Intel Atom based PC as Real Time Target

[Bulatov]

Does anybody try to use Intel Atom based PC as Real Time Target?

[rolfk]

Can you be more specific what you mean by this? Are you refering to trying to instal Pharlap ETS on it to use as LabVIEW RT target or are you rather talking about some Linux realtime capable kernel or even something completely different?

[Bulatov]

We want to use ETS and LabVIEW RT Module. I have read http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/tut/p/id/8239?OpenDocument for requirements for PC, but didn't see ability to use Atom based CPU as target. That's why i want to knew maybe someone try to use Intel Atom based PC as RT target for ETS and LV. 

[rolfk]

I haven't tried this but I was under the impression, that Atom CPUs are basically fully compatible to the x86 architecture. So I would guess that the Atom CPU itself should not be a problem. What certainly will be a problem is the support for specific peripheral chips that ETS is limited in.

[Logan_H.]

Please stand by for bureaucratic response:

Ok so, all of the hardware listed on the Requirements for RT PC document that you have been referencing has been tested by R&D to be used in a Real-Time PC. If hardware is not on the list, then R&D hasn't officially tested and verified it yet. That's not to say that R&D doesn't recognize the Intel Atom processors as a platform for Real-Time, we just haven't tested it to the point where we can put our official stamp of approval on it.

Feel free to try it yourself but please know, that it isn't supported yet.

In my personal opinion, the size of the Requirements document should be an indication that Real-Time is a bit picky about its hardware and it would be wise to tread softly down worn paths.

Cheers,

Logan H

[rolfk]

That document does list a tool one can run to determine if Pharlap ETS would run on the hardware in question. Atom PCs aren't that expensive that one couldn't buy one to make a test with it, if you really plan to do such a project. If it turns out to not work with that tool already you still have a cheap mini-desktop computer for standard office use. I have such a Atom PC running at home and it runs XP, Linux and a whole office suite without any problems. Just don't expect it to perform well for 3D gaming and such.

Unfortunately my Atom PC already fails the network adapter test in that utility so can't make a conclusive test if it would work on Atom CPUs.

[Bulatov]

Thank you all. We decided to use a system based on AMD Sempron 140 and unlock his second core. After getting acquainted with motherboards with integrated processors Atom, we were disappointed that whenever only one slot PCI, because perhaps we need to install the second card and we need to install proper ethernet card.

Message Edited by Silentium on 04-30-2010 03:44 PM

Message Edited by Silentium on 04-30-2010 03:47 PM

[intolubbe]

NI uses Atoms for its own smart cameras with a RTOS.  How can they not be supported when you need the LabView Real-Time Module for the camera?

[rolfk]

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@intolubbe wrote:

NI uses Atoms for its own smart cameras with a RTOS.  How can they not be supported when you need the LabView Real-Time Module for the camera?

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Actually it's not that trivial. If you look here you will notice that the Smart Cameras use a VxWorks based kernel. This is a totally different operating system that NI has purchased with full source code to be able to adapt it to it's various real-time targets and as such they can make it run also on PPC based targets, which they have done for some of the older CompactFieldpoint devices.

Even if it would run Pharlap OS, this does not necessarily need to be the version that is distributed as Pharlap ETS. Pharlap ETS is a fairly out of the box distribution of Pharlap OS, with some additions to support the LabVIEW realtime runtime engine. NI has the possibility and has done so to modify the Pharlap OS to whatever requirements one of their hardware targets has, but that is not something that you could do yourself for several reasons. One is the technical complexity of writing hardware drivers for the non-standard components, the other is that you need to purchase a (very expensive) source code license to be able to even start making such adaptions to the Pharlap OS.