Diamond Systems Neptune User manual

NEPTUNE Single Board Computer
EPIC Form-factor Embedded Computer with Integrated Data
Acquisition and Configurable CPU
Revision
Date
Comment
1.5
9/08/2009
Initial release
2.0
5/13/14
New AMD G-Series models
2.1
5/15/15
New Intel Bay Trail E3845 models
Copyright 2015
FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT Diamond Systems Corp.
PLEASE CONTACT: 555 Ellis Street
Mountain View, CA 94043 USA
[e-mail] Tel [phone]
Fax [phone]
www.diamondsystems.com

Neptune User Manual 2.1 www.diamondsystems.com Page 2
CONTENTS
Important Safe-Handling Information.....................................................................................................................5
1. Introduction.......................................................................................................................................................7
1.1 Key Features .................................................................................................................................................7
1.1.1 ETX Computer-on-Module (COM) Features.........................................................................................7
1.1.2 Neptune Baseboard Features...............................................................................................................8
1.2 Software Compatibility...................................................................................................................................8
1.3 Thermal Considerations and Heatspreader ..................................................................................................9
1.4 Panel I/O Board Option .................................................................................................................................9
2. Functional Overview...................................................................................................................................... 10
2.1 Block Diagrams........................................................................................................................................... 10
2.2 Board Diagrams.......................................................................................................................................... 12
2.3Interface Connector Summary.................................................................................................................... 14
2.4 Configuration Jumper Summary................................................................................................................. 15
3. Getting Started............................................................................................................................................... 16
3.1 Introducing the Neptune Development Kit.................................................................................................. 17
3.1.1 Neptune Cable Kit.............................................................................................................................. 18
3.1.2 Neptune Panel I/O Board................................................................................................................... 19
3.1.3 512MB Flashdisk with Linux .............................................................................................................. 20
3.1.4 Flashdisk Programmer Board............................................................................................................ 20
3.1.5 AC Adapter ........................................................................................................................................ 20
3.1.6 Miscellaneous Cables........................................................................................................................ 20
3.1.7 Software and Documentation CD ...................................................................................................... 20
3.2 System Setup ............................................................................................................................................. 21
3.2.1 Installing the Flashdisk....................................................................................................................... 21
3.2.2 Installing the Neptune Panel I/O Board ............................................................................................. 22
3.2.3 Connecting display, keyboard, and mouse peripherals..................................................................... 22
3.2.4 Connecting Power.............................................................................................................................. 23
3.3 Booting the System .................................................................................................................................... 23
3.4 Demonstrating Data Acquisition Operation ................................................................................................ 24
3.5 Additional System Configuration ................................................................................................................ 25
3.5.1 BIOS Setup........................................................................................................................................ 25
3.5.2 Operating System Drivers.................................................................................................................. 25
3.5.3 Using a Hard Drive, CD-ROM, or other IDE device along with the FlashDisk .................................. 25
3.5.4 Installing the Flashdisk Programmer Board....................................................................................... 26
4. Interface Connector Details.......................................................................................................................... 27
4.1 PC/104-Plus stacking location (J1, J2, J3)................................................................................................. 27
4.1.1 PC/104-Plus ISA Bus (J1, J2)............................................................................................................ 27
4.1.2 PC/104-Plus PCI Bus (J3) ................................................................................................................. 29
4.2 ETX Utility (J4)............................................................................................................................................ 30
4.3 Variable Input Power (J5)........................................................................................................................... 31
4.4 Panel I/O Board Input Power (J6)............................................................................................................... 31
4.5 Keyboard and Mouse Ports (J7)................................................................................................................. 32
4.6 VGA Display (J8)........................................................................................................................................ 33
4.7 USB 2.0 (J10)............................................................................................................................................. 34
4.8 CompactFlash (J12) ................................................................................................................................... 35
4.9 IDE (J13, J14)............................................................................................................................................. 36
4.10 LCD LVDS Interface (J16).......................................................................................................................... 37
4.11 LCD LVDS Control (J17) ............................................................................................................................ 38
4.12 Audio (J18) ................................................................................................................................................. 39
4.13 Utility (J22).................................................................................................................................................. 40
4.13.1 ATX Power Button Considerations .................................................................................................... 40
4.14 HDD Power (J23)........................................................................................................................................ 41
4.15 ETX Ethernet (J24)..................................................................................................................................... 41
4.16 Analog I/O (J30).......................................................................................................................................... 42
4.17 Digital I/O (J31)........................................................................................................................................... 43
4.18 Optoisolated I/O (J33) ................................................................................................................................ 45
4.19 COM1-COM4 (J34)..................................................................................................................................... 46
4.19.1 RS-232 Pin Assignment..................................................................................................................... 47
4.19.2 RS-485 Pin Assignment..................................................................................................................... 48
4.19.3 RS-422 Pin Assignment..................................................................................................................... 49

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4.20 COM5-COM6 (J37)..................................................................................................................................... 50
4.21 Gigabit LED Connector (J39) ..................................................................................................................... 51
4.22 ATX-style Input Power (J44)....................................................................................................................... 51
4.22.1 ATX-style Input Power Considerations.............................................................................................. 52
4.23 Gigabit Ethernet (T1).................................................................................................................................. 52
4.24 SATA (SATA1, SATA2).............................................................................................................................. 53
4.25 LPC (LPC1) ................................................................................................................................................ 53
4.26 DDI (DDI1).................................................................................................................................................. 54
5. Configuration Jumper Details ...................................................................................................................... 55
5.1 Serial I/O TTL/RS-232 Selection (J11)....................................................................................................... 55
5.2 DMA/IRQ/Address/Bus Configuration (J26)............................................................................................... 55
5.2.1 DMA Level Configuration................................................................................................................... 56
5.2.2 IRQ Level Configuration..................................................................................................................... 56
5.2.3 Base Address Selection..................................................................................................................... 57
5.2.4 Bus Width Selection........................................................................................................................... 58
5.3 Single-ended/Differential Selection (J28)................................................................................................... 58
5.4 DIO Pull-up/Pull-down Selection (J32)....................................................................................................... 59
5.5 PCI Voltage Selection (J35) ....................................................................................................................... 59
5.6 IRQ Selection (J38) .................................................................................................................................... 60
5.7 COM1-COM4 / CF Configuration (J40)...................................................................................................... 61
5.8 DAC Configuration (J43) ............................................................................................................................ 62
5.8.1 D/A Range ......................................................................................................................................... 62
5.8.2 D/A Polarity........................................................................................................................................ 63
5.8.3 D/A Clear Select ................................................................................................................................ 63
6. Neptune Baseboard I/O Register Map ......................................................................................................... 64
6.1 Overview..................................................................................................................................................... 64
6.2 Neptune Baseboard I/O Register Summary............................................................................................... 66
6.2.1 Write Register Definitions .................................................................................................................. 66
6.2.2 Read Register Definitions.................................................................................................................. 67
6.3 Neptune Baseboard I/O Register Description ............................................................................................ 69
Registers 0–11................................................................................................................................................. 69
6.3.1 Page 0 Register Definitions ............................................................................................................... 82
6.3.2 Page 1 Register Definitions ............................................................................................................... 83
6.3.3 Page 2 Register Definitions ............................................................................................................... 84
6.3.4 Page 3 Register Definitions ............................................................................................................... 84
6.3.5 Page 5 Register Definitions ............................................................................................................... 87
6.3.6 Registers 16-23.................................................................................................................................. 89
7. Analog I/O Operation..................................................................................................................................... 94
7.1 A/D Input Ranges and Resolution.............................................................................................................. 94
7.2 Unipolar and Bipolar Inputs ........................................................................................................................ 94
7.3 Ranges and Resolutions ............................................................................................................................ 95
7.3.1 Conversion Formulas......................................................................................................................... 95
7.4 A/D Sampling Methods............................................................................................................................... 98
7.4.1 Sampling Modes ................................................................................................................................ 98
7.4.2 FIFO Description................................................................................................................................ 99
7.4.3 Scan Sampling................................................................................................................................... 99
7.4.4 Sequential Sampling.......................................................................................................................... 99
7.5 A/D Conversion......................................................................................................................................... 100
7.5.1 Select the Input Channel.................................................................................................................. 101
7.5.2 Select the Input Range .................................................................................................................... 102
7.5.3 Wait for Analog Input Circuit to Settle.............................................................................................. 102
7.5.4 Perform an A/D Conversion on the Current Channel ...................................................................... 102
7.5.5 Wait for the Conversion to Finish..................................................................................................... 102
7.5.6 Read the Data from the Board......................................................................................................... 102
7.5.7 Convert the numerical data to a meaningful value .......................................................................... 103
7.5.8 A/D Conversion Using Interrupts ..................................................................................................... 103
7.6 D/A Conversion......................................................................................................................................... 104
7.6.1 Resolution........................................................................................................................................ 104
7.6.2 Full-scale Range Selection.............................................................................................................. 105
7.6.3 Performing a D/A Conversion.......................................................................................................... 105
7.7 Waveform Generator................................................................................................................................ 108
7.7.1 Programming the D/A Waveform Generator.................................................................................... 109

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7.7.2 Enable Enhanced Features ............................................................................................................. 109
7.7.3 Reset D/A Waveform Pointer........................................................................................................... 109
7.7.4 Latch D/A Value............................................................................................................................... 109
7.7.5 Store D/A Values into Buffer............................................................................................................ 109
7.7.6 Setup D/A Waveform Settings......................................................................................................... 109
7.7.7 Start D/A Waveform Generator........................................................................................................ 110
7.8 Auto-calibration......................................................................................................................................... 110
7.8.1 Background...................................................................................................................................... 110
7.8.2 Performing Auto-calibration with Software....................................................................................... 111
8. Digital I/O Operation .................................................................................................................................... 111
8.1 Main Digital I/O Internal 82C55 Circuit..................................................................................................... 111
8.1.1 Mode 0 Digital I/O ............................................................................................................................ 112
8.1.2 Mode 1 Digital I/O With Handshaking.............................................................................................. 112
8.2 Auxiliary Digital I/O ................................................................................................................................... 112
8.2.1 Outputs............................................................................................................................................. 112
8.2.2 Inputs ............................................................................................................................................... 113
8.3 Optoisolated I/O........................................................................................................................................ 113
8.3.1 Opto output ...................................................................................................................................... 113
8.3.2Opto input ........................................................................................................................................ 113
9. Counter/Timer Operation ............................................................................................................................ 114
9.1.1 Features and Configuration Options................................................................................................ 114
9.1.2 Counter/Timer Configuration............................................................................................................ 114
9.1.3 Counter/Timer Access and Programming........................................................................................ 115
10. Watchdog Timer Operation......................................................................................................................... 115
11. EEPROM Operation ..................................................................................................................................... 115
11.1 EEPROM Map and Description................................................................................................................ 115
11.2 How to Use the EEPROM ........................................................................................................................ 116
11.2.1 EPROM Write Operation.................................................................................................................. 116
11.2.2 EEPROM Read Operation............................................................................................................... 116
11.2.3 EEPROM Reload Operation............................................................................................................ 116
12. Data Acquisition Subsystem Specifications............................................................................................. 117
12.1 Analog Inputs............................................................................................................................................ 117
12.2 Analog Outputs......................................................................................................................................... 117
12.3 Programmable Digital I/O Port.................................................................................................................. 117
12.4 Optoisolated Inputs and Outputs.............................................................................................................. 117
12.5 Counter/Timers......................................................................................................................................... 117
13. Mating Connector Reference...................................................................................................................... 118

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IMPORTANT SAFE-HANDLING INFORMATION
WARNING!
ESD-Sensitive Electronic Equipment.
Observe ESD-safe handling procedures when working with this
product.
Always use this product in a properly grounded work area and wear
appropriate ESD-preventive clothing and/or accessories.
Always store this product in ESD-protective packaging when not in
use.
Safe Handling Precautions
Neptune contains numerous I/O connectors that connect to sensitive electronic components. This creates many
opportunities for accidental damage during handling, installation and connection to other equipment. The list here
describes common causes of failure found on boards returned to Diamond Systems for repair. This information is
provided as a source of advice to help you prevent damaging your Diamond (or any vendor’s) embedded
computer boards.
ESD damage —This type of damage is almost impossible to detect, because there is no visual sign of failure or
damage. The symptom is that the board simply stops working because some component becomes defective.
Usually the failure can be identified and the chip can be replaced.
To prevent ESD damage, always follow proper ESD-prevention practices when handling computer boards.
Damage during handling or storage —On some boards, we have noticed physical damage from mishandling.
A common observation is that a screwdriver slipped while installing the board, causing a gouge in the PCB
surface and cutting signal traces or damaging components.
Another common observation is damaged board corners, indicating the board was dropped. This may or may not
cause damage to the circuitry, depending on what is near the corner. Most of our boards are designed with at
least 25 mils clearance between the board edge and any component pad, and ground / power planes are at least
20 mils from the edge to avoid possible shorting from this type of damage. However, these design rules are not
sufficient to prevent damage in all situations.
A third cause of failure is when a metal screwdriver tip slips, or a screw drops onto the board while it is powered
on, causing a short between a power pin and a signal pin on a component. This can cause overvoltage / power
supply problems described below. To avoid this type of failure, only perform assembly operations when the
system is powered off.
Sometimes boards are stored in racks with slots that grip the edge of the board. This is a common practice for
board manufacturers. However, our boards are generally very dense, and if the board has components very close
to the board edge, they can be damaged or even knocked off the board when the board tilts back in the rack.
Diamond recommends that all our boards be stored only in individual ESD-safe packaging. If multiple boards are
stored together, they should be contained in bins with dividers between boards. Do not pile boards on top of each
other or cram too many boards into a small location. This can cause damage to connector pins or fragile
components.
Power supply wired backwards —Our power supplies and boards are not designed to withstand a reverse
power supply connection. This will destroy each IC that is connected to the power supply. In this case the board
will most likely will be unrepairable and must be replaced. A chip destroyed by reverse power or by excessive
power will often have a visible hole on the top or show some deformation on the top surface due to vaporization
inside the package. Check twice before applying power!
Board not installed properly in PC/104 stack —A common error is to install a PC/104 board accidentally
shifted by 1 row or 1 column. If the board is installed incorrectly, it is possible for power and ground signals on the
bus to make contact with the wrong pins on the board, which can damage the board. For example, this can
damage components attached to the data bus, because it puts the 12V power supply lines directly on data bus
lines.

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Overvoltage on analog input —If a voltage applied to an analog input exceeds the design specification of the
board, the input multiplexor and/or parts behind it can be damaged. Most of our boards will withstand an
erroneous connection of up to 35V on the analog inputs, even when the board is powered off, but not all boards,
and not in all conditions.
Overvoltage on analog output —If an analog output is accidentally connected to another output signal or a
power supply voltage, the output can be damaged. On most of our boards, a short circuit to ground on an analog
output will not cause trouble.
Overvoltage on digital I/O line —The digital circuitry can be damaged if a digital I/O signal is connected to a
voltage above the Neptune’s maximum specified voltage. On most of our boards the acceptable range of voltages
connected to digital I/O signals is 0-5V, and they can withstand about 0.5V beyond that (-0.5 to 5.5V) before being
damaged. However logic signals at 12V and even 24V are common, and if one of these is connected to a 5V logic
chip, the chip will be damaged, and the damage could even extend past that chip to others in the circuit.
Bent connector pins —This type of problem is often only a cosmetic issue and is easily fixed by bending the
pins back to their proper shape one at a time with needle-nose pliers. The most common cause of bent connector
pins is when a PC/104 board is pulled off the stack by rocking it back and forth left to right, from one end of the
connector to the other. As the board is rocked back and forth it pulls out suddenly, and the pins at the end get
bent significantly. The same situation can occur when pulling a ribbon cable off of a pin header. If the pins are
bent too severely, bending them back can cause them to weaken unacceptably or even break, and the connector
must be replaced.

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1. INTRODUCTION
Neptune introduces a new concept in small form-factor, board-level embedded computing.
Neptune’s core embedded-PC functionality is implemented with an ETX CPU module mounted on the bottom side
of an I/O baseboard. This approach results in several benefits including enhanced thermal management,
increased space for I/O functions and interface connectors, and scalable processing power. Accordingly,
Neptune integrates the equivalent functions of up to six embedded boards —CPU, system I/O, industry-leading
data acquisition, gigabit Ethernet, and a wide-input DC-to-DC power supply —all within the compact and
modularly-expandable EPIC single board computer form-factor.
Thanks to Neptune’s modular architecture, you can select from a wide range of ETX-based CPUs to meet each
application’s specific performance, power, and cost requirements. Available processors include two of the AMD
Fusion G-Series CPUs, the T56N and T40N. What’s more, Neptune’s on-board PC/104-Plus stack location
facilitates the addition of both custom and off-the-shelf ISA- and PCI-interfaced expansion modules, to tune
system functionality to the application’s precise requirements.
Neptune is offered in a range of models that vary according to the choice of ETX CPU Module, on-board SO-
DIMM SDRAM capacity, +5V input or variable-input DC/DC supply, and choice of operating temperature.
1.1 Key Features
Neptune’s extensive set of features derives from functions present on the Neptune baseboard plus additional
functions provided by the attached ETX computer-on-module (COM) macrocomponent. Both are summarized
below.
1.1.1 ETX Computer-on-Module (COM) Features
Processor: Choice of Intel Bay Trail E3845 CPU, AMD Fusion G-Series G-T56N or G-T40N CPUs
RAM: 200-pin SO-DIMM socket; supports up to 8GB DDR3 SDRAM
Graphics:
VGA CRT interface
LCD flat panel interface (LVDS); provides LCD backlight control signals
SDVO interface (connector directly on ETX COM, when available)
Audio: AC’97 CODEC; mic in, line in/out signals
1 IDE interface; support two devices (Master/Slave) in PIO or UDMA mode
2 SATA ports, supporting one device each (interface connectors directly on ETX COM)
Ethernet interface: 1 10/100Mbps port (magnetic provided on baseboard)
2 serial ports, supporting TTL or RS-232 signaling (signal buffers and mode selection provided on baseboard)
Keyboard/mouse: PS/2; USB keyboard/mouse also supported
USB: 4 USB 2.0 ports
Other: SMbus, IrDA serial interfaces; PC speaker output; watchdog timer
Dual system expansion buses: 16-bit ISA and 32-bit PCI
ETX 3.0 compliant form-factor (physical and electrical)
Note: The ETX COM features listed below are typical. Refer to the appropriate ETX CPU
module’s user manual for detailed specifications.

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1.1.2 Neptune Baseboard Features
Additional Ethernet interface: 10/100/1000Base-T port with RJ-45 connector
4 additional serial ports:
2 RS-232/422/485
2 TTL/RS-232
Industry-leading data acquisition subsystem:
32 16-bit A/D inputs usable as: 32 single-ended / 16 differential / 16 SE + 8 DI
4 12-bit D/A channels
2 programmable counter/timers
24 programmable bidirectional digital I/O lines with 5V logic
8 optoisolated digital inputs and outputs
EEPROM configuration data storage for instant availability on power-up
Status LEDs:
Power LED
Ethernet link and speed LEDs
ATX-style power input and control
On-board RTC backup battery and connector for external battery
ETX COM socket on bottom; conforms to ETX v3.0 specification
I/O connectors provided for all I/O
Solid State Disk:
On-board CompactFlash I/II socket
Mounting position for optional IDE FlashDisk
On-board PC/104-Plus socket; supports ISA and PCI expansion buses
Optional Built-in DC/DC power supply:
Input voltage: +5V or +8V to +28V DC
Power consumption: 2.5W, without ETX module
Output power: maximum 45W, total
Output voltages: +5V, +3.3V (on PCI bus)
Switched outputs: +5V, +12V, +3.3V
Operating temperature: up to -40°C to +85°C (depends on ETX COM)
Operating humidity: 5% to 95% non-condensing
Form-factor:
4.53 x 6.50 inches (115mm x 165mm)
EPIC SBC dimensions and mounting holes
1.2 Software Compatibility
Neptune’s operating system compatibility depends on both the Neptune baseboard and the specific ETX CPU
module attached to it. The baseboard has been qualified for use with the following operating systems:
Windows XP, Windows XP Embedded SP2
Linux v2.6.23
The operating systems supported by the ETX CPU module vary according to the specific ETX module used.
Consult the appropriate ETX CPU module’s user manual for details on its OS (operating system) support.

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1.3 Thermal Considerations and Heatspreader
All models of Neptune are specified for an operating temperature range of either -20oC to +71oC or -40oC to
+85oC depending on which ETX CPU module is selected. Diamond Systems provides a heatspreader attached to
Neptune as a conductive cooled thermal layer. However, this heatspreader by itself does not constitute the
complete thermal solution necessary for any specific implementation, but provides a common interface between
the single board computer and the customer’s implementation-specific thermal solution.
The outside surface of the Neptune heatspreader must be kept at a temperature not to exceed +71oC or +85oC,
again depending on the COM module. If your environment causes the temperature on the outside surface of the
heatspreader to exceed the appropriate temperature, you are responsible for removing the additional heat from
the system through either an additional passive thermal solution or fan solution.
Neptune’s integrated heatspreader makes thermal contact with the heat generating components and provides a
flat surface on the bottom of the assembly for mating to the system enclosure. This technique facilitates efficient
removal of heat from the COM module without the need for a fan. Four mounting holes on the bottom of the
conduction cooled heatspreader are provided to mount Neptune in an enclosure or to a bulkhead. These
mounting holes are #6-32 threaded holes on 2.8" centers.
1.4 Panel I/O Board Option
The ETX module’s I/O signals are available on header connectors along the edges of the Neptune baseboard. A
Panel I/O Board is available that plugs into the Neptune baseboard and routes these to standard PC-style
peripheral interface connectors.

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2. FUNCTIONAL OVERVIEW
2.1 Block Diagrams
Figure 1 shows Neptune’s functional blocks, including circuitry contained on both the Neptune baseboard and the
ETX CPU module. As indicated in the block diagram, the baseboard circuitry primarily comprises the data
acquisition subsystem, gigabit Ethernet controller, DC/DC power supply, and I/O interfaces, while the ETX module
integrates the system’s core embedded PC functionality. Although ETX CPU module processors and precise
functions vary between specific modules, the block diagram of a typical ETX CPU module is shown in Figure 2.
Figure 1: Neptune Baseboard Functional Block Diagram

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Figure 2: Typical ETX CPU Module Functional Block Diagram

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2.2 Board Diagrams
Figures 3 and 4 illustrate the location of connectors and jumpers on the top and bottom side of the Neptune
baseboard. The ETX CPU module attaches on the baseboard’s bottom side, as indicated in Figure 3.
Figure 3: Neptune Top View

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Figure 4: Neptune Bottom View

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2.3 Interface Connector Summary
The table below summarizes the functions of Neptune’s interface, utility, and power connectors. The table also
identifies which major subsystem —ETX CPU module or Neptune baseboard —provides the electronics
associated with each connector.
The table indicates which connectors mate with the optional Neptune Panel I/O Board (discussed elsewhere in
this section), which provides standard PC-style I/O connectors. Alternatively, Diamond offers an optional Neptune
Cable Kit (discussed in Section 5), which provides mating cable assemblies for most of Neptune’s I/O interface
connectors.
Signal functions relating to all of Neptune’s interfaces connectors are discussed in greater detail in Section 6.
Interface Function
Connector
Designation
Associated
Subsystem
Supported by
Panel I/O Board?
Supported by
Cable Kit?
PC/104-Plus ISA Bus
J1, J2
ETX CPU module
n/a
n/a
PC/104-Plus PCI Bus
J3
ETX CPU module
n/a
n/a
ETX Utility
J4
ETX CPU module
No
Yes
Variable Input Power
J5
Neptune baseboard
No
Yes
Panel I/O Board Input Power
J6
Neptune baseboard
No
No
Keyboard and Mouse Ports
J7
ETX CPU module
Yes
Yes
VGA Display
J8
ETX CPU module
Yes
Yes
USB 2.0
J10
ETX CPU module
Yes
Yes
CompactFlash
J12
ETX CPU module
No
n/a
IDE (Primary)
J13, J14
ETX CPU module
No
Yes
LCD LVDS Interface
J16
ETX CPU module
No
No
LCD LVDS Control
J17
Neptune baseboard
No
No
Audio
J18
ETX CPU module
Yes
Yes
Utility
J22
Neptune baseboard
No
Yes
HDD Power
J23
Neptune baseboard
No
Yes
ETX Ethernet
J24
ETX CPU module
Yes
Yes
Analog I/O
J30
Neptune baseboard
No
Yes
Digital I/O
J31
Neptune baseboard
No
Yes
Optoisolated I/O
J33
Neptune baseboard
No
Yes
COM1-COM4
J34
Neptune baseboard
No
Yes
COM5-COM6
J37
ETX CPU module
Yes
Yes
Gigabit LED Connector
J39
Neptune baseboard
No
No
ATX-style Input Power
J44
Neptune baseboard
No
Yes
Gigabit Ethernet
T1
Neptune baseboard
No
No
SATA interfaces
SATA1, SATA2
ETX CPU module
No
No
Serial Digital Video Output
SDVO
ETX CPU module
No
No
Note: ETX COM I/O functions vary according to the specific ETX module that is attached to the
Neptune baseboard. For further details on functions listed above that are generated by the ETX CPU
module, consult the specific ETX CPU module’s user manual. SATA1/SATA2 and SDVO, when
available, are supported by connectors directly on the ETX module.

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2.4 Configuration Jumper Summary
The Neptune baseboard’s configuration jumper blocks are listed below. Details regarding the use of these
jumpers appear in Section 5 of this document.
Jumper
Description
J11
Serial I/O TTL/RS-232 Selection
J26
DMA / IRQ / Address Bus Configuration
J28
Single-ended / Differential Selection
J32
DIO Pull-up/Pull-down Selection
J35
PCI Voltage selection
J38
IRQ Selection
J40
COM1-4 / CF Configuration
J43
DAC Configuration

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Important Safe-Handling Information
WARNING: ESD-Sensitive Electronic Equipment!
Observe ESD-safe handling procedures when working
with this product.
Always use this product in a properly grounded work area
and wear appropriate ESD-preventive clothing and/or
accessories.
Always store this product in ESD-protective packaging
when not in use.
Please refer to page 5 of this manual (“Important Safe-Handling Information”) for further
details.
3. GETTING STARTED
First-time Neptune users normally receive the product as part of Diamond’s Neptune Development Kit, which
provides everything needed to ensure rapid application development. This section of the Neptune User Manual
covers basic hardware setup, power connection, system boot-up, and initial software configuration. After Neptune
is up and running, refer to the later sections of this manual for the detailed hardware and software reference
information needed to adapt the product to specific applications.
This section begins with a simple series of quick-start steps for rapidly bringing up Neptune and verifying its
proper operation. The steps provided assume the use of Diamond’s Neptune Development Kit.
The Neptune quick-start process basically consists of the following steps:
1. Install the Diamond IDE FlashDisk Drive with bootable Linux binary on the primary IDE connector.
2. Install the Neptune Panel I/O Board on its mating connectors.
3. Connect a VGA monitor.
4. Connect PS/2- or USB-based keyboard and mouse peripherals.
5. Connect the Neptune AC Adapter to the Neptune baseboard’s power connector.
6. Turn on the monitor and plug in the AC Adapter.
7. At this point, Neptune should boot-up to a Linux prompt.
The above steps will be discussed in detail, after the brief overview of the Neptune Development Kit and its
contents that follows.

Neptune User Manual 2.1 www.diamondsystems.com Page 17
3.1 Introducing the Neptune Development Kit
The Neptune Development Kit provides everything required for Neptune-based rapid application development.
The photos and table below identify the boards, cables, and other items included in the kit.
The fifteen Neptune Development Kit items pictured above are identified below.
Item
Diamond P/N
Description
1
C-NPT-KIT
Neptune Cable Kit
2
DK-LNX-NPT
512MB FlashDisk with bootable Linux, CD
3
ACC-IDEEXT
FlashDisk Programmer Board (includes 40- and 44-pin IDE cables)
4
PS-5V-04
AC Adapter (100-240VAC in, 5VDC @ 8A out)
5
6810041
Neptune Panel I/O Board mounting hardware (not shown)
6
6710010
Neptune software and documentation CD
7
PNL-NPT-01
Neptune Panel I/O Board
8
MTG104
PC/104 Mounting Hardware
9
NPT-xxxx-xxx
Neptune SBC (model number varies according to which Development Kit
was ordered)
12
6981093
Transition cable for power interface between AC Adapter and Panel I/O
Board
13
6981092
Cable for power interface between Panel I/O Board and optional PC/104
power supply module
14
6981094
Power button interface to Panel I/O Board Utility connector
15
6981006
Auxiliary power interface for 40-pin IDE devices (CD-ROM)

Neptune User Manual 2.1 www.diamondsystems.com Page 18
3.1.1 Neptune Cable Kit
The Neptune cable kit (part number C-NPT-KIT) provides convenient access to all of Neptune’s I/O features. The
kit’s cables are shown in the photo below and are identified in the table that follows.
The components of the Neptune Cable Kit are listed below.
Item
Qty
Diamond P/N
Description
Connects to…
1
2
6981004
IDE (44-pin)
J13, 14
2
1
6981006
Power output
4
1
6981072
Analog I/O
J30
5
1
6981073
Digital I/O
J31
6
1
6981080
100Mbit Ethernet
J24
7
3
6981081
Dual serial
J34, J37
8
2
6981082
Dual USB
J10
9
1
6981083
Keyboard/Mouse
J7
10
1
6981084
VGA out
J8
11
1
6981085
Audio I/O
J18
12
1
6981088
Baseboard utility signals
J4
13
1
6981090
Power input cable
J5
14
1
6981091
ATX-style input power
J44
15
1
6981141
Optically isolated I/O
J33
18
1
6981144
Variable DC input power
J5

Neptune User Manual 2.1 www.diamondsystems.com Page 19
3.1.2 Neptune Panel I/O Board
The Neptune Panel I/O Board mates with the bank of connectors located along the side of the Neptune
baseboard, as shown in the figures below. The board provides standard connector access for many of Neptune’s
PC-style interfaces, a reset button, and a power LED.
Neptune Panel I/O Board, Front and Top views

Neptune User Manual 2.1 www.diamondsystems.com Page 20
3.1.3 512MB Flashdisk with Linux
The Neptune Development Kit contains a 512MB IDE solid-state flashdisk preformatted with Diamond’s
compact, quick-boot Linux OS based on a 2.6.x kernel. The Linux system utilizes the Minix file system for
enhanced file protection during power loss or improper shutdown, and Grub bootloader for boot-up. In addition to
the Linux OS, the flashdisk image includes Diamond’s Universal Driver, which supports the Neptune
baseboard’s data acquisition functions.
A binary image of contents of the flashdisk device is also included in the Neptune Software Development Kit.
This image may be used for preparing additional Neptune-based systems for operation. A Neptune Linux
Software Development Kit (SDK), which includes OS source code along with a complete development toolchain,
is also available (contact Diamond for further details).
3.1.4 Flashdisk Programmer Board
The flashdisk Programmer Board allows a flashdisk and an external IDE drive to share the Neptune baseboard’s
primary IDE connector (J13). In this case, the flashdisk and external device are used as Master and Slave IDE
devices, respectively. The flashdisk Programmer Board provides the flexibility of interfacing to external drives
requiring either 40- or 44-pin IDE cables.
The flashdisk Programmer Board is not required on Neptune configurations with ETX CPU modules that provide a
secondary IDE channel; in this case, an external IDE device can be connected to the baseboard’s secondary IDE
connector (J14). In addition, on Neptune assemblies whose ETX CPU module has built-in SATA connector(s), a
SATA-interfaced drive can be used in lieu of an IDE drive attached to a flashdisk Programmer Board.
3.1.5 AC Adapter
An AC Adapter (P/N PS-5V-04), included in the Neptune Development Kit, converts a 110VAC to 240VAC power
source to 5VDC suitable for powering a Neptune SBC. The AC Adapter’s power output cable is equipped with a
connector that mates with the Neptune baseboard’s ATX-style input power connector (J44).
Note: There are numerous ways to power a Neptune-based system —according to the power source
and its voltage, whether the application requires instant-on access or use of a power switch (or button),
and whether ATX-style soft shutdown is required.
3.1.6 Miscellaneous Cables
Three additional special-function cables are included in the Neptune Development Kit:
6981092 —Used when the Panel I/O Board is present along with a wide-voltage PC/104 Power Supply
module, such as Diamond’s Jupiter MM. This routes incoming power from the Panel I/O Board to the
PC/104 Power Supply module. This cable is included in Panel I/O Board Kit.
6981093 —Connects between the AC Adapter (PS-5V-04) and the DB9 power input connector on the
Panel I/O Board. Allows the use of the AC Adapter when Neptune and a Panel I/O Board are mounted
within an enclosure such as Diamond’s Triton. This cable is included in Panel I/O Board Kit.
6981006 —Provides power from the Neptune board to an IDE device having a 40-pin interface.
3.1.7 Software and Documentation CD
The Neptune Development Kit also includes a Software and Documentation CD, which contains Neptune
documentation (including this manual) and support software. The CD provides drivers specific to the Neptune
baseboard and its attached ETX CPU module, for operation under Windows XP, Windows XP Embedded, and
Linux. The CD also contains Diamond’s Universal Driver Software, which supports the analog and digital I/O
capabilities of the Neptune baseboard, including binaries and full documentation.