Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 
Embedded Linux Made Easy

Microcross Releases GX-Linux™ for AMD Au1550 on a Cogent uSBC

ATLANTA, GA  --  September 8, 2005 -- Microcross, Inc. and Cogent Computer Systems, Inc. have announced their unified embedded Linux strategy for the CSB655, Ultra-small Single Board Computer (uSBC).  The CSB655 Microcross GX-Linux™ Platform is built to run on the  AMD Au1550 that operates at 500 MHz. The Au1550 is used to power low-cost, high performance products for industrial automation, telematics, medical applications, set-top boxes, and more.

The CSB655 OEM board frees a developer from the risky task of designing with Micro-BGA, Blind Via and 5 mil track technology, and allows him to accelerate his development using GX-Linux™ with confidence that he can meet development deadlines. Cogent OEM boards derive much of their functionality from the basic CPU, but supplement that functionality with selected off-chip peripherals such as:

Feature	CSB655 - AMD® Au1550™ Core
Core	500 MHz Au1, 16K I-Cache, 16K D-Cache
SDRAM	64 MByte 32-Bit Wide DDR266 SDRAM (128 by special order, QTY 100 min.)
FLASH	8 MByte 16-Bit Wide Strata FLASH (16 or 32 by special order, QTY 100 min.)
NAND FLASH	Direct NAND Interface via CPU Address/Data Bus
LCD Controller	Available via PCI
Serial	RS232 x 1, Three additional UARTS (TTL only), plus four Programmable Serial Controllers (PSC's support SPI, I2C, AC'97 and I2S) available via Expansion Connectors
Serial ID	Dallas DS2401
Ethernet	On-Chip Dual 10/100 Mbit Controller with DMA, with On-Board Dual 10/100 PHY
Real Time Clock	Internal RTC With External Battery Input
Bus Expansion	32-Bit PCI 2.2 Bus plus 20-Bit Address/16-Bit Data CPU Bus
GPIO	40+ GPIO (actual amount depends on Peripheral use)
USB	USB V1.1 Device Port and USB V1.1 Host port available via Expansion Connector
Audio	AC'97 and I2S Interfaces via PSC's (requires external Codec)
Compact Flash	Compact Flash Interface via Expansion Connectors
JTAG	Standard ARM JTAG signals via Expansion Connectors
Embedded Trace	None
Power	On-Board 5V to 35V input, 3.3V Regulator provides up to 3A to User Board
Battery Control	None
Board Size	44.5mm (1.75") wide x 63.5mm (2.5") long x 9mm (.355") high
uMON	MicroMonitor Boot ROM

GX-Linux™ comes with GNU X-Tools ™ development tools, BSP drivers for the Cogent uSBC, and much more:

• Visual X-Tools™ IDE
• GNU X-Tools™ with Visual GDB and GDB Server
• Linux v2.6.11 kernel and BSP
• uClibc shared and static library for embedded development
• ROM, USB (pendrive) or remote NFS Filesystem
• BusyBox utilities
• Linux Drivers
• I2C
• Serial I/O
• SD / MMC
• TCP/Ethernet
• Compact Flash
• USB (to be added)

"GX-Linux™ development kits are available under various free licenses and copyrights. Most important of all, software created that executes on the target processor will not place undue restrictions on embedded applications.  In other words, Linux applications are under the Lesser GPL restrictions with GX-Linux™.  Developers and commercial companies are not required to 'open-source' their proprietary applications when linking with uClibc modules. GX-Linux™ is a great alternative to competing embedded Linux solutions and the roll-your-own Linux option," said James Calvin, President at Microcross.

"The complete GX-Linux™ development kit, including a Cogent micro single board computer, Microcross toolsuite and BSP, together provides a rapid application development solution for engineers to jump start their project without incurring the typical high-costs and product restrictions associated with commercial RTOS and network solutions. With years of trial experience in many commercial systems, embedded Linux along with Cogent OEM boards are worth serious consideration in your next embedded design solution," said Michael Kelly, Vice President at Cogent Computer Systems, Inc..

Standard GX-Linux™ development kits start at $1,500. Professional GX-Linux™ Board Support Packages (BSPs) with the Visual X-Tools toolsuite are priced at $3,500. 

About Cogent

Cogent Computer Systems, Inc., is a leading manufacturer of embedded OEM and development boards since 1992.  Cogent produces single board computers that can be used for both OEM use and software development. The Cogent Single Board computers (CSBs) are based upon today's leading technology and most popular integrated CPU's such as ARM, PowerPC, MIPS and ColdFire. Cogent SBCs are small in size and price, fully featured and easy to use. With over 12 years of experience, Cogent solutions are "Always Complete" and provide a cost effective platform for integration into custom systems as well as for rapid software development. For more information, please browse www.cogcomp.com .

About Microcross

Microcross is the leading international distributor of open-source embedded development tools based on GNU technology.  Microcross is making embedded systems easier to program by providing full-featured, open-source development tools that are validated and documented, so customers can affordably accelerate their development. Microcross enables customers to confidently develop and run software in embedded systems faster, more reliably and at a lower cost. Microcross' professional embedded tools solution tightly integrates a rich set of leading real-time operating systems and its own brand of embedded Linux to meet the needs of customers producing embedded devices and smart technology. For more information, please browse www.microcross.com.

Information provided by Microcross, Inc. and Cogent Computer Systems, Inc.
Contact: Audra Jean at Microcross, Inc.
(478) 953-1907 tel
sales@microcross.com