Design Embedded PC Applications with the
Intel386^TM EX Evaluation Platform

A new Intel386^TM EX evaluation platform, named the EXPLR2 board, is now available for OEMs to help design POS terminals, industrial control, medical instrumentation and other embedded PC applications. The EXPLR2 board will enable designers to test several new technologies on one board, thus saving time and money. Several key features on the EXPLR2 board include: Intel386 EX processor; Intel Flash memory; the RadiSys R380EX companion chip; the QNX real-time operating system; and Phoenix Technologies' system-enabling software.

Reference Design Kit

A free Reference Design Kit is available for the EXPLR2 board. The Kit includes schematics, application notes, product briefs, BOM, and PLD's. You may order the kit through Intel fulfillment at 1-800-548-4725, order No. 272920 or directly through the web at www.explr2.com.

Intel386 EX Processor

The EXPLR2 board features the newly enhanced 33 MHz Intel386 EX processor for increased performance. The highly integrated Intel386 EX processor is PC-compatible and allows customers to run standard PC applications.

Flash Memory

Several Intel flash memory components are incorporated on the EXPLR2 board. The 4-Mbit SmartVoltage Boot Block (28F400BV) is used for system and video BIOS storage. Intel's SmartVoltage FlashFile component (28F016SV) is used for a Resident Flash Array (RFA), which contains the Real-time operating system from QNX Software. Designers can evaluate two types of flash storage on the EXPLR2 board: RFA for on-board solid state disk or flash PC Card format for removable storage.

R380EX Companion Chip

The RadiSys R380EX Embedded System Controller is a key element to implementing an Intel386 EX processor based PC-compatible solution for embedded applications that require a long production lifetime. The R380EX is a true single chip, ISAbus controller that provides a "glueless" interface to additional chips such as video or PCMCIA controllers. The R380EX also includes a DRAM controller, keyboard/mouse controller, real time clock, enhanced IDE interface, and power management features.

Real-Time Operating System

When you plug in the EXPLR2 board, a full QNX runtime system boots up and executes from just 2M of onboard flash. In that limited space, you'll find the operating system itself, the Photon windowing system, several demo applications, a filesystem, device drivers, and more. Better yet, the whole system delivers quick performance on the board's inexpensive Intel386 EX embedded processor. It is a great demonstration of how much the combination of QNX and the hardware technologies on the EXPLR2 board can do for embedded applications.

System-Enabling Software

Phoenix Technologies' PICO Group will offer an OEM Adaptation Kit (OAK) for Intel's new EXPLR2 board. The PICO Group's OAK will include the full line of PICO software including BIOS, power management, PicoCard PCMCIA software, PICO Flash Array, and special extensions. The OAK also includes unique development tools and a library of documentation which enables manufacturers to customize the software to their specific platform. The OAK also enables manufacturers to take advantage of the benefits of the PC architecture without having to deal with the complex design issues of system-level software, which helps them get to market quickly and cost effectively.

Additional Features

One PC/104 and two ISA expansion slots have also been added to allow the board to interface with expansion cards. A floppy disk interface has been added to the board to load software applications. The EXPLR2 board also has an IDE interface and an interface for a logic analyzer.

Schematics are available in postscript and ORCAD formats.

Pricing/Availability

The Intel386 EX processor-based Embedded PC Evaluation Platform (EXPLR2) is available now for $590. For an EXPLR2 board evaluation kit, contact your local Intel distributor; ask for product code EX386EXPLR2.

Design Embedded PC Applications with theIntel386TM EX Evaluation Platform