.
The Development Kit is supplied in a rugged polycarbonate transit case.
Windows CE is a compact OS originally developed for commercial hand-held applications.
This scaleable operating system is perfectly suited to embedded systems engineering due to its inherent modular and compact format.
Arcom's application of Windows CE is to make use of the conventional PC BIOS then running a Osmall boot loader' which launches Windows CE from a DOS based flash drive.
This may be set to load either a compressed or uncompressed Windows CE image.
Adjustments to the BIOS settings (held in CMOS) allow the system developer to choose which of the connected drives he wishes to boot from.
For example, an external floppy-drive could have MS-DOS boot files read from it that would allow the same Windows CE PC to behave like a conventional DOS based PC.
Arcom's SBC, the SBC-MediaGX, has been developed with particular focus towards Windows CE.
A PC/104-Plus compliant single board computer based on the Pentium performance National MediaGX 233MHz processor.
The board has 32Mb DRAM and 16Mb Flash supplied as standard with expansion up to 128Mb DRAM giving the embedded systems designer plenty of development headroom until the desired application space has been determined.
The SBC-MediaGX has been designed for a wide range of embedded control applications with particular focus for use in harsh environments such as transportation, automation, and communication applications.
The SBC features a video interface capable of driving high-resolution modes on CRT, flat panel and includes on-board analog resistive touchscreen interface and Soundblaster audio capabilities.
The Windows CE development kit has an optional NEC 6.5" TFT colour LCD display module supporting 640 x 480 pixels.
Standard peripheral I/O ports supported by the SBC-MediaGX include PC/104-Plus header, dual USB connectors, 10/100Base-TX Ethernet, four fast serial ports, LPT parallel printer port, FDD & IDE HDD interfaces.
Standard PC type mouse and keyboard ports are supplied via PS/2 mini DIN connectors.
Pricing The SBC-MediaGX Windows CE Development Kit is £675.
The SBC-MediaGX Single Board Computer is £325 in quantities of 50, memory excluded. Request a free brochure from Eurotech ...
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