GE Intelligent Platforms Announces Intel(r) Core(tm) i7-based Single Board Computer

GE Intelligent Platforms rugged 6U VME VR12 single board computer (click image to zoom by 2.8x)

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.--Thursday, January 07, 2010-- GE Intelligent Platforms today announced three new single board computer products based on Intel® Core™ i7 processor technology operating at up to 2.53 GHz. The new boards are the rugged 6U VME VR12, the rugged 6U CompactPCI® CR12 and the 6U VME XVB601. The company also disclosed plans to announce rugged 6U VPX and rugged 3U VPX single board computers based on Intel Core i7 processing technology, making a total of five boards either announced or in development.

These new boards are characterized by remarkable performance in demanding applications such as radar processing and flight control as well as in general purpose industrial and commercial system-level applications. The VR12 and CR12 also feature the inclusion of two XMC expansion sites in a true single-slot solution, providing customers with access to a broad range of options for I/O, communications and other capabilities. The boards can support up to 8 GBytes of DDR3 SDRAM memory with ECC.

“The increased integration and increased density of this new family of processors from Intel offers us astonishing new opportunities,” said Peter Cavill, General Manager, Military & Aerospace Products for GE Intelligent Platforms. “Not only do they deliver significantly enhanced processing capability, but they also provide a level of throughput that has allowed us to implement additional functionality. That will substantially increase the flexibility available to our customers to choose exactly the right platform for their application. Customers will achieve greater productivity per slot, while lowering overall system power consumption.”

The new generation of Intel Core i7 processors incorporates a number of innovations including a 32 nanometer manufacturing process, enabling greater performance without compromising power consumption and heat dissipation; the integration of the memory controller, delivering lower latency and higher memory bandwidth for data-intensive applications; and the integration of the graphics processor which, together with the integration of the memory controller, makes the chipset more compact, increasing throughput and freeing board space. Also included are a number of pioneering features such as Intel Intelligent Power Technology and Intel Turbo Boost Technology, multi-level shared cache, Vectorizing Compiler and Media Accelerators and Efficient Accelerated String- And Text Processing, all of which contribute to increased performance across a range of audio, video, graphics, database and data mining applications.

“The new Intel Core i7 processor represents several new breakthroughs in processor engineering,” said Ryan Parker, director of marketing, Intel Embedded and Communications Group. “Thirty-two nanometer process technology delivers outstanding performance and power efficiency, while integration of the memory controller and graphics processor enables customers like GE Intelligent Platforms to reduce their footprints and optimize their use of valuable board space.”

The VR12 is a rugged 6U VMEbus single board computer featuring an Intel Core i7-610E processor operating at 2.53 GHz. As well as supporting up to 8GBytes of soldered DDR3 SDRAM with ECC, it provides support for two PCI-X® PMCs or two x8 PCI Express® XMCs. Connectivity includes two front Gigabit Ethernet ports, two Gigabit Ethernet ports, VGA, five USB ports, two DVI ports, three SATA ports and two COM ports. It is available in five ruggedization levels, from benign/office to fully rugged convection cooled.

The CR12 is identical in specification to the VR12, except that it is a CompactPCI single board computer.

The XVB601 is a 6U VMEbus single board computer featuring the Intel Core i7 processor at speeds up to 2.53 GHz and supporting up to 8 GBytes of soldered DDR3 SDRAM with ECC. It features dual on-board expansion slots, with provision for one PCI-X PMC/x4 PCI Express XMC card and one PCI-X PMC board. Connectivity includes two Gigabit Ethernet ports, VGA, eight USB ports, DVI and three COM ports.

All three boards are available to lead customers immediately. General commercial availability of the XVB601 is planned for March 2010, with the VR12 and CR12 planned to follow in the second quarter of the year.

About GE Intelligent Platforms

GE Intelligent Platforms is an experienced high-performance technology company and a global provider of software, hardware, services, and expertise in automation and embedded computing. We offer a unique foundation of agile and reliable technology providing customers a sustainable advantage in the industries they serve, including energy, water, consumer packaged goods, government & defense, and telecommunications. GE Intelligent Platforms is headquartered in Charlottesville, VA. For more information, visit www.ge-ip.com.

Intel and Intel Core are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. CompactPCI is a registered trademark of the PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers. Linux is the registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. PCI Express and PCI-X are registered trademarks of PCI-SIG. Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.