Introduction

The SMARC-sAMX8X is a SMARC half-size module using the NXPs i.MX8X processor with either dual or quad-core ARM. It is designed on the latest SMARC 2.0 specification. The SMARC-sAMX8X is a highly integrated, embedded computer board.

An additional Cortex-M4 core can be used for minor management tasks within the system, which traditionally a separate controller would have been required for. The new module features three GByte LP-DDR4 memory, a Dual Channel LVDS interface for HDMI or DP displays, up to two Gigabit Ethernet (GbE), up to three PCI-Express (PCIe) and six USB 2.0 ports, as well as one USB 3.0 port. Between 2 and 64 GB of eMMC 5.0 onboard storage serve as bulk memory. Additionally, the SMARC-sAMX8X offers an SDIO card slot as well as four serial interfaces, one I2S, four I2C, two SPI, one MIPI CSI, twelve GPIO, and two CAN interfaces. The SMARC-sAMX8X utilizes Uboot as the bootloader and Yocto Linux as the operating system.

The SMARC-sAMX8X module supports Kontron’s Security Solution APPROTECT powered by Wibu-Systems. Based on an optionally integrated Wibu-Systems security chip combined with a specifically developed software framework, it provides IP- and copy/reverse engineering protection. Additionally, Kontron's APPROTECT Licensing also allows pay per use, time-based trial versions, or to enable/disable features.