Chatsworth, CA – July 20, 2005 – Aitech Defense Systems, Inc., a world leader in the development and manufacture of board and subsystem level products for harsh environment defense, aerospace and space applications, has announced the availability of its most versatile graphics/video processing PMC for moderate to high-level applications. The new M585 Multi-Standard Graphics/Video PMC is a COTS mezzanine card that provides superior 2D and 3D graphics processing, and includes extensive encoding and decoding capabilities to accommodate multiple channels of video input. In addition, the new M585 provides a variety of industry-standard high-resolution signal outputs, and is available in three levels of ruggedization for commercial, rugged, or military applications.
Based on the advanced 3Dlabs Permedia3 graphics processor and supported by a 32 MB SDRAM frame buffer, the M585 uses multi-functional memory architecture to perform high quality 3D polygon and texture acceleration, and to unify 2D graphics and graphics and video operations all in the same execution pipeline. This allows flexibility in the way data is handled, and prevents overloading a specific type of data buffer. The unit’s double-buffered architecture features one buffer for display and another for data update.
This versatile card accepts video signals from up to nine NTSC/PAL composite video inputs or up to three S-video digital inputs. Selected input may be incorporated into the graphic units and used for overlay functionality, such as combining a target or measurement grid with a live video image. These video inputs are controlled by a video decoder converting the analog video into a digital video stream – and in a unique method – are transferred to the Permedia3 graphics processor through its high speed video side port reducing excessive main PCI bus interface traffic. The 24-bit stream video side port is also capable of interfacing with video peripherals such as encoders, decoders, and flat-panel controllers.
Outputs include standard analog RGB, non-interlaced RGBHV, and RGsB (sync-on-green) interfaces supporting screen resolutions up to 1600 x 1200 (UXGA). The M585 also supports NTSC or PAL video output – both in composite and S-video signal formats – and is capable of driving flat panel displays ranging from VGA to UXGA resolutions in a single link DVI compliant interface. External synchronization is achieved through a variety of TTL or RS-422 video sync I/Os.
The default supported video signal levels include RS-170, NTSC, and PAL. Cards can also be provided with a customized video level format by using video amplifiers achieved through resistor configuration to support a wide variety of video displays, including MFDs. Cards can be designated to support either a 4:3 or 1:1 aspect ratio.
The M585 mezzanine card connects to the PCI bus and incorporates a PCI core fully compliant with the PCI Rev 2.1 Specification. The PCI interface supports 32-bit PCI bus at 66 MHz. All M585 I/O signals are routed to the PMC P4 I/O connector.
The Aitech M585 graphics/video card is available in two mechanical formats. An air-cooled version (per IEEE 1386-2001) is available for installation on top of commercial and rugged air-cooled carrier boards. A conduction-cooled version (per ANSI/VITA20-2001) is available for installation on top of IEEE 1101.2 conduction-cooled carrier boards. High-power components in each format are cooled by an aluminum heatsink.
An extensive software package supports onboard capabilities, including X11, OpenGL, standard and enhanced VGA, frame grab and input video (Genlock) overlay. A complete, full featured OpenGL software development and deployment suite is available from Seaweed Systems and a sub-set OpenGL-lite package is available directly from Aitech. SBC drivers and BSP software are available for WindRiver Systems, Inc. VxWorks.
Pricing for the M585 starts at $4,475. Delivery is 6-8 weeks ARO.
For more information please call 888-Aitech-8 (248-3248), or visit www.rugged.com
About Aitech
Established in 1983, Aitech offers military and space-qualified, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products for defense, aerospace and space applications, radiation tolerant and MIL-SPEC solutions; providing VMEbus and CompactPCI boards, power subsystems, mass memory, enclosures and hardware subsystem integration along with configuration and component obsolescence management services. In addition, Aitech utilizes its broad base of off-the-shelf products and technologies to develop customer-specific solutions, deliver superior cost-performance and reliability, and expedite time to market. Applications for its products range from mission processors, fire control and mission control subsystems for ground vehicles, surface and subsurface naval platforms, tactical and strategic fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, and low- to high-earth orbit space vehicles.