New-Tech Europe Magazine | Q1 2020

be customized on demand based on the i.MX 8 family. With DART-MX8-MINI and VAR-SOM-MX8M-MINI based on the i.MX 8 Mini family that have 1.5GHz Dual/Quad Cortex™-A53 and 266MHz Arm Cortex™-M4 to DART-MX8M and VAR-SOM-MX8 based on i.MX 8 with 2 x 1.8GHz Cortex™-A72 + 4 x 1.2GHz Cortex™-A53 & 2x Arm Cortex™- M4F up to the latest i.MX 8X family SoM called VAR-SOM-MX8X with 4 x 1.2GHz Cortex™-A35 and 264MHz Arm Cortex™-M4F and the last SPEAR-MX8 based on the i.MX 8 QuadMax / Quad Plus with 2 x 1.8GHz Cortex™-A72 + 4 x 1.2GHz Cortex™-A53 and 2 x 266 MHz Cortex™-M4F . iWave iWave Systems Technologies, an ISO 9001:2015 certified company, established in 1999, focuses on standard and customized System on Module/SBC product development in industrial, medical, automotive and embedded computing application domains. iWave Systems also provides comprehensive engineering design services involving embedded hardware, FPGA and software development. The i.MX 8M Quad, Quad Lite, Dual based SMARC System On Module integrates Quad/Dual Cortex A53 at up to1.5GHz, H.265 4K60 decode, GC7000 Lite GPU, MIPI CSI/DSI, HDMI2.0 TX, USB3.0, PCIe2.0 with on SOM 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet PHY and IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi- Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 module. The i.MX 8M SMARC SoM is aimed to support applications such as digital media adaptors, HD digital signage, industrial HMI, building automation, imaging & scanning, audio/video streaming devices, and machine vision. The third possible platform option is for users to purchase a complete working solution. Many require a ready-to-use Proof of Concept (PoC) but do not have the time and the money to develop this complex solution.

Figure 3: iWave SMARC based i.MX 8 System On Module

True Technology Solution Provider The nature of product development and the requirements of companies have changed dramatically in recent years and Arrow Electronics has adapted to ensure that it is always ready to deliver what its customers need next. This has resulted in Arrow maintaining its position as a true Technology Solution Provider as technology itself continues to evolve. In 2020 Arrow will continue to assist customers who want to develop with technology at the leading edge. This will include more support for services, cloud solutions and security, and will ensure that time-to-market is always minimized, whichever solution platform is chosen.

A number of Arrow’s suppliers can offer a ready-made solution based on the latest technologies including the NXP i.MX 8. One example is SolidRun, a global developer of embedded systems and network solutions focused on a wide range of energy-efficient, powerful and flexible products. Their innovative compact embedded solutions are based on Arm and x86 architectures, and offer a variety of platforms including SoMs, SBCs and industrial mini PCs. SolidRun offer a one-stop-shop for developers and OEMs, providing a complete service from hardware customization to software support and even product branding and enclosure design. Their CuBox Pulse solution is claimed to be the smallest computer in the world. The CuBox Pulse is silent and tiny – at only 2″ x 2″ x 2″ based on NXP i.MX 8M Dual/Quad core Arm Cortex A53 up to 1.5Ghz (with Arm M4 GPP). CuBox Pulse is the perfect home entertainment device with the highest standard of visual resolution support, including 4K UltraHD at 60Hz and full HDR. The CuBox Pulse makes it easy to turn any screen into a smart TV or online streamer. This tiny multimedia powerhouse is also the perfect device for digital signage and a wide variety of audio and visually rich Internet of Things solutions.

Figure 4: SolidRun CuBoX Pulse , i.MX 8M Ready-Made Solution

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