VAR-SOM-AM33 - new processor modules from Varisayt

In August 2012, the Israeli manufacturer of processor modules - Varisayt , announced the release of a new product line of the AM33 family. About her now and I'll try to tell.



These processor modules are based on new 600-710 MHz processors from Texas Instruments: TI Sitara ARM Cortex A-8 AM335x. Now from the TI AM335x line for processor modules only AM3352 and AM3354 are available.





As Israelis themselves write in their press releases, “The company has set a new bar in the supply of processor modules for an unprecedented price-performance ratio.” For Russian clients, the “unprecedented ratio” starts at $ 46 per processor module in the minimum configuration. By the way, for all their processor modules they provide a really convenient excel-calculator for calculating configurations.

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As we can see, judging by the “stretching” from the site, in Israel they believe that such a price offer opens the door to a number of cost-sensitive projects that previously could not afford it and were driven off from the market by technological barriers of a financial nature.



Literally, say the following, a quotation from Yuri Yossef, head of development of Varisite:

—              ,           .      VAR-SOM-OM33,                    .  ,   ,       , VAR-SOM-AM33                   . 

Beautifully, Yuri, talks about achievements, but let's move on to technical subtleties.

Appearance versus 2 Euro coin:







Processor module for SODIMM200 connector, hence the dimensions of 38.5 x 67.8 x 3.0 mm

Iron

The modules are based on TI Sitara ARM Cortex-A8 AM335x processors. Their characteristics are briefly described by the following simple flowchart from the TI website:



(the image is clickable - translates to a page of these percents on the TI website)



And here are the main characteristics of the new Varisite modules built on these processors:

• The processor is Texas Instruments AM335x (600-720 MHz with (AM3354 only));
• Built-in 2D / 3D graph. Accelerator Imagination PowerVR SGX530 GPU;
• RAM - 256 MB DDR3 606MHz;
• Memory - from 128 to 512 SLC NAND Flash;
• Display:
  • LCD interface - parallel RGB with 1400 × 1050 24bit support;
  • 4/5/8-wire touch panel interface.
• Audio - line-in, line-out, stereo headphone, digital microphone, analog microphone and S / PDIF output;
• Connection:
  • 10/100 Mbps Ethernet PHY;
  • 10/100/1000 Mbit Ethernet RGMII;
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n (TI WiLink 6.0);
  • Bluetooth V4.0 + EDR (TI WiLink 6.0).
• Interfaces:
  • 2 x SD / MMC / SDIO interface;
  • USB - USB 2.0 Host and USB 2.0 OTG;
  • Serial I / F - McASP, SPI, I2C, 2 x CAN bus, 5 x UART (up to 3.6 Mbps).
• Power supply from DC 3.3 V, battery powered RTC;
• Overall dimensions: 38.5mm x 67.8mm x 3.0 mm (SODIMM200 universal connector);
• Temperature ranges:
  • Commercial: 0 ° C to + 70 ° C;
  • Extended: -20 ° C + 70 ° C;
  • Industrial: from -40 ° C to + 85 ° C.

And here is the block diagram of the processor modules:







The new module is not pin-to-pin compatible with the AM35 and AM37 lines , it is a completely new product with its own architecture and pool of features.

Soft

Traditionally, Varisite provides a fully prepared and debugged BSP for processor modules.



In the case of VAR-SOM-AM33, this is done for the following embedded operating systems:

• Android ICS 4.0.3;
• linux 3.2.0;
• Windows Embedded Compact 7.

The basics of working with them are sensibly painted in VariWiki , and the Russian representative office has its Russian-language version with national features, coupled with a Russian-language support. Datasheets and other documentation are also available online.



Because Varisite is not a retail company producing consumer goods, like any other manufacturer of such products in the AM33-product family provides traditional:

• VAR-DVK-AM33 debugging kit;
• Single board computer VAR-AM33CustomBoard.

In Varisayte they assume that these modules will be the most in demand in the “automotive industry, control systems, lighting, cleaning and processing.” This is the Israeli agrarian view. I assume that a slightly different range of applications will turn out to be the most popular in Russia.



Nevertheless, the new module looks good, Linux, Android, Wi-Fi, dual CANbus and everything else that is packed, and even with a temperature range of -40 ° C - I think it will be useful for us.



Well, a few words about Varisayt from me personally: the guys are really great. Having tried a bunch of modules from various manufacturers in one of the projects, a few years ago we stopped on them.



Pros:

• They work directly with Texas , in a number of their projects - exclusively;
• New quality modules appear in a normal, well-adjusted state quickly and in time;
• A year has passed, and their VAR-SOM-OM44 - it seems like, to this day is the fastest processor module;
• Adequate and fast technical support;
• While preserving customer projects, even the oldest of their modules are supplied to them, regardless of the fact that they have been officially discontinued long ago (a rare quality for similar manufacturers).

Minuses:

• They are not in Russia. Although there is representation here, but I’m about something else - I would like our world-wide to thunder with similar high-tech achievements, and not with Yevtushenko’s smartphones and Chubais tablets.

Summing up: we can say that the production of Varisite is becoming more accessible.

And we - the producers, it can not but rejoice.