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A17 - Embedded Single Board Computer with PowerPC MPC8548

6U VME64

The A17 is a PowerPC based embedded computer for industrial automation. The VME 2eSST master SBC features an MPC8548 or MPC8543 processor and M-Module mezzanine slots.

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A17 6U MPC8548 VMEbus 2eSST CPU Board

Main Features

PowerPC MPC8548 (or MPC8543), up to 1.5 GHz
1-slot 2eSST VMEbus master and slave
Up to 2 GB (ECC) DDR2 RAM
Flash Disk, FRAM
2 Gb Ethernet, 2 COMs at front
2 Gb Ethernet via P0
2 PMC slots (1 slot also XMC)
FPGA for individual I/O functions
MENMONBIOS for PowerPC cards
-40 to +85°C screened

Technical Data

CPU

PowerPC PowerQUICC III MPC8548, MPC8548E, MPC8543 or MPC8543E

800 MHz up to 1.5 GHz
Please see Standard Configurations for available standard versions.
e500 PowerPC core with MMU and double-precision embedded scalar and vector floating-point APU
Integrated Northbridge and Southbridge

Memory

2x32 KB L1 data and instruction cache, 512 KB/256 KB L2 cache integrated in MPC8548/MPC8543
Up to 2 GB SDRAM system memory
- Soldered
- DDR2 with or without ECC
- Up to 300 MHz memory bus frequency, depending on CPU
Up to 4 GB soldered Flash disk (SSD solid state disk)
- Higher capacity possible if components are available
- FPGA-controlled
16 MB boot Flash
128 KB non-volatile FRAM
Serial EEPROM 8 kbits for factory settings

Mass Storage

Up to 4 GB soldered ATA Flash disk (SSD solid state disk)

Higher capacity possible when components are available
FPGA-controlled

I/O

Ethernet
- Up to four 10/100/1000Base-T Ethernet channels
- Two RJ45 connectors at front panel
- Two front LEDs per channel to signal LAN Link and Activity
- Two channels accessible via rear I/O on connector P0 complying with ANSI/VITA 31.1-2003 (option)
Two RS232 UARTs (COM1/2)
- Two RJ45 connectors at front panel
- Data rates up to 115.2 kbit/s
- 16-byte transmit/receive buffer
- Handshake lines: CTS, RTS
GPIO
- 31 GPIO lines
- FPGA-controlled
- Connection via PMC1 board-to-board connector J4

Front Connections

Two Ethernet (RJ45)
COM1/COM2 (RJ45)
XMC/PMC 0 and PMC 1

Rear I/O

Two 10/100/1000Base-T Ethernet on P0 (option)
Mezzanine rear I/O: PMC 0 on P2

Mezzanine Slots

Two slots total, one slot usable for PMC or XMC
One XMC slot
- Compliant with XMC standard VITA 42.3-2006
- PCI Express links: one x1 or one x2 or one x4
Two PMC slots
- Compliant with PMC standard IEEE 1386.1
- Up to 64-bit/64-MHz, 3.3 V V(I/O)
- PMC I/O module (PIM) support through J4 complying with VITA 35 (PMC 0)

Miscellaneous

Real-time clock with battery backup
Temperature sensor, power supervision and watchdog
Reset button in ejector handle
One power good LED, three user-configurable LEDs at front

Local PCI Bus

64-bit/66-MHz, 3.3 V V(I/O)
Compliant with PCI Specification 2.2

VMEbus

TSI148 controller
Compliant with VME64 Specification
Supports VME32, VME64, 2eVME and 2eSST (VITA 1.5)
- Optional single 5V supply for operation in VME32 systems
Slot-1 function with auto-detection
Master
- D08:D16:D32:D64:A16:A24:A32:A64:BLT:MBLT:RMW
Slave
- D08:D16:D32:D64:A16:A24:A32:A64:BLT:MBLT
DMA
Mailbox functionality
Bus timer
Location Monitor
Interrupter D08(O):I(7-1):ROAK
Interrupt handler D08(O):IH(7-1)
Single level 3 fair requester
Single level 3 arbiter

Electrical Specifications

Supply voltage/power consumption:

+5 V (-3%/+5%), approx. 2.2 A
+3.3 V (-3%/+5%), approx. 1.1 A
+12 V (-5%/+5%), only provided for PMCs that need 12 V
-12 V (-5%/+5%), only provided for PMCs that need 12 V

Mechanical Specifications

Dimensions: standard double Eurocard, 233.3 mm x 160 mm
Weight: 490 g (incl. heat sink, without XMC/PMC modules)

Environmental Specifications

Temperature range (operation):
- -40..+85°C
- Airflow: min. 10 m³/h
Temperature range (storage): -40..+85°C
Relative humidity (operation): max. 95% non-condensing
Relative humidity (storage): max. 95% non-condensing
Altitude: -300 m to +3,000 m
Shock: 15 g, 11 ms
Bump: 10 g, 16 ms
Vibration (sinusoidal): 1 g, 10..150 Hz

MTBF

220,017 h @ 40°C according to IEC/TR 62380 (RDF 2000)

Safety

PCB manufactured with a flammability rating of 94V-0 by UL recognized manufacturers

EMC

Conforming to EN 55022 (radio disturbance), IEC 61000-4-2 (ESD) and IEC 61000-4-4 (burst)

BIOS

MENMON

Software Support

Linux
VxWorks
QNX (on request; support of the FPU is currently not provided by QNX)
OS-9 (on request)
For more information on supported operating system versions and drivers see Software.

Options

CPU

Several PowerQUICC III types with different clock frequencies
MPC8548 or MPC8548E
- 1 GHz, 1.2 GHz, 1.33 GHz or 1.5 GHz
MPC8543 or MPC8543E
- 800 MHz or 1 GHz

Memory

System RAM
- 512 MB, 1 GB or 2 GB
- With or without ECC
Flash Disk
- 0 GB up to 4 GB (and more, if components are available)
FRAM
- 0 KB or 128 KB

I/O

Ethernet
- Two additional Gigabit Ethernet channels on VMEbus P0 rear connector for ANSI/VITA 31.1-2003 support (only with MPC8548)
- Only two channels (at front) instead of four with MPC8543
PCI Express links: one x8 link
- Reduces operation temperature range because of higher DDR SDRAM clock

FPGA

The onboard FPGA offers the possibility to add customized I/O functionality.
FPGA Altera Cyclone II EP2C35
- 33,216 logic elements
- 483,840 total RAM bits
Connection
- Total available pin count: 31 pins
- Functions available via PMC slot 1 connector Pn4
You can find more information under 'FPGA Design'

VMEbus

Single 5V supply for operation in VME32 systems

Some of these options may only be available for large volumes.

Please ask our sales staff for more information.

Ordering Information

Systems & Card Cages

MEN delivers turn-key systems completely installed (hardware, operating system, accessories), wired and tested. Different rack sizes, power supplies and backplanes on request.
For details please contact your local sales representative.