DN Staff

February 26, 2011

2 Min Read
NanoRISC Modules

Due totheir pin compatibility and the usability of various CPUs - the current rangeis from ARM9 derivatives clocked at 400 MHz up to 1 GHz Cortex-A8 cores - thenew nanoRISC modules offer a highdegree of scalability. The modules measure 50 x 70 mm and feature a low powerconsumption of typically < 3 W. Interfaces such as Ethernet, USB, CAN, UART,I2C, SPI, GPIO, Camera, Audio, ADC, Touch and Display are directly available todevelopers via a 230-pin MXM connector. Depending on the CPU used and use ofthe integrated 2D/3D graphics engine and corresponding codex, the graphicsperformance achieves video resolutions of up to 1080p.

The firstmember of the new product family is a nanoRISC module, based on the SamsungCortex-A8 S5PC100 processor, with up to 667/833 MHz clock frequency, maximum512 MB DDR2 SDRAM, up to 4 GByte NAND flash memory (NAND, eMMC and SD/MMC),audio and touch support, real time clock, system monitoring and watchdog. The2D/3D graphics engine integrated on the S5PC100 supports video resolutions upto 720p.

Theevaluation board, which is made available from MSC together with the nanoRISCmodule, enables developers to access all input and output pins of the modulevia standard connectors. In combination with different modules, the baseboardcan also be used as a starter

kit forthe development of own hardware on the basis of the respective Samsungprocessor, which is also available from MSC. Linux and WINCE are offered asboard support packages.

The NANDflash memories, DDR2-SDRAMs and the wide range of interfaces integrated on themodule minimize the cost of the baseboard; the nanoRISC modules are alsosuitable for cost-sensitive projects with large volumes.

In thelower performance range, the nanoRISC modules are primarily used inapplications where a change from microcontroller to microprocessor is necessarydue to increased demands in the area of visualization and operation as well asof communication with Ethernet or USB. In the higher performance range, thenanoRISC modules with Cortex-A8 CPU and clock frequencies up to 1 GHzparticularly attract a great deal of interest when looking for more compact,lower power and, ultimately, more cost-effective solutions compared toestablished technologies.
NanoRISC Modules

NanoRISC Modules


Sign up for the Design News Daily newsletter.

You May Also Like