Digi-Key Announces New Open Source BeagleBoard Development Board

Twice the memory with additional expansion for applications

THIEF RIVER FALLS, Minnesota and City, State - May 13, 2009 — Fueling an active open source community with a flexible, fan-less and low-cost embedded development board, Digi-Key Corporation announced today it is shipping Revision C of the popular BeagleBoard from BeagleBoard.org.

The latest version offers increased design flexibility with twice the memory (256 MB RAM), additional high-speed USB port, and an LCD expansion connector. Based on a Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) OMAP3530 processor, the BeagleBoard bridges desktop and embedded development by delivering laptop-like performance in a pocketsize, 3x3-inch form factor for innovative projects ranging from robots, netbooks, and mobile Internet devices to entire Linux distributions and gaming frameworks. For more information, see http://beagleboard.org.

Contest spurs innovation

This month, BeagleBoard.org launched the new Sponsored Projects Contest, which challenges developers to submit and complete inventive projects that fully leverage the increased expandability of the BeagleBoard. Those designing for work or fun can submit their design concepts to the Sponsored Projects Contest at http://beagleboard.org/contest. Each week, a select group of contributors from the robust 1,600-plus member community will judge and award two proposed projects based on overall quality, technical complexity, creativity, and ease of use. Winners will receive BeagleBoards to help execute their ideas. Each month, a top contributor, who has successfully completed a project, will be reward with other OMAP 3 processor based prizes, such as a Gumstix Overo™ gum pack from Gumstix, Inc. (www.gumstix.com) or a Touch Book from Always Innovating (www.alwaysinnovating.com) or a Zoom™ OMAP34xII Mobile Development Platform (MDP). Interested developers are invited to collaborate and exchange project ideas with community members at the BeagleBoard users group meeting held at TI Technology Day in Dallas, Texas on June 16, 2009 (www.ti.com/titechday-bbrevc).

BeagleBoard Revision C key features and benefits

• The latest board integrates a high-speed dedicated-host USB port that can be used with a standard A-type connector to add a high-speed USB hub connected to TV tuners, network adapters, keyboards and mice, web cameras, hard drives, or other USB peripherals. At the same time, it can act as a USB device via the USB on-the-go port, potentially translating one USB device class into another.
• The LCD expansion interface can be used with an adapter board to connect to different displays, such as RGB LCD panels and LVDS panels.
• 256 MB RAM gives developers the flexibility to implement more instructions and run more than one program with faster loading times.
• Three pulse width modulation (PWM) signals on the expansion connector allow for motor driver functions or PWM signaling, making it ideal for projects like robotics.
• An integrated TI TPS65950 power management device supports up to 13 channels of power management and incorporates audio and USB - all on a single chip.
• The OMAP3530 processor incorporates an ARM® Cortex™-A*, graphics engine, high-performance TI TMS320C64x+™ digital signal processor (DSP) and video accelerators.
• A USB 2.0 on-the-go MMC/SD/SDIO and DVI-D, found on previous BeagleBoard versions, are also available with Revision C.

Pricing and Availability

BeagleBoard Revision C (Digi-Key part number 296-23428-ND) is now available on Digi-Key's global websites. The cost in USD is $149. For community information, projects, mailing lists, links to discussion forums and updates on BeagleBoard development, visit http://beagleboard.org.

About Digi-Key Corporation

One of the world's fastest growing distributors of electronic components, Digi-Key has earned its reputation as an industry leader through its total commitment to service and performance. As a full-service provider of both prototype/design and production quantities of electronic components, Digi-Key has been ranked #1 for Overall Performance for 17 consecutive years from among the nation's more than 200 distributors (EE Times Distribution Study/August 2008). Offering more than 1.5 million products from nearly 400 quality name-brand manufacturers, Digi-Key's commitment to inventory is unparalleled. Access to the company's broad product offering is available 24/7 at Digi-Key's top-rated website, www.digikey.com.

Trademarks

TMS320C64x+ and OMAP are trademarks of Texas Instruments. ARM and Cortex are trademarks of ARM Limited. Overo is a trademark of Gumstix, Inc. Zoom is a trademark of Logic. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.