Nuremberg, Germany - December 1, 2005. Right on time for Embedded World 2006, MEN is one of the first manufacturers on the market to present a new CompactPCI single-board computer based on Pentium M with a 915 chip set. MEN’s F14 makes new technologies such as SATA and PCI Express available for applications in harsh industrial environments and offers completely new application possibilities in mobile and multimedia applications. Long-term availability at least until 2011 and RoHS conformity guarantee that the user’s project is future-safe.
INTO THE FUTURE WITH THE NEW PCI EXPRESS GENERATION
The F14 is a 32bit/33MHz system slot or stand-alone board for CompactPCI systems in single Eurocard format that needs only one slot on the CompactPCI bus. The board is built around a high-performance Pentium M processor with clock frequencies up to 2GHz or, as an alternative, the low-power Celeron M. Together with a dedicated heat sink the F14 can be used in an extended temperature range from -40°C up to +85°C. Because of the high requirements regarding shock and vibration the board has no plugged components. In addition the card is prepared for coating, for use in humid and dusty environments.
Among other features, the new 915GM chip set provides four PCI Express lanes for fast communication needs such as Gigabit Ethernet or graphics, and two SATA interfaces. Standard I/O at the front panel of F14 includes a VGA connector for graphics, two Gigabit Ethernet channels connected over PCI Express, and two USB 2.0 ports. The F14 offers additional I/O options using different expansion cards and can even be used in 6U CompactPCI systems. Expansion functions include common UARTs, further USB interfaces, audio and two additional DVI connections to display identical or different content on several screens. The F14 also supports rear I/O.
In terms of memory the F14 comprises up to 2GB fast DDR2 DRAM that is firmly soldered for shock and vibration prone applications. A CompactFlash slot, or a 1.8in hard disk that can be plugged alternatively, provides unlimited storage space for applications.
Different watchdogs to monitor the processor and board temperature make the functions of F14 complete. The board comes with comprehensive board-support packages for Windows, Linux, VxWorks and QNX.
FROM MULTIMEDIA TO MOBILE APPLICATIONS
The F14 is suitable for a wide range of industrial applications, from monitoring, visualisation or control to testing and measuring. The most important target markets include industrial automation, medical engineering, airplane and ship engineering, but also transportation, with applications in trains, buses or commercial vehicles. The robust design of F14, together with the low-power processor types of the Pentium M family, helps implement multimedia applications in trains or streetcars, so-called infotainment systems.