New i.MX8M Mini solder-down SoM from Direct Insight combines high performance

Direct Insight, the UK-based, technical systems integrator and reseller of system-on-module (SoM) and other embedded systems, has announced the new QSXM solder-down module, manufactured by the company’s long-standing partner, Aachen-based Ka-Ro Electronics, which features NXP’s latest dual and quad-core i.MX8M Mini ARM Cortex-A53 64-bit processors, plus 2GB of 32-bit LPDDR4 RAM, 4GB eMMC Flash memory and power management.

The new QSXM solder-down module measures just 29mm square, with a height of 2.6mm, providing unparalleled miniaturisation, thermal efficiency and EMI performance, with the base functioning as both a ground pad and a thermal conductor. Rugged and connector-free, solder-down SoM technology offers a range of benefits, especially for higher-volume requirements, including availability in tape-and-reel packaging.

The QSXM module’s i.MX8M family processor provides a quad core 1600MHz ARM Cortex-A53 processor complex as well as a separate GPU and video codec. It combines low power operation with powerful features including MIPI-DSI display up to 1080 pixels. A wide range of connectivity options includes UARTs, SPI, I²C, Audio, Gb Ethernet, SD, USB Host and Client and MIPI-DSI display.

Comments David Pashley, Direct Insight’s MD: “The QSXM i.MX8M Mini solder-down system-on-module is a highly cost-competitive module. Its size, performance and price, as well as the novel form factor suit it to a wide range of applications including industrial vision, high bandwidth IoT edge, and security and surveillance.

Pin-compatible with other QS and QSX series modules, the QSXM with i.MX8M Mini has an edge-contact QFN-type pinout style with 108 pins on a 1mm pitch.  The extra pins on the slightly larger (29mm vs 27mm) QSX format are used to access the SoC’s PCIe (and USB 3.0 where available) interfaces for high performance systems. The module operates across an industrial temperature range of -25C to +85°C and requires a single 3.3V – 5.0V supply.

In common with other QSX series modules, the QSXM uses a QSBASE3 development system, which offers access to the PCIe interface via an M.2 port. The development kit comes with Linux installed and is also available from Direct Insight.