[Updated Dec 11] — Haoyu Electronics announced a sandwich-style $60 “MarsBoard RK3066” SBC equipped with Rockchip’s 1.6GHz dual-core RK3066 SoC, and running Linux and Android.

Haoyu Electronics previously released MarsBoard A10 and MarsBoard A20 single-board computers based on Allwinner’s A10 and A20 system-on-chips, respectively. Those product pages are now inaccessible, as the Shenzen-based vendor focuses on its new Rockchip RK3066-based MarsBoard RK3066. The new board first came to our attention in a Mar. 3 CNX report.

MarsBoard RK3066 SBC
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The MarsBoard RK3066, not to be confused with Embest’s Freescale i.MX6-based MarS Board SBC, consists of a SOM-RK3066 baseboard combined with a CM-RK3066 computer-on-module installed on top of the baseboard. This sandwich-style SBC construction is similar to that of the Wandboard, except in Wandboard’s case the COM plugs into the bottom of the baseboard. The dual-board approach lets customers design their own baseboard or upgrade to a future CPU module, says Haoyu.



MarsBoard COM (upper) and baseboard (lower), front and back
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Rockchip RK3066

The CM-RK3066 module taps Rockchip’s dual-core, 1.6GHz RK3066 SoC, which has also appeared in the Rikomagic Cloudsto MK802III LE stick computer. The Cortex-A9-based SoC features a quad-core Mali-400 MP GPU, and supports 1080p video and OpenGL ES 2.0. Other Rockchip based SBCs include Radxa’s Radxa Rock, which moves up to the quad-core RK3188.

The CM-RK3066 module is further equipped with 1GB or 2GB of DDR3 RAM, and 4GB or 8GB of NAND flash, although the higher options do not appear on the checkout page. Haoyu also mentions eMMC flash, but does not list the amount.

When you plug the COM into the SOM-RK3066 baseboard, a MarsBoard RK3066 is born. A microSD slot supports up to 128GB of storage, says Haoyu. A 10/100 Ethernet port is provided, along with an HDMI 1.4 port, four USB 2.0 host ports and a micro-USB OTG port. One of the USB ports is used for an included WiFi dongle.

Rockchip RK3066 SoC block diagram
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There’s also a USB serial console for debugging, a self-defined IR remote, an S/PDIF audio headphone jack, and an LCD connector that supports capacitive touch. The board includes a camera interface a pair of 50×2-pin expansion interfaces, and a 20×2-pin interface. The Rockchip optimized PicUntu version of Ubuntu is available along with a version of Android 4.2.2 for tablets.

Specifications listed for the MarsBoard RK3066 include:

• Processor (via CM-RK3066 COM) — Rockchip RK3066 (2x Cortex-A9 @ 1.6GHz); Mali-400 MP GPU
• Memory (via CM-RK3066 COM) — 1GB or 2GB of DDR3 RAM; 4GB or 8GB of NAND flash; eMMC flash
• Storage — microSD slot for up to 128GB
• Display — LCD interface supporting capacitive touch (20×2-pin connector)
• Networking — 1x Fast Ethernet port
• Other I/O:
  • 4x USB 2.0 ports
  • Micro-USB OTG port
  • USB serial debug console
  • HDMI 1.4 out port
  • S/PDIF audio headphone jack
  • Mic input interface (not soldered)
  • IR receiver (not soldered)
  • Camera CIF interface
• COM socket — 2x 50×2-pin, 1.27mm-pitch expansion interface (J1, J2)
• Other features — 2x LEDs; RTC; buttons (volume, esc, power)
• Power — 5V/2A supply; TPS659102 power management unit
• Operating system — PicUntu (Ubuntu Linux variation); Android 4.2.2

 
Further information

The MarsBoard RK3066 is available now, starting at $60, with free shipping. More information may be found at the Haoyu Electronics MarsBoard RK3066 product page and shopping page.