VersaLogic Falcon VL-EPU-2610 User manual

Reference
Manual
DOC. REV. 9/4/2013
Falcon
(VL-EPU-2610)
Intel@Atom E6x0T-based
Embedded Processing Unit with
SATA, Ethernet, USB, Serial,
Video, HD Audio, Mini PCIe
Socket, and microSD

VL-EPU-2610 Reference Manual ii
WWW.VERSALOGIC.COM
12100 SW Tualatin Road
Tualatin, OR 97062-7341
[phone]
Fax [phone]
Copyright © 2013 VersaLogic Corp. All rights reserved.
Notice:
Although every effort has been made to ensure this document is error-free, VersaLogic makes no
representations or warranties with respect to this product and specifically disclaims any implied warranties
of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose.
VersaLogic reserves the right to revise this product and associated documentation at any time without
obligation to notify anyone of such changes.

VL-EPU-2610 Reference Manual iii
Product Revision Notes
Revision 1.00 –Commercial release.
Technical Support
The Falcon support page, at http://www.versalogic.com/private/falconsupport.asp, contains additional
information and resources for this product including:
Reference Manual (PDF format)
Datasheets and manufacturers’ links for chips used in this product
Photograph of the circuit board
BIOS information and upgrades
This is a private page for Falcon users that can be accessed only by entering this address directly. It cannot
be reached from the public VersaLogic website.
The VersaTech KnowledgeBase is an invaluable resource for resolving technical issues with your
VersaLogic product.
VersaTech KnowledgeBase

VL-EPU-2610 Reference Manual iv
Contents
VersaTech KnowledgeBase...............................................................................................iii
Introduction ...................................................................................................................1
Description.......................................................................................................................... 1
Features and Construction.....................................................................................1
Technical Specifications.....................................................................................................2
Block Diagram....................................................................................................................3
RoHS Compliance ..............................................................................................................5
About RoHS...........................................................................................................5
Warnings.............................................................................................................................5
Electrostatic Discharge..........................................................................................5
Handling Care........................................................................................................6
Thermal Considerations......................................................................................................6
CPU Die Temperature ...........................................................................................6
Technical Support...............................................................................................................6
Falcon (VL-EPU-2610) Support Page................................................................................6
VersaTech KnowledgeBase................................................................................................7
Repair Service........................................................................................................7
Configuration and Setup...............................................................................................8
Initial Configuration ...........................................................................................................8
Basic Setup ......................................................................................................................... 8
Operating System Installation........................................................................................... 10
BIOS Setup.......................................................................................................................10
Physical Details...........................................................................................................11
Dimensions and Mounting................................................................................................ 11
Falcon Dimensions ..............................................................................................11
VL-CBR-5013/5014 Paddleboard Dimensions...................................................12
VL-HDW-405 Mounting Plate Dimensions........................................................ 13
Hardware Assembly.............................................................................................14
External Connectors ......................................................................................................... 16
Falcon Connector Locations –CPU Module.......................................................16
Falcon Connector Locations –Baseboard........................................................... 17
Falcon Connector Functions and Interface Cables..............................................18
VL-CBR-5013/5014 Connector Locations..........................................................19
VL-CBR-5013/5014 Connector Functions..........................................................19
Jumper Blocks ..................................................................................................................20
Jumpers As-Shipped Configuration.....................................................................20
Jumper Summary.................................................................................................21
System Features..........................................................................................................22
Power Supply....................................................................................................................22
Power Requirements............................................................................................ 22
CPU...................................................................................................................................22

Contents
VL-EPU-2610 Reference Manual v
System RAM.....................................................................................................................22
Clearing Non-Volatile RAM (NVRAM)..........................................................................23
Default BIOS Settings ......................................................................................................23
Default BIOS Setup Values.................................................................................23
Real-Time Clock (RTC) ...................................................................................................23
Watchdog Timer...............................................................................................................23
Console Redirection ......................................................................................................... 24
Interfaces and Connectors .........................................................................................25
User I/O Connector...........................................................................................................25
Ethernet Interface..............................................................................................................26
Ethernet Connector..............................................................................................26
Ethernet Status LEDs...........................................................................................26
SATA Interface.................................................................................................................27
Mini PCIe / mSATA Socket.............................................................................................27
W_Disable# Signal.............................................................................................. 29
Mini PCIe Card Wireless Status LEDs................................................................29
microSD Sockets...............................................................................................................30
USB Interface ...................................................................................................................30
Serial Ports........................................................................................................................30
COM Port Configuration..................................................................................... 30
RS-485 Mode Line Driver Control......................................................................30
Serial Port Connectors.........................................................................................31
Video................................................................................................................................. 32
LVDS Flat Panel Display Connector...................................................................32
VGA Output.........................................................................................................33
Audio ................................................................................................................................35
Push-button Reset.............................................................................................................35
Power Button....................................................................................................................36
Supported Power States....................................................................................... 36
External Speaker...............................................................................................................36
LEDs.................................................................................................................................37
mSATA Activity LED.........................................................................................37
Power LED ..........................................................................................................37
Other LEDs.......................................................................................................... 37
General Purpose I/O (GPIO).............................................................................................37
Appendix A –Mounting Options ................................................................................38
Falcon Mounting Configurations......................................................................................38
Mounting Plate Configurations ........................................................................................40

VL-EPU-2610 Reference Manual 1
Introduction
Description
FEATURES AND CONSTRUCTION
The Falcon (VL-EPU-2610) is a feature-packed Embedded Processing Unit (EPU) That has been
engineered and tested to meet the embedded industry’s evolving requirements to develop smaller,
lighter and lower power embedded systems while adhering to stringent regulatory standards.
Roughly the size of a credit card and less than one inch thick, the Falcon is the embedded
industry’s smallest, lightest, ultra-rugged, embedded x86 computer. This embedded computer,
equipped with an Intel Atom E6x0T processor, is designed to withstand extreme temperature,
impact and vibration. Its features include:
Intel® Atom™ E680T (1.6 GHz),
E640T (1.0 GHz), or custom model
E620T (0.6 GHz) processor
1GB or 2GB soldered-on DDR2 800
MT/s RAM
Intel EG20T Platform Controller Hub
(PCH)
One 10BaseT/100BaseTX/1000BaseT
Ethernet interface with ruggedized 8-
pin latching connector
Integrated Intel GMA600 2D/3D
graphics core
Full ACPI support
Four USB 2.0 ports
Four RS-232/422/485 COM ports,
one with RS-232 handshake line
support
Two microSD sockets
One LVDS interface
One Mini PCIe/ mSATA socket
One SATA II port, 3.0 Gb/s
Intel High Definition Audio (HDA)
compatible
Four user I/O lines, independently
configurable
Watchdog Timer, prescaler of
approximately 1 μs to 10 min.
Speaker out
Heat plate or heatsink thermal solutions
Optional mounting plate
Field upgradeable AMI UEFI BIOS
with enhancements
RoHS compliant
Extended temperature operation
Customization available
The Falcon is compatible with popular operating systems including Windows 7/XP/WES7/XPe,
Linux, VxWorks, and QNX (see the VersaLogic OS Compatibility Chart).
Falcon EPUs are subjected to 100% functional testing and are backed by a limited two-year
warranty. Careful parts sourcing and US-based technical support ensure the highest possible
quality, reliability, service, and product longevity for this exceptional EPU.
1

Introduction
VL-EPU-2610 Reference Manual 2
Technical Specifications
Specifications are typical at +25°C with +12V supply unless otherwise noted.
Board Size:
Heat plate models: 55 x 84 x 22 mm (2.17 x 3.31 x
0.87”)
Heatsink models: 55 x 84 x 38.5 mm (2.17 x 3.31 x
1.51”)
Storage Temperature:
-40° to +85°C
Operating Temperature:
-40° to +85°C. Derate -1.1°C per 305m (1,000 ft.)
above 2,300m (7,500 ft.).
Airflow Requirements:
Heat plate models: zero airflow to 85°C based on
customer supplied heat removal system. User must
keep the heat plate below 90°C, measured topside
center point of heat plate.
Heatsink models: -40° to +60°C with zero airflow,
+60° to + 85°C with 300 LFM
Power Requirements: (at +25°C and +12V supply
running Windows 7 with LVDS display, SATA, GbE, COM,
and USB keyboard/mouse. Typical power computed as the
mean value of Idle and Maximum power specifications.
Maximum power measured with 95% CPU utilization.)
VL-EPU-2610-EBxx: 8.2W idle, 9.0W typical, 9.8W
max., 3.4W S3
VL-EPU-2610-ECxx and EDxx: 9.7W idle, 10.6W
typical, 11.6W max., 3.4W S3
System Reset:
Pus-button power reset via paddleboard
Watchdog timeout (warm/cold reset)
DRAM:
Soldered-on 1 GB or 2 GB, DDR2 SDRAM, 800 MT/s
Video Interface:
LVDS –3.3V compatible, 18/24-bit, up to 1280 x 768
resolution (60 Hz)
SATA Interface:
One SATA II port, 3 Gb/s
Flash Storage:
Two microSD sockets, each up to 32 GB
Mini PCIe/mSATA socket
Ethernet Interface:
One IEEE802.3 compliant Gigabit Ethernet MAC,
10BaseT/100BaseTX/1000BaseT
COM Interface:
COM1-2 –RS-232/422/485 to DB-9 on paddleboard
COM3-4 –RS-232/422/485 to screw terminal on
paddleboard
COM1 supportsRS-232 handshake lines
USB:
Four USB 2.0 host ports to Type-A connectors on
paddleboard
GPIO:
Four independent lines (Intel Atom E6xx GPIO-SUS
1-4; GPIO-SUS 0 and 5-8 are reserved)
Audio:
Intel High-Definition Audio CODEC
Stereo HD audio line in/out
BIOS:
AMI Aptio UEFI BIOS with OEM enhancements, field
programmable
Weight:
Heatsink models - 0.360 lbs (0.163 kg)
Specifications are subject to change without notification.

Introduction
VL-EPU-2610 Reference Manual 3
Block Diagram
Figure 1. CPU Module Block Diagram
Intel
Atom
Processor
SPI
LVDS DDR2
DDI (SDVO)
LPC
HD Audio XDP
SMBus
PCIe 1.0 x1 (4)
SD/SDIO/MMC (2)
Intel
Platform Controller
Hub
I2C
USB Client
USB 2.0 (4)
SATA II (2)
CAN
UART0/1
GMII/RGMII Gb Ethernet
UART2/3
LVDS
Display Port (SDVO)
LPC
HDA
SMBus
PCIe 1.0 x1 (3)
2.5 GT/s
SDIO
I2C
USB Client, 480 Mbps
USB 2.0 (4), 480 Mbps
SATA II (2), 3.0 Gbps
UART0/1
Micro SD
Socket
AUX
Connector
Device ID
EEPROM
Ethernet GigE
PHY Micrel
KSZ9021/31RNI
COMe Type 10 Connector
8V-17V to 5V
Switching
Regulator
FET Voltage
Switch
Voltage
Generator
BD9591MWV
Clock
Generator
BU73335MWV
Power Input
+12V (8-17V)
Power Input
+5V STBY
XDP
(ITP)
DDR2-800
8 Components
Memory Down
DDR2
800 MT/s
SPI Boot Flash
16 Mbit
PCIe 1.0 x1
2.5 GT/s
PCIe 1.0 x1
Up to 2 GB Max
V12P0
V5P5_S0
V5P5_AUX
V5P5 STBY
SDIO
CAN
RGMII
Gb
LAN
SPI I/F

Introduction
VL-EPU-2610 Reference Manual 4
Figure 2. Baseboard Block Diagram
COMe Type 10 Connector
AUX
Conn.
VL-CBR-5013/5014
Screw Terminals
Dual USB 2.0
Dual USB 2.0
Dual DB-9 2-wire COM
Audio Line In/Out
PC Speaker
Power/IDE LEDs
Push-button Reset
Power Button
Transceivers
USB Magnetics
Intel HD Audio
Codec
LVDS 24-Bit
Single Channel
SATA II R/A
Latching 3.0
GB/s
microSD
Socket
PCIe/SATA
Electronic Mux
I4083B
Transceivers
Gigabit
Ethernet
GbE Magnetics
MiniPCIe/
mSATA
Socket
ACPI/Power
Control Block
Power Supplies
+8-17V Main
+3.0V Battery
RS-232/422/485
COM2/3
Analog Audio
Line In/Out
+8-17V Input
Power
USB 2.0 (4)
480 Mbps
RS-232/422/485
COM1/2
Intel HDA
LVDS
85 Mbps
SATA II
3.0 Gbps
Gb LAN
SDIO
SMB/I2C
USB 2.0 Host Port 4
PCIe x1 Port 0
2.5 GT/s
SATA II
3.0 Gbps
PCIe/SATA
GPIO (4)

Introduction
VL-EPU-2610 Reference Manual 5
RoHS Compliance
The Falcon is RoHS compliant.
ABOUT ROHS
In 2003, the European Union issued Directive 2002/95/EC regarding the Restriction of the use of
certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS) in electrical and electronic equipment.
The RoHS directive requires producers of electrical and electronic equipment to reduce to
acceptable levels the presence of six environmentally sensitive substances: lead, mercury,
cadmium, hexavalent chromium, and the presence of polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) and
polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) flame retardants, in certain electrical and electronic
products sold in the European Union (EU) beginning July 1, 2006.
VersaLogic Corp. is committed to supporting customers with high-quality products and services
meeting the European Union’s RoHS directive.
Warnings
ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE
Warning! Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can damage circuit boards, disk drives, and other
components. The circuit board must only be handled at an ESD workstation. If an
approved station is not available, some measure of protection can be provided by
wearing a grounded antistatic wrist strap. Keep all plastic away from the board,
and do not slide the board over any surface.
After removing the board from its protective wrapper, place the board on a
grounded, static-free surface, component side up. Use an antistatic foam pad if
available.
The board should also be protected inside a closed metallic antistatic envelope
during shipment or storage.
Note: The exterior coating on some metallic antistatic bags is sufficiently conductive to
cause excessive battery drain if the bag comes in contact with the bottom side of
the Falcon.

Introduction
VL-EPU-2610 Reference Manual 6
HANDLING CARE
Warning! Care must be taken when handling the board not to touch the exposed circuitry
with your fingers. Though it will not damage the circuitry, it is possible that small
amounts of oil or perspiration on the skin could have enough conductivity to cause
the contents of CMOS RAM to become corrupted through careless handling,
resulting in CMOS resetting to factory defaults.
Thermal Considerations
CPU DIE TEMPERATURE
The CPU die temperature is affected by numerous conditions, such as CPU utilization, CPU
speed, ambient air temperature, air flow, thermal effects of adjacent circuit boards, external heat
sources, and many others.
The thermal management for the Intel Atom E6xx series of processors consists of a sensor
located in the core processor area. The processor contains multiple techniques to help better
manage thermal attributes of the processor. It implements thermal-based clock throttling and
thermal-based speed step transitions. There is one thermal sensor on the processor and this is
used for triggering Intel's thermal monitor. The temperature at which the thermal sensor triggers
the thermal monitor is set during the fabrication of the processor. Triggering of this sensor is
visible to software by means of the thermal interrupt LVT entry in the local APIC. (See the Intel
Atom E6xx Datasheet for complete information.)
Two thermal configurations are available:
Heat plate mounted via the four corner mounting holes.
Low-profile heatsink mounted via the four corner mounting holes. The heatsink covers
the entire module, including the heat plate.
Technical Support
If you are unable to solve a problem after reading this manual, please visit the Falcon product
support web page below. The support page provides links to component datasheets, device
drivers, and BIOS and PLD code updates.
The VersaTech KnowledgeBase contains a wealth of technical information about VersaLogic
products, along with product advisories. Click the link below to see all KnowledgeBase articles
related to the Falcon.
Falcon (VL-EPU-2610) Support Page

Introduction
VL-EPU-2610 Reference Manual 7
If you have further questions, contact VersaLogic Technical Support at [phone].
VersaLogic support engineers are also available via e-mail at [e-mail].
REPAIR SERVICE
If your product requires service, you must obtain a Returned Material Authorization (RMA)
number by calling [phone].
Please provide the following information:
Your name, the name of your company, your phone number, and e-mail address
The name of a technician or engineer that can be contacted if any questions arise
Quantity of items being returned
The model and serial number (barcode) of each item
A detailed description of the problem
Steps you have taken to resolve or recreate the problem
The return shipping address
Warranty Repair All parts and labor charges are covered, including return shipping
charges for UPS Ground delivery to United States addresses.
Non-warranty Repair All approved non-warranty repairs are subject to diagnosis and labor
charges, parts charges, and return shipping fees. Please specify the
shipping method you prefer and provide a purchase order number for
invoicing the repair.
Note: Please mark the RMA number clearly on the outside of the box before
returning.
VersaTech KnowledgeBase

VL-EPU-2610 Reference Manual 8
Configuration and Setup
Initial Configuration
The following components are recommended for a typical development system with the Falcon
EPU :
ATX power supply
VL-CBR-5013/5014 paddleboard and cable
USB keyboard and mouse
SATA hard drive
USB CD-ROM drive
LVDS monitor
You will also need an operating system (OS) installation CD-ROM.
Basic Setup
The following steps outline the procedure for setting up a typical development system. The
Falcon should be handled at an ESD workstation or while wearing a grounded antistatic wrist
strap.
Before you begin, unpack the Falcon and accessories. Verify that you received all the items you
ordered. Inspect the system visually for any damage that may have occurred in shipping. Contact
[email protected] immediately if any items are damaged or missing.
Gather all the peripheral devices you plan to attach to the Falcon and their interface and power
cables.
It is recommended that you attach standoffs to the board (see Hardware Assembly) to stabilize
the board and make it easier to work with.
The following diagram shows a typical setup for the Falcon in the development environment.
2

Configuration and Setup
VL-EPU-2610 Reference Manual 9
Figure 3. Typical Development Configuration
1. Attach Cables and Peripherals
Attach an LVDS monitor to connector J4 of the baseboard using the VL-CBR-2015 or
VL-CBR-2016 cable.
Attach SATA hard disk to connector J2 of the baseboard using the VL-CBR-0701 or VL-
CBR-0702 cable.
Attach the user I/O paddleboard, VL-CBR-5013 or VL-CBR-5014, to connector J8/J12
of the baseboard.
Connect a USB keyboard and USB mouse to one of the USB Type-A connectors (J1 or
J7) on the paddleboard.
Attach a USB CD-ROM drive to one of the USB Type-A connectors (J1 or J7) on the
paddleboard.
2. Attach Power
Plug the power adapter cable VL-CBR-0807 into socket J1 of the baseboard. Attach the
motherboard connector of the ATX power supply to the adapter.
Attach an ATX power cable to any 3.5” drive that is not already attached to the power
supply (hard drive or CD-ROM drive).
ATX
Power Supply
LVDS
USB Keyboard
and USB Mouse
USB CD-
ROM Drive
OS Installation
CD-ROM
FALCON
VL-CBR-
0807
J4
VL-CBR-
0701/0702
VL-CBR-5014B or
VL-CBR-5013B
J4
J7
J1
J2
VL-CBR-2015 or
VL-CBR-2016
VL-CBR-5014A or
VL-CBR-5013A
SATA
Hard Drive
J8/
J12
J1
VL-CBR-0401
Baseboard
CPU Module

Configuration and Setup
VL-EPU-2610 Reference Manual 10
3. Review Configuration
Before you power up the system, double check all the connections. Make sure all cables
are oriented correctly and that adequate power will be supplied to the Falcon and
peripheral devices.
4. Power On
Turn on the ATX power supply and the video monitor. If the system is correctly
configured, a video signal should be present.
5. Install Operating System
Install the OS according to the instructions provided by the OS manufacturer.
Note:If you intend to operate the Falcon under Windows XP or Windows XP
Embedded, be sure to use Service Pack 3 (SP3) for full support of the latest device
features.
Operating System Installation
The standard PC architecture used on the Falcon makes the installation and use of most of the
standard x86-based operating systems very simple. The operating systems listed on the
VersaLogic OS Compatibility Chart use the standard installation procedures provided by the
maker of the OS. Special optimized hardware drivers for a particular OS, or a link to the drivers,
are available at the Falcon Product Support web page.
BIOS Setup
See KnowledgeBase article VT1710 Falcon (VL-EPU-2610) BIOS Setup Reference for complete
information on how to configure the Falcon BIOS.

VL-EPU-2610 Reference Manual 11
Physical Details
Dimensions and Mounting
FALCON DIMENSIONS
The Falcon complies with the COM Express mini form factor standard. Dimensions are given
below to help with pre-production planning and layout.
Figure 4. Falcon Dimensions and Mounting Holes
(Not to scale. All dimensions in millimeters.)
3
4
4
84
55
+

Physical Details
VL-EPU-2610 Reference Manual 12
VL-CBR-5013/5014 PADDLEBOARD DIMENSIONS
Figure 5. VL-CBR-5013/5014 Dimensions
(Not to scale. All dimensions in inches.)
1.95
1.57
5.50
5.10
1.17
1.24
0.065

Physical Details
VL-EPU-2610 Reference Manual 13
VL-HDW-405 MOUNTING PLATE DIMENSIONS
Figure 6. Mounting Plate Dimensions
(Not to scale. All dimensions in millimeters.)
0.00
Falcon Outline
0.00
4.00
10.00
15.00
5.00
19.45
14.00
75.00
84.00
80.00
74.00
69.00
70.00
61.00
55.55
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
2.5 mm non-threaded
countersunk (back),
x8
4 mm non-threaded
countersunk, x4

Physical Details
VL-EPU-2610 Reference Manual 14
HARDWARE ASSEMBLY
There are two basic assembly methods: heat plate down (in relation to the enclosure) or heatsink
up. An optional mounting plate, VL-HDW-405, can be used with either method. These assembly
methods are shown below. (See Appendix A –Mounting Options for mounting configuration
details.)
Heat Plate Down
Use this assembly method if your Falcon is equipped with a heat plate only (no heatsink). The
figure below shows the assembly including the mounting plate.
Figure 7. Hardware Assembly with Heat Plate Down
The recommended method is to attach the Falcon heat plate to the mounting plate (VL-HDW-
405), and attach the mounting plate to the enclosure.
A thermal interface compound must be applied to the heat plate to thermally bond it to the
mounting plate or other surface to which the Falcon is mounted. Spread the compound thinly and
evenly across the entire heat plate surface before mounting. The compound is supplied in the VL-
CKR-FALC-N/L cable kit or sold separately as part number VL-HDW-401.
Heatsink Up
Use this assembly method if your Falcon is equipped with a heat plate and heatsink. The figure
below shows the assembly including the mounting plate.
Mounting Plate
Heat Plate
Baseboard
CPU Module
FALCON

Physical Details
VL-EPU-2610 Reference Manual 15
Figure 8. Hardware Assembly with Heatsink Up
The recommended method is to attach the baseboard to the mounting plate (VL-HDW-405) and
attach the mounting plate to the enclosure.
CPU Module
Baseboard
Heat Plate
Mounting Plate
FALCON
Heatsink