Diamond Systems Helios User manual

HELIOS SINGLE BOARD COMPUTER
PC/104 SBC with Vortex Processor
and Integrated Data Acquisition
Rev B9: January 2016
Revision
Date
Comment
B
5/15/2009
Major update
B1-8
2/23/2012
Minor corrections; removed 300MHz models
B9
1/4/2016
Updated power consumption
Copyright 2016
FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT Diamond Systems Corporation
PLEASE CONTACT: 555 Ellis Street
Mountain View, CA 94043 USA
[e-mail] Tel [phone]
Fax [phone]
www.diamondsystems.com

Helios User Manual Rev B9 www.diamondsystems.com Page 2
CONTENTS
1. Important Safe Handling Information .............................................................................................................4
2. Introduction.......................................................................................................................................................6
3. Functional Block Diagram ...............................................................................................................................8
4. Board Diagram ..................................................................................................................................................9
5. Connector and Jumper Lists........................................................................................................................ 10
5.1 I/O Connectors............................................................................................................................................ 10
5.2 Configuration Jumpers ............................................................................................................................... 10
6. I/O Connectors ............................................................................................................................................... 11
6.1 Input Power (J4) ......................................................................................................................................... 11
6.2 I/O Power (J5)............................................................................................................................................. 11
6.3 Panel Power Input (J22)............................................................................................................................. 11
6.4 Serial Ports (J8).......................................................................................................................................... 12
6.5 PS/2 Mouse and Keyboard (J3) ................................................................................................................. 13
6.6 USB (J15, J16) ........................................................................................................................................... 13
6.7 Ethernet (J11)............................................................................................................................................. 14
6.8 VGA (J10)................................................................................................................................................... 14
6.9 LVDS LCD Interface (J13, bottom side of board)....................................................................................... 15
6.10 LCD Backlight (J9)...................................................................................................................................... 15
6.11 IDE (J12)..................................................................................................................................................... 16
6.12 External Battery (J6)................................................................................................................................... 16
6.13 Digital I/O (J7)............................................................................................................................................. 17
6.14 Data Acquisition (J17) ................................................................................................................................ 18
6.15 Miscellaneous (J14).................................................................................................................................... 19
6.16 Autocalibration (J19)................................................................................................................................... 19
6.17 FPGA Programming (J20).......................................................................................................................... 19
6.18 PC/104 ISA Bus (J1, J2)............................................................................................................................. 20
7. Configuration Jumpers ................................................................................................................................. 21
7.1 LCD Backlight Power (J18) ........................................................................................................................ 21
7.2 Data Acquisition Interrupt Configuration (J21) ........................................................................................... 22
7.3 RS-422/RS-485 Configuration (J25, J26)................................................................................................... 23
8. System Resources......................................................................................................................................... 24
9. Video Features ............................................................................................................................................... 25
9.1 CRT ............................................................................................................................................................ 25
9.2 LCD............................................................................................................................................................. 26
9.3 Changing the LCD / CRT Resolution ......................................................................................................... 27
9.3.1 Modifying the BIOS with a New LCD Resolution............................................................................... 28
9.3.2 Updating the BIOS with SPIFLASH Software.................................................................................... 29
10. Installation and Configuration...................................................................................................................... 30
10.1 Quick Setup................................................................................................................................................ 30
10.2 Boot Device Options................................................................................................................................... 30
11. BIOS Functions.............................................................................................................................................. 31
11.1 Entering the BIOS....................................................................................................................................... 31
11.2 Restoring Default BIOS Settings................................................................................................................ 31
11.3 Setting the Date and Time.......................................................................................................................... 31
11.4 Built-In Flash Drive with FreeDOS.............................................................................................................. 31
11.5 ISA Bus IRQ Reservation........................................................................................................................... 31
11.6 Blue LED..................................................................................................................................................... 32
11.7 ISA Bus Speed ........................................................................................................................................... 32
11.8 Quiet / Quick Boot / Splash Screen............................................................................................................ 32
11.9 Boot Priority................................................................................................................................................ 32
11.10System Reset ............................................................................................................................................. 32
12. Serial Ports and System Console ................................................................................................................ 33
12.1 Overview..................................................................................................................................................... 33
12.2 Serial port Configuration............................................................................................................................. 33
12.3 Console Redirection to a Serial Port .......................................................................................................... 34
13. Data Acquisition Circuit Overview............................................................................................................... 35
14. Data Acquisition I/O Register Map............................................................................................................... 36
14.1 Overview..................................................................................................................................................... 36
14.2 Register Write Functions ............................................................................................................................ 37
14.3 Register Read Functions............................................................................................................................ 38

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14.4 I/O Map Detailed Description...................................................................................................................... 39
14.4.1 Main Registers................................................................................................................................... 39
14.4.2 Page 0: Counter/Timer Control.......................................................................................................... 47
14.4.3 Page 1: AutoCalibration Control ........................................................................................................ 49
14.4.4 Page 2 Expanded FIFO and AD/DA Control ..................................................................................... 51
15. Analog-to-Digital Input Ranges and Resolution......................................................................................... 53
15.1 Overview..................................................................................................................................................... 53
15.2 Input Range Selection ................................................................................................................................ 53
16. Performing an A/D Conversion .................................................................................................................... 54
16.1 Introduction................................................................................................................................................. 54
16.2 Select the Input Channel ............................................................................................................................ 55
16.3 Select the Input Range............................................................................................................................... 55
16.4 Select the Polarity....................................................................................................................................... 55
16.5 Wait for Analog Input Circuit to Settle......................................................................................................... 55
16.6 Perform an A/D Conversion on the Current Channel................................................................................. 55
16.7 Wait for the Conversion to Finish ............................................................................................................... 56
16.8 Read the Data from the Board.................................................................................................................... 56
16.9 Convert the Data to Volts or Engineering Units.......................................................................................... 56
16.9.1 Conversion Formula for Bipolar Input Ranges................................................................................... 57
16.9.2 Conversion Formula for Unipolar Input Ranges ................................................................................ 57
17. A/D Scan, Interrupt and FIFO Operation...................................................................................................... 58
18. Digital-to-Analog Output Ranges and Resolution...................................................................................... 60
18.1 Description.................................................................................................................................................. 60
18.2 D/A Resolution............................................................................................................................................ 60
18.3 Output Range Selection ............................................................................................................................. 60
18.4 D/A Conversion Formulas and Tables........................................................................................................ 61
18.4.1 D/A Conversion Formulas for Unipolar Output Ranges..................................................................... 61
18.4.2 D/A Conversion Formulas for Bipolar Output Ranges....................................................................... 62
19. Generating an Analog Output....................................................................................................................... 63
19.1 Set Simultaneous Update Mode and/or DAC Resolution........................................................................... 64
19.2 Configure the Desired Output Range......................................................................................................... 64
19.3 Compute the D/A Code for the Desired Output Voltage............................................................................. 64
19.4 Write the Value to the Selected Output Channel Registers ....................................................................... 64
19.5 Update the D/A........................................................................................................................................... 65
20. Analog Circuit Calibration ............................................................................................................................ 66
21. Digital I/O Ports.............................................................................................................................................. 67
21.1 Data Acquisition Circuit Digital I/O Ports.................................................................................................... 67
21.2 Vortex Processor Digital I/O Ports.............................................................................................................. 68
21.3 Digital Interrupts.......................................................................................................................................... 69
22. Counter/Timer Operation .............................................................................................................................. 70
22.1 Counter 0 –A/D Sample Rate Control ....................................................................................................... 71
22.2 Counter 1 –Counting, Totalizing, and Interrupt Functions......................................................................... 72
22.3 Command Sequences................................................................................................................................ 73
23. Watchdog Timer............................................................................................................................................. 75
24. FlashDisk Module .......................................................................................................................................... 77
24.1 Overview..................................................................................................................................................... 77
24.2 IDE Flashdisk Models and Capacities........................................................................................................ 77
24.3 Configuration and Installation..................................................................................................................... 77
24.4 BIOS FlashDisk Configuration.................................................................................................................... 78
24.5 Using the FlashDisk with Another IDE Drive.............................................................................................. 78
25. Mass Storage Accessories ........................................................................................................................... 79
25.1 ACC-IDEEXT FlashDisk Programmer Board ............................................................................................. 79
25.2 ACC-CFEXT CompactFlash Adapter......................................................................................................... 80
26. Panel I/O Board .............................................................................................................................................. 81
27. I/O Cables ....................................................................................................................................................... 82
28. Specifications................................................................................................................................................. 83
28.1 Processor Section (All Models) .................................................................................................................. 83
28.2 Data Acquisition Section (HLV800-256AV Only)........................................................................................ 84

Helios User Manual Rev B9 www.diamondsystems.com Page 4
1. 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
The Helios board contains a high number of I/O connectors with connection 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 usually almost impossible to detect, because there is no visual sign of
failure or damage. The symptom is that the board eventually 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 (i.e. almost all ICs). 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.

Helios User Manual Rev B9 www.diamondsystems.com Page 5
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 –If a digital I/O signal is connected to a voltage above the maximum specified
voltage, the digital circuitry can be damaged. 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.

Helios User Manual Rev B9 www.diamondsystems.com Page 6
2. INTRODUCTION
Helios is an embedded single board computer in the PC/104 small form factor based on the DMP Vortex86DX
family of all-in-one 486 processors. Helios integrates a complete embedded PC plus a full analog and digital data
acquisition circuit into a single board. It is available in several models with different features:
Model
Processor
Speed
Memory
Math
Coprocessor
Digital I/O
Analog I/O
HLV1000-256AV
1GHz
256MB
Yes
40 lines
Yes
HLV1000-256DV
1GHz
256MB
Yes
16 lines
No
HLV800-256AV
800MHz
256MB
Yes
40 lines
Yes
HLV800-256DV
800MHz
256MB
Yes
16 lines
No
The board includes the following key system and data acquisition features:
Processor and Memory
1GHz or 800MHz Vortex86DX CPU
Integrated North Bridge/South Bridge, 10/100 Ethernet MAC/PHY, quad UART, and flash memory with
embedded BIOS
256MB DDR2 RAM system memory
Video Features
PCI interface XGI Volari Z9S chip
Dedicated 32MB video memory
High performance 2D accelerator
18-bit LVDS LCD interface, up to 1600 x 1200
CRT up to 1600 x 1200
Ethernet
10/100Mbps Ethernet circuit integrated into the Vortex processor chip
On-board transformer and termination network for direct connection to Ethernet cabling
Standard Peripheral Interfaces
4 16550-compatible RS-232 ports (2 have RS-422/485 capability)
4 USB 2.0 ports
PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports
The BIOS supports a USB keyboard during BIOS initialization, and it also supports legacy keyboard
emulation via USB for DOS. The USB ports can be used for keyboard and mouse at the same time that
the PS/2 keyboard and mouse are connected.
Mass Storage
44-pin IDE connector for connection to UDMA-100 hard drive or solid state flashdisk module
Mounting spacer for rugged mounting of flashdisk in harsh environment applications
On-board 1.5MB virtual floppy drive in flash memory with FreeDOS pre-installed

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Analog I/O
16 single-ended or 8 differential analog voltage inputs, 16-bit resolution
±1.25V, ±2.5V, ±5V, ±10V, 0-1.25V, 0-2.5V, 0-5V, and 0-10V input ranges
250KHz maximum aggregate A/D sampling rate
Programmable input ranges
Both bipolar and unipolar input ranges
Internal and external A/D triggering
2048-sample A/D FIFO with programmable threshold
Auto-calibration of both A/D and D/A circuits
Four analog voltage outputs, 12-bit resolution
±2.5V, ±5V, ±10V 0-5V, and 0-10V output ranges programmable in software
Digital I/O
Up to 40 programmable digital I/O lines
Enhanced output current capability: +64mA maximum
Counter/Timers
One 24-bit counter/timer for A/D sampling rate control
One 16-bit counter/timer for user counting and timing functions
Programmable gate and count enable
Internal (10MHz) or external clock source
Bus Interfaces
The Vortex86DX processor generates both PCI and ISA buses for I/O expansion. The 33MHz 32-bit PCI bus is
used internally for the Ethernet circuit and is not brought out to a PCI-104 expansion connector.
The 8MHz 16-bit ISA bus is brought out to a standard PC/104 stackthrough connector, enabling 16-bit and 8-bit
modules to be installed either above or below the board. Interrupt and DMA performance is supported on the ISA
bus. Up to 4 I/O boards can be installed on the ISA bus on Helios, depending on the loading characteristics of the
add-on modules.
Battery Backup
Helios contains a backup battery for the real-time clock and BIOS settings. The battery is directly soldered to the
board and provides a minimum 7 year backup lifetime at 25°C. For longer lifetime an external battery of 3.3V +/-
10% may be attached to the board.
Watchdog Timer
Helios contains a watchdog timer (WDT) circuit with a software-programmable timer. The time delay can be
programmed, and the timer can be retriggered with an I/O write command. When the timer times out, it will trigger
an IRQ or system reset depending on the user configuration.
Power Supply
Helios requires only +5V +/-5% for operation. The input power connector provides connections for optional
provision of +/-12V and -5V for pass through to the ISA bus if needed for attached I/O modules.

Helios User Manual Rev B9 www.diamondsystems.com Page 8
3. FUNCTIONAL BLOCK DIAGRAM
Functional Block Diagram

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4. BOARD DIAGRAM
The diagram below shows the board layout, including connectors, jumper blocks and mounting holes.
Helios Board Layout
J8
J9
2.462 IN
0.080 IN

Helios User Manual Rev B9 www.diamondsystems.com Page 10
5. CONNECTOR AND JUMPER LISTS
5.1 I/O Connectors
Connector
Function
J1
PC/104, ISA bus 8-bit connector (rows A, B)
J2
PC/104, ISA bus 16-bit connector (rows C, D)
J3
PS/2 keyboard/mouse
J4
Input power
J5
I/O power
J6
External battery
J7
Digital I/O
J8
Serial ports COM1-4
J9
LCD backlight
J10
VGA
J11
Ethernet
J12
IDE
J13
LCD interface (LVDS format) on bottom side
J14
Reset, LEDs
J15
USB 0/1
J16
USB 2/3
J17
Data acquisition I/O
J19
Autocalibration connector (factory use)
J20
Jtag for data acquisition FPGA (factory use)
J22
Panel power input
J24
Jtag for Processor / BIOS flash (factory use)
5.2 Configuration Jumpers
Jumper
Description
J18
LCD backlight
J21
DAQ interrupt configuration
J23
Not used
J25
COM1 RS-422/RS-485 configuration
J26
COM2 RS-422/RS-485 configuration