SolidRun’s iMX8M Plus CoM module runs Linux on the i.MX8M Plus with 2.3-TOPs NPU. The CoM is available as part of a new, $135-and-up, HummingBoard Mate Pico-ITX SBC and can run on the HummingBoard Pulse and Ripple.

SolidRun has expanded its line of NXP i.MX8-family compute modules with an iMX8M Plus CoM equipped with NXP’s AI-enabled iMX8M Plus system-on-chip. The iMX8M Plus CoM is pin-compatible with the similarly 47 x 30mm i.MX8M SOM and i.MX8M Mini SOM, allowing it to work with the 100 x 70mm HummingBoard Pulse and stripped-down HummingBoard Ripple Pico-ITX carriers. SolidRun has also launched a HummingBoard Mate carrier/SBC for expanding the module based on the HummingBoard Ripple that also supports the i.MX8M SOM and i.MX8M Mini SOM (see farther below).

iMX8M Plus CoM
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SolidRun is selling the iMX8M Plus CoM and HummingBoard Mate at promotional prices through Mar. 2021. The quad-core iMX8M Plus equipped module costs $75 or $90 with WiFi and Bluetooth. The HummingBoard Mate i.MX 8M Plus SBC package with the quad-core COM costs $135 or $150 with wireless. The promotional prices include 1GB RAM and 8GB eMMC.

NXP’s i.MX8M Plus is like a faster version of the i.MX8M Nano, but with a 2.3-TOPs NPU and more coprocessors. The 14nm-fabricated SoC offers up to 4x 1.8GHz Cortex-A53 cores plus Vivante GC7000UL 3D and GC520L 2D GPUs and support for 1920 x 1080 @ 60fps encoding and decoding. There is also an 800MHz Cortex-M7 MCU, an 800MHz HiFi4 DSP, and 2x ISPs for stereo vision or a single 12-megapixel camera.

iMX8M Plus CoM rear view (left) and NXP iMX8M Plus block diagram
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The iMX8M Plus CoM follows other i.MX8M Plus modules including two recently revealed SMARC modules: Adlink’s LEC-IMX8MP and Seco’s SM-218. Variscite offers its VAR-SOM-MX8M-PLUS and DART-MX8M-PLUS modules and TechNexion its EDM-G-IMX8M-PLUS and AXON-E-IMX8M-PLUS.

The iMX8M Plus CoM supports Linux (Debian 10 and Yocto 3.1 “Dunfell”) or Android 10 on dual- or quad-core models of the i.MX8M Plus. The module ships with up to 8GB LPDDR4-4000, with optional ECC, and has an eMMC socket. A module with 802.11 ac and Bluetooth 5.0 is optional.

The module supplies dual GbE controllers with TSN and supports dual simultaneous [email protected] displays via HDMI 2.0, MIPI-DSI, and LVDS interfaces. There is also an on-board LVDS connector so you can bring up the system without a carrier board.

The iMX8M Plus CoM offers dual 4-lane MIPI-CSI interfaces, with one on the module and the other on the carrier. Digital audio features include 18x I2S TDM, S/PDIF, 8-ch PDM mic input, DSD512, eARC, and ASRC

Other interfaces expressed via the 3x Hirose B2B connectors include 2x USB 3.0 OTG, 3x serial, and PCIe Gen3 with SSD support. Additional I/Os include 2x I2C, 2x CAN-FD, 4x PWM, 75x GPIO, and SPI, SDIO, and JTAG. The 5V module is available in 0 to 70°C and -40 to 85°C models with 10%–90% non-condensing humidity tolerance.

HummingBoard Mate i.MX 8M Plus detail views
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The HummingBoard Mate is based closely on the HummingBoard Ripple except that the micro-HDMI port has been replaced with a full-sized HDMI port on the other side of the board. The Mate provides an iMX8M Plus CoM with up to 4GB RAM and adds a microSD slot, GbE with optional PoE, MIPI-CSI, micro-USB OTG, and 2x USB 3.0 host ports.

The HummingBoard Mate is further equipped with a MikroBus connector and mini-PCIe, M.2, and SIM card slots. There is a 7-36VDC input, an RTC, and 0 to 70°C and -40 to 85°C models. (For a similar spec sheet, see our HummingBoard Ripple report.)

 
Further information

The iMX8M Plus CoM with a quad-core iMX8M Plus sells for $75 or $90 with WiFi/BT. The HummingBoard Mate i.MX 8M Plus SBC package with the quad-core CoM costs $135 or $150 with wireless. These promotional prices last through Mar. 2021 and include 1GB RAM and 8GB eMMC.

More information may be found in SolidRun’s HummingBoard-M family product page and the $135 Mate and $150 Mate shopping pages. SolidRun also posted a blog post/white paper on the i.MX8M Plus SoC.