Re: SBC with dual CF, as well as LCD and keypad?

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Date: 23 Oct 2003 06:28:56 -0700

"Lewin A.R.W. Edwards" <larwe@larwe.com> wrote in message news:<JWIlb.13869$W16.1976@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net>...
> > - ARM or x86 board with:
> > - 64MB of RAM
> > - USB connector(s) [Connects to our app and/or printer]
> > - 10/100 LAN port
> > - IDE port(s)
> > - LCD and keypad (serial, or headers on the board)
> > - PC/104 modem
> > - Enclosure with access to the LCD & keypad, modem, and ports
> > - 6-in-1 card reader / writer (USB or IDE)
> >
> > The goal here is to circumvent the dual CF (which appears to be a
> > problem) and use a 3.5" USB [internal] 6-in-1 card reader, which I can
> > plug in a CF card (for the system) and a SD card (for the user data).
>
> Okay. Can I suggest something else here - If you don't need the ATAness of
> CompactFlash, why not use the Compulab board with PCMCIA slot option and
> allow the user to choose whatever medium is cheapest, via a PCMCIA adapter.
> Mostly this will mean using CompactFlash anyway. For your other storage
> medium, use an MMC card and bit-bang it on a couple of GPIOs.

Good thought, for sure. The PCMCIA option would be fine, but it's
going to add about $30 - $40 to the board (for two slots, after the
price modifier). I like having it for, perhaps, a modem (though, I
don't want to deal with dongles), or 802.11X [later].

In looking more at the CompuLab ARM processor, I see that their NAND
Flash disk doesn't have some of the write problems that CF does, so,
perhaps, it would be better suited to the storage of our data. With
that in mind, we could boot from the NOR Flash memory (say, 2 MB), and
store our core OS and user data to the NAND Flash memory.

Now, let's say I want to field-upgrade the unit, and send out either
CompactFlash or USB keychain units to have the user's upgrade the
units. They could (in theory), select "Upgrade software" from the
menu (on the LCD), enter their passcode, and our program on the Flash
Disk could load the new software upgrades from the USB / CF and write
to the Flash Disk. Not as clean as what we wanted (originally). Is
this feasible?

> > Where / who makes custom cases for what I'm needing above? I need
> > access to the LCD, keypad, and ports, as well as a 3.5" "slot" for the
> > 6-in-1 reader / writer.
>
> Where are you physically located? We use a metal-bending shop in CT that
> does us a painted steel case MUCH larger than you need, with all apertures
> laser-cut very accurately and PEM posts inserted to hold the boards, and it
> costs us less than $70 per unit in small quantity. I have to think they
> could do something in your size bracket for well under $50.

I'm not anywhere near CT :-) However, that's not a big deal. I'm in
Lubbock, TX with partners in Dallas and in northern VA. However,
that's kindof what I'm looking for. We've looked a injection-molded
plastic in the past, but the development / prototyping costs are
outrageous, even sending it overseas. I am fairly convinced that a
metal case could be done relatively cheaply.

> > - PC/104 Modem, $130 (www.pc104modem.com)
>
> But why?? It's much cheaper to use a serial-port modem, or a USB modem
> even - and they are tiny. You could have a cavity in the housing to hold the
> modem.

Several reasons, but they may not be sound:

1. We will be doing dial-out as well as dial-in. USB modems (in my
experience) aren't fully there yet, and can still be quite flaky.

2. Serial (external or internal, PCI), could be possible, but I want
as few connection problems (with the customer or installer) as
possible. That said, a cavity in the housing to hold an external
US-Robotics is highly possible. Which brings the cost down to around
$70.

> > - UPS, $60
>
> If battery power is important, forget about Mini-ITX. Forget about Geode for
> that matter. The Compulab ARMcore is your platform!

My main concern with the UPS is that when the power flickers, the
system stays up. None of the mentioned formats consume too much power
for our usage.

> > as four boards would likely be required, as we may later extend with
> > PCMCIA (wireless 802.11b) or serial devices.
>
> If you choose the dual PCMCIA option from Compulab, you're still sitting
> pretty with a free slot for 802.11b. Or use a USB pod (we use this option).

We will probably go with a single PCMCIA, and if we need more room,
using your cavity idea, internally mount a USB hub. What do you mean
by using a USB pod? Everything I've seen about USB pod's are related
to audio (ie, microphone through USB).

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