If nothing else, Adlink's new Express-ATC provides an object lesson in how rapidly computing devices continue to shrink, since it offers substantially the same functionality as the company's
Express-AT, a COM Express Type 2 board the company released just last November. The Express-AT (below left) has the same Intel Atom
N270 processor, 945GSE northbridge, and ICH7-M southbridge, but measures 4.9 x 3.7 inches (125 x 95mm), whereas the Express-ATC (below right) comes in the 3.7 x 3.7 (95 x 95mm)
COM Express Compact format.
Adlink's Express-AT (left) and Express-ATC (right)
(Click either to enlarge) The Express-ATC of course retains the same interface connector design and pinout, ready to relay all of its signals to the outside world via an application-specific baseboard. According to Adlink, the Express-ATC offers three PCI Express x1 lanes, and is optionally available with 4 x1 lanes (also configurable as 1 x4). Other expansion buses include 32-bit PCI, LPC, SmBus, I2C, and SDVO (serial digital video output), the company says.
The Express-ATC has two SATA-150 ports, IDE (PATA), eight USB 2.0 ports, and gigabit Ethernet, the company says. Analog CRTs with resolutions up to 1600 x 1200 pixels, single or dual LVDS-interfaced displays, and NTSC/PAL HDTV output are all supported, Adlink adds.
A single DIMM socket on the Express-ATC can accept up to 2GB of DDR2 memory, the maximum supported by its chipset, and the module is optionally available with an IDE-based SSD (solid state drive) in capacities from 1GB to 8GB, says Adlink. Operating system support is said to include Windows XP, Windows CE, Windows Vista, and Linux 2.6.
A block diagram of the Adlink Express-ATC
(Click to enlarge) Adlink pegs power consumption for the Express-ATC at nine Watts, with 1GB of RAM installed. The device apparently runs fanlessly, but the company lists both a heat spreader and a low-profile heatsink as available options.
Features and specifications listed by Adlink for the Express-ATC include the following:
- Processor -- 1.6GHz Atom N270
- Memory -- Up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM via single DIMM slot
- Storage -- Optional onboard, IDE-interfaced SSD from 1GB to 8GB
- Networking -- Gigabit Ethernet
- Other I/O:
- 8 x USB 2.0
- IDE
- 2 x SATA-150
- CRT, TV, and LVDS
- HD or AC '97 audio
- Expansion buses:
- 3 PCI Express x1 (standard)
- 4 PCI Express x1 or 1 PCI Express x4 (optional)
- 32-bit PCI 2.3 at 33MHz
- LPC
- SMBus
- I2C
- Power -- 12VDC; 9 Watts with 1GB of RAM
- Operating temperature -- 32 to 140 deg. F (0 to 60 deg. C)
- Dimensions -- 3.74 x 3.74 inches (95 x 95mm)
Further information Adlink did not release pricing or availability specifics for the Express-ATC, but the device appears to be available now. Further information may be found on the company's website,
here.
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