Little Board™/P5x
P/N 5001351 Revision C
4757 Hellyer Avenue, San Jose, CA 95138
Phone: 408 360-0200, FAX: 408 360-0222, Web: www.ampro.com
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction ..........................................................................................................................................vi
Technical Support.................................................................................................................................vi
Introduction
General Description...........................................................................................................................1–1
Enhanced Reliability..........................................................................................................................1–5
Software .............................................................................................................................................1–6
Designing Little Board Systems ........................................................................................................1–6
On-board MiniModule Expansion................................................................................................1–6
Using Standard PC and AT Bus Cards........................................................................................1–7
Little Board Development Platform And Quick Start Kit...........................................................1–7
Little Board/P5x Utility I/O Development Board ........................................................................1–8
Connector Descriptions................................................................................................................1–9
Switch Descriptions (S1 – S4)....................................................................................................1–10
Product Reference
Overview ............................................................................................................................................2–1
Mounting Dimensions........................................................................................................................2–2
Connector Summary ..........................................................................................................................2–3
Jumper Summary ..............................................................................................................................2–7
DC Power ...........................................................................................................................................2–8
Power Requirements....................................................................................................................2–8
Powerfail NMI..............................................................................................................................2–9
Backup Battery ............................................................................................................................2–9
Cooling Requirements..................................................................................................................2–9
System Memory................................................................................................................................2–11
ROM BIOS .................................................................................................................................2–11
Shadowing..................................................................................................................................2–11
BIOS Recovery ...........................................................................................................................2–12
Interrupt and DMA Channel Usage ..........................................................................................2–12
Battery-Backed Clock ......................................................................................................................2–15
Serial Ports ......................................................................................................................................2–15
I/O Addresses and Interrupt Assignments ................................................................................2–15
ROM-BIOS Installation of the Serial Ports...............................................................................2–16
Serial Port Connectors (J11, J13)..............................................................................................2–16
RS-485 Option............................................................................................................................2–17
Serial TTL Option ......................................................................................................................2–18
Ampro Custom Serial Features .................................................................................................2–19
Serial Console Features.............................................................................................................2–19
iii
Universal Serial Bus (USB) Ports ...................................................................................................2–22
Infrared (IrDA) Interface.................................................................................................................2–23
Requirements for an IrDA interface..........................................................................................2–23
IrDA Connector (Part of J24).....................................................................................................2–23
Multi-Mode Parallel Port.................................................................................................................2–23
I/O Addresses and Interrupts ....................................................................................................2–24
DMA Channels...........................................................................................................................2–24
Parallel Port Connector (J15) ....................................................................................................2–25
Parallel Port Registers...............................................................................................................2–27
Standard and Bi-Directional Operation ....................................................................................2–27
Floppy Disk Interface ......................................................................................................................2–31
Floppy Drive Considerations .....................................................................................................2–31
Floppy Interface Configuration .................................................................................................2–31
Floppy Interface Connector (J14) ..............................................................................................2–32
EIDE Hard Disk Interface ...............................................................................................................2–33
IDE Interface Configuration......................................................................................................2–35
Compact Flash Solid-State Disk......................................................................................................2–35
Enabling the Drive.....................................................................................................................2–36
Master/Slave Setting..................................................................................................................2–36
Solid-State Disk Preparation.....................................................................................................2–36
UltraSCSI INTERFACE ..................................................................................................................2–36
UltraSCSI Connector .................................................................................................................2–36
SCSI Interface Configuration ....................................................................................................2–37
Flat Panel/CRT Video Controller.....................................................................................................2–39
Connecting a Flat Panel (J3) .....................................................................................................2–39
BIOS Support of Standard Flat Panels .....................................................................................2–42
The LCD Bias Supply Option (J4) .............................................................................................2–42
Connecting a CRT (J5)...............................................................................................................2–44
ZV Port Interface (J6) ................................................................................................................2–45
Disabling the Video Controller ..................................................................................................2–46
Ethernet Network Interface ............................................................................................................2–47
Hardware Description................................................................................................................2–47
Ethernet RJ-45 Interface Connector (J7) ..................................................................................2–47
Ethernet Interface Software......................................................................................................2–47
Ethernet Setup...........................................................................................................................2–48
Setting up a Boot PROM............................................................................................................2–49
Ethernet Indicator LEDs ...........................................................................................................2–49
Watchdog Timer...............................................................................................................................2–50
Utility Connectors (J16, J24)...........................................................................................................2–51
LED Connection.........................................................................................................................2–52
Speaker Connections..................................................................................................................2–52
Push-button Reset Connection ..................................................................................................2–52
Keyboard Connection.................................................................................................................2–52
Utility 2 Connector (J24) ...........................................................................................................2–53
PC/104-Plus EXPANSION BUS.......................................................................................................2–54
On-board MiniModule Expansion..............................................................................................2–54
Using Standard PC and AT Bus Cards......................................................................................2–55
iv
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Expansion Bus Connector Pinouts ............................................................................................2–55
PCI Bus (P21) Notes ..................................................................................................................2–60
Setup ................................................................................................................................................2–62
Setup 1 — Main Menu ...............................................................................................................2–64
Setup 2 — Standard CMOS Setup.............................................................................................2–65
Setup 3 — BIOS Features Setup ...............................................................................................2–68
Setup 4 — Chipset Features Setup............................................................................................2–71
Setup 6 — PCI Configuration Setup..........................................................................................2–75
Setup 7 — Integrated Peripherals Setup ..................................................................................2–76
Technical Specifications
Little Board/P5x SPECIFICATIONS.................................................................................................3–1
CPU/Motherboard ........................................................................................................................3–1
Embedded-PC System Enhancements.........................................................................................3–1
On-board Peripherals...................................................................................................................3–2
Support Software .........................................................................................................................3–4
Mechanical and Environmental Specifications ...........................................................................3–4
Ampro Product Reliability Testing ..................................................................................................3–11
Regulatory testing .....................................................................................................................3–11
Shock and Vibration Testing .....................................................................................................3–11
ISO 9001 Manufacturing ...........................................................................................................3–11
Wide-range temperature testing ...............................................................................................3–11
Appendix A
Contacts .............................................................................................................................................4–1
Appendix B
Cables......................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.–Error! Bookmark not defined.
v
Preface
Introduction
This manual is for integrators and programmers of systems based on the Ampro Little Board/P5x, a
full-featured CPU module conforming to the EBX 1.1 technical specification. It contains technical
information about hardware requirements, interconnection, and software configuration.
Technical Support
Ampro technical support for this product is available from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Pacific Time,
Monday through Friday. When you call, please have the product’s technical manual and the product
available.
Table i lists contact information for Ampro technical support.
Table 0-1. Technical Support Contact Information
Telephone
FAX
800-966-5200 (USA), or 408 360-0200
408 360-0226
Email
Website
FTP
Surface Mail
Ampro Computers, Incorporated, 4757 Hellyer Avenue, San Jose, CA 95138, USA
vi
Chapter 1
Introduction
General Description
The Little Board/P5x is a high integration, high-performance Pentium-based PC/AT-compatible
system that conforms to the EBX V.1.1 specification. This rugged and high quality single-board
system contains all the component subsystems of a PC/AT PCI motherboard plus the equivalent of
up to six expansion boards. The Little Board/P5x is designed to meet the size, power consumption,
temperature range, quality, and reliability demands of embedded system applications.
Key functions on the Little Board/P5x include:
!
!
High-speed Pentium CPU
!
Dual PCI-bus EIDE/UltraDMA drive
controllers
64-bit wide 3.3V DRAM – up to 256M
bytes
!
!
Flat-panel/CRT display controller
!
!
!
512K synchronous secondary cache
Embedded-PC BIOS in Flash EPROM
Adaptec UltraSCSI controller (Special
Order)
!
!
!
Built-in Adaptec SCSI BIOS
Four buffered serial ports (with RS-232,
RS-485, TTL options)
Ethernet 100BaseT LAN interface,
!
!
!
!
Two universal serial bus (USB) ports
Infrared (IrDA) port
Compact Flash solid-state IDE drive
support
!
Standard PC keyboard and speaker
interfaces
Multi-mode IEEE-1284 parallel port
Floppy controller
In addition, Ampro has made many improvements to the architecture and firmware of the
traditional desktop PC to optimize it for embedded applications. Among the many embedded-PC
enhancements that ensure fail-safe embedded system operation and application versatility are a
watchdog timer, a powerfail NMI generator, serial console support, serial boot loader, batteryless
boot, failsafe boot, accelerated boot, on-board high-density Compact Flash disk, and BIOS
extensions for OEM boot customization.
System operation requires a single +5 Volt power source (and 3.3 Volts for low-voltage PCI
expansion cards, if required) and offers "green PC" power-saving modes under support of Advanced
Power Management (APM) BIOS functions.
Product Feature Summary
CPU/Motherboard
The Little Board/P5x has a fully PC-compatible motherboard architecture, with a Pentium low-
voltage CPU. It supports all Socket 7 CPUs with up to 7.5A core current. As CPUs evolve, new
versions may be offered. Contact your Ampro sales representative for current models.
For improved reliability in harsh thermal environments, the board implements a CPU thermal
sensor and configurable thermal-management control logic in the BIOS.
1–1
The Pentium CPU has its standard on-chip cache memory (typically 16K). In addition, a 512K byte
synchronous-burst secondary cache is provided to increase performance.
The board uses a single DIMM memory module for main DRAM memory, and supports from 16M
bytes to 256M bytes in a 64-bit configuration. Both EDO and SDRAM 3.3V DRAM types are
supported. (5V DRAMS, ECC, and DRAM parity are not supported.)
The module has a full complement of standard PCI PC/AT architectural features, including DMA
channels, interrupt controllers, real-time clock, and timer counters.
Enhanced Embedded-PC BIOS
One of the most valuable features of the Little Board/P5x is its enhanced embedded-PC BIOS,
which includes an extensive set of functions that meet the unique requirements of embedded-
system applications. These enhancements include:
!
Compact Flash support. You can use a solid-state Compact Flash memory module in place of
a rotating media drive (see Compact Flash Disk, below).
!
Watchdog timer. The WDT monitors the boot process and can be integrated into application
programs using function calls provided in the BIOS.
!
!
Fast boot operation. Normal or accelerated POST.
Fail-safe boot support. Intelligently retries boot devices (configured in the BIOS) until a
successful boot.
!
!
Battery-free boot support. Saves system Setup information in non-volatile EEPROM. The
board can use this information should the RTC battery fail.
Serial console option. Lets you use a serial device, such as an ASCII serial terminal, as
console.
!
!
Serial loader option. Supports loading boot code from an external serial source.
EEPROM access function. 256 bits of serial EEPROM storage are available to the user,
useful for serialization, copy protection, security, etc.
!
OEM customization hooks. The module can execute custom code prior to system boot via
ROM extensions; allows sophisticated system customization without BIOS modification
Modular PC/104-Plus Expansion Bus
The Little Board/P5x provides a PC/104-Plus expansion bus for additional system functions. This
bus offers compact, self-stacking, modular expandability. The PC/104-Plus expansion bus is an
extension of the PC/104 bus. The PC/104 bus is defined in the IEEE P996.1 Standard for Compact
Embedded PC Modules. It is an embedded system version of the signal set provided on a desktop
PC's ISA bus. The PC/104-Plus bus includes this signal set, and in addition, signals implementing a
PCI bus, available on an additional 120-pin PCI bus connector.
The growing list of PC/104 and PC/104-Plus modules available from Ampro and hundreds of other
PC/104 vendors includes such functions as communications interfaces, video frame grabbers, field
bus interfaces, digital signal processors (DSPs), data acquisition and control functions, and many
specialized interfaces and controllers. In addition, custom application-specific logic boards can also
1–2
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
be stacked directly on top of the Little Board/P5x using its PC/104-Plus expansion bus interface as a
rugged and reliable interconnect.
The Little Board/P5x module’s on-board EIDE, video interfaces, and optional SCSI interface are
internally connected to its PCI bus. In addition, you can attach PCI peripherals to the board’s
stackable PCI bus expansion connector in much the same way PC/104 modules are stacked on the
PC/104 connectors. The PCI expansion connector consists of 4 rows of 30 pins (120-pin header), and
carries all of the appropriate PCI signals to accommodate up to 4 PCI add-on modules. The bus
operates at clock speeds up to 33 MHz.
Compact Flash Disk
The Compact Flash interface allows you to substitute solid-state Flash memory for a conventional
rotating-media drive. Any DOS-based application, including the operating system, utilities, drivers,
and application programs, can easily be run from the Compact Flash device without modification
The Compact Flash disk is a solid-state disk system that emulates an IDE drive. It uses standard
Compact Flash disk media, similar to a PCMCIA memory card, but smaller. Insert the Compact
Flash disk media in the on-board Compact Flash socket, and use it in much the same way you
would use a removable-media hard drive. The Compact Flash drive is architecturally equivalent to
an IDE drive in your system. When installed, it becomes one of the two IDE drives supported by the
primary EIDE disk controller. It can be configured as either an IDE master or slave drive.
Serial Ports
The Little Board/P5x provides four PC-compatible RS-232C serial ports, implemented using
16C550-type UARTs. These UARTs are equipped with 16-byte FIFO buffers to improve throughput.
Serial 1 through Serial 4 are configured for RS-232 operation and are compliant with standard PC
serial port specifications. The ports’ RS-232 level shifters incorporate built-in voltage pumps to
generate RS-232 voltage levels from the system +5V supply.
You can optionally configure Serial 1 for RS-485 operation. In addition, Serial 2 and Serial 4
provide connections for TTL-level serial signals.
Parallel Port
An enhanced bi-directional parallel port interface conforms to the IEEE-1284 standard. It provides
features attractive to embedded system designers, including increased speed, an internal FIFO
buffer, and DMA transfer capability.
Floppy Interface
An on-board floppy disk interface provides access to standard floppy drives. The interface supports
up to two floppy drives, 5.25 inch or 3.5 inch, in any combination. All standard floppy drive types,
from 360K 5.25 inch to 1.44M 3.5 inch are supported.
PCI-Bus EIDE Interfaces
On-board PCI EIDE/Ultra DMA/33 interfaces provide high-speed hard disk, IDE CD-ROM drive,
and other IDE device access. The interfaces support up to four IDE devices (via primary and
secondary drive interfaces). The interfaces are fully compliant with the AS/NSIS ATA Rev. 3.0
1–3
specification and the ATAPI Specification. The Ampro Extended BIOS supports hard drives greater
than 528M bytes through Logical Block Addressing (LBA).
The Compact Flash interface is implemented as an IDE drive. If it is installed, it takes the position
of one of the drives of the primary IDE interface (settable as a master or slave drive).
PCI UltraSCSI Interface
An PCI UltraSCSI controller subsystem is available by special order. The SCSI components are not
assembled on standard versions of the Little Board/P5x. The portions of this manual that document
SCSI circuitry, software, connectors, jumpers, and hardware are relavant only on special order
versions of the Little Board/P5x that contain the SCSI subsystem.
The SCSI interface is implemented using the high speed Adaptec AIC 7860 SCSI controller
attached to the on-board PCI bus. SCSI bus termination is implemented with active terminators.
Data rates of up to 20 megabytes/second are achievable. An Adaptec SCSI BIOS is included in the
on-board Flash memory device. The SCSI interface is compatible with current SCSI standards and
is ASPI-compatible.
PCI Flat-Panel/CRT Display Controller
A powerful and flexible PCI video display controller supports both flat panels and CRTs, and offers
full software compatibility with all popular PC video standards (VGA, Super VGA, and VESA). All
standard resolutions up to 1600 x 1200 pixels and up to 16.7 million colors are supported. Refer to
Chapter 4 for detailed video specifications. 2M bytes of SDRAM video memory are standard. The
display controller features:
!
High-speed PCI Architecture. The video controller provides an optimized PCI-bus path
between the CPU and SDRAM video memory.
!
Graphical User Interface (GUI) Accelerator. The Chips and Technologies HiQVideo™
Multimedia Accelerator dramatically boosts the performance of Windows® and many graphics-
intensive applications.
!
!
Full IBM VGA compatibility. VESA DPMS and DCC standards supported.
TV Video Display. Integrated composite NTSC/PAL support with flicker reduction circuitry.
Simultaneous TV and Flat-panel display is supported.
!
!
Color Flat-Panel Support. Up to 16.7 million colors can be displayed on color TFT LCD flat
panels and color STN LCD panels. Uses the Chips and Technologies TMED™ algorithm to
optimize low-cost STN panel displays for 256 gray shades and 16.7M colors.
Display Centering and Stretching. A variety of automatic display centering and stretching
techniques can be employed when running lower resolution software on a higher resolution
display. Supports 16:9 aspect-ratio panels.
!
!
!
Automatic Power Sequencing Controls. The video controller provides the signals to safely
sequence the power and data signals to LCD flat panels.
Low-Power Modes. Advanced Power Management (APM) features are implemented in the
power control logic.
ZV Port Support. The standard Chips and Technologies ZV input port is supported.
1–4
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
!
!
Standard Panel Support in the ROM BIOS. The on-board video BIOS supports up to 16 of
the most popular flat-panel displays, selectable from Setup.
Optional hardware modules may be installed. These include an optional NTSC/PAL
module to allow direct connection of NTSC or PAL video inputs, an optional module supporting
either PanelLink or LVDS adapter modules, an optional module to convert 3.3V signals to 5.0V
signals to support 5 Volt LCD Panels, and an adjustable LCD bias power supply to supply Vee
for LCD panels.
100 MB/s Ethernet LAN Interface
The Ethernet subsystem is based on the Am79C972 PCnet™ Fast+ Enhanced 10/100 PCI Ethernet
Controller. It fully supports IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standards — 10BaseT and 100BaseT. The
Am79C972 supports an MII (Media Independent Interface) 10/100 Mb/s network port. For
maximum performance, the Ethernet controller uses the PCI bus for system-side data transfers.
Features of this Ethernet controller include:
!
!
!
!
On-board DMA (programmable)
Support for full-duplex operation
Auto-negotiable data rate (10/100 Mb/s)
Supports PC97, PC98, and Net PC standards
Enhanced Reliability
Reliability is especially important in embedded computer systems. Ampro, specializing in
embedded system computers and peripherals, knows that embedded systems must be able to run
reliably in rugged, hostile, and mission-critical environments without operator intervention. Over
the years, Ampro has evolved system designs and a comprehensive testing program to ensure a
reliable and stable system for harsh and demanding applications. These include:
ISO 9001 Manufacturing. Ampro is a certified ISO 9001 vendor.
Regulatory testing. Knowing that many embedded systems must qualify under EMC emissions
and suscepibility testing, Ampro designs boards with careful attention to EMI issues. Boards are
tested in standard enclosures to ensure that they can pass such emissions tests. Tests include
European Union Directives EN55022 and EN55011 (for EMC), EN61000-4-2 (for ESD), ENV50140
(for RF Susceptibility), and EN61000-4-4 (for EFT). Conducted Emissions testing is also performed
at US voltages per FCC Part 15, Subpart J (the European Union Directives are otherwise
compatible with Part 15 testing).
Wide-range temperature testing. Ampro Engineering qualifies all of its designs by extensive
thermal and voltage margin testing.
Voltage Reduction Technology (VRT) CPU for greater high temperature tolerance. The
board uses the latest low-voltage CPU technology to extend its temperature range and reduce
cooling requirements. In addition, this module utilizes active thermal monitoring features to reduce
the CPU temperature.
Shock and Vibration Testing. Boards intended for use in harsh environments are tested for
shock and vibration durability to MIL-STD 202F, Method 213-I, Condition A (three 50G shocks in
each axis) and MIL-STD 202F, Method 214A, Table 214-I, Condition D (11.95B random vibration,
1–5
100 Hz to 1000 Hz). (Contact your Ampro sales representative to obtain Shock and Random
Vibration Test Report for the Little Board/P5x CPU for details.)
Software
The vast array of commercial and public-domain software for the IBM PC and PC/AT is usable in
Little Board/P5x-based systems. You can use the most popular software development tools (editors,
compilers, debuggers, etc.) for developing code for your application. With this software and the
standard Ampro-supplied utilities and drivers, you can quickly tailor a system to your needs.
Use the board’s Setup function for all system configuration. Setup information is stored in both the
battery-backed CMOS RAM-portion of the real-time clock, and in a configuration EEPROM. Setup
information is retained in the EEPROM even if the real-time clock battery loses power, ensuring
reliable start-up.
Setup can be invoked by pressing the DEL key during the Power-On Self Test (POST). The
contents of the EEPROM can be written and read from the DOS command line using a utility
program, SETCMOS.EXE, available on the Little Board/P5x Utilities diskette.
Designing Little Board Systems
The Little Board/5Px CPU affords a great deal of flexibility in system design. You can build a
system using only the Little Board, serial or parallel devices for input/output, and a solid-state disk
drive.
On-board MiniModule Expansion
The simplest way to expand a Little Board system is with self-stacking Ampro MiniModules.
MiniModules are available for a wide variety of functions. You can stack the MiniModules on the
Little Board and avoid the need for bus cables, card cages, and backplanes.
When installed on the PC/104 expansion bus headers, expansion modules fit within the Little
Board/P5x’s outline dimensions. Most Ampro MiniModule products have stackthrough connectors
compatible with the PC/104 specification. You can stack several modules on the Little Board/P5x.
Each additional module increases the thickness of the package by ~0.66 inches (~15 mm). Thus, a
3-module system fits within the outline of the Little Board and within a 2.4-inch vertical space.
Figure 1– 1 shows an example of how PC/104 modules stack on the Little Board/P5x.
1–6
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
4-40 screws
PC/104Module
0.6 inchspacers
PC/104Plus Module
Stackthrough
Expansion
BusHeaders
PCIStackthrough
Headers
LittleBoard/P5x
4-40 nuts
Figure 1– 1. Stacking PC/104 Modules on the Little Board/P5x
Using Standard PC and AT Bus Cards
Ampro offers several options that allow you to add conventional 8-bit and 16-bit ISA expansion
cards to the Little Board/P5x system. Contact Ampro for further information about optional bus
expansion products.
Little Board Development Platform And Quick Start Kit
Whatever your Little Board application, there will always be a need for an engineering development
cycle. To help developers quickly assemble an embedded system, Ampro offers the Little Board
Development Platform. It includes a power supply, 3.5 inch 1.44M floppy disk drive, IDE hard
drive, speaker, I/O connectors, a backplane for ISA and PCI expansion cards, an I/O development
board (described below), and mounting studs for the Little Board.
The Development Platform provides a “known good” environment for your development work. You
can install the Little Board/P5x, MiniModules, or conventional expansion boards, keyboard,
monitor, and I/O devices to quickly create a platform for your hardware and software engineering
needs. Often, Development Platforms are used in repair and support facilities as well, and on the
production floor for system test. Contact your Ampro sales representative for more information.
The Quick Start Kit includes cables, documentation, and software needed to develop an application
with the Little Board. Unlike the Development Platform, you must supply the disk drives and
power supply. Technical drawings for the cables provided in the Quick Start Kit are included in
Appendix B.
There are other kits available from Ampro to aid in the development of your application. A Cable
Kit that includes only the Little Board/P5x cable set is available. The latching clips that fit on the
shrouded connectors on the Little Board to secure the cable connectors are available in another kit.
The Literature Set that includes the Technical Manuals and Software is also available seperately.
1–7
Little Board/P5x Utility I/O Development Board
To facilitate I/O connections to the Little Board/P5x utility connectors, Ampro provides the Little
Board/P5x Utility I/O Development Board. It is included in the Development Platform Kit and the
Quick Start Kit.
The I/O Development Board provides connections for the USB ports, speaker, keyboard, front panel
switches, external power supply connections, and so forth.
Figure 1– 2 is an illustration of the I/O Development board showing the connectors and switches
S3
S2
S1
S4
2.800
2,705
2.600
PWR
LID
RESET
LO-BATT
2.355
J6
J1
J8
J5
BATV-
Keyboard
J7
1.985
1.531
LS1
1.855
1.655
Mouse
J2
0.820
J4 USB2
J3 USB1
.330
0.0
-0.200
that are provided.
Figure 1– 2. I/O Development Board
Table 1– 1 summarizes the connectors available on the I/O Development Board.
1–8
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Connector
Name
Utility 1
Mouse
USB 1
Description
J5
J2
J3
J4
J1
J6
J7
J8
Connect to LB/P5x Utility 1 (J16)
Plug in PS/2 Mouse
Standard USB connector for USB 1
Standard USB connector for USB 2
Connect to LB/P5x Utility 2 (J24)
Provides connections for -12V and -5V
Plug in a standard PS/2 Keyboard
Reserved - do not use
USB 2
Utility 2
Power
Keyboard
Table 1– 1. I/O Development Board Connector Summary
Connector Descriptions
The following sections describe the use of each connector on the I/O Development Board.
J5 — Utility 1
J5, the Utility 1 connector connects to the Little Board/P5x Utility 1 connector (J16). It provides
connections to an on-board speaker, keyboard connector, reset switch, a connector for external -5V
and -12V power supplies, and a power LED.
If you have the Ampro Quick Start Kit, connect a ribbon cable between J5 on the I/O Development
Board and J16 on the Little Board.
If you install the Little Board on the Little Board Development Platform, it is not necessary to
connect Utility 1 signals to the I/O Development Board. The Utility 1 features are already provided
on the Development Platform.
J2 — Mouse
If you connect J1 to J24 on the Little Board, you can use J2 to connect a PS/2 mouse.
J3, J4 — USB
Connectors J3 and J4 provide connection to USB ports 1 and 2 respectively. These are standard
shielded Type A connectors, the kind typically found on a host or hub. For details about the USB
ports, refer to the Little Board/P5x Technical Manual. To use the USB ports, you must connect a
cable from the I/O board’s J1 connector to the Little Board’s J24 connector.
J1 — Utilty 2
The Utility 2 connector (J1) connects to the Little Board/P5x Utility 2 connector at J24. It provides
connections to the Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports (J3, J4), infrared interface (IrDA), and power
management switches (S1, S2, and S3).
1–9
J6 — Power
If you connect J5 on the I/O board to J16 on the Little Board, you can use J6 to connect -5V and -
12V power supplies to the Little Board. Table 1– 2 shows J6 wiring.
J6 Pin
Signal
-12 Volts
-5 Volts
Ground
1
3
2, 4
Table 1– 2. J6 Power Wiring
J7 — Keyboard
If you connect J5 on the I/O board to J16 on the Little Board, you can use J7 to connect a PS/2
keyboard. J7 is a standard 5-pin DIN connector.
Switch Descriptions (S1 – S4)
There are four switches on the I/O Development Board. They are identified by silkscreen
designations S1, S2, S3, and S4. Table 1– 3 describes each switch function.
Switch
Name
Description
S1*
Lid
Power management input: causes an SMI to simulate a laptop lid
closure.
S2*
Pwr
Power management input (push-button switch): when pushed for 6
seconds, it powers down the board. When pressed again, the
board powers up.
S3*
S4
Lo-Pwr
Reset
Power management input: causes an SMI to simulate a low-
battery condition.
Standard Reset signal to the Little Board
* For information about implementing S1, S2, and S3 functionality, contact Ampro Technical
Support.
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Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Table 1– 3. I/O Development Board Switches
Figure 1– 3 is a block diagram of the Little Board/P5x architecture.
CPU
DRAM
DIMM
Memory
Cache
Temp
MTXC
Serial
EEPROM
PCI/120 Bus
PC/104 Bus
100BaseT
Ethernet
USB (2)
IDE (4)
PIIX4
SCSI
Video
Buffer
Compact
Flash
Multi-I/O
BIOS
RTC
Multi-I/O
Keyboard
Mouse
Floppy
Serial 1, 2
Parallel
Serial 3, 4
Figure 1– 3. System Block Diagram
1–11
Chapter 2
Product Reference
Overview
This chapter contains the technical information you will need to install and configure the Little
Board/P5x. The information is presented in the following order:
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
Mounting Dimensions (page 2–2)
Connector Summary (page 2–3)
Jumper Summary (page 2–7)
CPU Topics (page 2–9)
DRAM (page 2–11)
Power Interface (page 2–8)
Serial Ports (page 2–15)
Universal Serial Bus (USB) Ports (page 2–22)
IrDA Port (page 2–23)
Parallel Port (page 2–23)
Floppy Interface (page 2–31)
EIDE Hard Disk Interface (page 2–33)
UltraSCSI Interface (page 2–36)
Flat-Panel/CRT Video Controller (page 2–39)
Ethernet Network Interface (page 2–47)
Watchdog Timer (page 2–50)
Utility Connector Wiring (page 2–51)
Expansion Busses (page 2–54)
Setup Function (page 2–62
2–1
Mounting Dimensions
Figure 2– 1 shows the Little Board/P5x mounting dimensions.
.162
.062
0
0
.360
.435
.900
.930
7.800
7.600
7.550
7.600
7.250
7.500
7.145
6.800
6.350
5.700
5.800
3.100
2.800
2.700
2.650
2.500
J18
1.900
1.065
1.050
J19
.650
.404
.375
0.300
0.080
0
0
.200
Figure 2– 1. Mounting Dimensions
2–2
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Connector Summary
Refer to Figure 2– 1 and Figure 2– 2 for the locations of the connectors (P1, P2, J3 – J21) and
configuration jumpers (W1 – W12). Table 2– 1 summarizes the use of the I/O connectors.
Each interface is described in its own section, showing connector pinouts, signal definitions,
required mating connectors, and configuration jumper options.
Many of the connectors have a key pin removed. This allows you to block the corresponding cable
connector socket to help prevent improper assembly. Table 2– 1 indicates which pins are key pins.
2–3
Table 2– 1. Connector Summary
Connector
Function
PC/104 Expansion Bus
PC/104 Expansion Bus
Flat Panel Video
Size
Key Pin
P1 A/B
P2 C/D
J3
64-Pin
40-pin
50-pin
12-pin
10-pin
26-pin
RJ-45
50-pin
B10
C19
None
J4
Vee Bias Supply Connector
CRT Video
3, 10
J5
None
J6
Video ZOOM
None
J7
Ethernet Twisted Pair
SCSI Interface
Mechanical Key**
25
J9
J10
(J100)
Power, +5V, +12V, +3.3V
(J100 Alternate Connector)
7-pin
Molex
Mechanical Key**
J11
J12
Serial 1 and Serial 2
IDE1 Interface
Serial 3 and Serial 4
Floppy Interface
Parallel Port
20-pin
40-pin
20-pin
34-pin
26-pin
16-pin
40-pin
12-, 8-pin
2-pin
None
20
J13
None
J14
6
J15
26
None
J16
Utility 1
J17
IDE2 Interface
CPU Power Supply (Factory)
COM1 RS-485
PCI Bus
20
J18, J19
J20
Mechanical Key**
J21
120-pin
6-pin
A1/D30*
None
J22
Ethernet Option
Compact Flash
Utility 2
J23
50-pin
24-pin
16-pin
2-pin
Mechanical Key**
None
J24
J25
Flat Panel Video Extension
Fan Power
None
J28
None
J30
Support signals for External Power
Management (Option)
2-pin
None
*A1 and D30 keys are used to key the PCI connector for 5V or 3.3V respectively.
**Connector provides keying mechanism.
2–4
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Most I/O connectors are shrouded dual-row male headers for use with flat ribbon (IDC) female
connectors and ribbon cable. Ampro recommends that you use “center-bump polarized” connectors
to prevent accidentally installing cables backwards. Use non-strain-relief connectors to stay within
the vertical height envelope shown in Figure 2– 1.
If you use the recommended mating connectors, you can install retaining clips to secure a cable to
its connector. (The connector heights of some brands do not allow the use of retaining clips.)
Retaining clips are especially useful in high-vibration environments.
You can also design a PC board assembly, made with female connectors in the same relative
positions as the Little Board’s connectors, to eliminate cables, meet packaging requirements, add
EMI filtering, or customize your installation in other ways. Precise dimensions for locating
connectors are provided in Figure 2– 1.
The ISA portion of the PC/104-Plus expansion bus appears on connector J1 (A, B, C, D). You can
expand the system with on-board MiniModule products or other PC/104-compliant expansion
modules. These modules stack directly on the connectors, or use conventional or custom expansion
hardware, including solutions available from Ampro.
The PCI portion of the PC/104-Plus expansion bus appears on connector J21. It uses a 2 mm. 4-row
connector called out in the PC/104-Plus draft specification. Like the J1 connectors, J21 has both
male and female connections, allowing for “stackthrough” assembly.
If you plan to use the on-board video controller with a flat-panel LCD screen requiring a Vee bias
voltage supply, you can install Ampro’s optional LCD Bias Supply board on connector J4. This
board can be jumpered to supply positive or negative Vee from ±15V to ±35V (adjustable). (Only
certain LCD panels require an external Vee supply.)
2–5
Figure 2– 2. Connector and Jumper Locations
2–6
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Jumper Summary
Ampro installs option jumpers in default positions so that in most cases the Little Board/P5x
requires no special jumpering for standard AT operation. You can connect the power and
peripherals and operate it immediately.
Jumper-pin arrays are designated W1, W2, and so forth. Jumper pins are spaced 2 mm apart. A
square solder pad identifies pin 1 of each jumper array. Table 2– 2 is a summary of jumper use.
Factory settings are shown in the Default column. Some jumpers are set at the factory to configure
options that are not user-settable. These are indicated in the table. Do not change these settings.
Table 2– 2. Configuration Jumper Summary
Jumper
Group
Function
Default
W1
Serial 1 RS-485 100 Ohm Termination
ON=Terminated, OFF=Unterminated
OFF
W2
SCSI Termination Power
OFF
ON Connects Termination Power to SCSI Bus
W3, W4,
W5
Bus/CPU Speed Setting
(Factory settings - do not change)
As Req’d.
As Req’d
W6
CPU Voltage (Factory setting - do not change)
1/2=3.3V
2/3=2.5V
W7
Serial 3 RS-485 100 Ohm Termination (this is a
factory option. May not be implemented on your
board)
OFF
ON=Terminated, OFF=Unterminated
W8
W9
Watchdog timer reset enable
ON=Enabled, OFF=Disabled
OFF
OFF
System Bus Frequency Selection (Factory option -
do not change)
ON=60 MHz, OFF=66 MHz
W10
W11
External BIOS Board Enable/Cable Connection
ON=Normal, OFF=External Cable
ON
ON
BIOS Flash EPROM Programming Power
ON=Programming enabled
OFF= Programming disabled
W12
Compact Flash IDE Master/Slave
ON=Master, OFF=Slave
ON
2–7
DC Power
The power connector J10 is a 7-pin polarized connector. Refer to Table 2– 3 for power connections
and Table 2– 4 for mating connector information.
Caution
Be sure the power plug is wired correctly before applying power to the
board! See Table 2– 3.
Table 2– 3. Power Connector (J10)
Pin
1, 7
2, 3, 6
4
Signal Name
+5VDC
Function
+5VDC ±5% input
Ground return
Ground
+12VDC
+12VDC ±5% input
5
+3.3VDC
+3.3V ±5% input
(Only required for some PCI expansion boards)
Table 2– 4. J10 Mating Connector
Connector Type
Mating Connector
DISCRETE WIRE
MOLEX HOUSING 09-50-8073
Pins 08-52-0071
Power Requirements
The Little Board/P5x requires only +5VDC (±5%) for operation. The voltage required for the RS-232
ports is generated on-board from the +5VDC supply. An on-board +5V to +12V converter supplies
power for programming the BIOS Flash EPROM. An on-board low-voltage power supply circuit
provides power to low-voltage CPUs and certain other on-board components. An optional Vee power
supply can be attached to supply Vee power to an LCD flat panel.
The exact power requirement of the Little Board/P5x system depends on several factors, including
the installed memory devices, SCSI bus termination, CPU speed, the peripheral connections, and
which, if any, MiniModule products or other expansion boards are attached. For example, the
keyboard draws its power from the board, and there can be some loading from the serial, parallel,
and other peripheral ports. Consult the specifications in Chapter 3 for the basic power
requirements of your model.
Other Voltages
There may be a requirement for an external +12 volt supply, depending on what peripherals you
connect to the Little Board system. For instance, +12V is required for most flat-panel backlight
power supplies. You can connect a +12V supply to the Little Board module through the power
2–8
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
connector, J10. This will supply +12V to the ISA and PCI portions of the PC/104 expansion busses.
Similarly, you can connect -12V and -5V to J16, the Utility Connector, to supply those voltages to
both expansion busses. Pinouts for the Utility Connector are provided in Table 2- 45.
If a PCI expansion card requiring 3.3V is installed, that voltage can be connected to J10-5 to supply
power to J21, the PCI bus interface connector.
Switching Power Supplies
If you use a switching power supply, be sure it regulates properly with the load your system draws.
Some switching power supplies do not regulate properly unless they are loaded to some minimum
value. If this is the case with your supply, consult the manufacturer about additional loading, or
use another supply or another type of power source (such as a linear supply, batteries, etc.). The
minimum power for the Little Board/P5x appears in the power specifications in Chapter 1.
Powerfail NMI
The Little Board/P5x includes a circuit that can sense a power failure. If the +5V power supply falls
below ~4.7 V, the powerfail logic produces a non-maskable interrupt (NMI).
When an NMI occurs, the BIOS detects the NMI and displays the message “Power Fail NMI” on the
console. At this point you have two options via the keyboard. You can mask the NMI and continue
(the PC architecture provides a mask bit for the non-maskable interrupt), or reboot the system.
If you want your system to respond to the NMI, you can provide an NMI handler in your
application, and patch the NMI interrupt vector address to point to your routine.
Backup Battery
Real-Time Clock Battery
The real-time clock backup battery on the Little Board/P5x should last 10 years under normal
usage.
Cooling Requirements
The Pentium CPU, DRAM module, video controller, and core logic chips draw most of the power and
generate most of the heat. The board is designed to support various speed versions of the Pentium
from 133 MHz to 266 MHz with 66 MHz clocks. Since CPU speeds offered by manufacturers are
continuing to increase, contact your Ampro sales representative for the currently available speeds.
A heat sink or fan assembly is provided for the CPU. The fan gets its +5V power from J28. J28
power can be controlled by a CPU thermal sensor, as described below.
Table 2– 5 shows the maximum ambient temperature for a CPU case temperature of 70 °C at
various airflow values for various models of the Little Board/P5x. (Values for the 133, 166, and 266
MHz CPUs are given for an 85 °C CPU case temperature.) These numbers are based on typical
power consumption.
Table 2– 5. Airflow vs. Maximum Ambient Temperature
Processor Speed
Still Air
( °C)
200 LFM
( °C)
400 LFM
( °C)
Fan/Heatsink
( °C)
2–9
15.3
10.8
55.0
63.3
51.3
41.5
39.2
69.4
73.2
67.5
55.4
54.2
77.0
79.2
76.0
59.1
58.2
79.0
80.7
78.3
200 MMX
233 MMX
133 VRT
166 Tillamook
266 Tillamook
Thermal Resistance of
a Typical .65” Heat Sink
and Fan/Heatsink
Combination
7.5
3.9
2.0
1.5
Thermal Sensor
A thermal sensor is attached to the board under the Pentium CPU. It senses when the CPU
temperature exceeds its upper temperature threshold. Running the CPU at a temperature higher
than this can damage the CPU chip and should be avoided.
When triggered, the temperature sensor signals the BIOS to reduce the CPU clock speed. This
speed reduction remains in effect until the processor has cooled to the lower sensor limit.
Fan Switch
Power to the CPU cooling fan can be turned on or off under control of the board’s thermal
management logic. To take advantage of the automatic fan switch, connect the fan to J28. Figure 2–
3 illustrates how to connect the fan to J28. The pinout of J28 is shown in Table 2– 6. The fan can be
turned on all of the time or controlled by the thermal sensor. This selection can be made in the
BIOS Setup screen.
5V CPU Fan
J28
+
1
2
-
Figure 2– 3. Connecting a CPU Fan to J28
Table 2– 6. Fan Power Connector (J28)
J28 Pin
Function
+5V Power
1
2
Switched Ground
2–10
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
System Memory
The module supports a single standard 64-bit DIMM position (168-pin) for the 64-bit data path to
the Pentium processor. Both EDO and SDRAM memory types are supported. Buffered DRAM is not
supported. You can install from 16M bytes to 256M bytes, depending on your memory needs.
The ROM BIOS automatically detects the size of the installed memory module and configures the
system accordingly at boot time. (No jumpering or manual configuration is required.) The amount of
memory the BIOS measured can be displayed by running Setup.
You can use EDO DRAMs or SDRAMS with access times of 60 nS or less.
Memory parity and error correction (ECC) are not supported by the chip set used on the Little
Board/P5x.
DRAM memory is allocated in the system as shown in Table 2– 7.
Table 2– 7. System Memory Map
Memory Address
FE0000h - FFFFFFh
100000h - FDFFFFh
0E0000h - 0FFFFFh
0D0000h - 0DFFFFh
0CB000h - 0CFFFFh
0C0000h - 0CAFFFh
0A0000h - 0BFFFFh
Function
Duplicates BIOS at 0E0000-0FFFFFh.
Extended memory
128K ROM BIOS
BIOS extension option, if enabled. Otherwise, free.
USB
Video BIOS (44K)
Normally contains video RAM, as follows:
CGA Video: B8000-BFFFFh
Monochrome: B0000-B7FFFh
EGA and VGA video: A0000-AFFFFh
000000h - 09FFFFh
Lower 640K DRAM
ROM BIOS
The standard BIOS is installed in a 256K byte Flash device at the factory. The top 128K bytes of
the Flash device is reserved for the system BIOS, located at 000E0000h – 000FFFFFh and mirrored
at the top of the memory address space. The remaining 128K bytes are mapped only to the top of
memory.
A utility program, PGM5X.COM, can be used to program the on-board Flash device. It can be used
to update the system BIOS, video BIOS, SCSI BIOS, or user area. The utility is included on the
utility diskette that accompanies the Ampro Development Platform. The diskette includes
documentation about how to use the program.
Shadowing
To improve system performance, the contents of the ROM BIOS and video BIOS are copied into
DRAM for execution (“shadowed”), where they are accessed as 64-bit wide data. Shadowing a BIOS
2–11
ROM substantially enhances system performance, especially when an application or operating
system repeatedly accesses the BIOS. Shadowing for both the ROM BIOS and the video BIOS is
built into the Ampro Extended BIOS. There is no user setting.
BIOS Recovery
If the BIOS Flash device somehow becomes corrupted, the Little Board/P5x may not boot. In this
case, the BIOS will have to be reprogrammed. A disk with an image of the current BIOS along with
the Utility PGM5X.COM may be used to restore the BIOS image. Before this can be done, the
Little Board/P5x needs to be Booted and running DOS.
Ampro provides a BIOS Extension Board that can be used to temporarily supply a working BIOS.
Contact Ampro for information on the BIOS Extention Board (ACC-EBB-Q-72).
The BIOS Extension Board is a MiniModule that has an on-board BIOS that can replace the one in
the on-board BIOS Flash device. This BIOS is contained in a socketed DIP memory device. Once
the BIOS Extension Board is installed, the Little Board/P5x can be booted using this replacement
BIOS. Then, by using the PGM5X.COM utility, the Flash device can be repaired, and working
firmware programmed into it once again.
To recover a BIOS using the BIOS Extension Board:
!
!
Install a Jumper on W11 if there is not one already there.
Remove the shunt on W10.
•
•
Plug the BIOS Extension Board into the PC/104 connectors on the CPU.
Plug the two-wire cable into J1 on the BIOS Extension Board and plug the other end into W10
of the CPU.
•
Power the system up. The CPU should boot. If it does not, the Little Board/P5x should be
returned to Ampro for servicing.
•
•
•
•
Once the system has booted, remove the cable from W10 on the CPU.
Replace the shunt on W10 of the CPU.
Use PGM5X.COM to write a new copy of the BIOS or firmware to the Flash device.
Remove W11 if it is desired to write protect the BIOS.
The Little Board/P5x should function normally after this procedure.
Interrupt and DMA Channel Usage
The PC architecture provides several interrupt and DMA control signals. When you expand the
system through the ISA portion of the PC/104-Plus bus with MiniModule products or plug-in cards
that require either interrupt or DMA support, you must select which interrupt or DMA channel to
use. Typically this involves switches or jumpers on the expansion module. In most cases, these are
not shared resources. It is important that you configure the new module to use an interrupt or
DMA channel not already in use. For your convenience, Table 2– 8 and Table 2– 9 provide a
summary of the normal interrupt and DMA channel assignments on the Little Board/P5x.
The PCI bus uses four interrupts (INTA*, INTB*, INTC*, and INTD*). These interrupts are mapped
to any of the available ISA interrupts by the BIOS. If an expansion card has multiple functions,
then more interrupts may be required. You can set the priority in which interrupts are assigned on
Setup 6 — PCI Configuration Setup.
2–12
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Table 2– 8. Interrupt Channel Assignments
Interrupt
IRQ0
Function
ROM BIOS clock tick function, from Timer 0
Keyboard interrupt
IRQ1
IRQ2
Cascade input for IRQ8-15
Serial 2, Serial 4 (shared)
Serial 1, Serial 3 (shared)
PCI
IRQ3
IRQ4
IRQ5
IRQ6
Floppy controller
IRQ7
Parallel port (option)
Reserved for battery-backed clock alarm
PCI
IRQ8
IRQ9
IRQ10
IRQ11
IRQ12
IRQ13
IRQ14
IRQ15
PCI
PCI
PS/2 Mouse
Reserved for coprocessor
Primary IDE hard disk controller
Secondary IDE hard disk controller
Note: IRQs for the Ethernet, Video, and SCSI interfaces are
automatically assigned by the BIOS plug and play logic.
PCI Interrupts assigned during initialization cannot be used by non-
PCI devices.
2–13
Table 2– 9. DMA Channel Assignments
Channel
Function
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Available for 8-bit transfers
Available for 8-bit transfers
Floppy controller
Available for 8-bit transfers
Cascade for channels 0-3
Available for 16-bit transfers
Available for 16-bit transfers
Available for 16-bit transfers
2–14
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Battery-Backed Clock
An AT-compatible battery-backed real-time clock (with CMOS RAM) is standard on the Little
Board/P5x. A 3.0 volt Lithium battery soldered to the board powers the clock. Battery drain for the
clock is less than 0.4 uA. This battery will support the clock for more than 10 years of normal
usage.
The factory initializes the real-time clock and various parameters in the configuration memory for a
standard configuration. The factory sets the date and time, but it may not be set for your time
zone. Use Setup to change these values as needed.
The contents of the configuration memory are also stored in an on-board EEPROM. The ROM BIOS
reads the EEPROM to get configuration information if the CMOS RAM data is lost. This means
that the board will function if the battery fails. Note that without a battery, the real-time clock
date and time will not be correct.
Serial Ports
The Little Board/P5x provides four standard RS-232C serial ports, Serial 1 and Serial 2 at J11, and
Serial 3 and Serial 4 at J13.
All ports support software selectable standard baud rates up to 115.2K bits/second, 5-8 data bits,
and 1, 1.5, or 2 stop bits. Note that the IEEE RS-232C specification limits the serial port to 19.2K
bits/second on cables up to 50 feet in length.
I/O Addresses and Interrupt Assignments
The serial ports appear at the standard port addresses as shown in Table 2– 10. Each serial port
can be independently disabled using the Setup function, freeing its I/O addresses for use by other
devices installed on the PC/104 and PCI expansion buses.
Table 2– 10 also shows the IRQs assigned to each serial port. Note that these interrupts are shared
resources via serial interrupt protocol. (They do not have PC/104-type interrupt sharing circuits, as
defined in the PC/104 specification.)
Table 2– 10. Serial Port I/O Addresses and Interrupts
Port
I/O Address
3F8h - 3FFh
2F8h - 2FFh
3E8h - 3EFh
Interrupt
Serial 1
Serial 2
Serial 3
4
3
3, 4, 5, 7, 9,
10, 11, 12
Serial 4
2E8h - 2EFh
3, 4, 5, 7, 9,
10, 11, 12
When a serial port is disabled, its I/O addresses and IRQ are available to other peripherals
installed on the PC/104 expansion bus. You can disable any of the serial ports using Setup.
2–15
ROM-BIOS Installation of the Serial Ports
Normally, the ROM BIOS supports Serial 1 as the DOS COM1 device, Serial 2 as the DOS COM2
device, and so on. If you disable a serial port, and there is no substitute serial port in the system,
then the ROM-BIOS assigns the COMn designations in sequence as it finds the serial ports,
starting from the primary serial port and searching to the last one, Serial 4. Thus, for example, if
Serial 1 and Serial 3 are disabled, the ROM-BIOS assigns COM1 to Serial 2 and COM2 to Serial 4.
Serial Port Connectors (J11, J13)
Serial 1 and Serial 2 appear on connector J11; Serial 3 and Serial 4 appear on connector J13. Table
2– 11 gives the connector pinout and signal definitions for J11 and J13. Both connectors are wired
the same.
In addition, the table indicates the pins to which each signal must be wired for compatibility with
DB25 and DB9 connectors. The serial port pinout is arranged so that you can use a flat ribbon cable
between the header and a standard DB9 connector. Split a 20-wire ribbon cable into two 10-wire
sections, each one going to a DB9 connector. Normally PC serial ports use male DB connectors.
Table 2– 12 shows the manufacturer’s part number for mating connectors.
2–16
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Table 2– 11. Serial Port Connectors (J11, J13)
Signal
Name
DB25
Pin
DB9
Pin
Ports
Pin
Function
In/Out
1
2
DCD
DSR
RXD
RTS
TXD
CTS
DTR
RI
Data Carrier Detect
Data Set Ready
Receive Data
IN
IN
8
6
1
6
2
7
3
8
4
9
5
-
Serial 1
(J11)
or
Serial 3
(J13)
3
IN
3
4
Request To Send
Transmit Data
OUT
OUT
IN
4
5
2
6
Clear to Send
5
7
Data Terminal Ready
Ring Indicator
OUT
IN
20
22
7
8
9
GND
N/A
Signal Ground
-
10
No Connection
-
-
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
DCD*
DSR
RXD
RTS
TXD
CTS
DTR
RI
Data Carrier Detect*
Data Set Ready
Receive Data
IN
IN
8
6
1
6
2
7
3
8
4
9
5
-
Serial 2
(J11)
or
Serial 4
(J13)
IN
3
Request To Send
Transmit Data
OUT
OUT
IN
4
2
Clear to Send
5
Data Terminal Ready
Ring Indicator
OUT
IN
20
22
7
GND
TXT
Signal Ground
-
TxD at TTL level
-
-
Table 2– 12. J11 and J13 Mating Connector
Connector Type
Mating Connector
RIBBON
3M 3421-7600
Latching Clip 3505-8020
DISCRETE WIRE
MOLEX HOUSING 22-55-2202
PIN 16-02-0103
RS-485 Option
You can configure Serial 1 to operate as a two-wire RS-485 port. Use of the RS-485 option offers a
low cost, easy-to-use communications and networking multi-drop interface that is suited to a wide
2–17
variety of embedded applications requiring low-to-medium-speed data transfer between two or more
systems.
Note
When you configure Serial 1 for RS-485, you cannot use the port for
RS-232.
Serial 1’s RS-485 interface appears on J20, a two-pin connector. The pinout for J20 is shown in
Table 2– 13. Table 2– 14 shows a compatible mating connector to J20.
Table 2– 13. Serial 1 RS-485 Connector (J20)
J20 Pin
Signal
-I/O
1
2
+I/O
Table 2– 14. J20 Mating Connector
Connector Type
Mating Connector
Discrete Wire
(Locking Connector)
MOLEX Housing 22-01-2027
Pin 08-55-0102
The RS-485 interface specification requires that both ends of the twisted-pair cable be terminated
with 100 ohm resistors. You can terminate the RS-485 interface on J20 with a resistor provided on
the LittleBoard/P5x. To terminate the line, install a jumper on W1, as shown in Table 2– 15.
Table 2– 15. RS-485 Termination
W1
Result
On
Connects a 100 ohm termination resistor
between J20-1 and J20-2.
Off
No termination
Serial TTL Option
Serial 2 and Serial 4 can be configured for TTL operation. Of the serial ports’ output signals, just
the transmit (TxD) is supported for TTL. All of the serial ports’ input signals are supported by
virtue of the fact that the inputs of the RS-232C buffers used on the Little Board/P5x can function
as TTL inputs.
The TxD signal for Serial 2 appears on J11-20. The TxD signal for Serial 4 appears on J13-20. The
other serial port signals appear in J11 and J13 as shown in Table 2– 11.
2–18
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Ampro Custom Serial Features
The Ampro extended BIOS provides custom serial port features useful in embedded applications.
!
The serial console feature enables you to operate the Little Board/P5x from a standard ASCII
terminal, replacing the standard keyboard and display devices. See Serial Console Features,
below, for a description of the serial console capabilities.
!
!
The serial boot facility enables the Little Board/P5x to boot from code downloaded through a
serial port in a manner similar to booting from a local hard disk or from a network.
The serial download feature permits updating the OEM Flash memory device over a serial port.
Refer to Ampro Application Note AAN-9403 for a complete description of these features. Refer to
the Ampro Common Utilities manual for descriptions of SERLOAD and SERPROG, utility programs
used to support serial booting and serial downloading.
Serial Console Features
You can connect a device, such as an ASCII video terminal or PC running a video terminal
emulation program, to either serial port to act as your system console.
To use the serial console features, connect a serial console device to Serial 1 or Serial 2. Use Setup
to enable the serial console feature.
When enabled, the serial console is set up for:
!
!
!
!
9600 baud
No parity
8 bits
One stop bit
To use an ASCII terminal as the console device for your system, set the serial baud rate, parity,
data length, and stop bits of the terminal to match the serial console settings.
For proper display of Setup and POST messages from the BIOS, you must use an IEEE-compatible
terminal or terminal emulation program that implements the standard ASCII cursor commands.
The required commands and their hexadecimal codes are listed in Table 2– 16.
Table 2– 16. Required Cursor Commands
Hex
08
Command
Backspace
0A
Line Feed
0B
Vertical Tab
0C
0D
Non-destructive Space
Carriage Return
2–19
Note
Some programs that emulate an ASCII terminal do not properly
support the basic ASCII command functions shown in Table 2– 16.
Ampro provides a suitable PC terminal emulator program, TVTERM,
on the Common Utilities diskette.
After booting this system, the keyboard and screen of the serial terminal become the system
console. Note that the programs you execute via the serial terminal must use ROM BIOS video
functions (rather than direct screen addressing) for their display I/O.
Note
DOS programs that write directly to video RAM will not display
properly on a serial console device.
Using a Standard PC Keyboard
If you have both a serial terminal and a standard keyboard attached to your system at the same
time, both keyboards will function.
Using Arrow Keys During Setup
During Setup, the serial console arrow keys and function keys must be simulated.
The arrow keys are simulated with the substitute keystrokes shown in Table 2- 17.
Table 2– 17. Arrow Key Substitutions
Function
Up
Substitute Keys
^ or Ctrl e
v or Ctrl x
> or Ctrl d
< or Ctrl s
Ctrl r
Down
Right
Left
PgUp
PgDn
Ctrl c
To simulate the function keys, enter two keystrokes, an “F” followed by the function key number.
Thus, function key F3 is simulated with the literal “F3” typed on the keyboard. (Don’t type the
quotes). F10 is simulated with “F0”.
Note that these keystroke simulations are only valid during Setup, not during normal operation.
COM Port Table
When the system boots under DOS, the serial ports are initialized to 9600 baud (typical). To
preserve the selected console port parameters stored in Setup, the Ampro ROM BIOS deletes the
selected console port from the internal COM port table, normally used by DOS to locate the serial
2–20
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
ports. With the port deleted from the COM port table, DOS cannot change its parameters. Because
it is not listed in the BIOS COM port table, it is not assigned a COMn designation (COM1, COM2,
etc.).
2–21
Universal Serial Bus (USB) Ports
The Universal Serial Bus connects USB devices with a USB host, in this case, the Little Board/P5x.
The USB physical interconnect is a tiered star topology, or tree, consisting of hubs and USB
devices. Each USB segment is a point-to-point connection between hubs or between hubs and USB
devices. The entire tree can support up to 127 USB devices. The USB interface standard is intended
for keyboards, mice, modems, digitizer pads, and other low- to medium-speed peripherals.
Each USB interface is implemented as a two-wire differential pair for data, a power wire, a ground
wire, and a shield wire. The USB port signals appear on J24, the Utility2 connector, as shown in
Table 2– 18.
Table 2– 18. USB Port Pinout on Utility2 Connector
J24 Pin
Signal Name
USBPWR1
USBP-1
Function
USB1 +5 Volt Power
USB1 Data-
15
17
19
21
23
16
18
20
22
24
USBP+1
USB1 Data+
USBGND1
SHIELD1
USBPWR2
USBP-2
Ground
Cable Shield for USB1
USB2 +5 Volt Power
USB2 Data-
USBP+2
USB2 Data+
USBGND2
SHIELD2
Ground
Cable Shield for USB2
The bus can run at 12 Mbits/second or 1.5 Mbits/second, depending on a pull-up on the peripheral
device. A 1.5 KOhm pull-up on the +data line sets the speed to 12 Mbits/second. A 1.5 KOhm pull-
up on the -data line sets the speed to 1.5 Mbits/second.
The power to the peripheral device is current limited with a self-resetting fuse.
2–22
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Infrared (IrDA) Interface
The Little Board/P5x infrared interface provides for a two-way wireless communications port using
infrared as a transmission medium. The Little Board/P5x IrDA interface supports both SIR (Serial
Infrared) and FIR (Fast Infrared) standards . The SIR standard allows serial communication at
baud rates up to 115K Baud. The FIR standard allows data rates up to 4 Mbits/second.
Requirements for an IrDA interface
On the Little Board/P5x, the IrDA physical link hardware consists of an IR transmit encoder and IR
receiver decoder. To implement an IrDA port, the OEM must supply an IR transducer, which
consists of the output driver and IR emitter for transmitting, and the receiver IR detector.
Particular IR transducers may require additional external components.
The IrDA port uses the second serial port to drive its internal encoder/decoder. When using the
IrDA interface, you cannot use serial 2 as an RS-232 port.
IrDA Connector (Part of J24)
The IrDA port pinout is listed in Table 2– 19.
Table 2– 19. IrDA Interface Pinout
Signal
J24 Pin
Name
Function
4
IRMODE /
IRRXB
Fast IR Receive/Mode Output:
5
6
IRTX
IR Transmit
IRRXA
IR Receive (SIR)
There are two popular implementations of Fast IR. One uses a separate receive line capable of
receiving at the higher data rate (up to 4 Mbytes/second). The other is implemented with a mode
control line. When the IR port is set for high speed, the mode output line (FIR/M, J24-4) is high.
This switches the external transceiver to high speed mode.
Multi-Mode Parallel Port
The Little Board/P5x incorporates a multi-mode parallel port. This port supports four modes of
operation:
!
!
!
!
Standard PC/AT printer port (output only)
PS/2-compatible bi-directional parallel port (SPP)
Enhanced Parallel Port (EPP)
Extended Capabilities Port (ECP)
2–23
This section lists the pinout of the parallel port connector and describes how to configure it for its
I/O port and interrupt assignments, how to assign a DMA channel to the port when operating in
ECP mode. And programming information, including how to use the port for bi-directional I/O.
I/O Addresses and Interrupts
The parallel port functions are controlled by eight I/O ports and their associated register and
control functionality. The Little Board/P5x parallel port is assigned to the primary parallel port
address normally assigned to LPT1 and cannot be changed. You may disable the port in Setup to
free the hardware resources for other peripherals.
The parallel port can be configured to generate an interrupt request upon a variety of conditions,
depending on the mode the port is in. Assignment of an interrupt to the parallel port is optional,
and its use depends on software requirements and which mode of operation you are using. IRQ 7 is
the default parallel port IRQ assignment.
Table 2– 20 lists the parallel port addresses and IRQs.
Table 2– 20. Parallel Printer I/O Addresses and Interrupt
Selection
Primary
I/O Address
378h - 37Fh
278h - 27Fh
3BCh - 3BFh
None
Interrupt
7
5
Secondary
Secondary
Disable
7
None
ROM-BIOS Installation of Parallel Ports
Normally, the BIOS assigns the name LPT1 to the primary parallel port, and LPT2 to the secondary
parallel port (if present), and so on. However, the BIOS scans the standard addresses for parallel
ports and if it only finds a secondary port, it assigns LPT1 to that one. Therefore, if the Little
Board’s parallel port is enabled, it will be assigned LPT1 by the BIOS. If it is disabled and there is
another parallel port in your system, that port will be assigned LPT1 by the BIOS.
The ROM-BIOS scans I/O addresses for parallel ports in the following order: 3BCh, 378h, 278h.
DMA Channels
In ECP enhancement mode, the parallel port can send and receive data under control of an on-
board DMA controller. DMA channels operate with a request/acknowledge hardware handshake
protocol between an internal DMA controller and the parallel port logic. On the Little Board/P5x,
select a DMA channel in Setup. You can configure the parallel port to use either DMA channel 1 or
DMA channel 3.
If you will not be using DMA with the parallel port, leave it disabled. This makes the DMA channel
available to other peripherals installed on the expansion buses.
2–24
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Parallel Port Connector (J15)
The parallel port appears on J15. Its pinout on J15 is arranged so that a 26-pin ribbon cable
attached to J15 can be directly connected to a 25-pin DB-25 connector to match the PC standard
pinout. Table 2-21 shows the manufacturer’s part numbers for mating connectors. Table 2–22 gives
the connector pinout and signal definitions for the parallel port.
In addition, the table indicates the pins to which each signal must be wired for compatibility with a
standard DB25 connector. Normally the PC parallel port uses a female “DB“ connector.
Table 2-21: J15 Mating Connector
Connector Type
Mating Connector
RIBBON
3M 3399-7600
Latching Clip 3505-8026
MOLEX HOUSING 22-55-2262
PIN 16-02-0103
DISCRETE WIRE
2–25
Table 2–22. Parallel Port Connections (J15)
J15
Pin
Signal
DB25
Pin
Name
STB*
PD 0
Function
Output Data Strobe
LSB Of Printer Data
Printer Data 1
Printer Data 2
Printer Data 3
Printer Data 4
Printer Data 5
Printer Data 6
MSB Of Printer Data
Character Accepted
Cannot Receive Data
Out of Paper
In/Out
Out
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
In
1
3
1
2
5
PD 1
3
7
PD 2
4
9
PD 3
5
11
13
15
17
19
21
23
25
2
PD 4
6
PD 5
7
PD 6
8
PD 7
9
ACK*
BUSY
PE
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
In
In
SLCT
AUTOFD*
ERROR
INIT*
Printer Selected
Autofeed
In
Out
In
4
Printer Error
6
Initialize Printer
Selects Printer
Key Pin
Out
Out
N/A
8
SELIN*
KEY
26
Note
For maximum reliability, keep the cable between the board and the
device it drives to 10 feet or less in length.
IEEE-1284-compliant Cables
Using the parallel port for high-speed data transfer in ECP/EPP modes requires special cabling for
maximum reliability.
Some of the parameters for a compliant IEEE-1284 cable assembly include:
•
•
All signals are twisted pair with a signal and ground return
Each signal and ground return should have a characteristic unbalanced impedance of 62 +/- 6
ohms within a frequency band of 4 to 16 MHz
•
The wire-to-wire crosstalk should be no greater than 10%
2–26
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Please refer to the IEEE-1284 standard for the complete list of requirements for a compliant cable
assembly, including recommended connectors
Latch-Up Protection
The parallel port incorporates chip protection circuitry on some inputs, designed to minimize the
possibility of CMOS “latch up” due to a printer or other peripheral being powered up while the
Little Board/P5x is turned off.
Parallel Port Registers
The low-level software interface to the parallel port consists of eight addressable registers. The
address map of these registers is shown in Table 2– 21.
Table 2– 21. Parallel Port Register Map
Register Name
Data Port
Address
Base address
Status Port
Base address + 1
Base address + 2
Base address + 3
Base address + 4
Base address + 5
Base address + 6
Base address + 7
Control Port
EPP Address Port
EPP Data Port 0
EPP Data Port 1
EPP Data Port 2
EPP Data Port 3
Note: EPP registers are only accessible when in
EPP mode
Standard and Bi-Directional Operation
You can use the parallel port as a standard output-only printer port or as a PS/2-compatible bi-
directional data port with up to 12 output lines and 17 input lines. The bi-directional mode can be
very valuable in custom applications. For example, you might use it to control an LCD display, scan
keyboards, sense switches, or interface with optically isolated I/O modules. All data and interface
control signals are TTL-compatible.
Set the parallel port’s default mode using Setup.
Using the Parallel Port in Bi-Directional Mode
To use the port as a bi-directional data or digital control port you must set the default mode to bi-
directional in Setup or put it in bi-directional mode with a BIOS call. The following code example
shows how to set the parallel port mode to bi-directional.
2–27
;----------------------------------------------------------
; Code to set the parallel port mode to bi-directional
;----------------------------------------------------------
MOV AH,0CDh
MOV AL,0Ch
MOV BX,01h
INT 13h
; AMPRO command
; AMPRO function
; Extended mode (use 00 to set output-only mode)
Within bi-directional mode, the port can be in its input state or output state. The code shown above
leaves the port in its input state. An IN instruction of I/O address 378h reads the current state of
the data lines.
To change the port between input and output states, write a 1 to bit five of the control register to
set the port to its input state; or a 0 to set it to its output state. Here is a code sample for
dynamically changing the port direction (after it is in Extended Mode).
;----------------------------------------------------------
; Code to change the parallel port direction to input
;----------------------------------------------------------
MOV DX,37A
IN AL,DX
OR AL,20h
OUT DX,AL
;
;set bit 5 (input)
;----------------------------------------------------------
; Code to change the parallel port direction to output
;----------------------------------------------------------
MOV DX,37Ah
IN AL,DX
AND AL,0DFh
OUT DX,AL
;clear bit 5
Using the Control Lines for Additional I/O
Besides the eight data lines, you can use the four control lines (STB*, AUTOFD*, INIT*, and
SELIN*) as general purpose output lines. Similarly, you can use the five status lines (ERROR*,
SLCT, PE, ACK*, and BUSY) as general purpose input lines.
You can read the four control lines and use them as input lines. These lines have open collector
drivers with 4.7K ohm pull-ups. To use a control line as an input line, you must first write to its
corresponding bit in the control register. If the line is inverting (*), write a 0, otherwise write a 1.
This will cause the line to float (pulled up by the 4.7K ohm resistors). When a line floats, you can
use it as an input.
Enabling the Parallel Port Interrupt
Bit 4 in the Control Register enables the parallel port interrupt. If this bit is high 1, then a rising
edge on the ACK* (IRQ) line will produce an interrupt on the parallel port interrupt, IRQ7.
2–28
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Table 2– 22 lists the parallel port register bits.
Table 2– 22. Parallel Port Register Bits
Signal Name
or Function
Active
High/Low
J15
Pin
DB25F
Pin
Register
Bit
In/Out
DATA
(378h)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
PD 0
PD 1
PD 2
PD 3
PD 4
PD 5
PD 6
PD 7
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
High
High
High
High
High
High
High
High
6
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
14
18
22
26
30
34
STATUS
(379h)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
TMOUT
0
In
---
---
In
In
In
In
In
---
---
---
Low
High
High
Low
High
---
---
---
8
50
46
38
42
---
---
---
15
13
12
10
11
0
ERROR*
SLCT
PE
ACK* (IRQ)
BUSY
CONTROL
(37Ah)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
STB*
AUTOFD*
INIT*
SELIN*
IRQE
PCD
Out*
Out*
Out*
Out*
---
---
---
---
Low
Low
High
High
High
High
---
2
4
1
14
16
17
---
---
---
---
12
16
---
---
---
---
1
1
---
* Can also be used as input (see text).
2–29
Parallel port register bit definitions (Table 2– 23):
Table 2– 23. Standard and PS/2 Mode Register Bit Definitions
Signal
Name
Full Name
Description
TMOUT
Time-out
Valid only in EPP mode , this signal goes true
after a 10 µS time-out has occurred on the
EPP bus. This bit is cleared by reset.
ERR*
SLCT
PE
Error
Reflects the status of the -ERROR input. 0
means an error has occurred.
Printer selected
status
Reflects the status of the SLCT input. 1 means
a printer is on-line.
Paper end
Acknowledge
Busy
Reflects the status of the PE input. 1 indicates
paper end.
ACK*
Reflects the status of the ACK input. 0
indicates a printer received a character..
BUSY*
STB*
Reflects the complement of the BUSY input. 0
indicates a printer is busy.
Strobe
This bit is inverted and output to the -STROBE
pin.
AUTOFD
Auto feed
Initiate output
This bit is inverted and output to the -AUTOFD
pin.
INIT*
This bit is output to the -INIT pin.
SELIN*
Printer select
input
This bit is inverted and output to the pin. It
selects a printer.
IRQE
PCD
Interrupt request
enable
When set to 1, interrupts are enabled. An
interrupt is generated by the positive-going -
ACK input.
Parallel control
direction
When set to 1, port is in input mode. In printer
mode, the printer is always in output mode
regardless of the state of this bit.
PD0-PD7
Parallel Data Bits
2–30
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Floppy Disk Interface
The on-board floppy disk controller and ROM BIOS support one or two floppy disk drives in any of
the standard DOS formats shown in Table 2– 24.
Table 2– 24. Supported Floppy Formats
Capacity
360K
Drive Size
5-1/4 inch
5-1/4 inch
3-1/2 inch
3-1/2 inch
Tracks
Data Rate
250 KHz
500 KHz
250 KHz
500 KHz
40
80
80
80
1.2M
720K
1.44M
Floppy Drive Considerations
Nearly any type of soft-sectored, single or double-sided, 40 or 80 track, 5-1/4 inch or 3-1/2 inch
floppy disk drive is usable with this interface. Using higher quality drives improves system
reliability. Here are some considerations about the selection, configuration, and connection of
floppy drives to the Little Board/P5x.
!
Drive Interface—The drives must be compatible with the board’s floppy disk connector signal
interface, as described below. Ampro recommends any standard PC-or AT-compatible 5-1/4 inch
or 3-1/2 inch floppy drive.
!
!
!
Drive Quality—Use high quality, DC servo, direct drive motor floppy disk drives.
Drive Select Jumpering—Both drives must be jumpered to the second drive select.
Floppy Cable—For systems with two drives, use a floppy cable with conductors 10-16 twisted
between the two drives. This is standard practice for PC-compatible systems.
!
!
!
Drive Termination—Resistive terminations should be installed only on the drive connected to
the last interface cable connector (farthest from the board). Near-end cable termination is
provided on the Little Board/P5x.
Head Load Jumpering—When using drives with a Head Load option, jumper the drive for
head load with motor on rather than head load with drive select. This is the default for PC-
compatible drives.
Drive Mounting—If you mount a floppy drive very close to the Little Board or another source
of EMI, you may need to place a thin metal shield between the disk drive and the device to
reduce the possibility of electromagnetic interference.
Floppy Interface Configuration
The floppy interface is configured using Setup to set the number and type of floppy drives connected
to the system. Refer to the Setup section starting on page 2–62 for details.
If you don’t use the floppy interface, disable it in Setup. This frees the floppy’s I/O addresses, IRQ6,
and DMA channel 2 for use by other peripherals installed on the PC/104 bus.
2–31
Floppy Interface Connector (J14)
Table 2– 25 shows the pinout and signal definitions of the floppy disk interface connector, J14. The
pinout of J14 meets the AT standard for floppy drive cables. Table 2– 26 shows the manufacturer’s
part numbers for mating connectors.
Table 2– 25. Floppy Disk Interface Connector (J14)
Pin
Signal Name
Function
In/Out
2
4
RPM/RWC*
N/A
Speed/Precomp
(Not used)
OUT
N/A
N/A
IN
6
N/A
Key pin
8
IDX*
Index Pulse
Motor On 1
Drive Select 2
Drive Select 1
Motor On 2
Direction Select
Step
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
32
34
1-33
MO1*
DS2*
OUT
OUT
OUT
OUT
OUT
OUT
OUT
OUT
IN
DS1*
MO2*
DIRC*
STEP*
WD*
Write Data
Write Enable
Track 0
WE*
TRKO*
WP*
Write Protect
Read Data
IN
RDD*
HS*
IN
Head Select
Disk Change
Signal grounds
OUT
IN
DCHG*
(all odd)
N/A
Table 2– 26. J14 Mating Connector
Connector Type
Mating Connector
RIBBON
3M 3414-7600
DISCRETE WIRE
MOLEX HOUSING 22-55-2342
PN 16-02-0103
2–32
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
EIDE Hard Disk Interface
The Little Board/P5x provides an interface for up to four Integrated Device Electronics (IDE)
peripheral devices, such as hard disk drives and CD-ROM drives.
!
!
The primary IDE interface appears at connector J12, a 40-pin, dual-row connector.
The secondary IDE interface appears at connector J17, also a 40-pin, dual-row connector.
Table 2– 27 shows the interface signals and pin outs for the IDE interface connectors. Table 2– 30
shows manufacturer’s part numbers for mating connectors.
Note
For maximum reliability, keep IDE drive cables less than 18 inches
long.
2–33
Table 2– 27. IDE Interface Connectors (J12, J17)
Pin
Signal Name
Function
In/Out
J12, J17
1
HOST RESET*
GND
Reset signal from host
Ground
OUT
OUT
I/O
2
3
HOST D7
HOST D8
HOST D6
HOST D9
HOST D5
HOST D10
HOST D4
HOST D11
HOST D3
HOST D12
HOST D2
HOST D13
HOST D1
HOST D14
HOST D0
HOST D15
GND
Data bit 7
4
Data bit 8
I/O
5
Data bit 6
I/O
6
Data bit 9
I/O
7
Data bit 5
I/O
8
Data bit 10
Data bit 4
I/O
9
I/O
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
Data bit 11
Data bit 3
I/O
I/O
Data bit 12
Data bit 2
I/O
I/O
Data bit 13
Data bit 1
I/O
I/O
Data bit 14
Data bit 0
I/O
I/O
Data bit 15
Ground
I/O
OUT
N/C
OUT
OUT
OUT
OUT
OUT
OUT
OUT
N/C
IN
KEY
Keyed pin
DRQ0
DMA Request 0
Ground
GND
HOST IOW*
GND
Write strobe
Ground
HOST IOR*
GND
Read strobe
Ground
IDERDY
RSVD
I/O Channel Ready
Reserved
DACK0*
DMA Acknowledge 0
2–34
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Table 2– 27 (cont.). IDE Interface Connectors (J12, J17)
Pin
Signal Name
Function
In/Out
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
GND
HOST IRQ14
IDE16
Ground
Drive interrupt request
IOCS16
OUT
IN
OUT
OUT
N/C
HOST A1
RSVD
Drive address 1
Reserved
HOST A0
HOST A2
HOST CS0*
HOST CS1*
RSVD
Drive address 0
Drive address 2
Chip select
OUT
OUT
OUT
OUT
N/C
Chip select
Reserved
GND
Ground
OUT
Table 2– 30. J12, J17 Mating Connectors
Connector Type
Mating Connector
RIBBON, 40 wire
3M 3417-7600
Latching Clip 3505-8040
DISCRETE WIRE
MOLEX HOUSING 22-55-2402
PIN 16-02-0103
IDE Interface Configuration
Use Setup to specify your IDE hard disk drive types. Refer to the Setup section beginning on page
2–62 for details.
If you do not find a drive type whose displayed parameters match the drive you are using, use drive
type USER. It allows you to manually enter the drive’s parameters. The drive manufacturer
provides the drive parameters—check the drive’s documentation for the proper values to enter.
If you are using a newer IDE drive, use drive type AUTO. It automatically configures the drive type
parameters from information provided by the drive itself.
Compact Flash Solid-State Disk
The Little Board/P5x connector J23 supports a Compact Flash device, a solid-state IDE hard-disk
emulator. It acts as a removable hard-disk drive. You can format, read, and write the Compact
Flash device much as you would a standard IDE drive.
2–35
Enabling the Drive
The Compact Flash interface emulates an IDE drive to the operating system. Note that the
Compact Flash interface takes up one of the positions of the primary IDE drive controller. If you
use the Compact Flash interface, you can only add one additional hard drive to the primary IDE
controller.
Master/Slave Setting
The Compact Flash interface can be configured to emulate a master or slave IDE device in the
system.
!
!
To configure the drive as master, install a jumper on W12.
To configure the drive as slave, remove the jumper on W12.
Note that an IDE drive attached to the primary IDE controller must have the opposite setting.
Solid-State Disk Preparation
To prepare Compact Flash device for use in the system, insert the device in connector J23. Boot the
system and prepare the drive just as you would a new IDE drive. That is, use the DOS FDISK
utility to set up one or more partitions, and then use the DOS FORMAT utility to format the drive.
A Compact Flash device, properly formatted and programmed, can be used as a boot drive. To do so,
you must configure the drive to be master by installing a jumper on W12. First FDISK the device as
a primary DOS partition, then format the drive using the /S option to include the DOS operating
system.
UltraSCSI INTERFACE
The Little Board/P5x features an optional PCI Small Computer System Interface (UltraSCSI)
controller. This subsystem is available by special order. It is not assembled on the standard
versions of the Little Board P5x. The SCSI port uses a 50-pin male header connector (J9) to
interface with peripherals. This connector provides an 8-bit path to the peripheral device, standard
for most peripherals. The controller subsystem is internally connected to the PCI expansion bus.
Table 2– 31 shows the pinout and signal definitions of the SCSI interface. Refer to your SCSI device
documentation or the ANSI X3.131 SCSI specification for detailed information on the SCSI signal
functions.
Note
For maximum reliability, keep the SCSI cable as short as possible for
data transfer rates above 10 MB/s.
UltraSCSI Connector
Table 2– 31 shows the pinout of the SCSI interface connector, J9. Table 2– 328 shows
manufacturer’s part numbers for mating connectors.
2–36
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Table 2– 31. SCSI Interface Connector (J9)
Pin
Signal
Function
Pin
Signal
Function
2
DB0*
DB2*
DB4*
DB6*
DBP*
Data Bit 0 (LSB)
Data Bit 2
4
DB1*
DB3*
DB5*
DB7*
Data Bit 1
Data Bit 3
6
8
10
14
18
Data Bit 4
12
16
26
Data Bit 5
Data Bit 6
Data Bit 7
Data Bit Parity
TERM
PWR
Termination +5V DC
32
36
ATN*
BSY*
Attention
Busy
34
38
GROUND
ACK*
Signal Ground
Transfer
Acknowledge
40
44
48
25
RST*
SEL*
REQ*
N/A
Reset
Select
42
46
50
MSG*
C/D*
I/O*
Message
Control/Data
Data Direction
Transfer Request
Key Pin
1-49(odd), 20,22,24,28,30
Ground
Table 2– 328. J9 Mating Connectors
Connector Type
Mating Connector
RIBBON
3M 3425-7600
Latching Clip 3505-8050
DISCRETE WIRE
MOLEX HOUSING 22-55-
2502
PIN 16-02-0103
SCSI Interface Configuration
Enable or disable the SCSI interface using Setup. Refer to the Setup description beginning on page
2–62.
Interrupt Request Assignment
The SCSI interface is a PCI peripheral and is assigned to a PCI interrupt using the plug-and-play
logic in the BIOS. No user setup is required
Active Terminators
The SCSI interface uses “active terminators” for the SCSI bus. Active terminators draw less current
than 330/220 ohm terminators (standard for non-UltraSCSI interfaces), are less susceptible to
noise, and are required for the high data transfer rates of UltraSCSI. Termination is controlled by
the SCSI BIOS. There is no user setting.
Only the SCSI devices on each end of the SCSI bus should be terminated.
2–37
External Termination Power Option
You can power external SCSI terminations from the Little Board/P5x. A jumper option, W2,
connects power (+5V) to the SCSI bus TERMPWR signal (J9, pin 26). The board includes a Schottky
protection diode to prevent damage to the board by current flowing from the SCSI bus and a self-
resetting fuse to prevent damage to the board should the output become shorted. The fuse resets
automatically when the short is removed.
SCSI ID
Every SCSI device must be configured for a specific SCSI bus ID, between 0 and 7. The default ID
for the SCSI controller is 7 and should not be used by peripherals you attached to the SCSI bus. Set
disk drive and other SCSI target device IDs to 0 – 6. The SCSI BIOS automatically detects SCSI
devices on the bus and logs them in at boot time.
2–38
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Flat Panel/CRT Video Controller
The Little Board/P5x provides an integrated high-performance super-VGA video controller. The
video controller supports both CRT and flat panel displays. The standard video controller supports
only 3.3V video panels. (You can order an adapter to convert the 3.3V signals to 5V for 5V panels.)
There are five connectors associated with the video display. These connectors are summarized in
Table 2– 29. Complete hardware details about each connector and the features they support are
provided in sections that follow.
Table 2– 29. Video Connector Summary
Name
Connector
Pins/Type
Description
Provides connections for a broad array of
standard flat panel displays. Intended for a
standard 50-wire ribbon cable.
50-pin Shrouded
.100 Header
J3
Flat Panel
16-pin Shrouded Provides additional connections for flat-panel
J25
J4
.100 Header
video data.
Ampro provides a small add-on board that can
supply the Vee voltage for the most common
LCD flat panel displays. The board mounts to
this connector. For details about the Vee
Supply Option, refer to its section, below.
LCD Bias
Supply
Option
12-pin .100
Header
Provides connections for a CRT display. To
10-pin Shrouded connect to a standard CRT cable, use a short
CRT
J5
J6
.100 Header
“transition cable” to a DB-15 connector. The
pinout for a transition cable is provided below.
26-pin 2mm
Header
Provides connections for external video
overlay signals.
ZV Port
Connecting a Flat Panel (J3)
Signals for a wide range of flat-panel displays, both color and gray-scale, appear on connectors J3
and J25. Although flat panels of a similar type use similar sets of signals from the video controller,
they do not share a standardized interface connector pin configuration. Note, also, that the names
of panel control signals vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Read the description of each
signal carefully to determine how each signal is to be used for the display you choose. Refer to the
panel manufacturer’s technical literature to determine how to wire a cable for the panel you choose
for your application.
In many applications, the power management functions control the LCD display, for example, in
portable equipment. Furthermore, power and signals must be sequenced in time when the system is
energized to prevent damage to the display. The Little Board/P5x video controller provides power
and signal conditioning to meet these requirements.
2–39
Table 2– 30 lists the signals available on connector J3. Table 2– 31 shows compatible mating
connectors to J3.
Table 2– 30. Flat Panel Video Connector (J3)
Signal
Pin
Name
+3.3V
+12V
Description
2, 34, 37
Panel power
3
5
7
+12 Volt supply (from J10)
ShfClk
M DE
Shift Clock. Pixel clock for flat panel data.
M signal for panel AC drive control. Sometimes called ACDCLK or AC Drive.
May also be configured to be -BLANK or as Display Enable (DE) for TFT
panels.
9
LP
Latch Pulse. Sometimes called Load Clock, Line Load, or Input Data Latch.
It’s the flat panel equivalent of HSYNC.
10
FLM
First Line Marker. Also called Frame Sync or Scan Start-up. Flat panel
equivalent to VSYNC.
12–31
FP0-
Flat panel video data 0 through 19 (in order).
FP19
32, 33
35
+5V
+5 Volt supply from Little Board/P5x
ENABLK Enable backlight. Power control for panel backlight. Active high.
EBKL* Enable backlight. Power control for panel backlight. Active low.
36
38
ENAVEE Enable Vee, active high. Power sequencing control for panel bias voltage.
This signal is sent to the optional Vee supply board to control Vee output.
39
ENAVDD Enable Vdd. Power sequencing control for panel driver electronics Vdd.
Active high. This signal is used to switch VDVP (pin 44).
41
42
43
44
45
46
FP20
FP21
FP22
VDDP
FP23
VEE
Video data 20
Video data 21
Video data 22
Switched V_LCD supply to panel
Video data 23
Switched Vee supply to panel (from LCD Bias Supply option board or your
own switched supply).
47
ECONT
External contrast adjustment voltage. This is an input to the flat panel to
control the panel contrast ratio. The Ampro LCD Bias Supply option board
provides this signal and a means of attaching an external contrast
adjustment pot.
50
+12SAFE Switched +12V supply to backlight power converter.
Ground Ground
1, 4, 6, 8,
11, 40, 48,
49
2–40
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Table 2– 31. J3 Mating Connectors
Connector Type
Mating Connector
RIBBON
3M 4325-7600
DISCRETE WIRE
MOLEX HOUSING 55-22-2502
PIN 16-02-0103
The flat-panel video controller supports LCD panels that require up to 36 data bits. J3 supplies the
lower 24 data bits (FP0 - FP23), and connector J25 has the additional 12 bits. Table 2– 32 lists the
signals available on connector J25, and Table 2– 33 shows J25 mating connectors.
Table 2– 32. Flat Panel Extension Video Connector (J25)
Signal
Pin
3 - 14
Name
FP24 - FP35
Ground
Description
Video data 24 - 35
1,2,15,16
Table 2– 33. J25 Mating Connectors
Connector Type
Mating Connector
RIBBON
3M 3452-7600
Latching Clip 3505-8016
DISCRETE WIRE
MOLEX Housing 22-55-2162
Pin 16-02-0103
Power Sequencing
Some LCD flat-panel displays can be damaged when its various voltages and data signals are
applied at power up. This can result in damage to the panel or reduction of its operational life. The
on-board video controller provides switched power lines that apply power and data signals in the
proper sequence, controlled by the video BIOS. The board also provides the control signals, in case
you need to provide your own switched power supply lines in your embedded system.
The Little Board/P5x supports automatic sequencing of Vdd (VDDP) and +12V (+12SAFE, for an
external backlight power inverter). The Ampro LCD Bias Supply board (described below) supports
automatic power sequencing of Vee, controlled by ENAVEE.
If you want to manage your own supplies, you must enable the power using the special enable
signals provided on connector J3, ENAVEE, ENAVDD, and ENABKL.
2–41
Advanced Power Management
The same signals that support power sequencing are also used to provide the power management
feature. In “panel off mode” both the CRT and flat-panel interfaces are turned off, but the VGA
subsystem (registers and display memory) remain powered. In “standby mode”, the CRT and flat-
panel interfaces are turned off, and in addition, the VGA subsystem is turned off. The screen DRAM
is placed in a low-power mode in which only the DRAM is refreshed.
BIOS Support of Standard Flat Panels
The Little Board/P5x supports flat-panel BIOS settings for up to 16 popular LCD panels. You select
which flat-panel BIOS settings to use in Setup. For details about configuring the video controller,
refer to the description of the Integrated Peripherals Setup on page 2–62. For the current list of
supported LCD panels, look at the Ampro Website at www.ampro.com.
If you plan to use an unsupported panel, you must modify the standard BIOS to support the panel.
Ampro can provide a BIOS modification kit you can use to do this. The new video BIOS is then
loaded into the on-board Flash device.
To install the new video BIOS code in the on-board OEM Flash memory device:
!
!
Install jumper W11 to write-enable the Flash device.
Install your new video BIOS code in the on-board Flash device using a utility called
PGM5X.COM, supplied by Ampro on the utility disk that comes with the Little Board/P5x
Development Platform.
!
Remove W11 to write-protect the on-board Flash device.
PGM5X is a DOS utility designed to write to the on-board Flash device. (The on-board Flash device
contains the system’s BIOS, the video BIOS, the SCSI BIOS.) Instructions for this utility are
provided on the utility diskette. Contact your Ampro sales representative or Ampro Technical
Support for information about the Little Board/P5x Flat-Panel BIOS Modification Kit.
The LCD Bias Supply Option (J4)
The LCD Bias Supply Option is a small circuit board that supplies Vee power to an LCD display.
The board converts the +5V from the Little Board/P5x to the Vee voltage (between 15V and 35V,
negative or positive) required by some LCD panels, and makes this voltage available on the flat-
panel connector J3. It uses the signal, ENAVEE, to apply Vee power to the panel in the proper
sequence with other signals. In addition, the board provides a contrast control as well as a way of
providing an external contrast control.
The Ampro LCD Bias Supply option mounts parallel to the Little Board/P5x, connected to the board
via a 12-pin connector, J4. You secure the board to the Little Board/P5x using a 0.6 inch standoff.
Table 2– 34 shows the connector pinout for J4, with a description of each signal. Note that some of
its output signals also appear on the flat panel connector, J3.
2–42
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Table 2– 34. LCD Bias Supply Option Connector (J4)
J4 Pin J3 Pin
Description
1
2
4
Ground
+5V to the Vee Supply Option board
Ground
6
38
Enable Vee — TTL control signal, driven by the VGA
controller chip
8
Ground
11
12
46
47
Vee Output, to panel
Contrast adjustment — analog control signal
Selecting Vee Polarity
Most LCD displays require a Vee supply of between 15V and 35V. Some panels need a negative
supply, and some a positive supply. The LCD Bias Supply Option provides a jumper for selecting
the Vee output polarity. To select the polarity for the panel you will be using, set the jumper on W1
(on the LCD Bias Supply board, not on the Little Board/P5x) as follows:
!
!
Negative Vee
Positive Vee
W1-1/2
W1-2/3
Note
Incorrect Vee polarity or voltage can damage an LCD panel. Set the
polarity and voltage on the Vee supply before connecting the LCD
panel.
Attaching an External Contrast Control
Vee controls the contrast of the LCD display. (Do not confuse this with a backlight, which
illuminates the screen using one or more fluorescent tubes. Backlights generally require a high
voltage AC supply.)
An on-board control (R1) on the LCD Bias Supply board allows you to set the precise Vee voltage for
the contrast you require. However, you may want to provide a more accessible Vee control so that a
user can set the display contrast to accommodate various ambient lighting conditions. The board
provides a jumper and control signal to allow the attachment of a remote potentiometer.
To use the contrast potentiometer on the LCD Bias Supply board, install a jumper on W2 on the
LCD Bias Supply board.
2–43
To use an external potentiometer, remove the jumper from W2, and connect a circuit as shown in
Figure 2– 4 between J3-47 and ground.
Rb
Ra
External Contrast
Control
Ground
J3-47
Figure 2– 4. External Contrast Adjustment for LCD panels
Select Ra and Rb to provide the appropriate voltage range adjustment for the LCD panel you are
using. Consult your panel’s technical literature for the range of voltages you need to supply for the
contrast adjustment. Use the following formulae to calculate the resistor values (in K Ohms).
270
270
Ra =
- 12
Rb =
- 12 - Ra
(Vee max/1.5) - 1
(Vee min/1.5) - 1
Example:
Suppose the following values are shown in the panel’s data sheet:
Vee Max = 24 V
Vee min = 20 V
Calculate the required resistor values as follows:
Ra = (270 / ((24 / 1.5) - 1)) -12
Ra = 6K Ω
Rb = (270 / ((20 / 1.5) - 1)) -12 - 6
Rb = 3.9K Ω
In this example, you would use 6K Ω for Ra and a 3.9K Ω potentiometer for Rb.
Connecting a CRT (J5)
Analog video signals from the video controller appear on a 10-pin dual-row header, J5. These
signals are compatible with the standard video monitors commonly used with desktop PCs.
Specifications for compatible monitors are provided in Chapter 3, Technical Specifications.
Normally, signals from J5 are connected to a standard DB-15 video connector by a “transition
cable,” made from a ribbon cable connectors and a short length of 10-wire ribbon cable. A transition
cable can connect the video signals to a bulkhead-mounted DB-15 connector, allowing any standard
CRT to be easily connected using a standard monitor video cable.
+5V power, protected by fuse F3, can supply power to an external device, such as an NTSC Video
adapter module.
2–44
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Table 2– 35 gives the signal pinout of J5 and pin connections for a DB-15 connector. Table 2– 40
shows J5 mating connectors.
Table 2– 35. CRT Interface Connector (J5)
Pin
1
Signal Name DB-15
Red
Ground
1
6
2
3
Green
2
4
Ground
7
5
Blue
3
6
Ground
8
7
Horizontal Sync.
Ground
13
10
14
-
8
9
Vertical Sync.
+5V Power
10
Table 2– 40. J5 Mating Connectors
Connector Type
Mating Connector
RIBBON
3M 3473-7600
Latching Clip 3505-8010
DISCRETE WIRE
MOLEX HOUSING 22-55-2102
PIN 16-02-0103
ZV Port Interface (J6)
This section describes the ZV port interface (J6). The ZV port is a PCMCIA standard for video
input. The ZV port can be used to receive video data in either RGB or YUV format. The input data
can be scaled, positioned, and can overlay the Little Board/P5x’s VGA data stream. It can use color
keying for non-rectangular windowing, or X-Y window keying.
For further information about the ZV port and its uses, read application notes for the 69000 video
controller, available at the Intel Website, http://www.intel.com.
2–45
J6 is a high density connector with 2mm pitch pins. Table 2– 41 lists the signals and pin numbers
for J6 and Table 2– 42 lists a compatible mating connector.
Table 2– 41. ZV Port Connector (J6)
J6 Pin
Name
Function
1 - 16
18
VP0 - VP15
VREF
Video Data Inputs
Vertical Reference Input
Horizontal Reference Input
Reserved
20
HREF
22
RSVD
24
PCCK
PC
26
PCLK
Video Clock Output (DCLK or DCLK/2)
17, 19, 21,23,
25
Ground
Table 2– 42. J6 Mating Connector
Mating Connector
Discrete Wire:
Molex Housing 51110-2650
Molex Pin 50394-8051
Disabling the Video Controller
The video controller can be disabled in Setup. There are no jumpers to change.
2–46
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Ethernet Network Interface
This section describes the hardware of the Ethernet interface and discusses relevant software
considerations.
Hardware Description
The Ethernet subsystem is based on the AMD Am79C972 PCnet™ Fast+ Enhanced 10/100 PCI
Ethernet Controller coupled with a Level 1, Inc. LXT970a dual-speed fast Ethernet transceiver. The
Ethernet controller fully supports IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standards, and supports standard 10BaseT
and 100BaseT via a standard RJ-45 connector.
The Ethernet controller interfaces to the PCI portion of the bus. Features of this controller include:
!
!
!
Speed auto-negotiation (complies with IEEE802.3u standard)
Full-duplex operation at 10 Mb/s and 100 Mb/s
Low-power energy modes
Ethernet RJ-45 Interface Connector (J7)
Connector J7 is a standard RJ-45 jack for connecting directly to an Ethernet network using
category 5 UTP/STP cabling.
Table 2– 436 lists the signals and pin numbers of the Ethernet connector, J7:
Table 2– 436. Ethernet RJ-45 Connector (J4)
J7 Pin
Function
TX +
1
2
TX -
3
6
RX +
RX -
4, 5, 7, 8
Signal Common
Ethernet Interface Software
Manufacturer's Ethernet ID
Each manufacturer of Ethernet network adapters and interfaces is assigned a unique
manufacturer's ID by the IEEE Standards Office. A network address consists of 48 bits. The upper
24 bits are the manufacturer's ID and the lower 24 bits are the board's unique ID.
For developers who are creating network applications, knowing the manufacturer's ID for network
adapters attached to the network may or may not be important.
Ampro's 24-bit manufacturer's ID for Ethernet controllers is displayed in hex as follows:
00 40 53
2–47
Network Operating Systems
The Ethernet interface is typically connected in a network controlled by a network operating
system. The network operating system may be part of the computer's operating system or be
provided separately. For example, Windows® NT provides the network operating system as part of
computer's operating system. Novell's NetWare™ provides a separate, add-on network operating
system for DOS and Windows. The network operating system provides file server and network
services to the distributed systems connected to the network. Each node on the network must have
a compatible network operating system installed as well.
Modern network architectures are based on the OSI model, which defines layers of software
between the network hardware, the network operating system, and the applications that use the
network services. The actual Ethernet cable and the Little Board/P5x hardware interface are at the
bottom level. A driver program at the next level handles communication between the hardware and
the operating system, masking any unique differences in the hardware from the layers above it,
including the network operating systems.
Network OS Drivers
The Little Board/P5x Ethernet subsystem uses AMD PCnet-family drivers, available from AMD.
The driver is the only unique software you need to use the Little Board/P5x. The supported network
operating systems provide the other software layers normally provided in the OSI model. These
include:
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
AHSM ODI Drivers (DOS, OS/2, Server)
CHSM ODI Driver for NetWare 5.0
NDIS 2.0.1 Drivers (DOS version 6.x, OS/2 version 3.x and 4.x)
NDIS 3.x MAC Drivers (for WFW 3.11; NT versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0; Win95)
NDIS 3.x Miniport Drivers (for Windows 95 and Windows NT 3.51)
NDIS 4.x Driver (for Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 95 OSR 2)
Novell UnixWare Drivers (for v1.1 and 2.0)
There are also drivers for various flavors of UNIX and for other operating systems. AMD also
supplies diagnostic software for testing your Ethernet setup.
For the most up-to-date drivers and utility software, please refer to the AMD PCnet family driver
web page. The AMD URL is:
http://www.amd.com/
Ethernet Setup
This section describes how to configure and connect the Ethernet LAN interface.
There are no jumpers to set on the Ethernet interface, and no hardware configuration, other than
connecting the network cable to an appropriate connector.
Software configuration of the Ethernet interface includes the following steps:
!
In Setup, enable the Ethernet interface.
2–48
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
!
!
If you plan to boot from the network (that is, if you plan to use the Little Board/P5x as a
diskless peripheral or workstation), set up an Ethernet boot PROM. See the section, “Setting up
a Boot PROM”, below, for details.
Install the proper driver for the network operating system you will be running. Follow AMD’s
instructions for installing your PCnet driver.
Setting up a Boot PROM
Boot PROM code enables the Little Board/P5x system to boot from an Ethernet network server
instead of a local hard disk or floppy. Boot PROM code can be installed in the OEM Flash memory
on Little Board/P5x, or in an external byte-wide memory socket on a MiniModule or other system
board.
If you plan to boot from the network, you must provide a boot PROM program compatible with your
network operating system. (You can download AMD PCnet boot PROM code from AMD’s Website.)
You install the boot PROM code in the on-board OEM Flash memory device. Briefly, these are the
steps you take:
!
!
Install jumper W11 to write-enable the Flash device.
Program your boot PROM code into the Flash device using a utility called PGM5X.COM,
supplied by Ampro on the utility disk that comes with the Little Board/P5x Development
Platform.
!
Remove jumper W11 to write-protect the Flash device.
PGM5X is a DOS utility designed to write to the on-board Flash device. (The on-board Flash device
contains the system’s BIOS, the video BIOS, the SCSI BIOS.) Instructions for this utility are
provided on the utility diskette.
Ethernet Indicator LEDs
Three LED indicator lamps are provided on the board to indicate the status of the Ethernet
interface. You can use these LEDs as simple trouble-shooting aids when connecting to an Ethernet
segment.
Table 2– 437 shows the meaning of each LED.
Table 2– 437. Ethernet Diagnostic LEDs
Color
Yellow
Red
Designation
Function
Receive (RX)
Transmit (TX)
Link
D1
D2
D3
Green
2–49
Watchdog Timer
The purpose of a watchdog timer function is to restart the system should some mishap occur.
Possible problems include: a failure to boot properly; the application software losing control;
temporary power supply problems including spikes, surges, or interference; the failure of an
interface device; unexpected conditions on the bus; or other hardware or software malfunctions. The
watchdog timer helps assure proper start-up after an interruption.
The Little Board/P5x ROM-BIOS supports the board’s watchdog timer function in two ways:
!
!
There is an initial watchdog timer setting, specified using SETUP, which determines whether
the watchdog timer will be used to monitor the system boot, and if so, how long the time-out is
(30, 60, or 90 seconds).
There is a standard ROM-BIOS function which may be used by application software to start and
stop the watchdog timer function.
The initial time-out should be set (using SETUP) to be long enough to guarantee that the system
can boot and pass control to the application. Then, the application must periodically retrigger the
timer by reading I/O Port 201h so that the time-out does not occur. If the time-out does occur, the
system will respond in a manner determined by how the watchdog timer jumper, W8, is set (see
Chapter 2).
The following simple assembly language routine illustrates how to control the watchdog timer using
the Ampro ROM-BIOS function that has been provided for this purpose:
;----------------------------------------------------------
; Watchdog timer control program
;----------------------------------------------------------
MOV AH,0C3h
MOV AL,nn
; Watchdog Timer BIOS function
; Use “00” to disable, “01” to enable
; timer.
MOV BX,mm
; Selects time, in seconds
;(00-FFh; 1-255 seconds)
INT 15h
Ampro provides a simple DOS program that can be used from the command line or in a batch
program to manage the watchdog timer. It is called WATCHDOG, and is described in the Ampro
Common Utilities manual.
2–50
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Utility Connectors (J16, J24)
Seven functions appear on Utility 1, a 16-pin connector at J16. These are:
!
!
!
!
!
!
Auxiliary power connections
Power indicator LED
PC speaker
Push-button reset switch
Keyboard interface
External back-up battery
Table 2– 38 shows the pinout and signal definitions of the Utility Connector. Since there are
connections for diverse features on this single connector, you would usually choose a discrete-wire
connector rather than a ribbon cable connector, though this is not a requirement. Table 2– 39 shows
manufacturer’s part numbers for both types of mating connectors.
Table 2– 38. Utility Connector (J16)
Pin
Signal Name
Function
1
-12V power
Connect external -12V supply here for distribution to
expansion cards needing this voltage.
2
3
Ground
Ground return
-5V power
Connect external -5V supply here for distribution to
expansion cards needing this voltage.
4
5
Ground
LED Anode
RSVD
Ground return
LED current source (+5V through 330 ohms)
No connection
6
7
Speaker +
Ground
Reset
PC audio signal output
Ground
8
9
To one side of manual reset button.
Reserved
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
N/C
Kbd Data
Kbd Clk
Ground
Kbd Power
+ Bat
Keyboard serial data
Keyboard clock
Keyboard ground
Keyboard +5V power
+ Battery *
Ground
- Battery *
* An external battery is not required.
2–51
Table 2– 39. J16 Mating Connector
Connector Type
Mating Connector
RIBBON
3M 3452-7600
Latching Clip 3505-8016
DISCRETE WIRE
MOLEX Housing 22-55-2162
Pin 16-02-0103
LED Connection
To connect an external LED power-on indication lamp, connect the LED anode to J16-5 and the
cathode to ground. J16-5 provides +5V through a 300 ohm resistor.
Speaker Connections
The board supplies about 100 mW for a speaker on J16-7. Connect the other side of the speaker to
ground (J16-8). A transistor amplifier buffers the speaker signal. Use a small general purpose 2 or 3
inch permanent magnet speaker with an 8 ohm voice coil. Refer to Chapter 3, Section 3.14 for an
explanation of the PC speaker circuit architecture.
Push-button Reset Connection
J16-9 provides a connection for an external normally-open momentary switch to manually reset the
system. Connect the other side of the switch to ground. The reset signal is “de-bounced” on the
board.
Keyboard Connection
You can connect an AT (not PC) keyboard to the keyboard port. J16-11 through J16-14 provide this
function. Normally, AT keyboards include a cable that terminates in a male 5-pin DIN plug for
connection to an AT (or a 6-pin miniature DIN plug for PS-2). Table 2– 47 gives the keyboard
connector pinout and signal definitions, and includes corresponding pin numbers for DIN keyboard
connectors.
Table 2– 47 Keyboard Connector (J16)
J16 Pin
Signal Name
DIN-5
Pins
DIN-6
Pins
12
11
13
14
Keyboard Clock
Keyboard Data
Ground
1
2
4
5
5
1
3
4
Keyboard power
2–52
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Utility 2 Connector (J24)
Utility 2, a 24-pin connector at J24 provides the following connections:
!
!
!
!
!
!
LIDSW – Simulates the lid switch on a laptop
PWRBT – Turns off all but minimum power
BATLOW – Simulates a low battery
IrDA Interface – Infra-red serial interface signals
PS/2 Mouse Port
Universal Serial Bus (USB) Interfaces
The signals on the Utility 2 connector are shown in Table 2– 48. Table 2– 40 shows compatible
mating connectors.
Table 2– 48. Utility2 Connector (J24)
Pin
1
Signal Name
LIDSW
Function
Lid Switch Input
Battery Low Input
IrDA Transmit
Pin
2
Signal Name
PWRBT-
IRMODE
IRRX
Function
Power Button Input
IrDA Mode
3
BATLOW-
IRTX
4
5
6
IrDA Receive
7
Ground
8
Vcc
9
MDATA
PS/2 Mouse Data
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
MCLK
PS/2 Mouse Clock
11
13
15
17
19
21
23
Ground
Vcc
SMBCLK
USBPWR1
USBP-1
Serial Bus Clock
USB1 +5V Power
USB1 Data -
SMBDATA
USBPWR2
USBP-2
USBP+2
USBGND2
SHIELD2
Serial Bus Data
USB2 +5V Power
USB2 Data -
USBP+1
USBGND1
SHIELD1
USB1 Data +
USB2 Data +
USB1 Ground
USB2 Ground
Cable Shield for
USB1
Cable Shield for
USB2
Table 2– 40. J24 Mating Connector
Connector Type
Mating Connector
RIBBON
3M 3626-7600
Latching Clip 3505-8024
DISCRETE WIRE
MOLEX HOUSING 22-55-2242
PIN 16-02-0103
2–53
PC/104-Plus EXPANSION BUS
The PC/104-Plus expansion bus appears on three header connectors, P1, P2, and J21. P1 is a 64-pin
female dual-row header. P2 is a 40-pin female dual-row header, and J21 is a 120-pin 2mm female
quad-row header (4 x 30). The PC-bus subset of the PC/104-Plus expansion bus connects to P1. The
AT expansion bus signals connect to P2. The layout of signals on P1 and P2 is compliant with the
PC/104 bus specification, and make up the ISA bus portion of the PC/104-Plus bus. An
implementation of the PCI bus appears on J21.
PC/104-compatible expansion modules can be installed on the Little Board/P5x expansion bus. The
buffered output signals to the expansion bus are standard TTL level signals. All inputs to the Little
Board/P5x operate at TTL levels and present a typical CMOS load to the expansion bus.
On-board MiniModule Expansion
You can install one or more Ampro MiniModule products or other PC/104 modules on the Little
Board/P5x expansion connectors. When installed on P1 and P2, the expansion modules fit within
the Little Board/P5x’s outline dimensions. Most Ampro MiniModule products have stackthrough
connectors compatible with the PC/104 specification. You can stack several modules on the Little
Board/P5x headers. Each additional module increases the thickness of the package by 0.66 inches
(15 mm). See Figure 2– 5.
Figure 2– 5. Stacking PC/104 Modules on the Little Board/P5x
2–54
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Using Standard PC and AT Bus Cards
Ampro offers several options that allow you to add conventional 8-bit and 16-bit ISA expansion
cards to the Little Board/P5x system. Contact Ampro for further information about optional bus
expansion products.
Expansion Bus Connector Pinouts
Table 2– 50 through Table 2– 54 show the pinout and signal functions on the PC/104-Plus-
compatible expansion bus connectors. These include P1, P2, and J21.
The Little Board/P5x does not generate ±12VDC, 3.3V, or -5VDC for the expansion bus. If devices
on the bus require these voltages, -12V and -5V can be supplied to the bus connector from the
Utility 1 connector (J16). +12V can be supplied through J10-4. If a PCI peripheral board requires
3.3V, you can attach this voltage to J10-5.
You do not need to add a +12V supply to program the on-board Flash device that stores the ROM
BIOS, video BIOS, SCSI BIOS, and optional Ethernet boot PROM code. An on-board supply
provides the programming voltage. This supply, however, does not provide power to the expansion
bus. Most Ampro expansion products provide on-board DC-to-DC converters to convert the +5V
supply to other voltages they require.
The expansion bus pin numbers for P1 and P2, shown in the following tables, correspond to the
scheme normally used on ISA expansion bus card sockets. Rather than numerical designations (1, 2,
3) they have alpha-numeric designations (A1, A2…, B1, B2…, etc.). Similarly, the rows of J21 are
designated A, B, C, and D.
2–55
Table 2– 50. PC/104 Expansion Bus Connector, P1 (A1-A32)
Signal
Name
Pin
Function
In/Out
A1
A2
IOCHCK*
SD7
bus NMI input
Data bit 7
IN
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
IN
A3
SD6
Data bit 6
A4
SD5
Data bit 5
A5
SD4
Data bit 4
A6
SD3
Data bit 3
A7
SD2
Data bit 2
A8
SD1
Data bit 1
A9
SD0
Data bit 0
A10
A11
A12
A13
A14
A15
A16
A17
A18
A19
A20
A21
A22
A23
A24
A25
A26
A27
A28
A29
A30
A31
A32
IOCHRDY
AEN
Processor Ready Ctrl
Address Enable
Address bit 19
Address bit 18
Address bit 17
Address bit 16
Address bit 15
Address bit 14
Address bit 13
Address bit 12
Address bit 11
Address bit 10
Address bit 9
Address bit 8
Address bit 7
Address bit 6
Address bit 5
Address bit 4
Address bit 3
Address bit 2
Address bit 1
Address bit 0
Ground
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
N/A
SA19
SA18
SA17
SA16
SA15
SA14
SA13
SA12
SA11
SA10
SA9
SA8
SA7
SA6
SA5
SA4
SA3
SA2
SA1
SA0
GND
2–56
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Table 2– 51. PC/104 Expansion Bus Connector, P1 (B1-B32)
Signal
Name
Pin
Function
In/Out
B1
B2
GND
RESETDRV
+5V
Ground
System reset signal
+5 Volt power
N/A
OUT
N/A
IN
B3
B4
IRQ9
Interrupt request 9
To J16-3
B5
-5V
N/A
IN
B6
DRQ2
-12V
DMA request 2
To J16-1
B7
N/A
IN
B8
ZWS*
+12V
Zero wait state
To J10-1
B9
N/A
N/A
I/O
B10
B11
B12
B13
B14
B15
B16
B17
B18
B19
B20
B21
B22
B23
B24
B25
B26
B27
B28
B29
B30
B31
B32
N/A
Keyed pin
SMEMW*
SMEMR*
IOW
Mem Write(lwr 1MB)
Mem Read(lwr 1MB)
I/O Write
I/O
I/O
IOR
I/O Read
I/O
DACK3*
DRQ3
DACK1*
DRQ1
REFRESH*
SYSCLK
IRQ7
DMA Acknowledge 3
DMA Request 3
DMA Acknowledge 1
DMA Request 1
Memory Refresh
Sys Clock
OUT
IN
OUT
IN
I/O
OUT
IN
Interrupt Request 7
Interrupt Request 6
Interrupt Request 5
Interrupt Request 4
Interrupt Request 3
DMA Acknowledge 2
DMA Terminal Count
Address latch enable
+5V power
IRQ6
IN
IRQ5
IN
IRQ4
IN
IRQ3
IN
DACK2*
TC
OUT
OUT
OUT
N/A
OUT
N/A
N/A
BALE
+5V
OSC
14.3 MHz clock
Ground
GND
GND
Ground
2–57
Table 2– 52. PC/104 Expansion Bus Connector, P2 (C0-C19)
Signal
Pin
Name
Function
In/Out
C0
C1
GND
SBHE
LA23
LA22
LA21
LA20
LA19
LA18
LA17
MEMR*
MEMW*
SD8
Ground
Bus High Enable
Address bit 23
Address bit 22
Address bit 21
Address bit 20
Address bit 19
Address bit 18
Address bit 17
Memory Read
Memory Write
Data Bit 8
N/A
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
I/O
N/A
C2
C3
C4
C5
C6
C7
C8
C9
C10
C11
C12
C13
C14
C15
C16
C17
C18
C19
SD9
Data Bit 9
SD10
SD11
SD12
SD13
SD14
SD15
Key
Data Bit 10
Data Bit 11
Data Bit 12
Data Bit 13
Data Bit 14
Data Bit 15
Key Pin
2–58
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Table 2– 53. PC/104 Expansion Bus Connector, P2 (D0-D19)
Signal
Name
Pin
Function
In/Out
D0
D1
GND
MEMCS16*
IOCS16*
IRQ10
Ground
N/A
IN
16-bit Mem Access
16-bit I/O Access
Interrupt Request 10
Interrupt Request 11
Interrupt Request 12
Interrupt Request 15
Interrupt Request 14
DMA Acknowledge 0
DMA Request 0
DMA Acknowledge 5
DMA Request 5
DMA Acknowledge 6
DMA Request 6
DMA Acknowledge 7
DMA Request 7
+5 Volt Power
D2
IN
D3
IN
D4
IRQ11
IN
D5
IRQ12
IN
D6
IRQ15
IN
D7
IRQ14
IN
D8
DACK0*
DRQ0
OUT
IN
D9
D10
D11
D12
D13
D14
D15
D16
D17
D18
D19
DACK5*
DRQ5
OUT
IN
DACK6*
DRQ6
OUT
IN
DACK7*
DRQ7
OUT
IN
+5V
N/A
IN
MASTER*
GND
Bus Master Assert
Ground
N/A
N/A
GND
Ground
2–59
Table 2– 54. PC/104-Plus Expansion Bus Connector, P21 (A1-D30)
Pin
1
A
GND/5.0V KEY4
VI/O (+5V)
AD05
B
Reserved
AD02
C
+5
D
AD00
2
AD01
AD04
GND
+5V
3
GND
AD03
4
C/BE0*
GND
AD07
AD06
5
AD09
AD08
AD10
GND
GND
M66EN1
6
AD11
VI/O (+5V)
AD13
7
AD14
AD12
8
+3.3V
SERR*
GND
C/BE1*
GND
AD15
SB0*
+3.3V
PAR
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
PERR*
+3.3V
TRDY*
GND
+3.3V
LOCK*
GND
SDONE
GND
STOP*
+3.3V
FRAME*
GND
DEVSEL*
+3.3V
C/BE2*
GND
IRDY*
+3.3V
AD17
GND
AD16
AD18
+3.3V
AD20
AD21
AD19
+3.3V
IDSEL0
AD24
AD23
AD22
IDSEL1
VI/O (+5V)
AD25
AD28
GND
+3.3V
IDSEL2
IDSEL3
GND
GND
C/BE3*
AD26
GND
AD29
+5V
AD27
+5V
AD30
AD31
REQ0*
GND
GND
REQ1*
+5V
VI/O
REQ2*
VI/O (+5V)
CLK0
GNT0*
GND
GNT1*
+5V
GNT2*
GND
CLK1F
GND
CLK2
+5V
CLK3
+5V
GND
INTD*
INTA*
Reserved
RST*
+12V
INTB*
Reserved
INTC*
GND/3.3V KEY4
-12V
PCI Bus (P21) Notes
1. Signal M66EN is grounded on the motherboard (Ground = 33MHz bus speed).
2–60
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
2. The shaded cells in the table denote unsupported signals.
3. The KEY pins are to guarantee proper module installation. Pin-A1 will be removed and the
female side plugged for 5.0V I/O signals and Pin-D30 will be modified in the same manner for
3.3V I/O. Both pins will be removed for 3.3/5.0 operation.
2–61
Setup
Many options provided on the Little Board/P5x are controlled by the Setup function. The
parameters are displayed on several screens, selected from a main menu screen. To configure the
board, you modify the fields in these screens and save the results in the on-board configuration
memory.
The configuration memory consists of portions of the CMOS RAM in the battery-backed real-time
clock chip and an Ampro-unique configuration EEPROM. To enhance embedded-system reliability,
the contents of the EEPROM mirror the contents of the CMOS memory. The EEPROM retains your
configuration information even if the clock’s backup battery fails.
The Setup information is retrieved from configuration memory when the board is powered up or
when it is rebooted with a CTL-ALT-DEL key combination. Changes made to the Setup parameters
(with the exception of the real-time clock time and date settings) do not take effect until the system
is rebooted.
The Setup program is located in the ROM BIOS. To access Setup, press DEL while the computer is
in the Power On Self Test (POST), just prior to booting. This is called hot key access. The screen will
display a message indicating when entering DEL will access Setup.
Some Setup fields, for example, the amount of DRAM memory installed on the board, are read-only
fields, intended for informational purposes only.
The following figures are samples of what the BIOS setup pages look like. They may not exactly
match your screen.
Setup Help
You can access help information for many of the Setup options by pressing F1. The information is
displayed in a popup window. Some help screens list all the available option settings, while others
display additional information.
Table 2– 41 summarizes the choices found on each Setup page.
Table 2– 41. Functions on Each Setup Page
Page
Menu Name
Functions
Select various Setup screens
Load Setup defaults
Save and/or Exit Setup
1
Main Menu
Set date and time
Enter IDE hard disk parameters
Set type and number of floppy disks
Set default video state
2
Standard CMOS Setup
Configure BIOS error handling
Displays amount of installed DRAM memory
2–62
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Table 2– 41 (cont.). Functions on Each Setup Page
Page
Menu Name
Functions
Enable/disable virus warning message
Enable/disable internal CPU cache
Enable/disable external cache
Enable/disable quick POST
3
BIOS Features Setup
Select boot sequence
Additional floppy parameters
Set NumLock default state
Set initial system speed
Configure keyboard typematic rates
Enable/disable PCI/VGA palette snoop
Select VGA video IRQ
Set watchdog timer parameters
Enable/disable system status messages
Select OS for DRAM > 64MB
Enable/disable shadowing of memory areas
Enable/disable serial console
Enable/disable boot loader
4
Chipset Features Setup Configure memory timing (not recommended)
Enable/disable cache options
Set power management level
5
6
7
Power Management
Setup
Set power management options
Set power management timers
Select power management events
PCI Configuration
Setup
IRQ configuration
IDE interrupt configuration
Set IDE mode
Integrated Peripherals Enable/disable/configure IDE interfaces
Setup
Enable/disable support for USB keyboard
Enable/disable floppy disk controller
Enable/disable/configure serial ports
Configure for IrDA support
Enable/disable/configure parallel port
Configure video mode, select flat panel type
Enable/disable Ethernet interface
Enable/disable Ultra SCSI interface
2–63
Setup 1 — Main Menu
The first Setup page contains a menu for accessing several Setup screens, plus several additional
parameters. Figure 2– 6 shows Setup page 1. Sections following the figure describe each option.
CMOS SETUP UTILITY
Ampro Computers, Inc.
STANDARD CMOS SETUP
INTEGRATED PERIPHERALS
LOAD SETUP DEFAULTS
SAVE & EXIT SETUP
BIOS FEATURES SETUP
CHIPSET FEATURES SETUP
POWER MANAGEMENT SETUP
PCI CONFIGURATION SETUP
EXIT WITHOUT SAVING
ESC : Quit ↑ ↓ → ←
: Select Item
F1 : Help (Shift)F2 : Change Color
Help messages for each feature line appear here
Figure 2– 6. Setup 1 — Main Menu
The main menu screen allows the selection of other optional setup screens.
!
STANDARD CMOS SETUP – allows the setup of time, date, hard and floppy disk, video and
POST halt conditions.
!
BIOS FEATURES SETUP – selects BIOS features including Virus Warning, caching, POST
speed, boot sequence, floppy features, A20 options, memory parity, keyboard typematic
selection, security, PCI/VGA palette snoop, shadowing, and onboard SCSI.
!
CHIPSET FEATURES SETUP – allows the modification of CHIPSET function including
configuration, AT bus clock, DRAM timing, SRAM timing, refresh, ISA bus timing, memory
allocation at 15M, CPU pipelining, IDE controller, IDE buffering, secondary IDE, IDE modes,
and onboard FDC, serial, and parallel port.
!
!
!
POWER MANAGEMENT SETUP – selects the power management features and their
implementation.
PCI CONFIGURATION SETUP – configures the PCI interrupt and other PCI unique
features.
INTEGRATED PERIPHERALS – configures the onboard peripheral device such as serial,
parallel and other devices.
!
!
!
LOAD SETUP DEFAULTS – initializes all CMOS settings to a predefined default state.
SAVE & EXIT SETUP – option prompts to save CMOS information and exits.
EXIT WITHOUT SAVING – exits setup without writing setup information.
2–64
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Setup 2 — Standard CMOS Setup
Use Setup 2 to set the date and time, configure your hard and floppy disks, and report system
memory. Figure 2– 7 shows what can be configured on Setup 2, and the sections that follow describe
each parameter.
STANDARD CMOS Setup
Ampro Computers, Inc.
Date (mm:dd:yyyy) : Wed, Feb 23, 1998
Time (hh:mm:ss) : 8 : 17 : 25
HARD DISK
Primary Master : Auto
Primary Slave : Auto
Secondary Master : Auto
Secondary Slave : Auto
TYPE SIZE CYLS HEAD PRECOMP LANDZ SECTOR MODE
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0 AUTO
0 AUTO
0 AUTO
0 AUTO
Drive A
Drive B
Video
: 1.44M, 3.5 in.
: None
: EGA/VGA
Base Memory:
640K
Extended Memory: 31744K
Other Memory:
Total Memory:
384K
Halt On
: All Errors
32768K
ESC : Quit:
F1 : Help
↑ ↓ → ← : Select Item
PU/PD/+/- : Modify
(Shift)F2 : Change Color
Figure 2– 7. Setup 2 — Standard CMOS Setup
This Setup screen allows you to configure the following parameters:
!
DATE and TIME — requires the numeric entry of mm:dd:yyyy. (Note full 4 digit year.) Day of
the week and calendar month are displayed. Time and date entries take effect as soon as they
are entered.
!
HARD DISK — set the parameters for the drives connected to the IDE interface. (No
parameters are displayed for an auto-detected HD.) When Auto TYPE is used, the MODE should
also be AUTO. When using any modern IDE drive larger than 512MB, AUTO is the best choice.
See “IDE Hard Disk Drives” below for more information.
!
FLOPPY DISK — select the type of floppy drive(s) connected to the floppy drive interface. See
Floppy Drives below for more information.
!
!
VIDEO — select the initial video mode. See “Video” below for more information.
HALT ON — select the Power On Self Test (POST) response to errors. See “Error Halt” below
for more information.
!
Base Memory, Extended Memory, Other Memory — displays the amount of memory
detected by the BIOS. Other Memory reports memory used for ROM shadowing the system
BIOS, video BIOS, SCSI BIOS, and any other system extensions. It is not available for general
OEM use. See “DRAM Memory” below for more information.
2–65
EIDE Hard Disk Drives
The module supports up to two hard disk drives connected to the IDE interface. Only hard disk
drives are directly supported in the system’s ROM BIOS. IDE CD-ROM drives and other IDE-
interfaced peripherals are configured by software or drivers supplied separately.
Physical drives can have one or more logical partitions. You can install up to eight logical drives
using drive partitions.
To configure the system for the IDE hard drives in your system, set the drive parameters with
Setup, as outlined here:
!
Drive Types — the configuration memory contains a default list of parameters that specify the
physical format of each drive. Each type specifies the total number of cylinders, number of
heads, cylinder to begin precompensation, landing zone cylinder number, and the number of
sectors per cylinder. The drive manufacturer supplies these parameters. The list contains
“legacy values”, standard for PCs — a number of older (smaller) drives are defined.
Drive type USER lets you enter drive parameters manually. If no built-in drive type matches your
drive, select drive type USER and enter the drive parameters in the fields provided.
Drive type AUTO selects Autoconfigure. Autoconfigure queries the drive for its parameters. Most
modern drives will respond to the query, allowing the BIOS to set the drive parameter values
automatically. This option also provides Logical Block Addressing (LBA) capability, which is
used to support drives larger than 512M bytes.
Note
LBA uses a translation scheme to convert physical heads, sectors and
cylinders to logical block numbers. Due to differences in the
translation schemes used by different system BIOSes, LBA-
compatible drives that have been formatted on Ampro systems may
not function properly in other systems that support LBA mode.
However, due to the intelligent translation algorithm in the Ampro
BIOS, drives formatted in other systems are likely to be usable on the
Little Board/P5x CPU. Note that this only applies to IDE drives that
support LBA mode. Consult the technical literature for the drive you
select to find out if it supports LBA mode.
Drive Selection
Besides specifying the physical characteristics of each IDE drive, you must also specify whether a
drive is a master or slave drive. The first drive in a system is always configured as a master drive. A
second drive would be a slave drive. Each manufacturer may use a different scheme to handle the
master and slave relationship, so drives from different manufacturers may not be compatible. Be
sure to test drive compatibility in systems with two IDE drives.
Drives default to master from the factory, so if you only have one IDE drive in a system it is
generally already set up properly.
2–66
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Once you have set the system’s configuration memory, the IDE drive(s) can be formatted and
otherwise prepared normally. Refer to your operating system and disk drive documentation for
specific procedures and requirements.
Floppy Drives
The ROM BIOS supports all of the popular DOS-compatible floppy disk formats. This includes all
the 5-1/4 inch and 3-1/2 inch floppy formats — 360K, 720K, 1.2M, and 1.44M.
Drive Parameter Setup
Enter the number and type of floppy drives in the system. If the drives connected to the system do
not match the parameters in the configuration memory, POST displays an error message. To
eliminate the error message, set the drive parameters to match your floppy drives.
Video
Specify the initial video mode. Select Mono, CGA40, CGA80, or EGA/VGA. If your video display
card is VGA, super VGA, or any other high resolution standard, specify EGA/VGA no matter how it
is configured to come up.
Error Halt
Select which kinds of errors will halt the Power-On Self Test (POST). If you plan to use the module
without a keyboard, be sure to set this option to not halt on keyboard error.
DRAM Memory
The ROM BIOS automatically detects the amount of memory during POST and stores the result
when you save the configuration values when exiting Setup. This Setup page displays the amount of
memory found in the system.
2–67
Setup 3 — BIOS Features Setup
Use Setup 3 to set a variety of BIOS feature options. Figure 2– 8 shows what can be configured on
Setup 3, and the sections that follow describe each parameter.
BIOS FEATURES Setup
Ampro Computers, Inc.
Virus Warning
CPU Internal Cache
External Cache
Quick Power On Self Test
Boot Sequence
: Disabled Video BIOS Shadow
: Enabled
: Enabled
: Disabled Serial Console
: Disabled Serial Boot Loader
: Disabled
: Disabled
: Disabled
: A,C
OEM Flash (S0)
Swap Floppy Drive
Boot Up Floppy Seek
Boot Up NumLock Status
Typematic Rate Setting
: Disabled
: Enabled
: Off
: Enabled
Typematic Rate (chars/Sec) : 6
Typematic Delay (Msec)
PCI/VGA Palette Snoop:
Assign IRQ for VGA
Watchdog Timer
: 250
: Disabled
: Disabled
: Disabled
Show System Status at Boot : Enabled
OS2 Select for DRAM > 64MB : Non-OS2
ESC:Quit
F1 :Help
↑ ↓ → ← :Select Item
PU/PD/+/-:Modify
F5 :Old Values (Shift)F2:Color
F6 :Load BIOS Defaults
F7 :Load Setup Defaults
Figure 2– 8. Setup 3 — BIOS Features Setup
This Setup screen allows you to configure the following parameters:
!
Virus Warning — monitors for writes to the hard disk boot sector. If a write is detected, the
BIOS will display the following warning message, beep the speaker, and wait for user
confirmation.
!!! WARNING !!!
Disk Boot sector is to be modified
type "Y" to accept, any key to abort
Award Software, Inc.
!
!
CPU Internal Cache — enable or disable the CPU internal cache.
Quick Power On Self Test — when enabled, the POST will skip some non-essential tests
(such as repetitive memory tests) in order to shorten the POST time.
!
Boot Sequence — determines the order in which drives should be searched by the disk
operating system. Options are [A, C], [C, A], [A, SCSI], [SCSI, A], [CD, A, C], [C only], and
[SCSI only]. (“C” refers to an IDE drive, and “CD” refers to an IDE CD-ROM drive.)
!
!
Swap Floppy Drive — If two floppy drives are connected to the system, drive A becomes drive
B and vice-versa.
Boot Up Floppy Seek — during POST, the BIOS performs a seek test to determine if the drive
is 40 or 80 tracks (360K drives have 40 tracks, other drives have 80 tracks).
2–68
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
!
!
!
!
!
Boot Up NumLock Status — sets the default state of the keyboard’s numeric keypad. On sets
the keypad to numbers, Off sets the keypad to arrows.
Typematic Rate Setting — enable or disable the typematic function (automatic keyboard key
repeat).
Typematic Rate (chars/S) — set the typematic rate. This is the rate at which a held-down key
is repeated.
Typematic Delay (mS) — set the time a key must be pressed before typematic repeating
begins.
PCI/VGA Palette Snoop — enables PCI- or ISA-based graphics adapters which are not VGA-
compatible to monitor writes to the VGA palette registers so they may update their own palette
registers accordingly. Note that when PCI/VGA Palette Snoop is enabled, graphic screens may
be distorted when booting Windows 95.
!
!
!
Assign IRQ for PCI VGA — Enables auto assignment of VGA IRQ.
Watchdog Timer — sets the timeout delay period for the watchdog timer, or disables it.
Show System Status at Boot — when enabled (the default), some messages about detected
hardware features are displayed on the console during the Power-On Self Test.
!
OS Select for DRAM > 64MB — if you are running OS/2, set to OS/2. Otherwise set to Non-
OS/2. This parameter limits reporting memory above 64 MB, as some operating systems fail
when more than 64 MB is reported. Some versions of OS/2 have this problem.
!
!
Video BIOS Shadow — The on-board video and SCSI BIOS always run from shadow RAM.
PCI devices with on-board ROM are always shadowed. These are not affected by this setting.
Serial Console — enables or disables use of a serial console connected to a serial port. When
used as a serial console, the serial port does not appear in the BIOS COM port table. This
means that it will not be COM1, COM2, etc. Select the serial port and its BAUD rate, such as
Serial 1@2400, Serial 2@9600, and so forth. Other communication parameters are fixed at 8-
bit words, 1 start bit, 1 stop bit, and no parity. Default setup of the serial console port is
Disabled.
!
Serial Boot Loader — enables or disables the serial boot loader function. When you enable the
boot loader, select either COM1 or COM2. Other communication parameters are fixed at 9600
BAUD, 8-bit words, 1 start bit, 1 stop bit, and no parity.
Serial Console Operation During Setup
When Setup is being run using the serial console interface, keyboard arrow keys and function keys
must be simulated. The following simulations are used for these keys:
Arrow Keys — arrow keys may be entered as shown on the screen. Use the following substitutes
for the arrow keys. Note that there are both standard keys and control key sequences for each
command:
^, Ctrl-e
v, Ctrl-x
Ctrl-r
Up arrow
Down arrow
Page up
>, Ctrl-d
<, Ctrl-s
Ctrl-c
Right arrow
Left arrow
Page down
Note that these keys simulate the arrow keys only during Setup, not during normal computer
operation.
2–69
Function Keys — function keys (F1, F2, etc.) are entered with two keystrokes. The first entry is
“F”, followed by the number. F10 is simulated by typing “F” and then “0”.
The WordStar diamond keys are also implemented identical to the MS-DOS editor.
!
!
!
!
!
!
Ctrl-e = cursor up
Ctrl-x = cursor down
Ctrl-d = cursor right
Ctrl-s = cursor left
Ctrl-r = page up
Ctrl-c = page down.
Note that these keystrokes simulate the function keys only during Setup, not during normal
computer operation.
2–70
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Setup 4 — Chipset Features Setup
Setup 4 — Chipset Features Setup controls internal chipset features. The OEM or end user
should never change many of these items, as they specify internal parameters that have
been chosen to support the existing motherboard design. Change these parameters only if
directed to by Ampro Technical Support. Figure 2– 9 shows what can be configured on Setup 4. The
items that can be changed by the OEM are listed below.
Chipset Features Setup
Ampro Computers, Inc.
Auto Configuration
DRAM Timing
: Enabled
: 70ns
Turn on CPU Fan
: 40°C/104°F
Current CPU Temperature : 68°C/154°F
DRAM Leadoff Timing
: 10/6/4
DRAM Read Bursts (EDO/FP) : x333/x444
DRAM Write Burst Timing
Fast EDO Lead Off
: x333
: Disable
: 5 Clocks
: 3
Refresh RAS# Assertion
Fast RAS To CAS Delay
DRAM Page Idle Timer
DRAM Enhanced Paging
Fast MA to RAS# Delay
: 2 Clocks
: Enabled
: 2 Clocks
SDRAM (CAS Lat/RAS-to-CAS) : 3/3
SDRAM Speculative Read
System BIOS Cacheable
Video BIOS Cacheable
8-bit I/O Recovery Time
: Disabled
: Disabled
: Disabled
: 1
16-Bit I/O Recovery Time : 2
Memory Hole At 15M-16M
PCI 2.1 Compliance
: Disabled
: Disabled
ESC:Quit ↑ ↓ → ← : Select Item
F1 :Help PU/PD/+/- : Modify
F5 :Old Values
(Shift)F2:Color
F6 :Load BIOS Defaults
F7 :Load Setup Defaults
Figure 2– 9. Setup 4 — Chipset Features Setup
This Setup screen allows you to configure the following parameters:
!
Auto Configuration — if enabled, the DRAM timing selection of 70 nS or 60 nS automatically
configures the following five RAM timing parameters. If disabled, these parameters must be
configured manually. This option should be left in its default state. Contact Ampro Technical
Support or your Ampro Sales Representative for advice if you have unique requirements that
require changing these parameters.
!
!
System and Video BIOS Cacheable — these options allow BIOS code to be cached in the
CPU.
8- and 16-Bit I/O Recovery Time — these options allow additional delays to be inserted
between PCI-initiated I/O transactions to the ISA bus. Options are 1 to 8 clocks, or NA, for now
additional delays.
!
Memory Hole at 15M-61M — certain peripheral adapters may require memory in the 15M-
16M address range for expansion ROM use. The memory hole option creates a 1 MB memory
hole below the 16 M boundary for this purpose.
2–71
!
!
PCI 2.1 Compliance — this parameter controls the timing of certain PCI bus transactions.
Select Enabled only if all PCI devices in the system are known to be compliant with Version 2.1
of the PCI specification.
Turn on CPU Fan — The fan interface is controlled by an external temperature monitor
physically located below the CPU. “Current CPU Temperature:” displays a calculated value. The
temperature difference between the monitor and the CPU was measured at 5°C.
2–72
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Setup 5 — Power Management Setup
The Little Board/P5x CPU BIOS incorporates power management features compliant with
Advanced Power Management (APM) BIOS Interface Specification Revision 1.1, created by Intel
and Microsoft. Setup 5 — Power Management Setup allows you to configure your system to most
effectively save energy while operating at the speed and response level you need in your
application. Figure 2– 10 shows what can be configured on Setup 5. A description of each option is
listed below.
Note
When features of the APM BIOS are enabled, some reduced power
states are entered automatically. Reduced power states alter the
performance of the system, usually slowing or halting the CPU. Use
the power management functions with care when using the Little
Board in applications that require guaranteed maximum response
times.
POWER MANAGEMENT Setup
Ampro Computers, Inc.
Power Management
PM Control by APM
Video Off Method
Video Off After
CPU Thermal Mgmt.
Modem Use IRQ
Doze Mode
: Max-Saving
: Yes
** Reload Global Timer Events **
IRQ[3-7,9-15],NMI
: Enabled
: Disabled
: Disabled
: Disabled
: Disabled
: Disabled
: Enabled
: Disabled
: Disabled
: Disabled
: V/H SYNC+Blank Primary IDE 0
: Standby
: Disable
: 3
: 1 Min
: 1 Min
: 1 Min
: 1 Min
Primary IDE 1
Secondary IDE 0
Secondary IDE 1
Floppy Disk
Standby Mode
Serial Port
Suspend Mode
HDD Power Down
Throttle Duty Cycle : 62.5%
Parallel Port
Thermal Duty Cycle
Power Shutdown
ZZ Active in Suspend : Disabled
Soft-Off by PWR-BTTN : Instant-Off
Resume By Ring
Resume By Alarm
: Enabled
: Disabled
IRQ 8 Break Suspend :Disabled
ESC:Quit ↑ ↓ → ← : Select Item
F1 :Help PU/PD/+/- : Modify
F5 :Old Values
(Shift)F2:Color
F6 :Load BIOS Defaults
F7 :Load Setup Defaults
Figure 2– 10. Setup 5 — Power Management Setup
This Setup screen allows you to configure the following parameters:
!
Power Management — sets the type or degree of power savings and is directly related to the
power management modes defined by the APM specification. Settings are Disable (default),
Min. Savings, Max. Savings, and User Defined. The difference between Min and Max
Savings is the time delay period between modes.
2–73
!
!
PM Control by APM — when enabled, it allows operating systems with power management
support to control the modes required for safe operation of shutdown occurrences.
Video Off Option — sets the conditions under which the BIOS powers down the video
(assuming your video interface supports power management). Select the DPMS option only if
your monitor supports the VESA Display Power Management Signaling standard. H/H
SyNC+Blank turns off the horizontal and vertical sync signals and blanks the video buffer.
Blank Screen only blanks the video buffer.
!
Thermal Duty Cycle — CPU temperature may be controlled by an optional fan. When enabled
the CPU performance will be limited by the stop clock interface at the percentage indicated
when the CPU Fan is running.
The power management timers are only configurable if the Power Management option is set to
User Defined. Each timer sets the amount of idle time before the system enters the specified
power-saving mode. These modes are:
!
!
!
!
Doze Mode — when enabled and after a set time of system inactivity, the CPU clock speed is
reduced. Other devices remain active.
Standby Mode — when enabled and after a set time of system inactivity, the CPU clock speed
is reduced, and the disk drives and video monitor are shut down. Other devices remain active.
Suspend Mode — when enabled and after a set time of system inactivity, all activities except
DRAM refresh are shut down.
HDD Power Down — when enabled and after a set time of system inactivity, the hard disk
drives are shut down. All other devices remain active.
!
!
Throttle Duty Cycle — selects a percentage of time the CPU runs in Doze Mode.
ZZ Active In Suspend — controls L2 Cache Sleep signal during Suspend Mode. When
enabled, the ZZ signal will be asserted under certain conditions when entering clock control
mode. NOTE: The L2 cache can not be snooped with the ZZ signal asserted. It must be disabled
in Level 2 power states such as Stop Grant.
!
!
VGA Active Monitor — when enabled, any video activity restarts the Standby Mode timer.
Soft-Off by PWR-BUTTN — Enables PWR-BUTTN input. A 4 second signal from this input
will cause a power-down of all on-board systems.
!
Resume by Ring — Ring Detect on Serial Port 1 will cause an exit from any active power
management mode.
!
!
Resume by Alarm — RTC Alarm will cause power management mode exit.
IRQ 8 Break Suspend — RTC Interrupt will cause power management mode exit.
!
Reload Global Timer Events — any of the Reload Global Timer Events will cause the
Standby Mode timer to be restarted when the event is detected.
2–74
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Setup 6 — PCI Configuration Setup
The Little Board/P5x CPU BIOS incorporates automatic PCI IRQ configuration for peripherals. You
can, however, override the automatic features and specify PCI IRQ settings with SETUP 6. Figure
2– 11 shows what can be configured on SETUP 6. A description of each option is listed below.
PCI CONFIGURATION SETUP
Ampro Computers, Inc.
1st Available IRQ
2nd Available IRQ
3rd Available IRQ
4th Available IRQ
PCI IDE IRQ Map To
:9
:11
:5
:10
:ISA
ESC:Quit
F1 :Help
↑ ↓ → ← : Select Item
PU/PD/+/- : Modify
F5 :Old Values (Shift)F2:Color
F6 :Load BIOS Defaults
F7 :Load Setup Defaults
Figure 2– 11. SETUP 6 — PCI Configuration Setup
This Setup screen allows you to configure the following parameters:
!
Nth Available IRQ — selects the order in which ISA IRQ channels can be assigned to PCI
devices.
!
PCI IDE Options — these options must be left in their default state.
2–75
Setup 7 — Integrated Peripherals Setup
The peripheral interfaces integrated on the Little Board/P5x can be configured on Setup 7 —
Integrated Peripherals Setup (Figure 2– 12). You can configure the IDE port, USB port, floppy
controller, IrDA port, serial ports, and parallel port from this screen.
INTEGRATED PERIPHERALS SETUP
Ampro Computers, Inc.
Onboard Parallel Port
Parallel Port Mode
ECP Mode use DMA
Onboard Serial Port 3
Onboard Serial Port 4
Serial Port 4 use IRQ
: 378/IRQ7
: ECP+EPP1.9
: 3
: Enabled
: Enabled
: IRQ3
IDE HDD Block Mode
: Enabled
: Auto
IDE Primary Master PIO
IDE Primary Slave PIO
IDE Primary Master UDMA
IDE Primary Slave UDMA
: Auto
: Auto
: Auto
IDE Secondary Master PIO : Auto
IDE Secondary Slave PIO
IDE Secondary Master UDMA : Auto
IDE Secondary Slave UDMA : Auto
On-Chip Primary PCI IDE
ON-Chip Secondary PCI IDE : Enabled
: Auto
On-Board VGA Display
VGA Flat Panel Type
Flat Panel Video
Onboard PCI Ethernet
Onboard Ultra SCSI
: CRT/FP
: 1
: Normal
: Disabled
: Enabled
: Enabled
USB Keyboard Support
: Disabled
Onboard FDC Controller
Onboard Serial Port 1
Onboard Serial Port 2
UART2 Mode
: Enabled
: Enabled
: Enabled
: Standard
ESC:Quit
↑ ↓ → ← : Select Item
PU/PD/+/-: Modify
(Shift)F2:Color
F1 :Help
F5 :Old Values
F6 :Load BIOS Defaults
F7 :Load Setup Defaults
Figure 2– 12. SETUP 6 — PCI Configuration Setup
!
!
!
IDE HDD Block Mode — when enabled, this allows your hard drive system to use a mode
where the interface transfers large blocks of data instead of the normal small blocks. Enabled
is the default state, and works for newer hard drives. Disable this feature if your drive does not
support block mode transfers.
IDE Primary/Secondary Master/Slave PIO Mode — sets the PIO mode for devices attached
to the IDE interface. Auto (default) lets the BIOS automatically determine what mode is fastest
for each device. Mode 1 through Mode 4 forces the BIOS to use the specified mode, and
overrides the MODE setting on the Standard CMOS Setup Screen, Setup 2.
IDE Primary/Secondary Master/Slave UDMA — enable or disable support for Ultra DMA/33
mode on the selected IDE device. When set to “AUTO”, Ultra DMA/33 will be used if it is
supported by the connected IDE drive.
!
!
On-Chip Primary/Secondary PCI IDE — enable or disable the primary or secondary IDE
controller.
USB Keyboard Support — allows a USB keyboard to be used as the system keyboard.
Disabling this option only removes support for USB keyboards. The USB interface is still
available for other devices.
!
!
Onboard FDC Controller — enables or disables the on-board floppy disk controller.
Onboard UART n — configures each serial port’s address and interrupt. Available choices for
the I/O addresses are 3F8, 2F8, 3E8, and 2E8. Available IRQ choices are IRQ3 and IRQ4. If you
select Auto, the BIOS makes the choices for you. You may also disable either port.
2–76
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
!
!
UART2 Mode — configures the second serial port to be a standard serial port or for one of the
IrDA modes. Enabling one of the IrDA modes provides access to the IR configuration
parameters. Available IrDA modes are HPSIR (standard IrDA), ASKIR (amplitude shift keyed
infrared), fast IR, or TTL.
Onboard Parallel Port — set the parallel port address and IRQ assignments. Available
addresses are 378, 278, or 3BC. Available IRQ assignments are IRQ 7 and IRQ5. You may also
disable the port.
!
!
Parallel Port Mode — set the parallel port mode.
ECP Mode Use DMA — selects a DMA channel to use with the ECP mode of the parallel port.
This selection only applies if the parallel port is configured for ECP or ECP/EPP modes.
!
!
Onboard VGA Display — selects either CRT, flat panel (FP), or both. In CRT/FP mode the
CRT may not display correctly depending on the Flat Panel selected and the scan capabilities of
the CRT monitor. On-board VGA display default is CRT/FP.
VGA Flat Panel Type — There is support for 16 VGA Flat Panel Types, numbered 1 to 16.
Contact Technical Support for a list of supported panels.
!
!
!
Flat Panel Video — select either normal video or reversed video.
Onboard PCI Ethernet — enable or disable the on-board Ethernet controller.
Onboard Ultra SCSI — enable or disable the on-board Ultra SCSI controller.
2–77
Chapter 3
Technical Specifications
Little Board/P5x SPECIFICATIONS
The following section provides technical specifications for the Little Board/P5x.
CPU/Motherboard
!
CPU: Pentium processor
!
System RAM:
−
−
−
DIMM module, utilizing 3.3V EDO, or SDRAM memory chips
Supports from 16M bytes to 256M bytes total RAM
Requires 60 Ns or faster DRAMS, without parity
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
512K level-two cache, synchronous-burst
Shadow RAM support provides fast system BIOS and video BIOS execution
15 interrupt channels (8259-equivalent)
7 DMA channels (8237-equivalent)
3 programmable counter/timers (8254-equivalent)
Standard PC/AT keyboard port
Standard PC speaker port with .1 watt output drive
Battery-backed real-time clock and CMOS RAM:
−
−
Up to 10 year battery life
Supports battery-free operation
!
Ampro Extended BIOS
Embedded-PC System Enhancements
!
Compact Flash Socket:
−
−
Usable with standard Compact Flash modules
Equivalent to an IDE drive
!
!
OEM Flash Memory (available with 1M byte Flash BIOS option)
768K OEM Flash memory is available for OEM use
4K-bit configuration EEPROM:
−
−
−
Stores system Setup parameters
Supports battery-free boot capability
3–1
−
512 bits available for OEM use
!
!
Watchdog Timer
−
−
Selectable Timeout: 30 seconds / 60 seconds / 90 seconds / Disabled
Timeout triggers hardware reset
Powerfail NMI triggers when +5 Volt power drops below +4.7 Volts.
On-board Peripherals
This section describes standard peripherals found on every Little Board/P5x.
!
Four buffered serial ports with full handshaking
−
−
−
−
−
Implemented with 16550-equivalent controllers with built-in 16-byte FIFO buffers
On-board generation of RS-232C signal levels
Serial 1 supports either RS-232C or RS-485
Logged as COM1, COM2, COM3, and COM4 by DOS
Serial 1/Serial 3 and Serial2/Serial4 share interrupts (IRQs)
!
Multi-mode Parallel Port
−
−
−
−
−
−
Superset of standard LPT printer port
Bi-directional data lines
IEEE-1284 (EPP/ECP) compliant
Standard hardware supports all four IEEE-1284 protocol modes
Internal 16-byte FIFO buffer
DMA option for data transfers
!
!
Floppy Disk Controller
−
−
−
Supports one or two drives
Reliable digital phase-locked loop circuit
BIOS supports all standard PC/AT formats: 360K, 1.2M, 720K, and 1.44M
PCI EIDE Disk Controllers
−
−
−
−
−
PCI bus implementation of Extended IDE (EIDE) hard disk controllers (2)
Supports up to four hard disk drives.
Fast ATA-capable interface supports high-speed PIO modes
BIOS supports drives larger than 528 M bytes through Logical Block Addressing (LBA)
Supports Compact Flash interface
!
PCI UltraSCSI Interface
−
−
−
ANSI X3.131-compliant
Uses the Adaptec AIC 7860 controller
Synchronous or asynchronous data transfer
3–2
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
−
−
−
−
Supports UltraSCSI data transfers at up to 20 MB/sec
On-board active terminators for low current drain
Built-in Adaptec SCSI-BIOS
Compatible with standard SCSI driver products that are ASPI-compatible
!
PCI Flat Panel/CRT Video Controller
−
−
−
−
−
−
−
−
Supports CRT, LCD, and video (NTSC, PAL) displays
Uses state-of-the-art Chips and Technologies HiQVideo™ Multimedia Accelerator chips
On-board display RAM: 2M bytes SDRAM standard, 4M bytes by special order.
Video modes, resolutions, and memory requirements: See video tables starting on page 3–6.
Supports interlaced or non-interlaced displays in up to 1600 x 1200 resolution modes
Supports 24-bit True Color at 800 x 600 VGA resolution
GUI accelerator for enhanced performance
Video BIOS supports VESA DPMS and DDC; supports all standard super VGA modes. See
video tables starting on page 3–6.
−
Software programmable flat-panel interface. Flat panel video BIOS contained in an on-
board Flash EPROM device for easy customization
−
−
−
Standard model supports 3.3V flat panels; support for 5V flat panels with external adapter.
Supports Chips and Technologies Zoom Video Port
Optional LCD Bias Supply. Circuit board plugs on to connector on the Little Board/P5x
−
−
Supplies 15 V < Vee < 35 V DC, positive or negative polarity, at 30 mA (Max)
Voltage level (LCD contrast control) adjustable with an on-board or external
potentiometer
−
−
Sequences LCD power supplies to protect display
Implements Advanced Power Management (APM) functions
!
Ethernet LAN Interface
−
−
−
−
−
−
−
Complies with IEEE 802.3 (ANSI 8802-3) MII
Controller: Am79C972 PCnet™ FAST+ Enhanced 10/100 Mbps Ethernet controller
Topology: Ethernet bus, using CSMA/CD
Plug and Play compatible
10/100BaseT via an on-board RJ-45 connector
Data rate: automatic arbitration for 10/100 Mbit operation
32-bit PCI host interface for fast operation, up to 33 MHz PCI clock frequency (PCI
specification revision 2.1)
−
−
High-performance bus mastering capability
Boot ROM image can be installed in system using a Flash programming utility (provided)
3–3
Support Software
!
Ampro embedded PC-BIOS features:
−
−
−
−
−
−
−
−
−
Watchdog timer (WDT) support
Fast boot options
Fail-safe boot logic
Battery-free boot
Serial console option
Serial loader option
EEPROM access functions
Advanced Power Management (APM) support
Large hard disk Logical Block Addressing (LBA) support
See the Ampro Embedded-PC BIOS data sheet for additional details about these features.
!
Software Utilities included:
−
−
−
−
−
Watchdog timer support
Serial access and development support
SCSI support, including ASPI manager
Display controller support
Ethernet controller support
Mechanical and Environmental Specifications
!
!
8.0 x 5.75 x 1.2* inches (146 x 203 x 30 mm). Refer to Figure 1–2 for mounting dimensions.
Power requirements (typical, with 16M byte DRAM, measured at 5V ± 5%)
Power requirements can vary, depending on the installed CPU and type of system DRAM installed.
Table 3– 1 shows some examples of power requirements for various configurations.
3–4
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Table 3– 1. Power Requirements
DOS Prompt
EDO DRAM
Maximum
EDO DRAM
DOS Prompt
SDRAM
Maximum
SDRAM
CPU Speed
Amps / Watts Amps / Watts Amps / Watts Amps / Watts
166MHz Tillamook
266MHz Tillamook
1.963 /9.815
2.105 / 10.525
2.352 / 11.759
2.080 / 10.401
2.346 / 11.728
2.173 / 10.864
2.370 / 11.852
2.242 / 11.204
All measurements performed with 16MB Memory
!
Operating environment:
−
Standard: 0° to 60° C (with adequate airflow); 0° to 70° C (with VRT processor); Extended
temperature range can be tested by special order
−
5 to 95% relative humidity (non-condensing)
!
!
!
–
Storage temperature: -55° to +85° C
Weight: 11.6 oz. (329 gm), no DRAM installed
Shock and Vibration
Tested to MIL-STD 202F, Method 213B, Table 213-I, Condition A (three 50G shocks in each
axis) and MIL-STD 202F, Method 214A, Table 214-I, Condition D (11.95B random vibration, 100
Hz to 1000 Hz for 5 minutes per axis).
!
!
ISA portion of the PC/104-Plus expansion bus
−
−
Female, non-stackthrough, 16-bit bus connectors, for expansion via PC/104 modules
Four mounting holes
PCI portion of the PC/104-Plus expansion bus:
−
−
4 x 30 (120-pin) 2 mm. pitch non-stackthrough connector.
Electrical specifications equivalent to the PCI Local Bus Specification Rev. 2.1.
Note
Contact Ampro regarding custom configurations and special order
options.
Flat Panel Displays
The Little Board/P5x display controller supports all flat panel display technologies including
plasma, electroluminescent (EL), and LCD. LCD panel types include single panel-single drive (SS),
and dual panel-dual drive (DD) configurations.
3–5
Note
Panel technology is changing rapidly. Flat panel support in the Little
Board/P5x ROM BIOS will change from time to time to maintain
compatibility with current panel technology.
Table 3– 2. Flat Panel Controller Display Capabilities
Mono
LCD
Simul-
CRT
Gray
DD STN
9-bit TFT
Video
taneous
Resolution
320 x 200
640 x 480
640 x 480
800 x 600
Colors
Scales
LCD Colors
LCD Color
Memory Display?
256/256K
16/256K
256/256K
16/256K
61/61
16/61
61/61
16/61
256/226,981
16/226,981
256/226,981
16/226,981
256/185,193
16/185,193
256/185,193
16/185,193
512K
512K
512K
512K
Yes
Yes
Yes
Requires
1M
800 x 600
1024 x 768
1024 x 768
256/256K
16/256K
61/61
16/61
61/61
256/226,981
16/226,981
256/226,981
256/185,193
16/185,193
256/185,193
512K
512K
1M
Requires
1M
Requires
1M
256/256K
Yes
NOTE: Availability of colors and palette capacity depends on internal settings controlled by
the video BIOS. A customized version of the BIOS is required for some displays.
3–6
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Table 3– 3. Supported CRT Video Modes—Standard VGA
Display
Mode
Clock
(MHz)
Horiz
(KHz)
Vert
(Hz)
Mode
Colors
Text
Font
Pixels
0+, 1+
Text
16
40x25
40x25
40x25
9x16
8x14
8x8
360x400
320x350
320x200
28.322
25.175
25.175
31.5
70
2+, 3+
Text
16
80x25
80x25
80x25
9x16
8x14
8x8
720x400
640x350
640x200
28.322
25.175
25.175
31.5
70
4
5
Graphics
Graphics
Graphics
Text
4
4
40x25
40x25
80x25
8x8
8x8
8x8
320x200
320x200
640x200
25.175
25.175
25.175
28.322
31.5
31.5
31.5
31.5
70
70
70
70
6
2
7+
Mono
80x25
80x25
80x25
9x16
9x14
9x8
720x400
720x350
720x350
D
Planar
16
40x25
8x8
320x200
25.175
31.5
70
3–7
Table 3– 4. Supported CRT Video Modes—Standard VGA (Cont.)
Display
Mode
Clock
(MHz)
Horiz
(KHz)
Vert
(Hz)
Mode
Colors
Text
Font
Pixels
E
Planar
Planar
16
80x25
8x8
640x200
25.175
25.175
25.175
25.175
25.175
25.175
31.5
31.5
31.5
31.5
31.5
31.5
70
70
70
60
60
70
F
Mono
16
80x25
80x25
80x30
80x30
40x25
8x14
8x14
8x16
8x16
8x8
640x350
640x350
640x480
640x480
320x200
10
11
12
13
Planar
Planar
2
Planar
16
Packed Pixel
256
CRT Support for Standard Video Modes:
!
!
!
PS/2 fixed frequency analog CRT monitor or equivalent. 31.5/35.5 KHz horizontal frequency.
Multi-frequency CRT monitor. 37.5 KHz minimum horizontal frequency.
Multi-frequency high-performance CRT monitor. 48.5 KHz minimum horizontal frequency.
3–8
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Table 3– 5. Supported CRT Video Modes—Extended Resolution
Display
Mode
Clock
(MHz)
Horiz
(KHz)
Vert
(Hz)
Mode
Colors
Text
Font
Pixels
Mem. CRT
20
4-bit Linear
4-bit Linear
4-bit Linear
16
80x30
8x16
640x480
25.175
40.000
65.000
44.900
25.175
40.000
65.000
44.900
50.350
50.350
65.000
40.000
40.000
40.000
65.000
44.900
25.175
25.175
40.000
65.000
44.900
31.5
37.5
48.5
35.5
31.5
37.5
48.5
35.5
31.5
31.5
27.1
30.5
30.5
38.0
48.5
35.5
31.5
31.5
37.5
48.5
35.5
60
60
60
43
60
60
60
43
60
60
51.6
68
68
60
60
43
70
60
60
60
43
512K
512K
512K
512K
512K
512K
1M
a, b, c
b,c
22
24
16
16
100x37
128x48
8x16
8x16
800x600
1024x768
c
24I
30
b,c
8-bit Linear
8-bit Linear
8-bit Linear
256
256
256
80x30
100x37
128x48
8x16
8x16
8x16
640x480
800x600
1024x768
a,b,c
b,c
32
34
c
34I
40
1M
b,c
15-bit Linear
16-bit Linear
24-bit Linear
Text
32K
64K
16M
16
80x30
80x30
8x16
8x16
8x16
8x16
8x16
8x16
8x16
640x480
640x480
640x480
1056x400
1056x400
800x600
1024x768
1M
a,b,c
a,b,c
b,c
41
1M
50
80x30
1M
60
132x25
132x50
100x37
128x48
256K
256K
256K
512K
512K
256K
512K
512K
1M
a,b,c
a,b,c
b,c
61
Text
16
6A,70
72,75
72I,75I
78
Planar
16
Planar
16
c
b,c
Packed Pixel
Packed Pixel
Packed Pixel
Packed Pixel
16
80x25
80x30
8x16
8x16
8x16
8x16
640x400
640x480
800x600
1024x768
a,b,c
a,b,c
b,c
79
256
256
256
7C
100x37
128x48
7E
c
7EI
1M
b,c
(The “I” in the Mode # column indicates “Interlaced.”)
3–9
Table 3– 6. Supported CRT Video Modes—High Refresh
Display
Mode
Clock
(MHz)
Horiz
(KHz)
Vert
(Hz)
Mode
Colors
Text
Font
Pixels
Mem. CRT
12
Planar
16
80x30
8x16
640x480
31.500
31.500
31.500
49.500
49.500
49.500
37.5
37.5
37.5
46.9
46.9
46.9
75
75
75
75
75
75
256K
256K
512K
512K
1M
b, c
c
30
79
8-bit Linear
Packed Pixel
Planar
256
256
16
80x30
80x30
8x16
8x16
8x16
8x16
8x16
640x480
640x480
800x600
800x600
800x600
c
6A,70
32
100x37
100x37
100x37
c
8-bit Linear
Packed Pixel
256
256
c
7C
1M
c
CRT Support for Extended Resolution Modes:
a
b
c
PS/2 fixed frequency analog CRT monitor or equivalent. 31.5/35.5 KHz horizontal frequency..
Multi-frequency CRT monitor. 37.5 KHz minimum horizontal frequency specification.
Multi-frequency high-performance CRT monitor. 48.5 KHz minimum horizontal.
3–10
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
Ampro Product Reliability Testing
Regulatory testing
Knowing that many embedded systems must qualify under EMC emissions and suscepibility
testing, Ampro designs boards with careful attention to EMI issues. Boards are tested in standard
enclosures to ensure that they can pass such emissions tests. Tests include European Union
Directives EN55022 and EN55011 (for EMC), EN61000-4-2 (for ESD), ENV50140 (for RF
Susceptibility), and EN61000-4-4 (for EFT). Conducted Emissions testing is also performed at US
voltages per FCC Part 15, Subpart J (the European Union Directives are otherwise compatible with
Part 15 testing).
Shock and Vibration Testing
Boards intended for use in harsh environments are tested for shock and vibration durability to
MIL-STD 202F, Method 213-I, Condition A (three 50G shocks in each axis) and MIL-STD 202F,
Method 214A, Table 214-I, Condition D (11.95B random vibration, 100 Hz to 1000 Hz). (Contact
your Ampro sales representative to obtain Shock and Random Vibration Test Report for the Little
Board/P5x CPU for details.)
ISO 9001 Manufacturing
Ampro is a certified ISO 9001 vendor.
Wide-range temperature testing
Ampro Engineering qualifies all of its designs by extensive thermal and voltage margin testing.
3–11
Appendix A
Contacts
To contact the PC/104 Consortium for a copy of the proposed PC/104-Plus specification:
PC/104 Consortium
849 Independence Avenue, Suite B
Mountain View, CA 94043
Telephone: 415 903-8304
FAX: 415 967-0995
EPP and ECP Operation
The board’s parallel port is compliant with the IEEE-1284 Extended Capabilities Port Protocol and
ISA Standard (Rev 1.09, January 7, 1993), developed by Microsoft. Contact IEEE Customer Service
and request IEEE Std 1284 for information about EPP and ECP operation.
IEEE Customer Service
445 Hoes Lane
PO Box 1331
Piscataway, NJ 08855-1331 USA
Phone:
(800) 678-IEEE (in the US and Canada)
(908) 981-0060 (outside the US and Canada)
(908) 981-9667
FAX:
Telex:
833233
Website: http://standards.IEEE.org
A–1
Appendix B
Cables
Cables included in the Quick Start Kit (LB3-P5X-K-00) and the Cable Kit (CBL-P5X-Q-01) are
detailed in this section. These cables are intended for use during your application development,
and are only shown here to aid you in the design of cables for your particular application.
B–1
B–2
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
B–3
B–4
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
B–5
B–6
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
B–7
Index
LCD bias supply (J4), 2-44
PC/104 expansion bus, 2-57
Power (J10), 2-8
A
AAN-9403, Serial boot, 2-20
Active terminators, SCSI, 2-39
Analog video, 2-45
SCSI (J9), 2-38
Serial ports (J11, J13), 2-18
Utility (J16), 2-52
ANSI X3.131, 2-38
APM, video, 2-43
Utility2 (J24), 2-54
architecture, 1-11
serial console arrow keys, 2-21
ASCII terminal, 2-20
connector locations, 2-6
connector usage summary, 2-4
Contrast, flat panel, 2-44
cooling, CPU, 2-9
CPU, 1-1
CPU, cooling, 2-9
CRT connector (J5), 2-46
CRT video modes, 3-7
CTL-ALT-DEL, 2-63
cursor commands, serial console, 2-21
customer support, Ampro, vi
B
backspace, serial console, 2-21
battery, 2-9
Battery-backed clock, 2-15
block diagram, 1-11
boot PROM, Ethernet, 2-50
Boot PROM, Ethernet, 2-50
C
D
cable
DC power, 2-8
IEEE-1284, 2-27
IrDA port, 2-24
parallel port, 2-26
Cables, 5-1
dimensions, mounting, 2-2
DIN plug, keyboard, 2-53
disk, EIDE, 2-67
Disk, EIDE, 2-34
disk, floppy, 2-68
Disk, floppy, 2-32
Disk, SCSI, 2-38
DLC address, Ethernet, 2-48
DMA usage, 2-12
DMA, parallel port, 2-26
DRAM, 2-11, 2-68
Floppy, 2-33
IDE, 2-34
SCSI, 2-38
Utility, 2-52
cache, 2-69
CGA40/CGA80 video modes, 2-68
Clock, 2-15
COM port table, 2-22
Compact Flash, 1-3
Compact Flash device, 2-37
Configuration
Summary, 2-7
connector
drive types, 2-67
E
EGA/VGA video modes, 2-68
EIDE interface, 1-4, 2-34
email, Ampro, vi
parallel port (J5), 2-27
PC/104-PIus expansion bus (P3), 2-61
USB (J5), 2-23
Embedded-PC System Enhancements, 3-
1
Environmental specifications, 3-4
error halt, 2-68
Connector
CRT (J5), 2-46
Ethernet ID, 2-48
Floppy (J14), 2-33
IDE (J12), 2-35
Keyboard (J16), 2-53
Ethernet interface, 1-5, 2-48, 2-49, 3-3
drivers, 2-49
ix
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
expansion bus, 1-2
Expansion bus, 2-55
External Video Overlay Connector (J6),
2-47
L
LBA, 2-67
LCD bias supply connector (J4), 2-44
LED, power, 2-53
F
logical block addressing, 2-67
fast IR, 2-24
FIR, 2-24
M
manufacturer ID, 2-48
Flat panel contrast, 2-44
Flat panel displays, 3-5
Flat panel video, 2-40
Flat Panel Video Connector (J3), 2-41, 2-
42
Floppy connector (J14), 2-33
floppy disk setup, 2-66
floppy drives, 2-68
Floppy drives, 2-32
floppy interface, 1-3
Floppy interface, 2-32
FTP, Ampro, vi
Mating connector (J1), 2-8
Mating connector (J11, J13), 2-18
Mating connector (J12, J17), 2-36
Mating connector (J14), 2-33
Mating connector (J16), 2-53
Mating connector (J24), 2-54
Mating connector (J3), 2-42
Mating connector (J5), 2-46
Mating Connector (J6), 2-47
Mating connector (J9), 2-39
Mechanical specifications, 3-4
memory, 2-66
H
system memory map, 2-11
MiniModule installation, 1-6, 2-55
motherboard, 1-1
Halt On ..., 2-66
hard disk parameters, 2-66
mounting dimensions, 2-2
I
N
IDE connector (J12), 2-35
IDE hard drives, 2-67
IEEE-1284, 4-1
network operating systems, 2-49
NMI, 2-9
IEEE-1284 cables, 2-27
infrared, 2-24
O
OSI model, 2-49
Installation, MiniModules, 1-6, 2-55
Interface, EIDE, 2-34
Interface, floppy disk, 2-32
interrupt usage, 2-12
PCI interrupts, 2-13
IrDA, 2-24
P
parallel port, 1-3
Parallel port, 2-25
parallel port connections (J5), 2-27
PC/104 bus, 1-2
PC/104 bus connectors, 2-57
PC/104-Plus bus, 2-55
IrDA port, cable, 2-24
ISO 9001, 1-5
PC/104-Plus bus connector (P3), 2-61
phone numbers, Ampro, vi
Polarity, Vee supply, 2-44
port, serial, 2-16
Power Connector (J10), 2-8
Power LED, 2-53
J
jumper locations, 2-6
Jumper summary, 2-7
Jumpering, general information, 2-7
K
Power requirements, 2-8
Power supplies, switching, 2-9
Keyboard connector (J16), 2-53
x
Little Board/P5x Technical Manual
power, DC, 2-8
TERMPWR, 2-39
Powerfail NMI, 2-9
Printer port, 2-25
Pushbutton reset, 2-53
thermal sensor, 2-10
U
UltraSCSI interface, 1-4
universal serial bus (USB), 2-23
Utility connector (J16), 2-52
Utility2 connector (J24), 2-54
R
real-time clock, 2-9
Real-time clock, 2-15
regulatory testing, 1-5, 3-11
Reset, pushbutton, 2-53
V
Vee polarity, 2-44
S
Video Connector Summary, 2-40
video controller, 1-4
video mode, initial, 2-66
Video option, 3-3
SCSI connector (J9), 2-38
SCSI interface, 1-4, 2-38
Serial boot, 2-20
serial console, 2-20
virus warning, setup, 2-69
Serial console, 2-70
W
serial console COM port table, 2-22
Serial downloading, 2-20, 2-70
serial port, 1-3, 2-16
Watchdog Timer, 2-51
website, Ampro, vi
Serial port connectors (J11, J13), 2-18
setup, 2-63
page 1, main menu, 2-65
page 2, standard CMOS setup, 2-66
page 3, BIOS features, 2-69
page 4, chipset features, 2-73
page 6, PCI configuration, 2-77
page 7, integrated peripherals, 2-78
SETUP, 2-12
setup summary, 2-63, 2-64
shadowing, 2-12
shock and vibration testing, 1-6, 3-11
SIR, 2-24
Speaker, 2-53
Specifications, 3-1
Stacking PC/104 modules, 1-7, 2-55
support, Ampro, vi
Switching power supplies, 2-9
system block diagram, 1-11
system date and time, 2-66
T
technical support, Ampro, vi
temperature, 2-9
temperature testing, 1-5, 3-11
Termination, AT bus, 2-55
Termination, floppy drives, 2-32
Termination, SCSI bus, 2-38
xi
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