congatec presents new COM Express Compact module based on Intel® Atom™ E6xx processor series

conga-CA6 offers low power consumption with impressive graphics performance, even in the extended temperature range

Nuremberg, Embedded World, March 2, 2011 * * * congatec AG, a leading manufacturer of embedded computer modules, introduces the conga-CA6 module, which is based on the new Intel® Atom™ E6xx processor series and the Intel® Platform Controller Hub EG20 for COM Express Type 2. All components of this embedded design are specified for the industrial temperature range of -40 to +85°C, making the conga-CA6 an ideal solution for extreme applications.

 

With a power consumption of less than 5 Watt and a compact size of 95 x 95 mm, the new computer-on modules are an excellent fit for applications in the medical and automation sector. In portable devices, long battery life as a result of optimized power consumption and battery management is a direct cost saving factor.

Hyperthreading technology allows the logical division of the physical processor core for multi-processing with two separate processors. This means that safety-critical applications can run on a real-time operating system on a logical core that is separate from the graphical user interface which, for example, can run on a Windows operating system.

The conga-CA6 module with the Intel® Atom™ processor series E6xx is available as a 600 MHz, 1.0 GHz, 1.3 GHz and 1.6 GHz option with 512KB L2 cache and can access up to 2GB of rugged DDR2-RAM, which has been soldered directly onto the PCB. Memory access, sound and graphics are all integrated directly into the processor, thereby complying with the new Intel® architecture. The new integrated 3D-enabled graphics engine has received a fifty-percent performance boost and can accommodate up to 256 MB frame buffer. The graphics support DirectX 9.0E as well as OpenGL 2.0; video applications benefit from hardware decoding in MPEG-2 and MPEG-4; while graphics output is via 24-Bit LVDS channel or SDVO.

The conga-CA6 also offers an extensive range of connectivity options including up to 3 PCI Express x1 lanes, 2x SATA, PCI bus, EIDE interface, Gigabit Ethernet, High Definition Audio and 6 USB ports. Via the SATA interface the module offers up to 32 GB of optional onboard flash memory for robust mass storage.