Aitech’s New Low-power PMC With Dual, Independent Graphics Heads Simultaneously Provides Advanced Graphics and Imaging Capabilities

Chatsworth, Calif. August 2008 – Aitech Defense Systems Inc., the worlds first and largest independent manufacturer of open architecture board and subsystem level products for harsh environment defense, aerospace and astronautics applications, now offers the most flexible, high performance 3D graphics and imaging functionality available in a single, low-power PMC.

Based on the ATI M9 graphics processor, the new M590 Multi-standard Graphics and Video PMC uses dual independent graphics heads to simultaneously output information from two separate data streams to two different monitors, whether analog or digital. An on-board FPGA separates video from imaging input streams for maximum design and application flexibility.

Designed for harsh environments, the PCI-X Rev. 1.0b and PCI Rev. 2.3 compliant M590 supports advanced 2D/3D video displays and image capture/frame grabbing with overlay and underlay for high-resolution man-machine interfaces with resolutions of up to 1536 x 2048 at 30 to 200 Hz refresh rates and up to 32 bits per pixel (Truecolor+).

The M590s combined graphics and video performance makes the PMC ideal for advanced sensor fusion, image/frame capture and recording; for tactical, Red Force/Blue Force tracking; and for avionics and tactical area moving map applications.

Powered by an ATI M9 graphics processor with an on-chip 64 MB DDR frame buffer array as well as an integrated VGA core and dual RAMDAC units, the M590 performs high speed and high quality 2D line, 3D polygon and texture acceleration. It also unifies 2D, 3D and video operations in multiple parallel pipelines, while enabling high-flexibility data handling and preventing overloads of internal and external data paths.

A host of channel-independent analog and digital video input and output formats are provided, including DVI, LVDS single/double link, progressive RGBHV/RGsB, RS-343 and composite/S-video supporting RS-170, NTSC and PAL, as well as internal or external sync. The M590 also supports either interlaced or advanced non-interlaced monitors.

A selectable 1:1 aspect ratio format for analog video output supports legacy avionics-style color and monochrome display monitors. For more advanced video display applications, the M590 also provides comprehensive video overlay and underlay functionality. The M9 processor generates the images, superimposes an input from one of the various video formats, and drives the result to a monitor. A second overlay process can be implemented simultaneously on the second independent data stream, utilizing a different video input, with the resulting stream routed to the FPGA for display output.

The PMCs software package supports all on-board capabilities, including standard VGA and Built In Test (BIT), and features ALT Softwares OpenGL 2D/3D drivers for VxWorks and Integrity. The M590 is available in commercial, rugged and military temperature ranges, and in either conduction-cooled (per ANSI/VITA 20-2001) or air-cooled (IEEE 1386-2001) versions.

Pricing for an M590 starts at $3,440 in OEM quantities. Delivery is from stock.

For more information please call 888-Aitech-8 (248-3248), visit www.rugged.com, or

e-mail [email protected].

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UPCOMING TRADESHOWS: Conference on Small Satellites, Utah State University, Logan, Utah; August 11-14, 2008; Booth #49.

About Aitech:

Established in 1983, Aitech offers military and space-qualified, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) embedded computing products for rugged defense, aerospace and astronautics (space) applications as well as provides radiation tolerant and full MIL-SPEC solutions. The company provides industry-standard, open architecture VMEbus, CompactPCI and high speed serial fabric-based boards, power subsystems, mass memory, enclosures and hardware subsystem integration along with logistics, configuration control, component obsolescence and earned-value management services.

Having pioneered the development of true military VMEbus products for use in mainstream COTS applications, Aitech utilizes its broad base of off-the-shelf products and technologies to also 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, mission control and autonomous robotic subsystems for ground vehicles as well as surface and subsurface naval platforms to tactical and strategic fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, and low- to high-earth orbit and deep space vehicles.

ABOUT ALT Software: (www.altsoftware.com)

Founded in 1994, ALT Software is an embedded systems solutions provider with offerings that consist of device drivers and graphics system development kits. Its products include DO-178B certifiable OpenGL graphics drivers that support 2D/3D graphics acceleration in safety-critical embedded devices. Specializing in hardware-related software engineering, ALT has particular expertise in graphics, embedded systems, gaming, video processing, audio, networking, mobile and wireless technologies. ALTs OpenGL graphics drivers are deployed in automotive, aerospace & defense, avionics, consumer, industrial and medical devices worldwide, and support a wide variety of RTOS and GPU configurations