Kontron ETX®-DC: Intel® Atom™ processor module, now supporting 24-bit LVDS and SDVO

Drop-in replacement for Intel Pentium M based modules

Eching, Germany, March 2, 2010 – The Kontron ETX®-DC Computer-on-Module (95 x 114mm) with 1.6 GHz Intel® Atom™ processor N270 is now available with 24-bit LVDS display support. As a result of the upgrade to the ETX®-DC design, especially larger display sizes (15-inch and larger) supporting 24-bit only imagery can now be implemented even more efficiently.

The new Kontron ETX®-DC module ensures that both 18-bit LVDS and SDVO signals can be used together. This allows two digital displays to be simultaneously and independently controlled, enabling attractive PCI-based dual-display designs with ISA expansion options.

With the upgrade from 18 bit to 24 bit LVDS, the Kontron ETX®-DC module (a long-life solution anticipated to be available for 7+ years) is a seamless upgrade from existing Intel® Pentium® M designs that also supported 24-bit LVDS. Thus, the new module secures the investments in existing long-life projects such as those in: POI/POS, digital signage, infotainment, gaming, medical and industrial HMI vertical markets.

The new Kontron ETX®-DC Computer-on-Module also offers all the advantages of its predecessor, such as low heat dissipation requirements with ~ 10.5 W. This makes the Kontron ETX®-DC ideal for use in fanless applications in harsh environments, in which passive cooling and completely sealed housings are necessary. Also, the new Computer-on-Module offers a better match where high MTBF and/or EMC requirements exist to further improve reliability of customers’ devices.

The new ETX® 3.0 Computer-on-Module based on the 45nm Intel® Atom™ processor N270 has a 533 MHz FSB and supports up to 2GB of SO-DIMM DDR2-SDRAM system memory. In terms of interfaces it offers 2 x SATA, USB 2.0 and a PCI expansion bus along with all other ETX® 3.0 standard interfaces including support for ISA. An optional onboard Trusted Platform Module (TPM 1.2) offers enhanced data security. Integrated graphics enable the operation of dual monitors via 18/24-bit dual channel LVDS for resolutions up to UXGA (1600 x 1200) and SDVO supporting resolutions up to QXGA (2048 x 1536) as well as TV-out. There is also onboard High-Definition Audio (HDA) support for multimedia applications. Kontron’s newest ETX® 3.0 Computer-on-Module is designed especially for economical energy consumption and with S0/S3/S4/S5 suspend modes offers high energy efficiency.

The new Kontron ETX®-DC Computer-on-Module is now available and supports Windows® 7, Windows® XP, Windows® XPe, Windows® CE as well as Linux and VxWorks.

More about the Kontron ETX®-DC: http://www.kontron.com/products/computeronmodules/etx/etxdc.html

More about ETX®: http://www.kontron.com/ETX

The ETX® 3.0 specification: http://www.etx-ig.org/specs/specs.php

More about Computer-on-Modules: http://www.kontron.com/COM