Devboard 1-N450 FAQ January 2011

[Stewart_C_Intel]

You may be aware of the fact that we started selling boards on the edc in late 2010. You can see more info at http://edc.intel.com/Platforms/Atom-N450-D410-D510/Development-Board/ http://edc.intel.com/Platforms/Atom-N450-D410-D510/Development-Board/.

This article is an ongoing post of news, feedback, issues, fixes, and a place to search for contacts and users.

To start here's three questions from a user in Singapore.

1) There is an unused DIMM slot in front of the CPU slot marked 'FLASH', what's the purpose for this slot?

There is an option to add an SSD based card into this slot, but no cards have been developed yet 

2) The SST flash beside the 7 sector LED marked 'FWH' is missing. what's the function for this 'FWH'?

For users wishing to develop a boot loader or BIOS for this board, the board can be configured to boot from this flash device, while leaving the original BIOS on the processor card untouched. The layout pads accomodate a socket to allow easy programming and re-programming of the new boot device. 

3) Is there a practical guide on porting VxWorks to this platform? I noticed WindRiver has released BSP for moon creek (N450/D510). Is it referring to the same platform?.

WindRiver has an unofficial BSP for this board, (I have an SSD with VxWorks for testing purposes) but it's lacking USB keyboard support and probably some other features. The changes from Moon Creek are minimal, eg extra Ethernet on the devboard, and removal of some connectors including IDE. So that would be a good place to start, or contact Wind River and ask for a copy of their development version.

Feature Request, Auto Power On and Workaround.

TheYocto Project team http://yoctoproject.org/ http://yoctoproject.org/ gave away fifty of the devboard systems in October at The CELF Embedded Linux Conference and one of the developers has a lab setup with the ability to remotely control the AC power to his boards. Unfortunately the devboard does not have an option or jumper to enable the power up of the Atom when power is applied. The following workaround may be of interest to other users.

When you apply AC power, the management controller will automatically come

up. It has a 2 stage boot process. Once the main system is running you will

be presented with a console interface

If you don't already have a copy download the manual from http://download.intel.com/design/intarch/manuals/324421.pdf http://download.intel.com/design/intarch/manuals/324421.pdf

Section 6.2.7 Management Header describes the pinout ...

Section 9.1 EC Serial Console Cable explains how to make it.

Section 4.2 describes the required serial port settings

My suggestion is try it from a terminal client to familiarize yourself with the interface ...

The commands to boot: "on cpu"

To shutdown "off cpu"

Acrylic Cases: Sneak Peek

Bill Mar of Specialized Computing mailto:info@specialcomp.com info@specialcomp.com has developed an acrylic case for the devboard, and several people have seen it at the ICEC roadshows, or at the Intel Developer Forum classes, and asked about buying them. These will be available for purchase directly from Specialized Computing in January.

Questions and Feedback are encouraged and welcomed. In addition to this edc discussion thread you may be interested in following me on twitter @intel_stewart.

[idata]

This is a nice board. Will it be the one you send to me?

Here's a reminder:

So, it's been almost 4 months since I won this board at IDF 2010 and no contact from anyone. I was down at IDF 2010 this year and during one of the labs I won a dev board yet no one has contacted me about address, or when I should expect it.

I attended:

EMBL003

Intel® Embedded Development Board Choose an OS and Install It

Stewart Christie, Ishu Verma

2010

10:15 AM

9/15

110 min

And I won:

http://idf.mobynow.com/user/intel_stewart_/tweet/24602326073 http://idf.mobynow.com/user/intel_stewart_/tweet/24602326073

http://idf.mobynow.com/user/intel_stewart_ @intel_stewart

devboard.26 # IDF10 http://t.co/Ql4VJpl http://t.co/Ql4VJpl via @devboard Keith Kepler from Microsoft has just won a @devboard in EMBL004

Could i have someone contact me please.

Keith Kepler

Technical Account Manager | OEM IHV

Office: (425) 703-3767#

Mobile: (206) 409-1006#

Keith.Kepler@Microsoft.com Keith.Kepler@Microsoft.com

[Stewart_C_Intel]

Keith, sorry about the delay, I'll contact you through email and get your shipping address. The board should ship tomorrow, and you will get a tracking email when it leaves the dock around 3:30 pm.

Rgds

Stewart

[JMorb]

I read on the link http://edc.intel.com/Platforms/Atom-N450-D410-D510/Development-Board/# software http://edc.intel.com/Platforms/Atom-N450-D410-D510/Development-Board/# software that you were looking for testers. If you are still looking I am very interested in testing the Multi-boot, WES7, and Android-x86 operating systems. I am also looking in the future to use either WES7 or Android with a touch screen and possibly make an in car pc. Please let me know if you are still looking for testers.

[OMend1]

Hi, after learning a bit more about the 1-N450 eval and seeing the potential for some of my ongoing research (free energy harvesting for autonomous sensing robots) I wish to submit myself to be a tester, I would like to test this board in one of the following OS: uCLinux, Moblin, Chromium, Poseidon gNewSense or any other you may need. I am currently reasearching a self-sufficient radio beacon/transmitter that harvest energy from water (waves) motion, possible applications are: a remote autonomous sensing robot that can be deployed in the Ocean for sensing of water temperature, water current motion, etc. I think the Atom platform could a great way to test SW / HW for this project (as a hub / data gatherer and transmitter for a sensor network) where energy economy is crucial.

Please let me know if you still need testers!

Thanks!

OMendoza

[Stewart_C_Intel]

I'm still looking for projects, and your one sounds a good fit for the Atom, specifically the N450 becuase it has all the power saving modes of the Atom processor. Send me an email at mailto:stewart.christie@intel.com stewart.christie@intel.com with your shipping address and I'll send you a system. It will come with a "huge" power supply unit, so don't be discouraged. The unit is way overpowered for the Atom but was readily available, but you will obviously need to design/implement a rechargeable system for the power scavenging. Are you familiar with PowerTop you can see more info at http://www.lesswatts.org/projects/powertop/ http://www.lesswatts.org/projects/powertop/ it's a good tool for helping to isolate power power "leaks" within your system, so you can optimize for calm seas. (or a lake)...

http://download.intel.com/design/intarch/papers/320586.pdf http://download.intel.com/design/intarch/papers/320586.pdf is slightly out of date now, and is based on remote solar installations, but has some good links.

Stewart

[OMend1]

Stewart, thanks for the opportunity to participate! I am excited about using the 1-N450 as a data gatherer / processor system for a network of remote sensors that use solar / motion energy harvesting, I am considering to use a motion -to- energy conversion system (similar to the mechanism used in wrist watches) that would provide electric energy in addition to solar, that way the system has an alternative in case of lack of sunlight.

In applications like this, power management becomes a critical feature for a computing device. I can think of many more situations in which such capability will make a huge difference when designing a new system, for example: Remote self-sustaining monitoring (sensors that harvest light energy during the day and work during the night), devices that have the capability to float to the surface, gather energy (light, motion, etc) and then submerge to do some sensing / monitoring work, etc. such systems would not be feasible if they consumed too much energy! The Atom can be a key component for such systems, since it has very good power management capabilities.

So, I am excited to start working with the 1N450 in the near future!

OMendoza