EPIC Hits the Express Lane
PC/104 Embedded Consortium Adopts EPIC Express Spec
Boston, September 26, 2006 – The PC/104 Embedded Consortium this month paved the way for embedded manufacturers to design compatible Single Board Computers which utilize both PC/104 expansion and the dominant emerging serial I/O architecture, PCI Express™. This EPIC Express standard specification will give embedded systems designers a clear roadmap for gradually upgrading and migrating their systems toward the faster serial interfaces. The clean migration from both a hardware and software standpoint is a key benefit of the EPIC Express specification, thereby providing a “bridge to the future.”
The adoption of this new specification is one of the most important developments in the past five years in the PC/104 industry. The EPIC Express standard is the first standard to incorporate high performance PCI Express connectors in a stackable format. The standard’s PC/104 compatibility gives designers access to one of the broadest ranges of stackable industrial I/O available today. The specification has received overwhelmingly positive response, by both PC/104 manufacturers and others in the industry.
EPIC Express defines the performance parameters for a compatible high-speed connector, and dictates the locations of the PCI Express connector, the legacy ISA interface, mounting points and more on a mid-sized EPIC form factor SBC.
The standard retains the original EPIC footprint and mechanical layout, replacing the PCI bus (PC/104-Plus) connector with the versatile, high-speed PCI Express connector. PC/104-Plus cards can still be utilized via a PCI Express to PCI bridge component or card.
This standard is an excellent option for designers who want a stable platform that will allow them to upgrade their design in the future. The PCI Express bandwidth can be scaled up to keep pace with faster CPUs that will be developed in the next ten years.
Five companies cooperated to design the EPIC Express standard: Ampro, WinSystems, VersaLogic, Micro/sys, and Octagon Systems. Then they offered it to the PC/104 Embedded Consortium so that the group could maintain it alongside the other PC/104, EBX and EPIC specifications. Additional companies are planning to build products that meet the spec, and initial products should hit the market soon. Committee member Tom Barnum states that the group’s next step will be to develop a standard for compatible PC/104 expansion modules with PCI Express.
For more information about the EPIC Express standard, and to download a copy of the specification, go to www.epic-express.org.
About the PC/104 Embedded Consortium:
The PC/104 Consortium and standard were established in 1992. PC/104, in use since 1987, is a small form factor, embedded PC physical and electrical interface standard. It provides embedded system designers with an architecture that is dense, cost effective and based on proven, practical technology. PC/104-Plus, an extension that was added to the standard in 1995, incorporates PCI technology. A PCI only version, PCI-104 was incorporated into the specification in 2004. EPIC, a mid-sized SBC format that supports PC/104 and PC/104-Plus was adopted in early 2005.
Longevity is one of the hallmarks of the PC/104 technology. Because customers require stable, long-term supply, PC/104 module vendors typically offer products that do not change specifications as fast as commercial PC vendors. PC/104’s proven reliability is valued by thousands of OEMs in application areas such as industrial control and instrumentation, military and aerospace, and medical. For more technical information on PC/104, PC/104-Plus, PCI-104, EBX, and EPIC specifications, please visit www.pc104.org.
For more information please contact Tri-M Systems' Sales Department.
sales@tri-m.com
1.800.665.5600
PC/104 Embedded Consortium Adopts EPIC Express Spec
Boston, September 26, 2006 – The PC/104 Embedded Consortium this month paved the way for embedded manufacturers to design compatible Single Board Computers which utilize both PC/104 expansion and the dominant emerging serial I/O architecture, PCI Express™. This EPIC Express standard specification will give embedded systems designers a clear roadmap for gradually upgrading and migrating their systems toward the faster serial interfaces. The clean migration from both a hardware and software standpoint is a key benefit of the EPIC Express specification, thereby providing a “bridge to the future.”
The adoption of this new specification is one of the most important developments in the past five years in the PC/104 industry. The EPIC Express standard is the first standard to incorporate high performance PCI Express connectors in a stackable format. The standard’s PC/104 compatibility gives designers access to one of the broadest ranges of stackable industrial I/O available today. The specification has received overwhelmingly positive response, by both PC/104 manufacturers and others in the industry.
EPIC Express defines the performance parameters for a compatible high-speed connector, and dictates the locations of the PCI Express connector, the legacy ISA interface, mounting points and more on a mid-sized EPIC form factor SBC.
The standard retains the original EPIC footprint and mechanical layout, replacing the PCI bus (PC/104-Plus) connector with the versatile, high-speed PCI Express connector. PC/104-Plus cards can still be utilized via a PCI Express to PCI bridge component or card.
This standard is an excellent option for designers who want a stable platform that will allow them to upgrade their design in the future. The PCI Express bandwidth can be scaled up to keep pace with faster CPUs that will be developed in the next ten years.
Five companies cooperated to design the EPIC Express standard: Ampro, WinSystems, VersaLogic, Micro/sys, and Octagon Systems. Then they offered it to the PC/104 Embedded Consortium so that the group could maintain it alongside the other PC/104, EBX and EPIC specifications. Additional companies are planning to build products that meet the spec, and initial products should hit the market soon. Committee member Tom Barnum states that the group’s next step will be to develop a standard for compatible PC/104 expansion modules with PCI Express.
For more information about the EPIC Express standard, and to download a copy of the specification, go to www.epic-express.org.
About the PC/104 Embedded Consortium:
The PC/104 Consortium and standard were established in 1992. PC/104, in use since 1987, is a small form factor, embedded PC physical and electrical interface standard. It provides embedded system designers with an architecture that is dense, cost effective and based on proven, practical technology. PC/104-Plus, an extension that was added to the standard in 1995, incorporates PCI technology. A PCI only version, PCI-104 was incorporated into the specification in 2004. EPIC, a mid-sized SBC format that supports PC/104 and PC/104-Plus was adopted in early 2005.
Longevity is one of the hallmarks of the PC/104 technology. Because customers require stable, long-term supply, PC/104 module vendors typically offer products that do not change specifications as fast as commercial PC vendors. PC/104’s proven reliability is valued by thousands of OEMs in application areas such as industrial control and instrumentation, military and aerospace, and medical. For more technical information on PC/104, PC/104-Plus, PCI-104, EBX, and EPIC specifications, please visit www.pc104.org.
For more information please contact Tri-M Systems' Sales Department.
sales@tri-m.com
1.800.665.5600