Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 Processors for Advanced Embedded Applications
Build the most advanced embedded systems using superior multicore performance, immersive graphics, and an energy efficient platform for exceptionally long battery life and miniaturized industrial designs.
As one of the most cutting-edge mobile processors ever created, the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 820 processor supports the ultimate in connectivity, graphics, photography, power and battery efficiency. The Snapdragon 820 (APQ8096) has been designed from the ground up to be unlike anything else. By combining cutting-edge processing capabilities with power-efficient features, the Snapdragon 820 (APQ8096) processor not only works harder than its predecessors, it also works smarter. Additionally, with Snapdragon processors, Inforce Computing offers a clear product release path for embedded device OEMs and developers – starting with production-ready, customizable System On Modules (SOM), Single Board Computers (SBC) and Reference Designs and scaling up to larger solutions and custom design services. Here're a few salient features and benefits of the Snapdragon 820 (APQ8096)processor:
1. Powerful Kryo CPU: The new Qualcomm® Kryo™ CPU has 2x performance and efficiency when compared to the CPU of Snapdragon 810. As the first custom-designed 64-bit quad-core CPU, the Kryo CPU uses Qualcomm® Symphony System Manager as an intelligent resource management tool for Snapdragon that extends control of task scheduling and power management across the entire processor.
2. Efficient Hexagon 680 DSP: Significant improvement to the Hexagon 680 DSP enables the CPU to offload many audio and imaging tasks for more efficient processing. The Hexagon 680 DSP also allows for ultra-low power “always-on” sensors and advanced low power-image processing.
3. Immersive visual graphics: The next-generation of visual processing technologies is finally here, thanks to the power of the new Adreno 530 GPU. As our highest performance GPU yet, the Adreno 530 in the Snapdragon 820 processor along with the Kryo CPU are capable of generating photorealistic graphics for console-quality gaming and next-generation virtual reality apps, while delivering up to 40% improvement to graphics performance and compute capabilities when compared to the Adreno 430.
4. Advanced Spectra Camera ISP: The Snapdragon 820 (APQ8096) harnesses the newest innovations in mobile photography to redefine today’s camera capabilities. Supported by the latest 14-bit image sensors, hybrid autofocus and multi-sensor fusion algorithms, the Spectra camera ISP captures a wider range of colors and supports computational photography. Plus, the Snapdragon 820 also has Hexagon 680 with HVX (Hexagon Vector eXtensions), which supports advanced imaging and computer vision.
5. Advanced WiFi: The Snapdragon 820 (APQ8096) processor fundamentally changes the way Wi-Fi works with your phone by supporting 802.11ac 2x2 MU-MIMO — which allows Wi-Fi to be up to 3x faster than 802.11ac without MU-MIMO.
Here're more specifics on why Snapdragon 820 (APQ8096) processor can empower next-gen embedded systems:
- Quad core Kryo CPUs (ARM®v8 ISA compatible) running at 2.2GHz (Gold cluster) and 1.6GHz (Silver Cluster) for processor-intensive computing
- Adreno 530 GPU with 64-bit addressing and support for OpenGL ES 3.2, OpenCL 2.0, and Vulcan for breathtaking graphics
- Hexagon 680 DSP with dual-Hexagon Vector Processor (HVX-512) @825MHz for low power computer vision and audio processing
- Dual Spectra Image Signal Processors (ISPs) @1.2GP/s and support for zero shutter lag (ZSL)
- Complete 4K60 encode/decode system -- 4K60 H.265/VP9 decode with uncompressed 4K display via HDMI 2.0 supported
- Dual MIPI-DSI (4-lane) and touchsceen capability
- Trio of MIPI-CSI (3x4-lane)
If the above features will meet your requirements, Snapdragon 820 (APQ8096) processor based Inforce Computing platforms will be a great fit for advanced embedded systems such as
- High-end industrial IoT systems that require high-performance and low-power compute at the edge of the network
- Advanced portable and connected medical systems that require state-of-the-art DSP for signal and image processing and improved battery life
- Next-gen augmented and virtual reality enhanced hands-free computing/head mounted displays that require rich graphics processing at low power consumption
- Video analytics that require compute intensive facial recognition algorithms to run and process on real-time
- Run computer vision algorithms on commercial robots and drones that process real-time video for collision avoidance and navigation
Introduction
1.What is Inforce 6620™ SBC?
The Inforce 6620 SBC is a high performance Application Ready single-board-computer (SBC) designed for collaborative Video conferencing solutions. It is based on Qualcomm’s custom quad-core 64-bit ARM®v8 ISA compatible Snapdragon 820 processor (APQ8096) for embedded applications. The production-ready Inforce 6620 SBC comes in a compact form factor of 160mm x 80mm without compromising on direct access to a rich set of I/Os.
2.Does Inforce 6620™ SBC come with an enclosure?
Yes. An optional SKU includes a plastic, fan-less enclosure and Aluminum heatsink for in-built thermal dissipation.
3.Does Inforce offer other form factors based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor?
Yes. Inforce offers SoMs in ultra-small form factors and in a LGA package too. Please refer to https://www.inforcecomputing.com/products for more details on products based on Snapdragon 820.
4.Does Inforce provide any custom design solutions since some designs wouldn’t be able to use the standard form factor and or features?
Yes, while we offer standard products off-the-shelf (OTS) on our website and through our multiple distributors, we also have a strong background in customized hardware and software solutions. We offer pre-validated build-to-order (BTO) configurations, as well as configure-to-order (CTO) options for existing products. In addition, SMART Wireless also offers full custom hardware design and associated software/device driver development, for those projects where a unique hardware design is required to meet sophisticated technical challenges.
5.Where can I find more information about the Inforce 6620 SBC? What do I get when I buy an Inforce 6620 SBC? Is the device available internationally?
SMART Wireless’s website has a lot of useful information about our SBCs at https://www.inforcecomputing.com/products/single-board-computers-sbc.
Please check on the exact product SKU for the pre-loaded software, available memory and if an enclosure is included. Once you register the product with us, you would get dedicated support from SMART Wireless.
The board ships to most places worldwide and relevant shipping and local tax/customs duty charges may apply. Please contact sales-wc@smartwirelesscompute.com for pricing details or any additional questions that you may have before buying an Inforce 6620.
6.Does Inforce have a blog/newsletter?
Yes! You can find our periodic blogs at https://inforcecomputing.com/blog/. Here you can keep up with all of the latest information about our products, conference/trade show appearances, and innovative customer case-studies and applications.
General
7.What are the accessories available?
Our website https://www.inforcecomputing.com/products/accessories lists all the available accessories. Please note that User Guides and product datasheets are available for all accessories.
8.Does the board support a cellular or GSM connection?
The Inforce 6620 does not include support for a wireless modem. Third party cellular modem dongles can be connected to the Inforce 6620 system via USB ports and may require special drivers from the respective manufacturers. We can also help you design in a 3rd party cellular modem module in your custom carrier board that is mated with an Inforce SBC.
9.What is the storage capacity of the Inforce 6620 SBC? Is it expandable?
The on board storage (eMMC) capacity is 16GB. Please check on the exact product SKU for details on pre-loaded software and available memory.
10.What are the performance details of the Inforce 6620? What is the speed of the RAM?
The Inforce 6620 SBC is based on the Snapdragon 820 processor, which includes ARM® Cortex®-A72 class computing through its custom Qualcomm® Kryo™ Quad-core ARMv8 64-bit CPUs organized as two clusters viz., Gold@2.15GHz each with 32KB of L1 I-Cache, 24KB L1 D-Cache, L2 1MB, and Silver@1.593GHz each with 32KB of L1 I-Cache, 24KB L1 D-Cache, L2 512KB. The Qualcomm® Adreno™ 530 is capable of 500+ GFLOPS of general purpose compute and provides support for OpenGL ES 3.2 and OpenCL 2.0. Note that these libraries are provided as binaries only.
The onboard 4GB LPDDR4 RAM operates at 1866 MHz
All our Android releases are benchmarked with Antutu and validated with the Qualcomm Trepn™ Profiler to ensure that all cores are capable of operating at their maximum frequency.
11.What types of displays are supported and at what resolutions?
The product supports dual concurrent HDMI displays at 4K60fps (HDMI Out1) and 1080p60 (HDMI Out2).
12.What are the capabilities of the video Decoder/Encoder on the Inforce 6620 SBC?
Please refer to https://developer.android.com/guide/appendix/media-formats.html for supported codecs from Android. Hardware accelerated capabilities of the APQ8096 SoC are:
| | Supported Codec | Profile(s) | Resolution/Bitrate/Framerate |
| Video Decode | H.265 (HEVC) | Main profile up to level 5.1 | 1080P/40mbps/30fps
1080P/60mbps/60fps
3840x2160/100mbps/60fps
4096x2160/100Mbps/60fps |
| H.264 (AVC) | Baseline, main, high profiles; up to level 5.1 | 1080P/40mbps/30fps
1080P/60mbps/60fps
3840x2160/100Mbps/60fps
4096x2160/100Mbps/60fps |
| H.263 | Profile 0; up to Level 70 | 864x480/2mbps/30fps |
| MPEG-4 | Simple, Advanced simple profiles; up to levels 8 and 5, respectively | 1080P/40mbps/30fps
1080P/60mbps/60fps |
| MPEG-2 | Main profile | 1080P/40mbps/30fps |
| VC-1 | Adv Main, Simple and High profile | 1080P/40mbps/30fps
1080P/60mbps/60fps |
| DivX | DivX 3.11/4/5/6 | DivX 3.11 – 720x480/2mbps/30 fps
DivX 4.x/5.x/6.x – 1080P/10mbps/30fps |
| VP8/VP9 | | 1080P/20mbps/30fps
3840x2160/100Mbps/30fps |
| Video Encode | H.265 (HEVC) | Mainprofile up to level 5.1 | 1080P/40mbps/30fps
3840x2160/100mbps/30fps
4096x2160/100Mbps/24fps
td> |
| H.264 (AVC) | Baseline, main, high profiles; up to level 5.1 | 1080P/40mbps/30fps
3840x2160/100Mbps/30fps
4096x2160/100Mbps/24fps |
| H.263 | Profile 0; up to Level 70 | 864x480/2mbps/30fps |
| MPEG-4 | Simple, Advanced simple profiles; up to levels 8 and 5 respectively | 1080P/40mbps/30fps |
| VP8 | | 1080P/20mbps/30fps
3840x2160/100Mbps/30fps |
13.What are the camera capabilities of the Inforce 6620 SBC?
The Inforce 6620 SBC does not have a MIPI-CSI connector onboard. The native MIPI-CSI interfaces are used to derive a HDMI video input that is capable of recording 4K30 videos and 21 MP images.
Our platforms are typically validated with a Sony IMX230 sensor (21MP) based camera module for 4K@30fps capture and record. This module can be purchased as an accessory from https://www.inforcecomputing.com/products/accessories
14.How much power does the board draw? Is it possible to measure the power?
The Inforce 6620 SBC is powered by a 12V/2A wall adaptor. Our products typically offer support for 7V-16V power input range. The total approximate power drawn by the Inforce 6620 SBC ranges between 6W to 17W when different use cases are executed.
There could be test points made available on the board to measure run-time power. Please refer to the user guide for more details on these test points. The input current through the DC jack can also be measured during different usecases. Note that we run the Qualcomm Trepn™ profiler as part of our validation process on all of our stock Android releases.
15.What are the audio capabilities?
Audio is available through HDMI, USB, and speaker out. The Inforce 6620 SBC also comes with a microphone for recording and a combo jack for microphone and speaker out. The HDMI interface has an 8 channel audio with 7.1 channel surround sound, with support to Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master.
16.What documents are provided? Are board design files also provided?/p>
We provide datasheets, user guide and a Hardware Reference Manual. Board design files and schematics are proprietary and are the intellectual property of SMART Wireless, and hence not provided.
All software releases are accompanied with release notes, user guides and application notes that describe the installation procedure.
17.What is the support model from SMART after products are purchased?
SMART Wireless Computing offers a range of standard products off-the-shelf (OTS) on its website and through our distributors. Apart from these, it offers pre-validated build-to-order (BTO) configurations, as well as configure-to-order (CTO) options for existing products. In addition, we also offer full custom hardware design and associated software/device driver development, for those projects where a unique design is required to meet sophisticated technical challenges. All purchases of our products get unlimited access to the online TechWeb support portal, which provides a host of technical documentation and software downloads. Purchasers are also provided free technical support for two support tickets. For a sustained technical support, SMART Wireless offers Design Assistance Support Contracts for shorter periods of time and Annual Support Contracts for its customers who would like unlimited prioritized technical support. Please contact SMART Wireless Computing to obtain more details of the support contracts
Networking, IO and Wireless
18.Does the device support networking and wireless communication?
Supported connectivity includes GbE uplink, 802.11ac 2X2 MU-MIMO 2.4GHz/5GHz + Bluetooth 4.1LE (available via Qualcomm Atheros QCA6174A).
19.Does the platform support PoE?
Yes, the platform supports PoE out of the box and no additional accessories are required. The platform provides GbE uplink through a PCIe to GbE controller that enable Power Over Ethernet (PoE) supporting 802.3at complaint PD configuration. This allows the user to power the system from PoE enabled switches using a single cable.
20.How can I change the MAC address for WiFi/BT/Ethernet on my Board?
MAC addresses are fixed at the factory. Changing them should not be necessary since the correct addresses are programmed before the board is shipped. If it is still required, please refer to the Release Notes and App notes available on Inforce’s TechWeb support portal.
21.What are the IO interfaces available?
Standard I/O interfaces including GbE, USB-SS, USB-C (USB HS), and on-board Serial Console are available. The Snapdragon 820 processor supports 1x USB 3.0 and 1x USB 2.0 interfaces. The 6620 SBC has two USB 3.0 Type A (Host only) ports and one USB-C (USB 2.0) (Device only connector. Please refer to the product specifications in the Hardware Reference Manual or the datasheet for more information.
Software
22.What operating systems are supported and what is the OS roadmap for the Inforce 6620 SBC?
A Board Support Package (BSP) for Android Nougat is available today as an officially supported package on Inforce TechWeb. Periodic releases shall be provided with feature improvements on this package. SMART Wireless also upgrades the BSPs to newer Android releases to support feature improvements on its platforms. Please stay tuned for announcements on our website for update releases.
23.Is root access possible on Inforce boards? Could you please explain how to get root privileges in Android?
Yes. As Android derives from the Linux kernel, rooting an Android device gives similar access administrative permissions as on Linux. Please give below commands in adb shell to get root privileges
#adb root
#adb remount
Note that root access to the app space is not provided by default by the BSP.
24.Is fastboot supported? How to enter fastboot?
Yes. To go to fastboot mode, keep the Vol- button pressed before powering on the board and release it after the board has powered on.
25.I’ve modified the boot partitions on my board and the board is no longer booting. What should I do?
If the UFS (flash memory) partitions have been erased or the partition table has been corrupted, you can recover through a procedure that uses the USB port. Please logon to our Techweb repository to access the necessary document.
26.Is the Hexagon DSP available on the Inforce 6620 platform?
Yes. Qualcomm’s Hexagon DSP architecture is designed to deliver performance with low power over a variety of heterogeneous computing applications. It has features such as hardware assisted multithreading, privilege levels, VLIW, SIMD and instructions geared toward efficient signal processing. The Inforce 6620 SBC comes with the Hexagon™ 680 DSP with dual-Hexagon vector processor (HVX-512) designed for 825 MHz for ultra-low-power audio and computer vision processing.
Qualcomm also opens up a comprehensive Hexagon SDK for all its processors that provides for a complete environment to generate dynamic Hexagon DSP code modules. This SDK would soon be available for the Snapdragon 820. Please check https://developer.qualcomm.com/forums/qdevnet-forums/multimedia-optimization-hexagon-sdk for updates on the SDK availability.
27.How can I get kernel debug messages?
Connect the device’s serial port to the host PC. Boot into fastboot mode and issue the following command –
fastboot -c “console=ttyHSL0,115200n8r androidboot.hardware=qcom” boot boot.img
Debug messages should start to show up.
27.Why isn’t Google Play (previously Android Market) available on my board?
Google Play is part of Google Mobile Services (GMS) and is licensed separately by Google. This is usually available on commercial Android devices. Though our hardware is capable of meeting requirements of the Google Test Suite that would lead to GMS certification, we have not added this to our product.
Nevertheless, it is possible to side-load any Android application using the following commands:
#adb devices
#adb mount
#adb remount
#adb install apk
Should you have further questions not answered by the above FAQ and would like to have them included here, please contact SMART Wireless Computing.
