Boardcon’s “Idea3288” runs Android 7.1.2 on a quad -A17 Rockchip RK3288 via a “CM3288” module with 2GB LPDDR3 and 8GB eMMC. The SBC offers GbE with PoE, WiFi/BT, M.2, mini-PCIe, and display I/O including a 4K ready HDMI port.

Boardcon announced the 135 x 90mm Idea3288 as a smaller Rockchip RK3288 SBC alternative to its earlier, 175 x 118mm EM3288. Like Boardcon’s recent, i.MX8M Mini based EM-IMX8M-MINI SBC, the earlier EM3328 was a sandwich-style board, with a MINI3288 compute module housing the RK3288 SoC. On the other hand, the new Idea3288 is more like a monolithic SBC, in that it solders down a separately accessible, castellated-edge CM3288 module. Boardcon’s RK3399-based Idea3399 SBC is similar in that it uses a castellated CM3399 module.

Idea3288 (left) and CM3288
(click images to enlarge)

The Idea3288 SBC and CM3288 module are designed for display-oriented applications including POS systems, TV boxes, access control systems, automotive IoT devices, vending machines, and commercial displays. They both run Android 7.1.2, although both product pages list the software as “coming soon.” The Idea3288 is described as being “released,” but since Boardcon is headquartered in Shenzhen, the SBC itself may take a while to travel overseas as the coronavirus epidemic slows electronic shipments from China.

 
CM3288 module

The 60 x 46mm CM3288 is smaller than Boardcon’s earlier MINI3288 compute module. The module’s Rockchip RK3288 SoC integrates 4x Cortex-A17 cores clocked at 1.8GHz plus a high-end Mali-T764 GPU capable of [email protected] video. The SoC runs Linux and Android on several of the 136 SBCs in our recently updated hacker board catalog, including Asus’ Tinker Board S. Unlike the Tinker Board S, the CM3288-equipped Idea3288 does not appear to be an open-spec SBC.

The CM3288 module offers 2GB LPDDR3 and 8GB eMMC. The 5V powered module provides a Realtek RTL8211E GbE controller and I/O including USB 2.0 host and OTG, MIPI-CSI and -DSI, eDP, HDMI, UART, SPI, I2C, I2S, GPIO, SDIO, SDMMC, PWM, and ADC.

 
Idea3288 SBC

The Idea3288 SBC builds upon the CM3288 with a microSD slot, an M.2 SSD interface, a GbE port with PoE support, 2.4GHz WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0, and optional 4G with SIM slot. You also get 4x USB ports and multiple display interfaces, including a 4K-ready HDMI 2.0 port. It’s unclear if the MIPI-CSI interface is optional or only the camera that plugs into it.

Idea3288 and detail views
(click images to enlarge)

Specifications listed for the Idea3288 include:

• Processor (via CM3288 module) — Rockchip RK3328 (4x Cortex-A17 cores @ up to 1.8GHz); Mali-T764 GPU with OpenGL ES 1.1/2.0/3.1, OpenCL, DirectX9.3
• Memory/storage:
  • 2GB LPDDR3 RAM (via CM3288 module)
  • 8GB eMMC (via CM3288 module)
  • MicroSD slot
  • Optional SSD via M.2 slot
• Networking:
  • GbE port with PoE connector
  • 802.11b/g/n WiFi (2.4GHz) with Bluetooth 4.0
  • Optional 4G via mini-PCIe
• Media I/O:
  • HDMI 2.0 port for up to [email protected] with HDCP 1.4/2.2
  • Mini-DisplayPort at up to 3840 x 2160
  • LVDS (40-pin header) at up to 3840 x 2160
  • MIPI-DSI (26-pin header) at up to 3840 x 2160
  • MIPI-CSI (26-pin header or 24-pin FPC) for optional camera
  • 3.5mm audio jack (Everest ES8388 codec)
• Other I/O:
  • 3x USB 2.0 host (2x ports, 1x interface)
  • Micro-USB 2.0 OTG port
  • RS485 (3-pin coastline connector)
  • CAN (2-pin coastline connector)
  • RS-232 (4-pin connector)
  • Serial debug (4-pin connector)
  • GPIO (14-pin connector for MEMS module)
  • Fan interface
• Expansion:
  • M.2 slot for SSDs (see storage above)
  • Mini-PCIe slot for optional 4G with GPS module (see networking above)
  • SIM card slot
• Other features — IR receiver; RTC (requires external CR1220 lithium battery); recovery, power, and reset buttons
• Power — 5VDC @ 3A jack; 3.7V Li-Ion battery connector
• Operating systems — Android 7.1.2

 
Further information

The Idea3288 SBC and CM3288 module appear to be available with pricing undisclosed. More information may be found in Boardcon’s announcement, as well as its Idea3288 and CM3288 product pages.