Application Notes

Use your application as a Windows 10 shell instead of explorer

Ensure two user accounts are set up, an Admin, and a user that we want to lock down. In this case DSL was our admin and Engineer the account we want to lock down. Log in to the Admin account Enable Shell Launcher by going to Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features > […]

Understanding and specifying analogue inputs

You have an application that needs to use an analogue sensor and the hardware designer keeps asking questions about the specifications of an ADC input. You don’t know about bits so how can you even begin to answer? In short you can’t and should not be expected to. You know the application and it is […]

RS-485 termination and biasing

TIA/EIA-422-B and TIA-485-A Termination Termination is used to match the impedance of a transmitting or receiving node to the impedance of the transmission line used. If the impedances are mismatched the transmitted signal cannot be fully absorbed by the load and some portion of the signal will be reflected back onto the transmission line. This […]

Integrating LCDs with Vortex86DX/DX2 – WindowsCE

Vortex86DX On the Vortex86DX, installing the LCD BIOS ROM changes the way the display works in all modes. Even under the BIOS, or DOS, the screen is (for example) 800 x 600, and software driving it in a “standard” BIOS text mode will appear in the centre portion of the display. To build an image […]

Using PWM on the Vortex86

These DOS code examples were written and compiled using Borland Turbo C++. There is a download link for this compiler at http://cc.embarcadero.com/item/26014. This document should be read in conjunction with application note AP0102 ‘Accessing North Bridge and South Bridge registers on the Vortex86. The Vortex86 includes an 8254 counter which can be configured to provide […]

Enabling SPI Flash Disk on Vortex86

Many ICOP Vortex86 modules include an SPI flash device which can be enabled in the BIOS as the boot device. The flash device on the module comes pre-loaded with FreeDos so application development can begin out of the box. This application note will give a step-by-step procedure for enabling the device and booting into FreeDos. […]

Using SPI on the Vortex86

These DOS code examples were written and compile using Borland Turbo C++. There is a download link for this compiler at http://cc.embarcadero.com/item/26014. This should be read in conjunction with application note AP0100 ‘Using GPIO on the Vortex86’ and AP0102 ‘Accessing North Bridge and South Bridge registers on the Vortex86. The Vortex86 has two SPI interfaces: […]

Accessing North Bridge and South Bridge registers on the Vortex86

These DOS code examples were written and compile using Borland Turbo C++. There is a download link for this compiler at http://cc.embarcadero.com/item/26014. The Borland Turbo C++ compiler and the Assembler (TASM) are 16bit whereas the North Bridge and South Bridge registers in the Vortex86 are 32bit so we need a method of accessing these registers […]

Using GPIO on the Vortex86

These DOS code examples were written and compile using Borland Turbo C++. There is a download link for this compiler at http://cc.embarcadero.com/item/26014. All the GPIO pins on the Vortex86 are independent and can be configured as inputs or outputs. Not all Vortex86 modules provide access to all of the GPIO ports. Table 1 includes addresses […]