Hamilton Hallmark launches embedded systems design kit

Electronic News, Oct 14, 1996

San Jose, Calif.--Avnet unit Hamilton Hallmark introduced its Amber Reference Design, the latest in a continuing series of kits developed by the Technical Support Center, at the recent Embedded Systems Conference here. The Amber Reference Design is based on AMD's Am186ER, which features 32KB of integrated RAM, 32-bit performance, glueless memory interface, on-board system peripherals, and is Am186 compatible.

Hamilton Hallmark says the reference design couples the Am186ER directly to an Am29LV400 flash memory and Hewlett-Packard's new IrDA transceiver. Utilizing Counterpoint System's IrDA software, and then encapsulating the design with a battery, provides a completely self-contained, fully operational controller that is literally embedded.

"There is a concern in the marketplace that as memory evolves to higher densities, a shortage of low-density SRAM which is required for most embedded designs will exist," said Filip Verhaeghe, manager of Hamilton Hallmark's Technical Support Center in Tempe, Ariz. "AMD has provided an excellent solution with the Am186ER."

"Our aim," Mr. Verhaeghe continued, "is to encourage engineers to utilize this new device by offering a 'real world' design which may be customized for their own particular uses. The Amber Reference Design Kit, like all Hamilton Hallmark design kits, helps developers with limited resources get up to speed quickly with new technologies, while offering many cost and performance advantages."

Each Reference Design Kit is comprised of design applications notes, a complete set of supplier datasheets, schematic drawings, a parts list, and a 3- 1/2PC disk containing the schematic drawings, parts list and Gerber plot.

Other Hamilton Hallmark kits include the H4T Handheld POS Terminal (said to be the world's first working 386EX application and Intel's first distribution-authored application note), the Spectralizer TI DSP-based reconfigurable 10-band stereo spectrum analyzer and equalizer, a Motorola 900Mhz Wireless Transceiver, and the EPPC '821 PowerPC Collaborative Whiteboard.

Culver City, Calif.-headquartered Hamilton Hallmark says it provides information about the Reference Design Series at its website: www.hh.avnet.com, or at 602 414-7500.