Would you trust your embedded system with a desktop quality board? It’s not just about hardware – the question pertains equally to operating system and BIOS quality. Office workers might find it mildly annoying to reboot their PC when it locks up, but for embedded applications, that type of behavior is completely unacceptable.   Ampro addresses this problem with embedded BIOS and embedded quality board support packages (BSPs). Our dedicated software engineers are assigned to developing each BSP rather than using existing desktop software. In order to constantly improve our product, we partner with industry experts to augment our solutions.   Rather than simply using desktop BIOS, Ampro adds BIOS extensions that support the development and deployment of embedded systems. Ampro invented a BIOS recovery method that restores the factory-installed BIOS in the event of BIOS corruption. Also included is a watchdog timer (WDT) serial console and battery-free boot (in case the battery for CMOS settings fails or is not installed for harsh environments).  The resulting embedded quality BIOS also include support for loading and booting an operating system from USB devices and even over Ethernet protocols such as PXE. The LAN Boot functionality can eliminate rotating media from a system and greatly simplifies the upgrading of system software for units in the field. Ampro also provides a “Fast Boot” option which avoids re-testing hardware during every boot cycle after a successful Power-on Self Test (POST).   However, the OS is a major component of any application.   Many operating systems are thoroughly tested and have long histories of field usage. This helps embedded developers rest easy. The stability and performance of an OS running on a particular SBC depends heavily on the quality of the drivers and the extent to which they were tested on that SBC. Ampro invests significantly in integrating drivers and developing, testing, documenting and supporting BSPs for more operating systems than any other SBC supplier.   Ampro’s BSPs cover the I/O on each board including ATAPI / IDE, Ethernet, video, serial, parallel, floppy, USB, audio and PS/2 keyboard and mouse. For Windows XP Embedded Service Pack 2, Ampro provides a configuration file (.slx) and a single integrated driver file (.sld) and instructions. Ampro’s Linux distribution is a small footprint commercial embedded Linux rather than a 4GB server product. To assist with your rapid prototyping needs, Ampro provides CompactFlash devices with bootable OS images.   For more information on Ampro’s BSPs, boards, systems and our customization abilities, please contact us.