ADLINK ETX-NR667 Core2 Duo Module Selection and Deployment

ADLINK ETX-NR667 Core2 Duo Module Selection and Deployment

In the field of industrial embedded systems, the ETX (Embedded Technology eXtended) specification has long dominated the mid to high end application market due to its compact size (95mm × 114mm) and flexible carrier board design. ADLINK's ETX-NR667 series is based on Intel ®  945GME chipset, supporting Core ™ 2 Duo and Core ™  Duo processors provide a reliable upgrade path for traditional ETX systems that require high-performance computing and rich I/O. This article will provide engineers with a complete selection and deployment reference from the dimensions of processor model, chipset characteristics, storage display interface, heat dissipation scheme, and carrier compatibility.

Model Overview and CPU Selection Strategy

ETX-NR667 offers four BGA package CPU options, covering different gradients of power consumption and performance:

Model Processor Frequency L2 Cache TDP Core Architecture

ETX-NR667-L7400 Core ™ 2 Duo L7400 1.5 GHz 4 MB 17 W Merom（65nm）

ETX-NR667-L2400 Core ™  Duo L2400 1.66 GHz 2 MB 15 W Yonah（65nm）

ETX-NR667-U7500 Core ™ 2 Duo U7500 1.06 GHz 2 MB 10 W Merom (ultra-low voltage)

ETX-NR667-423 Celeron ®  M 423 1.06 GHz 1 MB 5.5 W Yonah (single core)

Selection suggestion:

Performance priority: L7400 has 4MB L2 cache, suitable for data intensive applications such as video analysis and data processing.

Power sensitive: U7500 and Celeron M 423 have a power consumption of less than 10W and are suitable for fanless or passive cooling chassis.

Compatibility: All models support Intel 64 bit architecture (except for Celeron M 423 which may only be 32-bit), but it should be noted that Core Duo L2400 is a 32-bit dual core, while Core2 Duo is 64 bit.

Note: L7400 and U7500 are Core2 architectures and support Intel VT-x virtualization; L2400 is Yonah core and does not support VT-x. If you need to run a virtual machine, please prioritize the Core2 model.

Chipset and Memory Configuration

The chipset is manufactured by Intel ®  Composed of 945GME GMCH and ICH7-M, it provides the following key features:

Memory: Single DDR2 SO-DIMM slot, supporting up to 2GB non ECC 533/667MHz SDRAM. Note that 667MHz needs to be paired with the corresponding CPU FSB (L7400 is 667MHz FSB, U7500 is 533MHz, matching is required).

Integrated graphics card: 945GME integrated with GMA 950 graphics core, supports dual independent display, and dynamic memory allocation (DVMT).

PCI/ISA bus: PCI 2.3 32-bit/33MHz, supports 4 main devices; ISA 16 bit (via LPC bridge), but does not support DMA (same as ETX-BT), please note that older ISA DMA cards are not compatible.

SMBus/I ² C: Used for system management and peripheral configuration.

Deployment Tip: If using 2GB of memory, be sure to use SO-DIMM that complies with DDR2-667 specifications and ensure SPD timing compatibility. Some low-voltage versions of CPUs may only support 533MHz and automatically run at a reduced frequency.

Detailed explanation of display interface

945GME integrated graphics support up to dual independent displays, with output types including:

3.1 VGA（CRT）

Simulate RGB output with a maximum resolution of 2048 × 1536 (60Hz), using R/G/B/HSY/VSY signals through X3 connectors. Suitable for standard displays or projectors.

3.2 LVDS

Supports single/dual channel 18/24 bit and can directly drive industrial LCD screens. Panel resolution, data mapping (VESA/JEIDA), and clock polarity need to be configured in BIOS. Note that the LVDS signal level is 1.8V or 3.3V, which needs to be adjusted according to the panel specifications (usually determined by the level conversion of the carrier board).

3.3 TV-out

Supports NTSC/PAL composite video output, up to 1024 × 768, as well as HDTV 480p/720p/1080i/1080p (excluding Macrovision copyright protection). Through signals such as COMP/Y/SYNC/C from X3 (some are NC, actual TV out may be through dedicated pins, marked as "NC" in the manual but may actually have functions, please refer to the complete pin definition).

Dual display configuration: The boot display device (CRT/LVDS/TV) can be set in the BIOS, and the operating system can be extended or mirrored through Intel graphics drivers.

Storage and I/O interface

4.1 Storage Interface

PATA (IDE): Dual channel IDE, supports UDMA 33 (note that only UDMA33 is supported, not UDMA66/100), and each channel only supports Master devices (without Slave). Suitable for connecting DOM, CF cards, or old hard drives.

SATA: Two SATA ports (3Gb/s), natively supported by ICH7-M, supporting AHCI mode, capable of connecting high-speed SSDs or HDDs.

Important: IDE and SATA can be used simultaneously, but if using a SATA optical drive or hard drive, SATA mode (IDE or AHCI) needs to be set in the BIOS. Windows XP requires AHCI driver to be loaded, otherwise the screen will turn blue.

4.2 Serial parallel port and PS/2

COM1/COM2: Standard RS-232C, full signal (DCD, DSR, CTS, RTS, RI).

Parallel Port (LPT): Supports SPP/EPP/ECP mode and is multiplexed with the FDD pin (LPT or FLPY can be selected through pin 51 of X3, default LPT).

PS/2: Keyboard and mouse, standard 5V interface.