TS-PCS
Notice Id: 177
URL: https://pcs.embeddedts.com/notices/begining-to-ship-new-wifi-bluetooth-module-for-the-ts-4900-ts-4900-board-revision-change-from-rev-d-to-rev-e
Type: Board Revision
Contains Board Revisions: Yes
Effective On: Aug 09, 2021
Published: July 23, 2021
Products Affected: TS-4900, TS-TPC-8390-4900, TS-TPC-8950-4900
Dear Valued Customer,
We are contacting you today to announce we are Begining to Ship New WiFi/Bluetooth Module for the TS-4900 (TS-4900 Board Revision Change from Rev D to Rev E) Technologic Systems strives to ensure the longevity of our products, while continually improving our products, so with the End of Life of the WiFi/Bluetooth module on the TS-4900 we are happy to announce an upgraded WiFi/Bluetooth solution including 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz) and Bluetooth 4.2 BR/EDR/LE(Class2). Initially announced December of 2019 we are notifying customers today that the final PCB revision will be Rev E (as originally announced), and we will begin using this revision to fulfill some orders starting this month, we anticipate full production transition before the end of the year.
In order to support this change all customers will be transitioned to the new Revision E of the TS-4900. All Revision E Boards will ship with an updated pre-loaded software image. Customers using WiFi will be required to update their software images to support the new module. Once updated software will support both the legacy LS Research module and the newer Silex module. A new DDR3 RAM has also been qualified and will begin shipping with Revision E boards.
The affected products are: TS-4900, TS-TPC-8390-4900, TS-TPC-8950-4900 (and all custom variants)
When LS Research's planned replacement for the TS-4900's original WiFi module fell through, Technologic Systems purchased a number of extra modules and began the search for a replacement device that would bring feature improvements to the WiFi/Bluetooth solution on the TS-4900. We are pleased to announce the next revision of the TS-4900 will include the Silex SX-SDMAC-2832S+ based on the Qualcom QCA9377-3. This radio supports 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz operation) Wave 2 MU-MIMO and Bluetooth 4.2 BR/EDR/BLE “Smart Ready”. The module carries FCC/IC/CE/MIC certifications, and is a similar size to the previous module, supporting minimal layout changes to minimize impact on any certifications obtained for TS-4900 based products.
In order to support this change, the TS-4900 shipping software has been changed and upgraded to a Linux 4.9 Kernel with Debian Buster. Please review the separate announcement regarding this transition:
https://pcs.embeddedTS.com/notices/updated-linux-shipping-software-on-i-mx6-platforms-for-new-hardware-support
All customers not using the WiFi/Bluetooth features who's production processes install a complete kernel/application image can continue to use the same image they are using today. The Revision E hardware maintains backwards compatibility for all other features and does not require an updated software image.
All customers using WiFi/Bluetooth features who's production image is based on the standard TS-4900 Debian or Yocto images with the Linux 4.1 or 4.9 kernels will be easy to upgrade the shipping image by simply unpacking the new drivers into the current image, no complicated build processes required.
All customers with custom U-Boot or Linux Kernel's, or other TS-4900 images please consult the User Manual for instructions. Feel free to contact us at support@embeddedTS.com for assistance with this transition.
For more information please review the TS-4900 User Manual.:
https://wiki.embeddedTS.com/wiki/TS-4900#WIFI_Module_replacement
In conjunction with the new revision of the hardware Technologic Systems is also transitioning the RAM to a new DDR3 RAM device from Alliance Memory in order to continue supporting a long life cycle on the TS-4900. We have fully tested this change on all products over the full temperature range of the product and this change has no impact to functionality, software, or performance, we are timing the release as much as possible of the new RAM to the Rev E release to allow for easier tracking of deployments. Some customers may see an earlier release on the Revision D hardware to address material availability challenges the current economy is presenting.
Please contact us before Aug 9, 2021 (2 years ago) if you are anticipating if you are anticipating any troubles in transitioning so that we can plan appropriately.
Technologic Systems appreciates your business. If you have further questions or concerns, please contact us by either replying to this email or by filling out the contact us form at https://pcs.embeddedts.com/notices/begining-to-ship-new-wifi-bluetooth-module-for-the-ts-4900-ts-4900-board-revision-change-from-rev-d-to-rev-e.
Best Regards,
Technologic Systems
16525 East Laser Drive
Fountain Hills, AZ 85268
Phone: (480) 837-5200
Fax: (480) 837-5300
| Product | Current Revision | New Revision |
|---|---|---|
| TS-4900 | D02 | E01 |