Geniatech has unveiled its SOM-3568-SMARC board, a modest Arm chipset that complies with the SMARC 2.1 normal for compact, low-powered programs. Delivered to our consideration by CNX Software program (opens in new tab), the SoM appears to be like a bit of like a RAM module with a 314-pin MXM edge connector.
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That is an industrial core board designed to be used in functions reminiscent of digital signage or IoT gadgets, however as there’s nonetheless a scarcity of Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 (opens in new tab)s we will envisage it being helpful for tasks that might have used them. The DIMM kind issue is paying homage to the earlier Raspberry Pi compute modules, and permits the I/Os from the chipset to be uncovered in a handy, straightforward to connect with approach.
The SoC is a Rockchip RK3568, which matches 4 Cortex-A55 cores with 8GB of RAM, a Mali GPU, and a modest NPU. There’s as much as 128GB of flash storage on-board, and a wi-fi module with Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 4.1. It may be related as much as a wide range of ports on a provider board through the sting connector, together with two gigabit Ethernet sockets, HDMI, MIPI and LVDS accessible for shows, an SDIO slot, two lanes of PCIe 3 and considered one of PCIe 2.1, plus UART, I2C, and a four-lane MIPI digital camera interface.
There’s additionally USB — 2x USB 2.0, 1x USB 3.0 host, and 1x USB 3.0 OTG accessible to builders, and a 4G/5G mobile information module is accessible.
The board conforms to the smaller of the shape elements specified by SMARC, measuring simply 82 x 50 mm (3.2 x 1.9 inches). This makes it bigger than the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4, which measures 55 x 40mm (2.1 x 1.5in), and in the identical ballpark because the Compute Module 3, which measures 67.6mm x 31mm (1.6 x 1.2in).
The product web page (opens in new tab) makes a lot of the board’s video decoding skills — which hit a peak of 4K at 60FPS, whereas it might file and encode video at 1080p 60FPS. As an industrial board it might put up with harsh situations, together with temperatures of -4°F all the best way as much as 185°F.
Software program comes within the type of Android and the standard Linux suspects reminiscent of Debian and Ubuntu, in addition to Buildroot for embedded functions. There is not any signal of the board but on the Geniatech retailer, however a bigger board outfitted with the identical RK3568 chipset sells for round $125.