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FEATURES
3-in-1 design reduces size and weight, increases reliability
800MHz Pentium-III class processor with on-board memory, video, ethernet, and audio
On-board data acquisition circuit with autocalibration
On-board DC/DC power supply with 5-28V input range
PC/104 and PC/104+ expansion
Extended temperature operation at no additional charge
Rugged design ideal for vehicle and outdoor applications
RoHS compliant
Feature Details
Ultra low power VIA Mark CoreFusion CPU operating at 800MHz
256 MB or 512MB SDRAM soldered on board
VGA support up to 32 bit per pixel and max resolution of 1920x1440
Integrated S3 ProSavage 4 AGP-4X graphics
Advanced 3D rendering and 3D hardware acceleration
LCD support any LVDS screen up to 1400x1050
AC97 audio with on-board codec and 2W per channel Hi-Fi stereo amplifier and DC volume control
10/100Mbps Ethernet with RJ-45 and pin header connections
TV out feature - composite and S-video
UDMA-100 IDE support
IDE flashdisk module socket
CompactFlash socket
4 USB 2.0 ports; 4 USB 1.1 ports
4 serial ports - 2 fixed RS-232, 2 selectable RS232/422/485
PS/2 keyboard and mouse
Programmable watchdog timer, 0 to 2 seconds
Low power fanless operation
PC/104-Plus ISA and PCI expansion
-40 to +85ºC operation
Data Acquisition
32 wide-range analog inputs, +/-10V down to 0-1.25V
16-bit A/D resolution
Single-channel, multi-channel round robin, and multi-channel scan sampling
250KHz max sample rate
2048 A/D sample FIFO with programmable threshold
Interrupt-based A/D data transfer with FIFO support
Programmable input ranges
4 wide-range analog outputs with simultaneous update capability
12-bit D/A resolution
Multi-range autocalibration for highest accuracy
40 digital I/O lines with programmable direction
16-bit and 24-bit counter/timers
4 programmable pulse-width modulation (PWM) outputs
Field-upgradeable logic circuit for performance upgrades or custom designs
Power Supply
5-28VDC input range standard - direct connect to vehicle power systems
20-48VDC input range optional
40 watts output power (12-16 watts used by CPU)
Switched auxiliary power for IDE drives and accessories
ONLINE SUPPORT
A/D Board Tutorial
See discussion topics
Read the FAQ
Request information about this product
Request tech support
DOWNLOADS
Hercules II EBX User Manual v1.02
(.pdf, 1.8 MB)
Hercules II Fast Start Guide
(.pdf, 301.0 kb)
Hercules to Hercules II Migration Guide
(.pdf, 32.1 kb)
Hercules II EBX Datasheet
(.pdf, 256.4 kb)
LG Electronics LP121X04.pdf
(.pdf, 219.1 kb)
Autocalibration Technology Backgrounder
(.pdf, 112.9 kb)
Hercules II Example Programs for DSCUD 5.91
(.zip, 2.3 MB)
Windows GUI Demos
(.zip, 141.4 kb)
Universal Driver 5.9 for VxWorks
(.zip, 129.7 kb)
Universal Driver 5.91 for QNX6
(.tar, 380.0 kb)
Universal Driver 5.91 for RTLinux
(.gz, 139.1 kb)
Universal Driver 5.91 for Visual Basic .NET
(.zip, 160.9 kb)
Universal Driver 5.92 for DOS
(.zip, 142.1 kb)
Universal Driver 5.92 for LabVIEW
(.zip, 312.1 kb)
Universal Driver 5.92 for Linux
(.gz, 155.3 kb)
Universal Driver 5.92 for Win32/XP
(.zip, 286.3 kb)
Universal Driver 5.92 for WinCE
(.zip, 97.4 kb)
Utilities for DSCUD 5.91
(.zip, 826.8 kb)

Hercules II

EBX format CPU with integrated autocalibrating analog I/O, digital I/O and DC/DC power supply



View Hercules II slide show
View A/D Board Tutorial slide show
Hercules II
click for a larger image
Description
System Block Diagram
Data Acquisition Circuit
Development Kit
Cable Kit
LCD Kit
Device Drivers
Specifications
AC Adapter
Features Benefits
Low-power VIA Eden processor High computing power with reduced power consumption
Fanless operation (800MHz)
Memory soldered on board Increased reliability and ruggedness
Guaranteed compatibility
Integrated LCD, CRT, Ethernet, and system I/O Complete PC on a single board
On-board DC/DC power supply Suitable for vehicle applications
Reduced size and weight
Integrated data acquisition circuit with autocalibration Single-board solution for increased reliability
Increased measurement accuracy
-40/+85ºC operation Compatible with vehicle and outdoor applications
Ruggedization capability Customizable for harsh environment applications


Description

Hercules II EBX is a high performance, RoHS compliant successor to the popular Hercules EBX first introduced in 2001. The original Hercules EBX board introduced a new level of integration in EBX format CPU boards. Combining processor, data acquisition, and power supply onto one board resulted in a thinner, lighter, more rugged, and easier to assemble embedded system. The 3-in-1 design addressed the needs of mobile and vehicle applications by offering the benefits of reduced size, weight, cost, and power consumption. The new Hercules II board further increases the integration level by utilizing the VIA Mark CoreFusion processor which combines a high performance Nehemiah core CPU with Northbridge technology on a single chip. Featuring Pentium III class performance with dramatically reduced power consumption, the 800MHz board consumes only 12 watts max and requires only a small heat sink with no fan to operate at temperatures up to 85°C. This is less power than the original Hercules board consumed at 550MHz. The increased integration enables Hercules II to offer advanced features such as the four built in USB 2.0 ports in addition to the four USB 1.1 ports provided on the original Hercules.

The advanced data acquisition circuit features autocalibration and fully jumper-less configuration for maximum accuracy and reliable performance. The built-in DC/DC power supply enables Hercules II to be used in a wide range of applications without requiring a separate add-on supply.

Built-In Power Supply

Hercules II contains a DC/DC power supply with 40 watts of output power, enough to power the CPU as well as peripherals and add-on boards. The standard input range of 5-28VDC means that Hercules is compatible with a standard off-the-shelf 5V supply as well as a vehicle, battery, or industrial power source. An optional 20-48VDC input range is also available. The on-board supply features ACPI compatibility for intelligent power management.

Advanced Multimedia Features

Hercules II contains an integrated S3 ProSavage 4 video circuit. This advanced design provides hardware 2D and 3D acceleration with 32MB video buffer using shared system memory, 128-bit engine architecture, full internal AGP 4x performance, 3DNow! and MMX instruction sets, and high-quality DVD video playback. The video circuit supports CRTs up to 1920x1440 and LVDS LCD panels up to 1400x1050 resolution. Simultaneous CRT and LCD display is supported. Integrated TV-out can produce simultaneous Composite and S-Video out, NTSC or PAL encoding. Audio features include an integrated AC97 digital audio controller and codec. A built-in Hi-Fi stereo speaker amplifier provides 2 watts per channel output power and ultra low-noise sound (SNR > 87dB). Audio I/O signals include Mic in, CD in, Aux in, Line in / Line out, and speaker out. Speaker out is also equipped with DC volume level control for ease of integration.

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Hercules II Block Diagram


Hercules II Block Diagram

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Data Acquisition Circuit

Hercules II includes a complete autocalibrating jumper-less analog and digital I/O circuit equivalent to our top-of-the-line PC/104 board. It contains 32 analog inputs with 16-bit resolution and 250KHz sample rate, backed by a 2K-sample FIFO with programmable threshold. Programmable input ranges from a wide-range +/-10V down to 0-1.25V are provided. The analog circuitry also includes 4 D/A channels with 12-bit resolution and jumperless output range selection and simultaneous update capability. On the digital side, Hercules II provides 40 digital I/O lines with programmable direction, as well as two counter/timers for A/D sample rate control, pulse counting, frequency generation, or other applications. Its advanced control logic has more features and flexibility to fit almost any application, such as internal/external A/D clock source, scan and single-sample modes, and our exclusive programmable FIFO threshold that lets you tune the board's performance to your application. Also four independent programmable Pulse-Width Modulation outputs (PWM) are available to users. The data acquisition circuit is fully supported by our Universal Driver software for a wide range of operating systems.


Hercules Data Acquisition Circuit Block Diagram

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Development Kit (DK-HRCEBX-02)

A development kit is available with everything you need to get started on your Hercules II embedded design project. The kit contains a data acquisition test board, flashdisk module, cable kit, AC power adapter, USB floppy drive, and software CD.


Hercules Development Kit

Item DSC No. Description
1 HRC800-5A512 Hercules II SBC, 800MHz, 512MB RAM, with data acquisition
2 C-HRCEBX-KIT Hercules II Cable Kit
3 6712042 512MB FlashDisk with bootable Linux and CD
4 PS-12V-01 AC Adapter, 100-240VAC in, 12VDC / 4A out
5 6710010 Diamond Systems CD with driver software and manuals
6 MTG104 PC/104 Mounting Hardware Kit
7 ACC-IDEEXT FlashDisk Programmer Board with 40-pin and 44-pin IDE Cables
8 7460001 Hercules II FastStart Guide (not shown)

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Hercules Cable Kit (C-HRCEBX-KIT)

The Hercules II cable kit includes cables for all I/O except LCD data and backlight, which are included in the LCD kit. A cable kit is strongly recommended for first-time buyers, as many cables are non-standard. All cables are also available individually. Once you know which cables your application requires, you can save money on future orders by purchasing only the ones you need.


Hercules cable kit

Item Qty Part No. Description
1 1 698002 Ethernet cable
2 1 698022 Dual-port PS/2 cable
3 1 698025 Audio I/O cable
4 1 698017 TV output cable
5 1 698018 Speaker output cable
6 1 698024 VGA output cable
7 1 C-20-18 20-conductor ribbon cable
8 1 C-40-18 40-conductor ribbon cable
9 1 C-50-18 50-conductor ribbon cable
10 1 C-DB9M-4 4-port serial port cable
11 1 698026 40-conductor UDMA-100 IDE cable
12 1 698004 44-conductor IDE cable
13 1 698015 Power input cable, 10 conductors
14 1 698016 High-power input cable, 2 conductors
15 1 698011 External battery cable
16 1 698006 Output power cable
17 2 698012 Dual-port USB cable
18 1 861002 Utility board

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Hercules II LCD Kit (KIT-LCD-02)

Diamond Systems offers a convenient LCD development kit for applications requiring LCD display. The kit includes a 12.1" diagonal LVDS LCD, a backlight power inverter, and cables for the LCD and backlight. Hercules provides power for the backlight inverter. The LCD cable is also available individually.


Hercules LCD Kit

Qty Part No. Description
1 8910203 LCD, 12.1" diagonal LVDS
1 8910204 LCD backlight inverter for LCD
1 6981203 LCD cable, LVDS, length 16 inches
1 6981204 LCD backlight inverter cable

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Specifications

CPU
Processor VIA Mark CoreFusion CPU operating at 800MHz
SDRAM memory 256MB or 512MB on board
Flash memory 2MB
System I/O 4 USB 2.0, 4 USB 1.1, PS/2 keyboard / mouse
Serial ports 2 fixed RS-232
2 configurable RS-232/422/485
Max data rate 460.8kbps all ports
IDE connections 1 44-pin connector for flashdisk
1 40-pin dual-channel UDMA-100
CompactFlash socket
Ethernet 10/100Mbps
Serial console Selectable COM1 / COM2
Floppy Drive USB legacy support
Parallel Port Not present
PC/104 Bus Capacity 3 modules
PC/104+ bus +5V/+3.3V selectable
Data Acquisition Circuitry
Analog inputs 32, 16-bit A/D resolution
Max sample rate 250KHz total
Input modes Single-ended, differential
Input ranges +/-10V, +/-5V, +/-2.5V, +/-1.25V, 0-10V, 0-5V, 0-2.5V, 0-1.25V
Accuracy < +/-2LSB after autocalibration
Analog outputs 4, 12-bit D/A resolution
Settling time 10uS to +/-.01%
Input Impedance 10^13 ohms
Output current +/-5mA max, 2kOhm min load
Digital I/O 40 lines, 5V logic compatible with ESD protection
Direction Programmable in 8-bit ports
Output current 0: 12mA max; 1: -4mA max
Counter/timers 1 24-bit A/D sample rate control
1 16-bit general purpose use
PWM 4 independent programmable Pulse-Width Modulation outputs
Power supply
Input voltage 5-28VDC std., 20-48VDC opt.
Total output power 40W total (30W, 28W or 24W spare based on board speed grade)
Power consumption 12W at 550MHz and 16W at 750MHz
Output voltages +5V, +3.3V (on PCI bus)
Switched outputs +5V, +12V, +3.3V
General
Dimensions 8.00" x 5.75" EBX format
Weight 10oz / 285g
Operating temp. -40 to 85ºC


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AC Adapter

The AC adapter provides a convenient way to power your embedded CPU during development or demos. it contains the proper connector for direct connection to the CPU board. Each order ships with the correct power cord for the country for the country of destination.



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Get an online quote

Note: We strongly recommend purchasing proper cabling, available in the cable kit and development kit, for initial orders of the Hercules II.

 
Hercules II
available models:
HRC800-5A512
Hercules II SBC, 800MHz Via Mark CPU, 512MB RAM, full data acquisition and 5-28VDC power supply
HRC800-5N256
Hercules II SBC, 800MHz VIA Mark CPU, 256MB RAM, digital I/O, 5-28VDC power supply
C-HRCEBX-KIT
Hercules II CPU Cable Kit
DK-HRCEBX-02
Hercules II CPU Development Kit
CC-EBX
Conformal coating for Hercules II SBCs
WK-HRC750A-01
Web Development Kit
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Cables and accessories
available models:
KIT-LCD-02
Hercules II/Athena LCD Kit, Includes LCD, Backlight, Cables
KIT-DRV-01
Hard Drive Accessory Kit, 80 GB 2.5-inch HD, HDD mounting kit, internal-mount CDROM drive with cable
ACC-HRCDAQ
Hercules II Data Acquisition Demo Board
PS-12V-01
12VDC adapter, universal input, IEC 3-prong plug + cable (for Hercules)
698002
Ethernet cable (for Hercules II and Prometheus)
6981022
Dual-port PS/2 cable (for Hercules II)
6981025
Audio I/O cable (for Hercules II)
6981017
TV output cable (for Hercules II)
6981018
Speaker output cable (for Hercules II)
6981024
VGA output cable (for Hercules II)
C-20-18
Ribbon cable, dual 20-pin connectors, 18 inches
C-40-18
Ribbon cable, dual 40-pin connectors, 18 inches
C-50-18
Ribbon cable, dual 50-pin connectors, 18 inches
C-DB9M-4
Cable, 4 DB9M to 1 IDC40, 18 inches (for Hercules II and EMM-8)
6981026
40-conductor UDMA-100 IDE cable (for Hercules II)
6981004
44-conductor IDE cable (for Hercules II, Prometheus, and Athena)
6981015
Power input cable, 10 conductors (for Hercules II)
6981016
High-power input cable, 2 conductors (for Hercules II)
6981011
External battery cable (for Hercules II, Athena, and Prometheus)
6981006
Output power cable (for Hercules II, Prometheus, and Athena)
6981012
Dual-port USB cable (for Hercules II, ports 0/1 for Athena)
861002
Utility features assembly (for Hercules II)
FD-128-XT
Flash Disk, 128MB, Extended Temp.
FD-256-XT
Flash Disk, 256MB, Extended Temp.
FD-512-XT
Flash Disk, 512MB, Extended Temp
FD-1G-XT
Flash Disk, 1GB, Extended Temp.
FD-2G-XT
Flash Disk, 2GB, Extended Temp.
FD-4G-XT
Flash disk, 4GB, Extended Temp.
Please login or signup for an online quote request.