Kontron Announces First Fully PC/104-Plus Compliant Design for Intel® Pentium® M Processor

The World’s Smallest Pentium M Processor Design

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 4, 2007 – Today during the Embedded Systems Conference Silicon Valley, Kontron introduced the Kontron MOPS-PM PC/104-Plus card, the industry’s first fully PC/104-Plus compliant single-board computer equipped with Intel® Pentium® M processors. The new Kontron MOPS-PM emphasizes the company’s long term commitment to PC/104-Plus which utilizes PCI and ISA busses.

While other PC/104-Plus designs with Intel Pentium M processors have violated the traditional physical form factor, the Kontron MOPS-PM meets the PC/104 Consortium specifications entirely. This makes the Kontron MOPS-PM the world’s smallest Intel Pentium M processor design currently in use. The classic PC/104 footprint of 90 mm x 96 mm could only be achieved by choosing cutting-edge, highly integrated electronic components such as the latest and smallest Super IO controllers and PCI-ISA-Bridges. PC/104 is one of the world’s smallest form factor standards for SBCs and I/O accessory boards and therefore has the widest usage in applications where space is the limiting factor. Target markets include: automation, medical, defense, transportation, point of purchase/information and gaming.

The new Kontron MOPS-PM for PC/104-compliant expansion modules is equipped with Intel® Pentium® M class processors and 855/852 GME/ICH4 chipset. Standard variants are:

• 1.4 GHz Intel® Pentium® M 738 2MB L2 cache
• 1 GHz Intel® Celeron® M 373 512KB L2 cache
• 600 MHz Intel® Mobile Celeron processor 512KB L2 cache.

In terms of cost, the 600 MHz version fits into or under the price level of the VIA Eden, thanks to Intel’s progressive pricing policy. The Kontron MOPS-PM has PCI and ISA busses and all other standard interfaces (LAN, 2 x USB 2.0, 2 x COM ports, CRT, LPT, EIDE). In addition, the high speed on-chip video controller (Intel® Extreme Graphics 2 engine) with up to 64 MB of video memory (UMA) can drive dual independent displays at high resolutions. Use of the new JILI30 flatfoil connector allows connection of TFT panels at extremely low cost. Even connections to Transistor Logic panels are possible.

Prototypes of the new Kontron MOPS-PM variants are available now; series production will start in Q2 2007.
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The MOPSPC/104 Product Family
With more than a dozen CPU boards currently available, the MOPSPC/104 product family is the world’s largest demand-oriented, scalable product line in the embedded PC/104 world. It includes processors ranging from 486 right up to the mobile Intel® Pentium® M. MOPSPC/104 is the “proven PC platform for Instant Solutions”: The MOPS modules are characterized by having a common connector locations for keyboard, COM1 and COM2 as well as 44-pin IDE, LPT, and LAN1. These standard features simplify upgrades within the Kontron MOPSPC/104 product family. Connecting displays to the boards is straightforward thanks to the JILI or JIPA interface, which automatically recognizes the attached display and sets video parameters accordingly. All MOPSPC/104 boards are therefore Plug&Work-compatible, which considerably reduces the time to market. These same benefits are offered by the PC/104 Kontron Certified I/O Partner Program.

The PC/104 Certified I/O Partner Program
Introduced at the beginning of 2002, the Kontron Certified I/O Partner Program for manufacturers of PC/104 I/O modules is designed to help OEM customers reduce their time to market. The goal of the program, signified by the quality seal for PC/104, is functional certification of PC/104 I/O modules for MOPSPC/104 CPU boards. Certified I/O program partners currently include companies such as RadiSys, Diamond Systems, Applicom International, nbn, Plug-In, Vitec Multimedia, Servo Halbeck and DResearch Digital Media Systems GmbH. A wide range of expansion cards are available for PC/104 including digital and analog I/O, serial interfaces, industrial Ethernet, diverse field busses, frame grabber cards and many others. All multivendor bundles have had their Plug&Work functionality tested. This significantly reduces both the development burden and the time to market. Other manufacturers of PC/104 I/O modules are invited to participate in the Certified I/O Partner Program.

About Kontron
Kontron designs and manufactures standard-based and custom embedded and mobile rugged solutions for OEMs, systems integrators, and application providers in a variety of markets. Kontron engineering and manufacturing facilities, located throughout Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific, work together with streamlined global sales and support services to help customers reduce their time-to-market and gain a competitive advantage. Kontron’s diverse product portfolio includes: Computer-on-Modules, SBCs/blades, open-modular platforms and systems, HMIs, mobile rugged workstations, and custom capabilities. Kontron is a Premier member of the Intel® Communications Alliance and was awarded 2006 Intel Member of the Year. The company is a recent three-time VDC Platinum vendor for Embedded Computer Boards. Kontron is listed on the German TecDAX stock exchange under the symbol "KBC". For more information, please visit: www.kontron.com.


Editor Contact
Richard Pugnier
Manager, Marketing Communications
Kontron
858.623.3006
richard.pugnier@us.kontron.com

Product and Technical Contact
Cliff Moon
Director of Product Marketing, Embedded Computers
Kontron
858.677.0877
cliff.moon@us.kontron.com