Kontron KTT30 packs a Tegra 3 into an mITX case
July 16, 2012 | 10:42
Companies: #arm #kontron #nvidia #raspberry-pi
The single-board computer market is set to get increasingly crowded as embedded computing specialist Kontron prepares to launch a mini-ITX motherboard packing Nvidia's latest Tegra 3 system-on-chip (SoC) processor.
Joining the incredibly popular Raspberry Pi - which is being produced at the rate of 4,000 units a day yet still has an 11-week lead time on new orders - the Kontron KTT30 is the company's first design to be based around a mini-ITX form factor. Although this makes it significantly larger than the Pi at 170mm x 170mm, it also means the system is easy to integrate into existing mini-ITX cases.
Kontron's focus on PC builders is clear just by looking at the KTT30's expansion capabilities. The board includes up to 2GB of DDR3L memory, a mini-PCIe slot, a combined mini-PCIe and mSATA slot, and support for a 3G modem with onboard SIM socket. Storage is provided either through the mSATA connector or via two full-size SD card slots, while three USB 2.0 ports - two full-size, one micro - provide host and device connectivity for peripherals. The network connectivity, too, gets a significant boost, with a single port providing gigabit Ethernet.
To take full advantage of the quad-core Tegra 3 chip's multimedia capabilities, the KTT30 supports 1920x1080 output through an HDMI 1.4a port or 2048x1563 through the 24-bit LVDS connector. Like the Pi, a DSI connector is also included with support for displays of up to 1440x900 - and all three video outputs can be used simultaneously and independently. Audio is provided via analogue input, output and microphone connections, as is S/PDIF digital audio both in and out.
Sadly, not everything about the KTT30 is quite so impressive. The Tegra 3 chip is clocked down to 900MHz to hit the target full-board power consumption of under 7W at load, while the system also lacks the general-purpose input/output (GPIO) port of the Pi - although two RS232 serial ports are included. Kontron has also yet to indicate pricing, although with the added complexity of the board and the far more powerful - if underclocked - Tegra 3 processor, expect it to cost several times more than the rival Pi.
Kontron's latest SBC device is entering a new yet rapidly growing market for hobbyist boards: VIA's rival APC 8750 boasts a similar neo-ITX mounting system, while the Hardkernel ODROID-X packs a faster 1.4GHz quad-core SoC processor.
Thus far, however, no devices have come close to rivalling the Raspberry Pi's low retail price - and with both RS Electronics and Farnell now taking orders for multiple boards from both individuals and businesses, its popularity is likely to skyrocket in coming weeks.
Joining the incredibly popular Raspberry Pi - which is being produced at the rate of 4,000 units a day yet still has an 11-week lead time on new orders - the Kontron KTT30 is the company's first design to be based around a mini-ITX form factor. Although this makes it significantly larger than the Pi at 170mm x 170mm, it also means the system is easy to integrate into existing mini-ITX cases.
Kontron's focus on PC builders is clear just by looking at the KTT30's expansion capabilities. The board includes up to 2GB of DDR3L memory, a mini-PCIe slot, a combined mini-PCIe and mSATA slot, and support for a 3G modem with onboard SIM socket. Storage is provided either through the mSATA connector or via two full-size SD card slots, while three USB 2.0 ports - two full-size, one micro - provide host and device connectivity for peripherals. The network connectivity, too, gets a significant boost, with a single port providing gigabit Ethernet.
To take full advantage of the quad-core Tegra 3 chip's multimedia capabilities, the KTT30 supports 1920x1080 output through an HDMI 1.4a port or 2048x1563 through the 24-bit LVDS connector. Like the Pi, a DSI connector is also included with support for displays of up to 1440x900 - and all three video outputs can be used simultaneously and independently. Audio is provided via analogue input, output and microphone connections, as is S/PDIF digital audio both in and out.
Sadly, not everything about the KTT30 is quite so impressive. The Tegra 3 chip is clocked down to 900MHz to hit the target full-board power consumption of under 7W at load, while the system also lacks the general-purpose input/output (GPIO) port of the Pi - although two RS232 serial ports are included. Kontron has also yet to indicate pricing, although with the added complexity of the board and the far more powerful - if underclocked - Tegra 3 processor, expect it to cost several times more than the rival Pi.
Kontron's latest SBC device is entering a new yet rapidly growing market for hobbyist boards: VIA's rival APC 8750 boasts a similar neo-ITX mounting system, while the Hardkernel ODROID-X packs a faster 1.4GHz quad-core SoC processor.
Thus far, however, no devices have come close to rivalling the Raspberry Pi's low retail price - and with both RS Electronics and Farnell now taking orders for multiple boards from both individuals and businesses, its popularity is likely to skyrocket in coming weeks.
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