GECKO
GX 500 Single Board Computer
Low Power AMD GX 500 processor
High speed DDR RAM
PC-style connectors
PC/104-Plus expansion
Mid-sized EPIC form factor
Standard and extended temp. models
Highlights
Overview
EPIC Form Factor
The Gecko is an efficient mid-sized SBC with an excellent balance of outstanding performance,
low power consumption, and a complete set of on-board features. This compact board features a
highly reliable design to support OEM applications where long-term availability is required. The
Gecko is designed around the advanced AMD GX 500 CPU. This highly integrated processor
features fanless operation and very low power consumption (one watt!). The GX 500 sets new
standards for efficiency. Its advanced architecture delivers throughput equivalent to 500 MHz
processors, yet it operates at less than half of the power consumption. It provides excellent
performance, such as extremely fast on-board transfers (6 GB per second), fast DDR memory
access, and integrated high-performance video. The Gecko is available in both standard and
extended temperature versions.
Mid-sized. Multi-vendor support.
GX 500 Processor
Equivalent 500 MHz performance with lower power draw.
DDR RAM
Supports up to 512 MB double data-rate RAM. 64-bit data path.
High Performance Video
Analog and LVDS flat panel outputs for 18 and 24-bit video
displays.
Full SBC I/O
On-board sound, 10/100 Ethernet, 4 USB ports, 4 COM ports
(two RS-232 and two RS-422/485), IDE interface.
ESD Protection
Built-in Transient Voltage Suppressor (TVS) devices provide
enhanced ESD protection for keyboard, mouse, USB, Ethernet,
and other external I/O lines.
Analog Inputs
On-board A/D provides eight 12-bit input channels.
Real-world Connectors
Standard PC-style connectors simplify cabling and lowers
costs in many applications.
Digital I/O
Sixteen line TTL I/O port reduces need for I/O expansion.
CompactFlash Socket
Removable storage device has no moving parts.
Fanless Operation
No moving parts required for CPU cooling.
Watchdog Timer
Provides hardware-level safety control for application run-away
conditions.
Embedded BIOS
OEM embedded features. Field-upgradable, customization
available.
The Gecko complements the GX 500 with a full range of on-board I/O devices, to form a
complete, highly effective single board computer. Based on the EPIC form factor, the Gecko
offers a compact, cost-effective solution for developers who require a mid-range platform
(sized between EBX and PC/104).
Like all VersaLogic products, the Gecko is designed from day one for high reliability and
long-term availability. From initial application design to 5+ years of production, its quality and
longevity provide a cost-effective, long-term solution. The Gecko is manufactured to the highest
quality standards, and is backed with VersaLogic’s excellent (award winning) support. Product
customization is available in quantities as low as 100 pieces.
Details
The Gecko’s extensive on-board features support a wide range of applications. In addition to
the standard AT-style peripherals (PS/2 mouse and keyboard), it includes 4 USB ports, 10/100
Ethernet with Boot ROM support, 4 COM ports (RS-232 and RS-422), LPT, 16-line TTL user I/O
port, and eight 12-bit analog input channels. The Gecko combines the advantages of PC-style
connectors, with OEM embedded features such as high-reliability design and a PC/104-Plus
expansion site. The Gecko’s standard PC architecture is compatible with desktop systems and
PC software, making it easy to integrate into a wide variety of applications.
The Gecko includes several features for enhanced application reliability. These include Transient
Voltage Suppression (TVS) devices to help protect the board from external static discharges.
TVS protection is included on the keyboard, mouse, Ethernet, USB, COM, and LPT ports. A
programmable watchdog timer controls application run-away conditions and resets the system
VersaLogic Corporation • 3888 Stewart Road, Eugene, OR 97402 • (541) 485-8575 • Fax (541) 485-5712 • info@VersaLogic.com • www.VersaLogic.com
GECKO
in the event of a serious malfunction. A self-resetting fuse on the 5V power
to the keyboard, mouse, USB, and LVDS ports protects the board from
cable or connector shorts.
GX 500 Single Board Computer
Specifications
General
Processor
AMD GX 500
Chipset
AMD Geode CS5535
Power Requirements
+5.0V ±5% @ 1A (5W) typ.
System Reset
Watchdog timeout.
VCC sensing (resets below 4.70V typ.)
Compatibility
EPIC: Fully compatible.
PC/104-Plus: Supports 3.3V PCI
signaling (2.2 compliant).
Board Size
4.5” x 6.5” (115 mm x 165 mm)
Storage Temperature
-40° to +85°C
Operating Temperature
0° to +60°C (EPIC-2b, c)
-40° to +85°C (EPIC-2e)
Humidity
Less than 95%, noncondensing
System RAM Interface
One SODIMM socket. Up to 512 MB of
DDR PC2100 or PC2700 RAM.
Flash Interface
High retention CompactFlash socket.
Type I or II supported.
General
Integrated high-performance video.
Up to 1280x1024 with 24-bit color.
MMX™ + 3DNow!™
Desktop Display Interface
Standard analog output. 2 mm IDC
connector.
OEM Flat Panel Interface ‡
18/24 bit LVDS interface. CMOSselectable TFT panel types.
Ethernet*
Autodetect 10BaseT/100BaseTX port.
Right angle connector.
Network Boot Option
Argon Managed Boot Agent. Supports
PXE, RPL, NetWare, TCP/IP (DHCP,
BOOTP) remote boot protocols.
USB* ‡
Four USB 1.1 ports.
IDE Interface
ATA-5, UDMA66 interface. 44-pin 2 mm
connector.
EPIC-2b............................................... AMD GX 500, 500 MHz (equivalent)
EPIC-2e.................... AMD GX 500, 450 MHz (equivalent), extended temp.
COM 1 & 2 Interface*
RS 232 compatible. Standard PC serial
connector.
Accessories
COM 3 & 4 Interface*
RS 422/485 selectable.
LPT Interface*
Standard PC parallel port and connector.
Digital I/O
16 line TTL I/O port. 2 lines routable to
IRQs via CMOS options. IDC connector.
Analog I/O
8-channel, 0 to +4.095V 12 bit 75K
samples/sec A/D with interrupt capability.
IDC connector.
Floppy
Supported via LPT connector.
Audio
AC’97 stereo line in, stereo line out.
AT Peripherals* ‡
PS/2 keyboard and mouse port.
Operating Systems
Compatible with most X86 operating
systems, including Win98/NT/CE/XP,
QNX, VxWorks, and Linux.
BIOS
General Software’s Embedded BIOS
with OEM Enhancements. Field
reprogrammable. User configurable
CMOS defaults.
For moderate I/O expansion, the Gecko supports PC/104 and PC/104-Plus
plug-in modules. For more extensive OEM I/O requirements, a Gecko version
is available with PC/104 connectors that extend through and below the
board. This allows the Gecko to be plugged into a user baseboard to drive
specialized I/O subsystems. Custom I/O boards of this type can be as large,
or larger than the Gecko without creating any mounting challenges.
The Gecko includes General Software’s Embedded BIOS with OEM
enhancements. This field-reprogrammable BIOS supports custom defaults
and the addition of managed boot agent firmware to allow network booting.
The Gecko is compatible with a variety of popular operating systems,
including Windows, QNX, VxWorks and Linux.
Mechanical
Memory
Video
Network
Interface
Device I/O
Ordering Information
VL-CBR-1007*................................................Video interface cable (RoHS)
VL-CBR-2010 .......................................LVDS cable, HIROSE style (RoHS)
VL-CBR-2011................................................ LVDS cable, JAE style (RoHS)
VL-CBR-2022* . ..............................................Power adapter cable (RoHS)
VL-CBR-2501* ............................................. Floppy interface cable (RoHS)
VL-CBL-4004* . ................................. Digital and analog I/O breakout cable
VL-CBR-4404* . ...................................... 2 mm IDE interface cable (RoHS)
VL-CBR-4405*..........................................2 mm to 0.1” IDE adapter (RoHS)
VL-CDD-IDE1....................................................... CR-RW, DVD-ROM drive
VL-CFM-xxx ............................................................ CompactFlash Module
VL-CF-CLIP1....................................................CompactFlash retention clip
VL-CKT-GECKO . ..................................................... Development cable kit
VL-ENCL-5 . ............................................................Development enclosure
VL-FDD-144........................................................................3.5” Floppy drive
VL-HDD35-xx .........................................................3.5” IDE hard disk drive
VL-HDW-101* ........................................................ Metric standoff package
VL-HDW-201............................................................... PC/104 extractor tool
VL-MM5D-xxx............................................DDR RAM module (512MB max)
VL-PS-200-ATX................................................. Development power supply
VL-DEV-CD-L3................................. Debian Linux Board Support Package
* Included in VL-CKT-GECKO cable kit
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*TVS protected port (Enhanced ESD protection).
‡ Power pins on this port are protected with a self-resetting fuse.
Data represents standard operation at 25°C with 5.0V supply unless otherwise noted. Specifications are
subject to change without notice. PC/104 is a trademark of the PC/104 Consortium.
DOC-04-105-R7 07-07-08
VersaLogic Corporation • 3888 Stewart Road, Eugene, OR 97402 • (541) 485-8575 • Fax (541) 485-5712 • info@VersaLogic.com • www.VersaLogic.com