Computer-on-module boasts pure Intel performance

Kontron Embedded Modules has equipped its recently introduced ETX-P3T computer-on-module with additional graphics controllers and an additional x.

Kontron Embedded Modules has equipped its recently introduced ETX-P3T computer-on-module with additional graphics controllers and an additional x.

The ETX-P3Tx, the newest member of the ETX product line, can use the added ATI Mobility Radeon M6 or M7 graphics controllers to show two independent processes on two different displays in real time.

This capability is of particular interest for medical, gaming, and industrial automation applications.

The processor on the ETX-P3Tx is an LV Intel Celeron with 733MHz, which stands out because of its extremely low power dissipation.

Furthermore, the ETX board uses the related Intel i815E and ICH4 chipsets to offer pure Intel performance.

The ATI Mobility Radeon M6 or M7 with dual independent display control supports CRT, LVDS, TMOS (DVI) and has a TV output.

In CRT and LVDS modes, the module provides a resolution of up to 1280 x 1024 pixel.

All in all, ATI Mobility Radeon controllers are designed for excellent graphics performance.

Besides the much requested four USB 2.0 ports, the baseboard interface of the new ETX-P3Tx module has a 10/100Base-T Ethernet interface and two serial TTL interfaces.

There are additional pinouts for keyboard, mouse, floppy disk and parallel port.

Interfaces which vary depending on the application are controlled via a PCIbus.

Up to 512Mbyte of SDRAM is offered.

Like all other ETX modules from Kontron, the ETX-P3Tx module is fanless and cools the processor with an innovative concept: in every equipment version, a heat spreader thermally couples the ETX module to the target system.

As a result, mechanical redesigns are not required when the module is exchanged.

This makes ETX the only COM concept of this kind which offers truly free scalability without mechanical changes.

In order to provide continuously variable performance, Kontron's ETX modules are also available with a choice of VIA, AMD, STMicroelectronics and Intel processors.

Computers-on-modules such as ETX and, most recently, ETXexpress (based on COM Express) are implemented in embedded systems tailored to meet customer needs.

The advantages: concentration on core competences, short time to market, low design risk and freely scalable performance.

ETX modules with a PCIbus are geared to applications requiring low to medium performance.

High-end applications are implemented with PCI-Express based ETXexpress modules.

In future, standard ETX will become more scalable and offer higher performance, because PCI will be used in embedded systems for just as long as the legacy ISAbus, which is still in use today.

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