Geniatech and Linaro announced a “SOM 3399” module that adopts the 96Boards SOM spec and runs Linux on a Rockchip RK3399. There’s also a “CBD96-3399” carrier for the module.

Linaro’s 96Boards.org open hardware project has teamed up with Geniatech to launch the third compute module based on the 96Boards SOM Compute Module specification announced in April. While the earlier BeiQi RK3399Pro AI adopts the 96Boards SOM spec to showcase Rockchip’s AI-enabled RK3399Pro version of the RK3399, Geniatech’s SOM 3399 runs Linux or Android 7.1 on the standard RK3399 SoC with 2x 1.8GHz Cortex-A72 cores, 4x 1.4GHz -A53, and a Mali-T860 GPU.

SOM 3399 (left) and mounted on CBD96-3399
(click images to enlarge)

The SOM 3399 module is equipped with 2GB or 4GB LPDDR4 and 8GB eMMC, expandable up to 64GB. The 5V module expresses a variety of I/O through its four connectors including USB 3.0 and Type-C, HDMI, PCIe, MIPI-DSI, and MIPI-CSI for dual 13-megapixel cameras (see chart farther below).

Geniatech also announced a CBD96-3399 carrier board for the module (see farther below). The sandwich-style CBD96-3399 follows other Geniatech boards including its RK3399 based DB3399, DB9, and DB339Pro (with the RK3399Pro).

SOM 3399, front and back
(click images to enlarge)

While standard 96Boards SBCs provide common expansion interfaces to enable boards based on a variety of processors to use the same Mezzanine add-ons, the 96Boards SOM Compute Module spec calls for standardized, 100-pin board-to-board connectors. Theoretically, this allows customers to use the same carrier boards or real-world equivalents with a variety of modules and processors.

The 96Boards SOM modules have a mandatory X1 connector as well as optional X2, X3, and X4 connectors. The Geniatech SOM 3399 and BeiQi RK3399Pro AIoT use the 85 x 50mm SOM-CA variant and have all four connectors. There’s also a BeiQi RK1808 AIoT module built around the Rockchip RK1808 that uses the 50 x 50mm SOM-CB form factor and is limited to the X1 and X2 connectors.

SOM 3399 expansion I/O
(click images to enlarge)

We asked Linaro if the SOM 3399 could run on the BeiQi CarrierBoard Kit available with the BeiQi RK3399Pro AI or if the Beiqui module could run on the CBD96-3399 but had not yet received a reply by publication time. We also asked about pricing and availability. There’s a form at Geniatech where you can ask for quantity pricing, but it did not appear to be working. As a 96Boards offering, we can expect to eventually see open source hardware files posted on 96Boards.org.

 
CBD96-3399

CBD seems to be everywhere these days, so why not on a development board? The CBD96-3399 connects to the SOM 3399 module with the 96Boards SOM compliant array of four 100-pin board-to-board connectors.

CBD96-3399 with SOM 3399
(click image to enlarge)

Like the BeiQi CarrierBoard Kit, the CBD96-3399 offers the 96Boards CE standard 40- and 60-pin connectors to add 96Boards Mezzanines. There’s also a secondary 60-pin connector and dual analog connectors for audio.

The 126 x 124mm carrier is equipped with a GbE port and a wireless module with 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.2. The board provides a GPS radio, a microSD slot, a USB 3.0 host port, and a USB Type-C port. The images also show an HDMI port, which is missing from the spec list.

Specifications listed for the CBD96-3399 carrier with SOM 3399 module include:

• Processor (via SOM 3399) — Rockchip RK3399 (2x Cortex-A72 cores @ up to 1.8GHz, 4x Cortex-A53 cores at up to 1.4GHz); 28nm fab; Mali-T860 GPU
• Memory/storage:
  • 2GB (or optional 4GB) LPDDR4 RAM (via SOM 3399)
  • 8GB (or optional 16/32/64GB) eMMC (via SOM 3399)
  • MicroSD slot
• Networking:
  • Gigabit Ethernet port
  • 802.11b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz/5GHz) with Bluetooth 4.2
  • GPS
• Other I/O:
  • HDMI port for up to 4K UHD H265/H264/VP9 or 3x 1080p@30fps
  • USB 3.0 host port
  • USB Type-C port
• Expansion:
  • 96Boards 40-pin low-speed (UART x2, SPI, I2S, I2C x2, GPIO x12, DC)
  • 96Boards 60-pin high-speed (LVDS, 4L MIPI-DSI, 2L+4L MIPI-CSI, USB, I2C x2)
  • 60-pin secondary (4L MIPI-DSI, SSC serial, TSIF)
  • 2x analog (headset, speaker via sound-wire, mics, line-outs)
• Power — 12V DC jack
• Dimensions — 126 x 124mm
• Operating system — Android 7.1; Linux

 
Further information

No pricing or availability information was provided for the SOM 3399 and CBD96-3399. More information may be found in Linaro’s announcement and Geniatech’s SOM 3399 and CBD96-3399 product pages. More details should eventually appear on Linaro’s 96Boards SOM page.