[Updated Dec 4] — Forlinx’s open source Linux “OK335xS-II” SBC and soldered-on COM offer a TI Sitara AM3354 Cortex-A8 SoC, dual CAN ports, and industrial temperature support.

According to China-based Forlinx Embedded Technology, the OK335xS has been a “hot seller” in China since it was released earlier this year. Now, the company is seeking a wider audience for its revised OK335xS-II model, which unlike the original, is offered in a computer-on-module format, as well as coupled with a baseboard as a finished SBC.

OK335xS-II SBC
(click image to enlarge)

Despite the “II” designation, the 52.2 x 42mm OK335xS-II COM and 104 to 81mm SBC are actually stripped-down versions of the originals, although the SBC adds some industrial-style interfaces. Like the earlier model, the OK335xS-II supports -40 to 85℃ operating temperatures.

Like the OK335xS module, the OK335xS-II COM uses a Cortex-A8-based Sitara AM335x system-on-chip from Texas Instruments, but it’s clocked at 800MHz instead of 1GHz. It’s unclear which AM335x model the original used, but the new version offers an AM3354, which unlike the “3” model offers 3D graphics acceleration.

OK335xS-II SBC (left) and COM
(click images to enlarge)

The OK335xS-II has a quarter of the RAM as the original, at 128MB, although the 256MB of NAND flash is the same. The new model lacks the previously supplied Android support, but it supports Linux 3.2 and Windows CE 6.0.

The SBC baseboard that integrates soldered-on COM offers only a single 10/100 Ethernet port, instead of the dual gigabit ports of the earlier model. There’s only a single USB 2.0 host port, rather than four. Both versions also supply a mini-USB device port.

OK335xS-II SBC ports
(click image to enlarge)

The LCD interface provides resistive touch support, but does not offer the earlier model’s capacitive support. Optional modules include LCD panels of various sizes, as well as a variety of USB-based wireless modules.

Other standard features include five serial interfaces, including an RS485 port and a coastline RS232 debug port. There are also some extras on the new board, such as more ADCs (seven, with two available to the user), and two CAN interfaces instead of one. Other interfaces are detailed below in the SBC spec list. The full COM specs are available in the link at the end of the story.

Forlinx has posted drivers, source code, and tutorials, as well as a hardware manual. Technical queries are responded to within two business days, and custom service is available on request, says the company. Forlinx sells a variety of Linux-ready ARM9, ARM11, and Cortex-A8 based COMs and SBCs using various processors.

 
Summary of OK335xS-II specs

Specifications for the OK335xS-II single board computer are as follows:

• Processor (via OK335xS-II module) — TI Sitara AM3354 (1x Cortex-A8 @ up to 800MHz)
• Memory (via OK335xS-II module) — 128MB DDR3 RAM; 256MB SLC NAND flash
• Storage expansion — SD (TF) slot for up to 32GB
• Display:
  • LCD with support for VGA or LVDS
  • Resistive touch
  • Optional 4.3, 5,7, 8, or 10.4-inch LCD panels
• Wireless — Optional USB-based WiFi, 3G, and Bluetooth modules; optional SDIO WiFi module; optional GPRS and GPS modules (type unspecified)
• Networking — 10/100 Ethernet port
• Other I/O:
  • USB 2.0 host port
  • Mini-USB 2.0 device port
  • RS232 port for debug
  • 3x TTL UART interface
  • RS485 interface (more RS485 available via UART to RS485 module)
  • 7x ADC (2x user, 1x slide rheostat, 4x resistive touch)
  • I2C, I2S, SPI
  • 2x CAN (CAN bus on baseboard without CAN receiver)
  • 3x PWM (1x backlight, 1x buzzer, 1x user expansion)
  • GPIO (many can be multiplexed with other pins)
• Other features — boot switch; 2x LEDs; 3x user keys; external RTC with battery
• Power — 5V
• Operating temperature — -40 to 85℃
• Dimensions:
  • SBC — 104 to 81mm
  • COM — 52 x 42mm
• Operating system — Linux 3.2 with Qt GUI (preloaded); Windows CE 6.0 (supported)

Detailed specs on the COM are listed on the “Hardware Resources” tab of the OK335xS-II COM product page.

 
Further information

Updated Dec. 4, 2014: The OK335xS-II SBC, which includes the soldered-on OK335xS-II COM, is now shipping and is priced at $139 (US). Pricing for the COM (by itself) was not stated. More details may be found at Forlinx’s OK335xS-II product page.