The mini-ITX form factor for PC motherboards has become instantly popular. RadiSys is enabling this market trend by offering reliable, long-life mini-ITX motherboards for embedded systems. The Procelerant™ Endura TP945GM motherboards are based on the latest Intel® mobile processors and chipsets and reduce size, power consumption, and heat dissipation over larger motherboards without sacrificing flexibility or expandability.
The “mini-ITX” form factor has been a huge success for PC motherboards. RadiSys takes advantage of this trend with a tough, long-life version of its Endura Motherboard product line for embedded systems. The latest Endura TP945GM Mini-ITX is based on the Intel® 945GM Express chipset and has reduced size, power and heat compared to larger motherboards without sacrificing any flexibility or performance.
The high-volume demands of the PC world led to the mini-ITX form factor for space-constrained computers and for mobile devices. It’s become so popular that it’s enjoying double-digit growth rates amid an otherwise flat PC market. The new Endura TP945GM board is based on the standard mini-ITX form factor with all the advantages that implies. The TP945GM is mechanically compatible with existing cabinets and mounting hardware and is, of course, entirely PC software-compatible. Where the Endura TP945GM Mini-ITX differs from generic, mass-produced motherboards is in RadiSys’ attention to detail and its devotion to its embedded customers.
In the mainstream PC world, components are designed for low cost and short life. PCs have a brief lifespan before they’re replaced, so they’re frankly not built to last. They’re assembled using the cheapest components available with the minimum of engineering and testing. PC motherboards are commodities, sold by the pound from the lowest bidder.
The Endura TP945GM is designed and engineered for long life and high reliability. Endura motherboards don’t change with the seasons: they’re revision-controlled and maintained for years. Customers designing their embedded systems around Endura motherboards know they’ll be getting the same board month after month, year after year. The Endura TP945GM offers performance to play with. The heart of the board is the latest Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor T7400 and Intel® Core™ Duo processor T2500, the same chips powering brand-name laptop PCs. For developers with more modest performance requirements, the Endura TP945GM is optionally available with the Intel® Celeron® M processor 440 or the Ultra Low Voltage Intel® Celeron® M processor 423. Power dissipation is a modest 5.5W for the Ultra Low Voltage Intel Celeron M processor 423 and up to just 31W for the T2500, so quiet and passive cooling is simple with the Ultra Low Voltage Intel Celeron M processor 423.
A processor is only as good as its support logic, so the Endura TP945GM uses the Intel 945GM Express chipset. That means developers get the memory controller, the Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 950 (Intel® GMA 950) with dual-display support, dual Gigabit Ethernet, 7.1-channel surround sound audio, and the usual assortment of low-speed serial and parallel interfaces, including a generous eight USB ports. Main memory fits into two DIMM sockets for a total of 4GB of system RAM (see detailed diagram).
Expansion comes in the form of a PCI Express slot which sports a fast x16 interface, so it can handle the fastest or most complex PCI Express plug-in cards available. RadiSys also has its own line of high-reliability, long-life Media Expansion cards for use with the TP945GM mini-ITX for additional DVI and LVDS graphics interfaces. For smaller, more modest expansion CompactFlash, PCMCIA, and Mini-PCI sockets are also available for plug-ins. These are convenient for memory sticks, ID key rings, or just about any other kind of portable digital media. So many possibilities!
The Endura TP945GM is so complete it packs an entire high-end PC motherboard into a 7.6-inch square board, including dual Gigabit Ethernet, SATA, and 7.1 audio. With easy cooling and modest power consumption, the Endura TP945GM slips easily and quietly into the tightest quarters.
