Kontron, a leading embedded computer technology company, has announced that Evalue has adopted the new ETX 3.0 standard for Computer-On-Modules (COMs).
Kontron, a leading embedded computer technology company, has announced that Evalue has adopted the new ETX 3.0 standard for Computer-On-Modules (COMs). The first ETX 3.0-compliant product sample from Evalue is expected to be released at the Computex fair in June 2006. The rapid adoption of the ETX 3.0 standard by numerous leading vendors of Computer-On-Modules demonstrates how important this new specification is becoming.

ETX 3.0 introduces 2x Serial ATA without changing any of the ETX pins, making new modules 100 percent pin-to-pin compatible with previous versions and ensuring long-term support for the vast number of embedded application solutions based on these already highly integrated COMs, in applications from medical, gaming and entertainment, to military and aerospace.

ETX 3.0 modules, such as Kontron's ETX-LX, integrate 2x Serial ATA via two slim line connectors that are designed onto the top-side of the CPU module itself, thereby avoiding the need to modify the ETX-connectors of the module and carrier board so that existing solutions can take advantage of faster Serial ATA hard drives.

ETX 3.0 also includes USB 2.0 to be used via the existing ETX connectors.

Kontron, along with Evalue , ADLINK, MSC and other members of the ETX Industrial Group (www.etx-ig.org ) have adopted ETX 3.0 with the intention of keeping the standard viable until at least 2010.

Additional modules built around dual-core processors and others from Intel, AMD, and VIA are planned for release over the course of this year, with more to follow in future.

To obtain a copy of the ETX 3.0 specification, contact a local Kontron office or visit the ETX Industrial Group website (www.etx-ig.org ).

A downloadable version of the specification will be available in the near future.

Computer-On-Modules such as ETX and, most recently, ETXexpress (based on COM Express) are implemented in embedded systems tailored to meet customer needs.

The advantages: concentration on core competences, short time to market, low design risk and freely scalable performance.

ETX modules with PCI bus are geared toward applications with low to medium performance.

High-end applications are implemented with PCI Express bus-based ETXexpress modules.

In future, the ETX standard will undergo further development in scalability and performance, because PCI will be used in embedded systems for just as long as the older ISA bus used today has been.